WA
Abbreviation with 2 meanings
| Stands for | Washington |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 2 |
| Categories | Geography & Places |
WA has two meanings. It stands for Washington (US state) or Western Australia (Australian state and territory).
Meanings of WA at a glance
| # | WA stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | Geography & Places › US State |
| 2 | Western Australia | Geography & Places › Australian State and Territory |
1. Washington
Geography & Places · US State Abbreviations
Washington State, admitted on November 11, 1889, as the 42nd state, is the only state named after a president. Olympia is the capital and Seattle the largest city, and the Evergreen State leads the nation in apple production.
Example: Tech firms in Redmond, WA sponsor the local robotics team every year.
Wash. is the AP and traditional form. Speakers say Washington State to avoid confusion with Washington, D.C. WA was adopted in 1963; WN is not valid. In Australia WA means Western Australia, and messaging users know WA as WhatsApp, so context matters.
2. Western Australia
Geography & Places · Australian State and Territory Abbreviations
Australia's largest state, covering about a third of the continent at roughly 2.5 million square kilometres, with Perth as its capital. Mining of iron ore, gold and lithium drives its economy, and its postcodes start with 6.
Example: Ship the replacement part to Fremantle WA 6160 by express post.
In Australia WA always means Western Australia; in the US it is Washington State's postal code, so international forms need the country. Perth is one of the most isolated large cities in the world, and WA runs on Australian Western Standard Time, two hours behind Sydney in winter.
Related abbreviations
More US state abbreviations
- AK – Alaska
- AL – Alabama
- AR – Arkansas
- AZ – Arizona
- CA – California
- CO – Colorado
- CT – Connecticut
- DC – District of Columbia
See all 51 US state abbreviations →