Seattle Fact Sheet

Name:
Seattle is a derivative of the Indian name "Sealth." Sealth was a chief of the Suquamish tribe at the time the first white settlers arrived in 1851.

Settled:
November 13, 1851 by the Denny Party, who had made their way from Portland, Oregon to what is now Alki Point in West Seattle.

Geography:
Seattle is located at latitude 47.39'N, longitude 122.17'W, on the eastern shore of Puget Sound, approximately 90 air miles east of the Pacific coastline and 113 miles south of the U.S.-Canadian border (49th Parallel).

Seattle-83.9 sq. miles
Metro area-4,424.9 sq. miles
King County-2,126.1 sq. miles

Seattle has 147.52 miles of fresh water shoreline and 53.38 miles of salt water shoreline for a total of 200.90 miles of shoreline.
Source: Seattle Comptroller's Office

Puget Sound has 500 square miles of water, 1,400 miles of shoreline and some 300 islands. The average depth is 205 feet with a maximum depth of 930 feet. The average water temperature is 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Population:

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
*Most recent estimation by U.S. Census Bureau, 2005

Demographics:

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005 American Community Survey

Climate:

Source: Official readings of the Western Regional Climate Center taken at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport from 1931-2006.

Annual Precipitation:

Climate records:

Source: Official readings of the Western Regional Climate Center taken at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport from 1931-2000. Additional readings from the National Climatic Data Center 1971-2000.

TOURISM is Washington State's fourth largest industry

Total number of Seattle/King Co. visitors

Total Seattle/King Co. visitor expenditures

Source: King County Visitor Impact Study by SCVB and CIC Research, Inc.

Accommodations
Hotel rooms available in Downtown Seattle: 11,500.
Hotel rooms available in King County: 32,400.
Source: Smith Travel Resource, Inc.

Transportation

Major Air Transportation
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Location: 15 miles south of downtown Seattle
Serves: 29 airlines, 29.9 million passengers a year and direct international flights to and from 13 cities and 8 countries.
Information: (206) 431-4444 or www.portseattle.org/seatac

Cruise Industry
Bell Street Cruise Terminal and Terminal 30 Cruise Facility
Location: Seattle Waterfront
Serves: 5 major cruise lines, Celebrity, Holland America, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean. Small ship lines include American West Steamboat, Cruise West and Fantasy Cruises.
Information: (206) 615-3900 or www.portseattle.org/seaport/cruise

Air miles to Major Cities from Seattle