which state is washington, d.c. in

Washington, D.C. is not located in any state. It is a federal district known as the District of Columbia and serves as the capital of the United States. It is situated on land that was originally ceded by Maryland and Virginia, but today it is a separate entity, bordered by Maryland to the north and east and Virginia across the Potomac River to the south. Washington, D.C. has a unique political and administrative status, distinct from any U.S. state.