| State of Oregon | |
| Coordinates | 43°56’8,99″NB, 120°34’30,00″WL |
| General | |
| Surface | 255.026 km² (2,4% water) |
| Residents | 3.831.074 (15,0 inhabitants/km²) |
| Capital city | Salem |
| Politics | |
| Governor | Kate Brown (D) |
| Other | |
| Time zone | −7 / −8 |
| Joined | 14 februari 1859 |
| Nickname | Beaver State |
| Website | oregon.gov |
Oregon is one of the states of the United States located in the Pacific Northwest of the country. The standard abbreviation for the Beaver State, as it is nicknamed, is OR. The capital is Salem.
The state is located on the Pacific Ocean and is bordered by Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada to the southeast, and Idaho to the east. The Columbia River and the Snake River make up much of the natural border to the north and east of the state.
The area was inhabited by a large number of indigenous tribes before traders, explorers and settlers arrived. The latter established an autonomous government in Oregon Country in 1843. Oregon Territory was created in 1848 and Oregon joined the United States as the 33rd state on February 14, 1859. The capital, Salem, is the state’s third most populous city; the city of Portland, on the other hand, has the largest population with an estimated population of 582,130 and 2,241,841 including the surrounding city area.
The Willamette River valley in western Oregon is the region with the highest population density and agricultural productivity in the state. Here are 8 of the 10 largest cities. In 2010, Oregon had a population of close to 3.8 million, an increase of 12% since 2000.
Geography
Oregon’s Köppen Climate Zones
According to JIBIN123.COM, the state of Oregon covers 255,026 km², of which 248,849 km² is land. The state belongs to the Pacific time zone, except for a small portion to the east which is in the Mountain time zone.
Oregon is located on the Pacific Ocean and is bordered by Washington State to the north, Idaho to the east, and California and Nevada to the south.
Mount Hood
From north to south run the Pacific Coast Range and the Cascade Range, a mountain range whose highest point is the summit of the stratovolcano Mount Hood (3,426 m). A lot of rain falls west of this. The southeast of the state is drier and flatter.
Most of western Oregon has a temperate Mediterranean climate (Csb). The months of July and August are dry, warm and sunny. In the east, in addition to this climate type, there is also the Mediterranean continental climate (Dsb) and the drier cold steppe climate (BSk).
One of the main attractions is Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the United States. The approximately 600 meters deep lake was created around 5700 BC. from the volcano Mount Mazama. Oregon has many other lakes, such as Lake Malheur and Lake Klamath. The major rivers are the Columbia, which defines most of the border with Washington, and the Snake, which makes up much of the border with Idaho.
The area along the John Day River is one of the most famous fossil sites in the world. The Lava Lands are also geologically interesting.
Demographics
Around 1850 the state had about 12,000 inhabitants. In the early years, the population rose sharply, partly thanks to a scheme to reward new residents with a piece of land. Many farmers settled especially along the fertile Willamette. By 1860 the population had more than tripled. The limit of one million inhabitants was only reached just before the outbreak of the Second World War. In 2010, Oregon had a population of 3,831,074 (15 per km²). The population is predominantly white, approximately 80%, and Hispanics make up over 10% of the population. Oregon’s population density is greatest in the strip between the coast and the Coastal Mountains. Here are the largest cities, Portland, Eugene and Salem. Portland has about 600,000 inhabitants and number two, Eugene, follows at a great distance with about 150,000 inhabitants.
Economy
The state’s gross national product was $199 billion in 2012, or $37,527 per capita, and the United States’ share of the total was 1.3%. The economic growth in Oregon is more volatile than in the whole country, in good economic times Oregon scores better than the average, but also worse in economically difficult times. The state’s largest private sector employer is Intel. This company is located in the Silicon Forest in western Portland.
Oregon is known for being relatively progressive. Many environmental measures have been implemented for the first time in this state.
Transport
The major highways are primarily Interstate 5 which runs along the entire north-south axis of the state, Interstate 84 (west) along the east-west direction, US Route 97 which crosses the center of the state, the US Route 101 along the entire coastline, and US Route 20 and US Route 26 along the east-west axis. Portland International Airport is the busiest commercial airport in the state and is operated as part of the Port of Portland, the state’s busiest port. The port processes more than 10 million tons of cargo per year. The terminals are on the Willamette and the Columbia. Barges can navigate the latter river as far as Lewiston, Idaho, about 600 miles east of Portland. Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway provide freight transport and Amtrak provide passenger transport.
Education
The state has 199 public education districts of which the city of Portland is the largest. There are 17 community colleges and 7 subsidized higher education institutions in Oregon’s university system. Oregon State University at Corvallis and the University of Oregon at Eugene are the state’s two major universities, while Portland State University has the most enrollment.
Administrative division
According to COUNTRYAAH, Oregon is divided into 36 counties.
| County | Inhabitants 1 July, 2007 |
County Seat | Inhabitants 1 July, 2007 |
| Baker | 15.924 | Baker City | 9408 |
| Benton | 81.428 | Corvallis | 51.125 |
| Clackamas | 376.251 | Oregon City | 31.086 |
| Clatsop | 37.364 | Astoria | 9879 |
| Columbia | 48.996 | St. Helens | 12.347 |
| Coos | 63.505 | Coquille | 4161 |
| Crook | 22.906 | Prineville | 10.075 |
| Curry | 21.767 | Gold Beach | 1846 |
| Deschutes | 154.028 | Bend | 74.563 |
| Douglas | 104.119 | Roseburg | 20.906 |
| Gilliam | 1690 | Condon | 655 |
| Grant | 6904 | Canyon City | 558 |
| Harney | 6767 | Burns | 2684 |
| Hood River | 21.296 | Hood River | 6736 |
| Jackson | 199.295 | Medford | 72.186 |
| Jefferson | 20.687 | Madras | 5424 |
| Josephine | 81.056 | Grants Pass | 33.171 |
| Klamath | 66.512 | Klamath Falls | 19.662 |
| Lake | 7277 | Lakeview | 2345 |
| Lane | 343.591 | Eugene | 149.004 |
| Lincoln | 45.866 | Newport | 9852 |
| Linn | 113.264 | Albany | 47.239 |
| Malheur | 31.135 | Vale | 1901 |
| Marion | 311.449 | Salem | 151.913 |
| Morrow | 11.199 | Heppner | 1371 |
| Multnomah | 701.986 | Portland | 550.396 |
| Polk | 75.265 | Dallas | 15.478 |
| Sherman | 1677 | Moro | 285 |
| Tillamook | 25.038 | Tillamook | 4511 |
| Umatilla | 73.491 | Pendleton | 16.477 |
| Union | 24.753 | La Grande | 12.527 |
| Wallowa | 6759 | Enterprise | 1718 |
| Wasco | 23.762 | The Dalles | 11.935 |
| Washington | 522.514 | Hillsboro | 91.436 |
| Wheeler | 1361 | Fossil | 396 |
| Yamhill | 96.573 | McMinnville | 30.899 |
Politics
The executive branch of the state is headed by a governor, who is directly elected by the voters in the state. In 2010, John Kitzhaber of the Democratic Party was elected governor of the state of Oregon. Kitzhaber previously served as governor from 1995 to 2003. He was re-elected in 2014, but was forced to resign a few months later due to a scandal. He was succeeded on February 18, 2015 by Secretary of State Kate Brown, also a Democratic Party member. In 2016, an early gubernatorial election was held, which was won by Kate Brown.
The legislature consists of the Oregon House of Representatives (Oregon House of Representatives) with 60 members and the Oregon Senate (Oregon State Senate) with 30 members. The Democratic Party has a majority in both chambers.
