Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Why is Seattle called the Emerald City?
Introduction References & Edit History
Images
Seattle
Britannica AI Icon
Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Seattle
Seattle Kerry Park offers an expansive view of the skyline of Seattle, Washington, with Mount Rainier in the distance.

Why is Seattle called the Emerald City?

Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
Last updated
•History

News •

Amazon adds Uber Eats to list of services for Amazon Prime members • Nov. 5, 2026, 6:00 AM ET (AP)
Black Panther Party stalwarts to celebrate 1966 founding in Oakland, programs that aided the poor • Oct. 15, 2026, 2:41 PM ET (AP)

Seattle is called the Emerald City because of its abundant parks and greenbelts, which give it a vibrant, lush appearance year-round. In addition to ample vegetation within the city itself, Seattle is surrounded by areas of great natural beauty, including the densely forested Olympic Peninsula and the Cascade Range.

(Learn more about the city in Seattle: 10 Claims to Fame.)

Seattle is able to stay green all year because its climate is temperate, with cool summers and mild winters. To the west, the Olympic Mountains provide protection from the heavy winter rains that frequently inundate the Pacific coast of Washington, while the tall Cascades to the east shield the city from midcontinental extremes of heat and cold.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Will Gosner.