<sod>'''Seattle''' ({{IPAc-en|audio=GT Seattle AE.ogg|s|i|ˈ|æ|t|əl}}) is a West Coast [[seaport]] city and the [[county seat|seat]] of [[King County, Washington]]. With an estimated 684,451 residents {{as of|2015|lc=y}},<ref name="CensusEstimate"/> Seattle is the largest city in both the [[U.S. state|state]] of [[Washington (state)|Washington]] and the [[Pacific Northwest]] region of [[North America]]. It is the 18th largest city in the United States. In July 2013, it was the fastest-growing major city in the United States<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.seattletimes.com/fyi-guy/2014/05/22/census-seattle-is-the-fastest-growing-big-city-in-the-u-s/ |title=Census: Seattle is the fastest-growing big city in the U.S. |last=Balk |first=Gene |series=FYI Guy |work=Seattle Times |date=May 22, 2014}}</ref> and remained in the Top 5 in May 2015 with an annual growth rate of 2.1%.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/data/seattle-no-longer-americas-fastest-growing-big-city/ |title=Seattle no longer America's fastest-growing big city |last=Balk |first=Gene |series=FYI Guy |work=Seattle Times |date=May 21, 2015 |access-date=November 20, 2015}}</ref> The [[Seattle metropolitan area]] is the [[Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas|15th largest metropolitan area]] in the United States with over 3.7&nbsp;million inhabitants.<ref name=metro_population>{{cite web |url=http://www.census.gov/popest/data/metro/totals/2013/index.html|title=Estimates of Population Change for Metropolitan Statistical Areas and Rankings: July 1, 2010 to July 1, 2013|accessdate=June 14, 2013|publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> The city is situated on an [[isthmus]] between [[Puget Sound]] (an inlet of the Pacific Ocean) and [[Lake Washington]], about {{convert|100|mi}} south of the [[Canada–United States border]]. A major gateway for trade with Asia, Seattle is the third largest port in North America in terms of container handling {{As of|2015|lc=y}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=Seaport Statistics|url=http://www.portseattle.org/About/Publications/Statistics/Seaport/Pages/default.aspx|publisher=Port of Seattle|accessdate=January 2016}}</ref><eod>
<sod>'''Seattle''' ({{IPAc-en|audio=GT Seattle AE.ogg|s|i|ˈ|æ|t|əl}}) is a West Coast [[seaport]] city and the [[county seat|seat]] of [[King County, Washington]]. With an estimated 684,451 residents {{as of|2015|lc=y}},<ref name="CensusEstimate"/> Seattle is the largest city in both the [[U.S. state|state]] of [[Washington (state)|Washington]] and the [[Pacific Northwest]] region of [[North America]]. {{As of|2015}}, it is estimated to be the 18th largest city in the United States. In July 2013, it was the fastest-growing major city in the United States<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.seattletimes.com/fyi-guy/2014/05/22/census-seattle-is-the-fastest-growing-big-city-in-the-u-s/ |title=Census: Seattle is the fastest-growing big city in the U.S. |last=Balk |first=Gene |series=FYI Guy |work=Seattle Times |date=May 22, 2014}}</ref> and remained in the Top 5 in May 2015 with an annual growth rate of 2.1%.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/data/seattle-no-longer-americas-fastest-growing-big-city/ |title=Seattle no longer America's fastest-growing big city |last=Balk |first=Gene |series=FYI Guy |work=Seattle Times |date=May 21, 2015 |access-date=November 20, 2015}}</ref> The [[Seattle metropolitan area]] is the [[Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas|15th largest metropolitan area]] in the United States with over 3.7&nbsp;million inhabitants.<ref name=metro_population>{{cite web |url=http://www.census.gov/popest/data/metro/totals/2013/index.html|title=Estimates of Population Change for Metropolitan Statistical Areas and Rankings: July 1, 2010 to July 1, 2013|accessdate=June 14, 2013|publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> The city is situated on an [[isthmus]] between [[Puget Sound]] (an inlet of the Pacific Ocean) and [[Lake Washington]], about {{convert|100|mi}} south of the [[Canada–United States border]]. A major gateway for trade with Asia, Seattle is the third largest port in North America in terms of container handling {{As of|2015|lc=y}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=Seaport Statistics|url=http://www.portseattle.org/About/Publications/Statistics/Seaport/Pages/default.aspx|publisher=Port of Seattle|accessdate=January 2016}}</ref><eod>