
Olympia, a city in the Western United States, is the administrative center of Washington state. The population is 49.8 thousand people (2021; including 5.8% - immigrants from Asian countries). It is located on the south coast of Budd Bay in the Pacific Puget Sound, 75 km southwest of Seattle. It is part of the Seattle Metro Area (Seattle – Tacoma – Bellevue). A junction of highways. It is connected by a railway line with the North Pacific Railway. Seaport. Air transportation is carried out through the Boeing Field/King County International Airport in Seattle and Olympia Regional Airport (7 km south of the city center).

Before the beginning of European colonization, the Salish Indian tribe lived on the territory of modern Olympia. In 1792, the territory was explored by the expedition of J. Vancouver, in the 1830s - the expedition of the Hudson's Bay Company 1670, which founded Fort Nisqually (1833-69), in 1841 – the expedition of C. Wilkes. The permanent settlement of American colonists arose in the 2nd half of the 1840s, in 1850 it received the modern name Olympia (after the Olympic Mountains located to the north). Since 1852, the administrative center of Thurston County, Oregon Territory, since 1853, the administrative center of Washington Territory (state since 1889). In 1878 it was connected by a narrow-gauge railway with Tenino, in 1882 it received the status of a city. In the 2nd half of the 19th century, the basis of the economy was fishing and oysters, woodworking, from the 1st half of the 20th-century shipbuilding, the production of canned fruits and beer, port economy (export, mainly, coal and agricultural products) were developed. After the 2nd World War, many state institutions moved to Seattle, but by the decision of the Washington State Supreme Court in 1954 they were returned to Olympia, which contributed to the development of the city (along with the construction of a highway on the west coast of the USA in 1957). In the 2nd half of the 20th century. There was an influx of internal migrants; a significant part of the population was made up of civil servants and military personnel. In 1962, the city of Olympia suffered from a hurricane, in 1949, 1965, 2001 – from earthquakes.

The layout of the Olympia center was formed in the 1860s Among the oldest buildings are the mansions of Bigelow (1854-60; now a museum), W. White (1887-93) and Schmidt (1904), the old Washington State Capitol building in Neo-Romanesque style (1890-92, architect W. Ritchie), the governor's house in Georgian style forms (1908), the women's club (A. Stewart House; 1908, both projects by the architectural bureau "Russell and Babcock "). Also in the historical center are the neoclassical administrative complex (Temple of Justice, 1913-30; Washington State Capitol, 1922-28, architects U. Wilder, G. White), the Arsenal - in the Art Deco style (1938, architects J. Voleb, R. Borek), K. Lord's mansion (museum of the administrative center of the state; 1923, architect Voleb). Among the buildings of the late 20th and early 21st centuries is the Memorial to the Veterans of the Vietnam War (1986-87, architect K. Snyder), Olympia-Yashiro Friendship Bridge (2004).
Since the mid-1960s, Olympia has been developing as a major regional center of education and culture. Among the universities: St. Martin's University (1895; in the eastern suburbs of Lacey), South Puget Sound Community Colleges (1962), Evergreen (1967).

Museums: Washington State (1941), Children's (1987). Center for Contemporary Art and Sculpture Park (1998; in Tenino). Theaters: "Maly Theater" (1939; shows, comedies, etc.), "Artists of Olympia" (experimental, 2003), "Family Theater of Olympia" (children's, 2006). Symphony Orchestra. Numerous festivals (including the annual film Festival) and city festivals are held.
The basis of the Olympia economy is the service sector (92.2% of GRP, 2020), including administrative, financial, transport and logistics, innovation and technology, tourism, entertainment (including gambling) services, wholesale and retail trade, education, etc.
The presence of a developed infrastructure, highly qualified personnel, and relatively low real estate prices contributed to the placement of headquarters of high-tech companies in Olympia, including "Univera" (biotechnology), "Reach One" (Internet services) and "Transact" (credit card transactions).
The commercial seaport specializes in the processing of forest cargo.
Leading industries (2.8% of GRP): woodworking, food processing, mechanical engineering (production of equipment for the pulp and paper industry, car parts and high-speed rolling stock, metal containers), chemical (plastic products). Production of large toys for parks and playgrounds.
To the northwest of Olympia is the Olympic National Park.

