Northwest (also written as NW or N.W.) is the northwestern quadrant of Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States, and is located north of the National Mall and west of North Capitol Street. It is the largest of the four quadrants of the city (NW, NE, SW and SE), and it includes the central business district, the Federal Triangle, and the museums along the northern side of the National Mall, as well as such neighborhoods as Petworth, Dupont Circle, LeDroit Park, Georgetown, Adams Morgan, Embassy Row, Glover Park, Tenleytown, Foggy Bottom, Cleveland Park, Columbia Heights, Mount Pleasant, the Palisades, Shepherd Park, Crestwood, Bloomingdale, Takoma and Friendship Heights.
Northwest contains many college campuses, including American University, George Washington University, Georgetown University, Howard University, and the University of the District of Columbia. The Verizon Center, home of the Washington Wizards, the Washington Capitals, and the Georgetown Hoyas as well as the venue for many concerts and other events, is located in Northwest, as are the National Cathedral, the White House, and Rock Creek Park.
Politically, Northwest is made up of parts of Wards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, with Wards 1 and 3 being the only wards located entirely within the quadrant.