Economy

Washington's chief business is that of government, politics, and diplomacy. To Washington come politicians, labor leaders, and business people from all 50 states and diplomats and representatives from virtually every country of the world.

More than 40 per cent of the civilian labor force is employed by the government. In addition, many members of the military live and work in Washington. After government, the largest employers are the trade and service industries. Tourism is also important millions of tourists visit Washington each year. A great number of international organizations, nonprofit organizations, and lobbying groups are headquartered here and contribute substantially to the city's economy. There is some manufacturing in Washington, but far less than in most cities of similar size.

Washington is served by Amtrak and several major railways; two Interstate highways, 66 and 95; and three commercial airports, Washington National, Dulles International, and Baltimore-Washington International. Metrorail, the subway, provides rapid-transit service.