Map of Oregon which lies in the northwest region of the USA
| State | Oregon |
| State Capital | Salem |
| Largest City | Portland |
| Coordinates | 44°N 120.5°W |
| Nickname(s) | “The Beaver State” |
| Postal Abbreviation | OR |
| Area | 98,381 sq. mi (254,806 sq. km) |
| Highest Point | Mount Hood, 11,249 ft (3,428.8 m) |
| Neighboring States | Washington, California, Nevada, Idaho |
| Number of Counties | 36 |
| Population | 4,217,737 (2019) |
| Date of entering the Union | February 14, 1859 |
| State Anthem | “Oregon, My Oregon” |
| Governor | Kate Brown (Democrats) |
| Secretary of State | Bev Clarno (Republicans) |
| U.S. senators | Ron Wyden (Democrats), Jeff Merkley (Democrats) |
| U.S. House delegation | 4 Democrats, 1 Republican |
| GDP (millions of dollars) | 255,418 |
| Demonym | Oregonian |
| Time Zones | Primary UTC−08:00 (Pacific), Summer (DST) UTC−07:00 (PDT); primary for Malheur County UTC−07:00 (Mountain), Summer (DST) UTC−06:00 (MDT) |
Oregon is in the Pacific Northwest region on the West Coast of the US. It entered the union of the USA on February 14, 1859, as the 33rd state. Washington surrounds the state on the north, California on the south, Nevada to the southeast, and Idaho to the east. The Pacific region bounds it on the west. Salem is the capital of Oregon.
Oregon spreads across a total area of 98,381 sq. mi (254,806 sq. km), out of which 95,997 sq. mi (248,849 sq. km) is the land area while 2,384 sq. mi (6,177 sq. km) is covered underwater. Water bodies constitute 2.4% of the total area. It is the ninth-largest state in the US in terms of area.
Oregon’s mean elevation is 3,300 ft (1,000 m) above sea level. The highest elevation point of the state is Mount Hood at 11,249 ft (3,428.8 m) while the lowest elevation point of the state is Pacific Ocean 0 ft (0 m).
Deschutes River is the longest river in the state, and its length is 252 mi (405 km). Several rivers pass through the state, such as Bear Creek, Blitzen River, Burnt River, Butter Creek, Clackamas River, Columbia River, Coquille River, Crooked River, Deschutes River, Donner Und, Grande Ronde River, and many more.
The state is also famous for lakes, some significant lakes of the state are- Upper Klamath Lake, Crater Lake, Lake Albert, Agate Lake, Blue River Reservoir, Strawberry Lake, etc.
The significant mountain in Oregon is Mount Hood, which is 11,249 ft high. It is a stratovolcano (potentially active), and it is the highest mountain in the state. Meanwhile, Mount Jefferson, South, North Sister, Sacajawea Peak, Steens Mountain, Aneroid Mountain are other prominent mountains in the state.
The state has an abundance of forests such as – Clatsop State Forest, Elliott State Forest, Gilchrist State Forest, Santiam State Forest, Sun Pass State Forest, Tillamook State Forest. The Willamette National Forest is considered one of the largest National Forests in the United States. Jory soils keep an essential pace in Oregon, which is productive for forest vegetation.
Crater Lake National Park is the only state’s national park.
The state divides into several geographical regions, such as – Oregon Coast (west of the Coast Range), the Willamette Valley, Rogue Valley, Cascade Range, Klamath Mountains, the Columbia Plateau, the High Desert, and the Blue Mountains.
The state is famous for several species, such as Humboldt’s flying squirrel, ringtail, northern flying squirrel, chum salmon, pacific fisher, coastal (Humboldt) marten, Columbian white-tailed deer, bull trout and many more.
Several kinds of birds are spotted in the state like American Robin, the black-capped chickadee, spotted towhee, American goldfinch, song sparrow, and many more.
Douglas-fir is the official state tree of the state, while Oregon Grape is the state’s official flower. The western meadowlark is the state’s bird, and the beaver has officially declared a state animal of this state.
As per the Köppen climate classification, the western part of the state has a temperate oceanic climate while the climate of the southwestern area of Oregon is the Mediterranean, the northeastern part of the state has a steppe climate, and the weather in the east is semi-arid.
The state experiences wide variations in temperature. In summer the temperature remains 64°F (17.8°C) to 68°F (20°C) in July on the west coast while it is between 81°F (27.2°C) to 94°F (34.4°C) in the eastern part of Oregon. The winter in the state is chilly; the mercury dips 18°F (-7.8°C) in January while the temperature in the coastal region remains between 37°F (2.8°C) to 42°F (5.6°C).
Rainfalls in the state vary widely. The coastal regions register 80 inches (2032mm) to 90 inches (2286mm) of rain annually, which may touch up to 200 inches (5080mm) on the western slopes of the coast range. The state receives annual snowfall from 2 inches (50.8mm) along the coast to 12 inches (304.8mm) in the inland valleys, while the central part of the state gets 20 inches (508mm) of snow and eastern part receives 55 inches (1397mm) of snow. But the heaviest snowfall takes place in the Cascade Mountains.
Agriculture plays a vital role in the economy of Oregon, and it is one of the leading agricultural states in the US. Wheat is the leading crop of the state. It produces massive amounts of dairy and poultry products such as milk, nursery stock, cattle, and calves. Apart from these berries, potatoes, eggs, onions, peppermint, cherries, hay, and sweet corn, and many more agricultural products are also grown extensively in the state. The abundance of hazelnuts, raspberries, blackberries, and loganberries are also grown in the state.
Commercial timber is another source of economic activity in the state. Oregon provides about 1/10th of the country’s lumber in the US.
The state is also known for metal-related industries and is famous for manufacturing machinery, aerospace, medical products, electrical equipment, and many more. World-famous shoemaker Nike is also located in Beaverton, Oregon.
TriMet gives bus, light rail facilities to the commuters in Oregon’s city Portland. Several bus lines link with MAX (Metropolitan Area Express) Light Rail, along with WES Commuter Rail, Portland Streetcar, and the Portland Aerial Tram.
Route 1-5 is a well-known interstate highway. Apart from this OR 99E, OR 10, OR 99W, OR 99, I-84 are the major interstate highways.
Essential railroad facilities are available in the state. Some of the crucial railroads are BNSF Railway (BNSF), Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad, City of Prineville Railway, Clackamas Valley Railway, Coos Bay Rail Link, Frontier Rail, Goose Lake Railway, etc.
Oregon is well connected by air from the rest of the country. Some of the major commercial airports in the state are- Portland International (PDX), Eugene (EUG), Salem (SLE), Medford (MFR)., Pendleton (PDT), North Bend (OTH) and many more.
The origin of the name Oregon is not clear. One theory suggests that the name comes from the French-Canadian word “ouragan” meaning “storm” or “hurricane.” Although, there is a doubt in its authenticity. Another theory tells that it might be named so because Jonathan Carver’s widely read Travels through the Interior Part of North America in 1778 had mentioned that he had got the knowledge of one of the rivers from the Indians that was “the Oregon, or River of the West.”
The state is also known as “Beaver State”. However, this is not the official name of the state. While the state was being settled at that time, the fur trade was the primary source of earning. Fur hats were in grand fashion, and Oregon streams were an essential source of beaver pelts. So, Oregon is also known as “Beaver State”.
The most popular tourist destinations in the state are Crater Lake National Park. Crater Lake National Park, Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Multnomah Falls, Cannon Beach., Washington Park, Portland, Mount Hood National Forest, Hood River, Waterfall in the Columbia River Gorge, Ski resort in northern Oregon. Apart from this, tourists can see several other things and enjoy a lot.
1.Oregon is the only state that has two different designs on its flag. On the opposite side of the flag of Oregon there is a beaver.
2.Oregon has 9 lighthouses that are located besides its shoreline. 4 out of these have been earmarked as monuments with historic significance. The others are in use.
3.The maximum number of ghost towns in USA is at Oregon.
4.City of Roses is another name for Portland. The city also exemplifies exceptional planning at the urban level.
5.Many think that the gorge at Columbia River is the most ideal windsurfing location globally.
6.The International Rose Test Garden has at least 500 different types of roses, which have been grown simultaneously from 1917 onwards. It is located at one of the highest locations in Portland.
7.The lake with maximum depth in US is Crater Lake. It has been created on an age old volcano’s remains.
8.Mount Hood is an inactive volcano. It is also the highest mountain in the state and has a height of 11,239 feet.
9.The only states in USA that do not have self serving gas outlets are New Jersey and Oregon.
10.There is a diverse range of hiking routes surrounded by forests and 10 cascades in Silver Falls State Park. The park is also the biggest of its kind in Oregon.
11.One way streets were constructed for the first time in Eugene.
12.The water of Crater Lake is crystal blue in color and it is famous globally for that. The lake was created in excess of 6500 years back and has the most depth among the lakes in USA.
13.Pilot Butte is a volcano with cinder shaped cones. It is situated within Bend’s boundaries.
14.Oregon Caves National Monument’s caves were cut up inside solid marble. The caves were seen for the first time in 1874.
15.Coast Douglas-Fir is regarded as Oregon’s biggest tree. It is 329 feet tall.
16.Dr. John McLoughlin is known as the Father of Oregon. He contributed much to the early development of the state.
17.In North America the river gorge with the maximum depth is Hells Canyon. Its depth stretches to 8000 feet.
18.The most detailed and biggest assortment of carousel horses can be seen at the Carousel Museum.
19.The official nut of Oregon is hazelnut, which is also called filbert. It is the sole US state which has an official nut.
20.The winter station used by famed explorers William Clark and Meriwether Lewis from 1805-06 has a duplicate at Fort Clatsop National Memorial.
21.14th February is celebrated in Oregon as its birthday and Valentine’s Day.
22.Bluebird houses are a common feature at the stakes in each home in Bickelton, which is a tiny village.
23.The statue that is atop the capitol building in Oregon is named Oregon Pioneer. It was created by Ulric Ellerhusen. The statue is revered as a gallant figure. It also stands for the spirit shown by the early settlers of Oregon.
24.Cascade Mountain range has one route that passes through the sea level. This route has been divided by Columbia George National Scenic Area that has been described as an amazing river gorge.
25.Yurts are tents that have a circular dome like shape and can be used for purposes of camping. Oregon’s park system has 159 such yurts that are spread over 19 parks.
26.Through Ries-Thompson House one can get a fantastic sight of Mount Hood. It was built around early 20th century. Among houses that are still there in Parkdale it is the oldest.
27.The official colors of Oregon are gold along with navy blue.
28.The biggest factory specializing in cheese in Oregon is located in Tillamook.
29.The official fish of Oregon is Chinook salmon.
30.The rhododendron capital of Oregon is Florence.
31.In 1792 the discovery of Willamette River was made.
32.The Oregon grape is known in Latin as Mahonia aquifolium. In a resolution, which was passed in 1899, it was made the official flower by the state legislature.
33.Bohemia Mining District is located in Sharp’s Creek and is close to Cottage Grove. The discovery of the most financially valuable gold in Cascade Mountains region was made in Bohemia Mining District.
34.Corvallis and Oregon City were previously Oregon’s capital. The capital building is now located in Salem.
35.The first ever orchard of hazelnuts to have functioned on a commercial basis in Oregon was the Dorris Ranch.
36.Idaho lies to the east of Oregon and more than 50% of the boundary shared by the two states is created by Snake River. Washington is to the north of Oregon and a majority of the boundary between these two states has been created by Columbia River.
37.The first ever building on the University of Oregon Campus was the Deady Hall and it is still there. The University was inaugurated in Eugene in 1876.
38.In Portland, the expedition undertaken by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark has been acknowledged with a long cabin. It is said to be the biggest of its kind the world over and was created in 1905.
39.The biggest sea cave of the world is the Sea Lions Cave. The cave was seen near Florence in 1880.
40.Spain had signed a treaty with USA in 1819. The southern border shared by California and Oregon was created by that treaty.
41.Heceta Head Lighthouse is situated at Lane County. It has been clicked the maximum times among the lighthouses that are there in USA.
42.In the expanded parts of western USA several land courses are used. The one with the maximum length is Oregon Trail.
43.Oregon has only one sanctuary that is meant for rare plants. It is named Darlington Wayside.
44.The biggest clear-span structure in the world is in Oregon and has been made out of wood. It is also home to Tillamook Naval Air Museum.
45.Salt Creek Falls has a depth of 286 feet. It is situated at Cascade Mountain. It is the second tallest waterfall in Oregon.
46.Haystack Rock is located off Cannon Beach and is the third biggest coastal monolith in the world. Its height is 235 feet.
47.HJ Andrews Experimental Forest is a big site for ecological research and functions on a long term basis. It is among the few such locations in USA.
48.At least 467,000 people have been buried at the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse. It was set up in 1880.
49.Among United State’s cycling societies Eugene has received the tenth ranking. The ranking has been done by Bicycling Magazine.
50.The original set up in the world to have been able to raise harbor seals while holding them captive is Oregon’s Seaside Aquarium.
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