Bellevue sits on the eastern shore of Lake Washington in King County, directly across from Seattle, in a region known as the Eastside. It is the third-largest city in the Seattle metropolitan area and the fifth-largest in Washington, having grown from a lakeside suburb into a major employment center with its own dense downtown skyline. The city has been described as both a satellite city and an edge city, reflecting its dual role as a residential community and a self-contained business district. Technology drives Bellevue's economy. Information technology is its largest and most concentrated industry cluster, and the city forms part of an "Innovation Triangle" with Kirkland and Redmond, where a large share of the workforce holds engineering and science occupations. Microsoft and Amazon maintain a major presence in the area, and the professional, scientific, and technical services sector fuels ongoing business activity. Retail and tourism are also significant, anchored by the Bellevue Collection and downtown's shopping district. Bellevue combines an urban core with distinctly residential neighborhoods. Downtown features high-rise offices and condominiums, while areas such as Factoria, Crossroads, and Lake Hills offer a mix of housing near shopping and parks. Lakeside neighborhoods like Meydenbauer Bay and Enatai provide direct access to Lake Washington, and Mercer Slough Nature Park brings a large wetland preserve into the city's southeast corner. The city's appeal spans professionals working in tech, families drawn to the highly regarded Bellevue School District, and residents who want urban amenities with easy lake and mountain access. Its park system, led by the 21-acre Bellevue Downtown Park, gives the urban core generous green space, while Interstate 405 and the bridges across Lake Washington connect Bellevue to Seattle and the wider region.