Bethesda, Maryland has a population (year 2000) of 55,277 in a land area of 13.1 square miles, making it one of Washington DC's largest and most densely populated suburbs. A vital, well developed city, Bethesda is meeting the challenge through redevelopment, including high-rise residential and office structures. The Greater Bethesda-Chevy Chase corridor, from the District to beyond the Capital Beltway, includes the communities of Bethesda, North Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Friendship Heights. Bethesda has no official boundaries as it is an unincorporated area.

Montgomery County public transportation is excellent and varied. The Bethesda-Chevy Chase area is served by the WMATA Metro (subway) system with three stops m as well as Montgomery County Ride-on Bus service and Metrobus. Dulles International Airport, the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Andrews AFB, and Baltimore Washington International Airport near Baltimore are within easy commuting range.

Shopping is excellent at Bethesda Area Malls (2 regional shopping malls have over 100 stores each). Bethesda OnLine provides its busy residents and tourists alike with door-to-door convenience: make reservations or order dinner for delivery from the many and varied Bethesda restaurants, or simply explore the Malls from your armchair.

The Capital Crescent Trail is an excellent hiker-biker trail from Silver Spring to Georgetown. Actually a linear park with beautiful views of Rock Creek Park and the Potomac River, it also provides access to the C&O Canal Towpath. Cabin John Regional Park provides year-round recreational activities (from tennis, handball, summer concerts and picnic sites to ice skating). Bethesda has 25 additional parks and eight prestigious private country clubs providing golf and tennis. Bethesda Farmers Market and Bethesda Art Walk are regular staples of the community.

Employment is extremely high in this city where 8% have a Bachelor's degree or higher, and 48.8% have Graduate or professional degrees. Bethesda is home of the National Institutes of Health, Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral Center, National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), National Eye Institute, National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the NIH Department of Computer Research and Technology  yet educational, health and social services only account for 19.2% of the employment in this diversified economy. The U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division are also located in Bethesda.

A beautiful suburb of the beautiful capitol of the US, Bethesda is the site of many old churches and historic buildings, but Bethesda looks to the future - and a bright future it is.