Yakima, city, seat of Yakima County, south central Washington, on the Yakima River; incorporated 1886 as North Yakima, renamed 1918. It is a processing and shipping center of a rich irrigated region known for its fruits, hops, mint, vegetables, livestock, dairying, and wine production. Forest products, aircraft parts, and packaging materials are manufactured. A community college and a museum of history are here. An army firing center is nearby. The community, settled in the late 1850s, developed after the arrival of the railroad in 1884. It is named for the Yakama people, who now live on a large reservation near the city. Population 49,826 (1980); 54,827 (1990); 71,845 (2000).
