Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia, is the capital city of the United States. It is a federal district, not part of any state. Geographically, it is located on the northern shore of the Potomac River, bordered by the state of Maryland to the north, east, and west, and by the state of Virginia to the south across the river

. The city was established as a federal district in 1790, with land ceded by both Maryland and Virginia to create a neutral territory for the national capital. In 1846, the portion of land originally ceded by Virginia was returned to that state, leaving the current boundaries of Washington, D.C.

. In summary:

• Washington, D.C. is not in any state.
• It is bordered by Maryland on three sides (north, east, west).
• It is bordered by Virginia to the south, across the Potomac River.
• It was created as a federal district to serve as the permanent seat of the U.S. government