Oregon

Oregon is a Pacific Northwest state known for its dramatic coastline, forests, and progressive, outdoorsy culture. Its capital is Salem, while Portland is the largest city. Nicknamed the Beaver State, it offers extraordinary natural diversity from ocean to high desert.

Oregon spans a rugged Pacific coastline, the fertile Willamette Valley, the volcanic Cascade Range including Mount Hood and Crater Lake, and high desert in the east. It contains the deepest lake in the US. The climate is wet and mild in the west, dry in the east.

Oregon culture is defined by environmentalism, craft beer and coffee, cycling and a quirky independent spirit, especially in Portland. Outdoor recreation, from surfing to skiing, and a strong local-food movement are central.

Home to many Native peoples and the terminus of the Oregon Trail, Oregon drew thousands of pioneers in the mid-1800s and became the 33rd state in 1859. Timber, fishing and agriculture built its economy, now joined by technology.