Seattle, the largest city of Washington is located on a isthmus connecting the two water bodies of Puget Sound and Lake Washington. The contrasting Seattle geography comprises of numerous water bodies and mountains. With a total area of 83.9 square miles, Seattle lies in the geographical co-ordinates of 47.37 North latitude and 122.20 West longitude.
The topography of Seattle is hilly. Seattle lies on seven hills including Capitol Hill, First Hill, West Seattle, Beacon Hill, Denny Hill and Queen Anne. The Kitsap and the Olympic peninsulas along with the Olympic mountains lie to the west of Puget Sound, while the Cascade Range and Lake Sammarish lie to the east of Lake Washington. The lush green forests and the numerous water bodies have provided livelihood for many hunting and gathering communities.
Lake Washington Ship Canal in Seattle is a man made waterway connecting Lake Washington to Puget Sound. This canal, officially completed in 1934 incorporates four natural bodies of water like the Lake Union, Salmon Bay, Portage Bay and the Union Bay. The city is a home to different water bodies. Puget
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Sound is an inlet of the Pacific Ocean. Montlake cut joins lake Washington to Lake Union. Different Seattle Lakes like Lake Washington and Lake Sammish are top recreational areas.
Harbor Island, a man made island is located in the mouth of Seattle, where the Duwamish waterway empties itself into the Elliott Bay. This artificial island was built out of tide flats around the mouth of the Duwamish river. The West Seattle Bridge crosses over the island.
The city lies in the earthquake zone and has experienced many earthquakes. One of the prime reasons of this tectonic disturbance is the Seattle Fault. This is a geological fault that cuts across Puget Sound into the city of Seattle. The approximate depth of Seattle Fault is 8 miles. This fault has played a key role in shaping the geography of Seattle.
Seattle geography influences the climate of the city. Seattle experiences a mild climate classified as Marine West Coast. It also has some traits of Mediterranean climate with wet winters and dry summers.
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