[285] The city was listed as the most literate of the country's 69 largest cities in 2005 and 2006, the second most literate in 2007 and the most literate in 2008 in studies conducted by Central Connecticut State University. Seattle, WA Area Codes: List, Map, and Phone Lookup. [286], Seattle Public Schools desegregated without a court order[287] but continue to struggle to achieve racial balance in a somewhat ethnically divided city (the south part of town having more ethnic minorities than the north). To make an inbound international call (or domestic long distance call) to a Seattle landline or mobile phone, you need to dial the appropriate 3-digit area code, followed by a 7-digit local subscriber number. In 2015, the Washington Global Health Alliance counted 168 global health organizations in Washington state.

[212] The Seattle Aquarium has been open on the downtown waterfront since 1977 (undergoing a renovation in 2006). [141] In September 2005, King County adopted a "Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness", one of the near-term results of which is a shift of funding from homeless shelter beds to permanent housing. [220] Seahawks fans have set stadium noise records on several occasions and are collectively known as the "12th Man". Universities aimed at the working adult are the City University and Antioch University. [161] In 2006 former Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels announced a desire to spark a new economic boom driven by the biotechnology industry. [156] Other Fortune 500 companies commonly associated with Seattle are based in nearby Puget Sound cities. The 2017 U.S. News & World Report ranked the University of Washington at #11 in the world, tied with Johns Hopkins University. [282], In July 2017, the Seattle City Council unanimously approved an income tax on Seattle residents, making the city the only one in the state with an income tax. The Seattle area developed into a technology center from the 1980s onwards with companies like Microsoft becoming established in the region; Microsoft founder Bill Gates is a Seattleite by birth. [11] In July 2016, Seattle was again the fastest-growing major U.S. city, with a 3.1% annual growth rate. Seattle's population historically has been predominantly white. [154] In February 2010, the city government committed Seattle to become North America's first "climate neutral" city, with a goal of reaching zero net per capita greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. [105], Seattle typically receives some snowfall on an annual basis but heavy snow is rare. Area code 206 is the North American area code for Seattle; nearby Mercer Island, Bainbridge Island and Vashon Island; and portions of the Seattle metro area from Des Moines to Woodway. [171] The Seattle Opera and Pacific Northwest Ballet, which perform at McCaw Hall (opened in 2003 on the site of the former Seattle Opera House at Seattle Center), are comparably distinguished,[172][173] with the Opera being particularly known for its performances of the works of Richard Wagner[174][175] and the PNB School (founded in 1974) ranking as one of the top three ballet training institutions in the United States. city. CNA is the Canadian Numbering Administrator. Maps may not be completely up to date. A single calendar-day snowfall of six inches (15 cm) or greater has occurred on only 17 days since 1948, and only three times since February 17, 1990; 6.8 in (17.3 cm) of snow officially fell at Sea-Tac airport on January 18, 2012. The world's largest tunnel boring machine, named "Bertha", was commissioned for the project, measuring 57 feet (17 m) in diameter. The Kitsap and the Olympic peninsulas along with the Olympic mountains lie to the west of Puget Sound, while the Cascade Range and Lake Sammamish lie to the east of Lake Washington. [38] The 2010 census showed that Seattle was one of the whitest big cities in the country, although its proportion of white residents has been gradually declining. 2. If you have any suggestions or comments contact us. [128][135] Additionally, the Seattle area had the highest percentage of self-identified mixed-race people of any large metropolitan area in the United States, according to the 2000 United States Census Bureau.