Spread over six wooded hills dotted with small white houses, Washington State's largest city, nicknamed the "Emerald City" because of the forests that surround it, offers its inhabitants the magnificent spectacle of the snow-covered peaks of Mount Rainier, the soothing calm of the waters of Lake Washington and the marine vitality of the immense bay of Puget Sound, guaranteeing them an incomparable quality of life. But Seattle, whose population has tripled in 10 years, is a rapidly expanding city. The city centre, bristling with towers of eclectic modernism and crossed by the soundtrack of Interstate 5 (which links Canada to Mexico), reflects the city's economic vitality. To preserve the pleasant setting that gives it its charm and to try to contain the wild constructions of the business people, the city has developed stricter urban planning regulations. If the business centre is not a success despite its small Manhattan feel, the historic district has managed to preserve its character and authenticity. Today, it is in the small restaurants of Pike Place Market, theatres and bookstores of Pioneer Square that the city's cultural and social life is expressed. It is on the waterfront, along the wooden piers that we find the atmosphere of the old port. The climate is not an inconvenience for Seattle's residents, who are fond of sports and nature, especially since we inform you here that it rains less than in New York. However, water is a blessing in this region of forests and lakes where vegetation grows like trees in paradise. Californians, attracted by jobs and cheaper real estate, do not hesitate to move to Seattle. This young city that gave birth to hard rock and grunge fashion will never cease to amaze. With its privileged position for trade with Asia, Seattle has chosen the East as its economic and cultural partner, as has its Canadian neighbour Vancouver. Seattle now has 724,000 inhabitants and 3.7 million with its metropolitan area. This demographic growth is explained by strong Asian immigration, a consequence of the city's good trade relations with the East and its geographical position, just opposite. But also its economic dynamism, which attracts Americans from all over the West. Long considered by the rest of the country as a small provincial city, Seattle today offers the image of an open, dynamic and promising city. The city is home to innovators, pioneers and explorers: Boeing, Starbucks, Microsoft, Nordstrom, Eddie Bauer and UPS were all born in Seattle. The city's economy is essentially based on the activities of Boeing, one of the world's largest aeronautical companies (with Airbus, of course) and the region's main employer. Other industries are developing such as microcomputing, of which Microsoft and its former charismatic boss are an example. Thanks to Microsoft too, Adobe and Amazon have moved to the region. Thus the city is young, cosmopolitan, educated and very liberal (in the Anglo-Saxon sense of the term), constantly turned towards modernity, with, always, an eye on the sea and boats. The average salary in Washington State, and especially in Seattle, is higher than the national average in the United States. The standard of living is therefore high, even if it remains more affordable than in California or Vancouver, for example. One third of jobs are export-related, and the port of Seattle is the 5th largest in the country and the 25th largest in the world. It is also logical that the city's university was the first school in the United States to offer a master's degree in computer engineering in 1979: a certain Bill Gates may not be a stranger there! Tourism is the 4th industry that keeps Seattle alive. With nearly 9 million visitors each year, 30,000 hotel rooms, the "Emerald City" generates nearly 4 billion dollars thanks to their expenses. The large surrounding areas are an essential source of natural advertising. But Seattle, aware of the quality of its environment, is more and more often divided between the need for economic expansion and the concern to preserve the living conditions of its inhabitants. The forest industry, which for a long time was its primary resource, is now being held back by environmentalists who oppose tree cutting. Another major problem. While the city is showing ever-greener economic indicators and seeing its wealth grow, it nevertheless has a sad record: it is the 3rd city with the highest number of homeless people in the United States, behind Los Angeles and New York. With a staggering 12,000 homeless in King County (+5.6% in 2018 for Washington State compared to a +0.3% increase nationally). Almost half of them sleep rough, while the other half are housed in shelters. The population of a small town in the city!

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Seattle, USA - September 19, 2013 : The Seattle Monorail entering the Seattle Center through the Experience Music Project with a reflection of the Space Needle on a sunny day. The Monorail was originally built in 1962 for the Worlds Fair. 400tmax
Panorama sur Seattle. Andy - Fotolia
Experience Music Project et Space Needle. Stéphan SZEREMETA
Vue panoramique sur Seattle depuis le Space Needle. Stéphan SZEREMETA
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