State of Oregon
Flag of Oregon (obverse) Seal Nickname(s): Beaver State Motto(s): Alis volat propriis (She flies with her own wings) The Union (de facto)
Official language(s)	(none)[1]
Demonym	Oregonian
Capital	Salem
Largest city	Portland
Largest metro area	Metro Region
Area	Ranked 9th in the US
- Total	98,466 sq mi (255,026 km²)
- Width	260 miles (420 km)
- Length	360 miles (580 km)
- % water	2. The Flag of the US state of Oregon is a two-sided flag in Navy blue and gold with an optional gold fringe This is a list of US state nicknames, including officially adopted Nicknames and other traditional nicknames for individual states of the United States. Here is a list of state Mottos for the states of the United States of America. Alis volat propriis is a Latin phrase meaning " She flies with her own wings " and is the motto of U The United States does not have an Official language; however the majority of the population speaks English as a native language (about 82% A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place Washington DC has been the capital of the United States since 1800 Salem (ˈseɪləm is the Capital of the US state of Oregon, and the County seat of Marion County. This is a list of the largest cities of US states by population Portland is a city located in the Northwestern United States, near the Confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas|Table of United States Core Based Statistical AreasIn the United States, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB has produced Metro, formerly known as Metropolitan Service District, is the regional governmental agency for the Oregon portion of the Portland metropolitan area. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. This is a complete list of the states of the United States and its major territories ordered by total area, land area, and water area The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand 4
- Latitude	42° N to 46° 18′ N
- Longitude	116° 28′ W to 124° 38′ W
Population	Ranked 27th in the US
- Total	3,421,399
- Density	35. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology This is a list of states of the United States by population (with inhabited non-state jurisdictions included for comparison as of July 1, 2007, according to the This article is a list of the 50 US States ordered by Population density. 6/sq mi  13. 76/km² (39th in the US)
Elevation
- Highest point	Mount Hood[2] 11,239 ft  (3,425 m)
- Mean	3,297 ft  (1,005 m)
- Lowest point	Pacific Ocean[2] 0 ft  (0 m)
Admission to Union	February 14, 1859 (33rd)
Governor	Ted Kulongoski (D)
Lieutenant Governor	None[3][4]
U.S. Senators	Ron Wyden (D) Gordon Smith (R)
Congressional Delegation	List
Time zones
- most of state	Pacific: UTC-8/-7
- Malheur County	Mountain: UTC-7/-6
Abbreviations	OR Ore. US-OR
Website	www.oregon.gov

Oregon (help·info) (IPA: /ˈɔɹəgən/) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below --> Mount Hood (called Wy'east by the Multnomah tribe) is a Stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc in northern The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This is a list of U Events 842 - Charles the Bald and Louis the German swear the Oaths of Strasbourg in the French and German Year 1859 ( MDCCCLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common A governor is a governing official usually the executive (at least nominally to different degrees also politically and administratively of a non-sovereign level of government Theodore R "Ted" Kulongoski (born November 5 1940) is an American politician currently serving his second term as the Governor of Oregon This is a complete and current List of United States Lieutenant Governors. The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives Ronald Lee Wyden (born May 3, 1949) is an American politician Gordon Harold Smith (born May 25, 1952) is an American Senator and businessman for the state of Oregon. The United States Congress is the bicameral Legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses These are tables of congressional delegations from Oregon to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives. This is a list of United States of America States by time zone The Pacific Time Zone observes Standard time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time ( UTC-8) Daylight saving time ( DST Malheur County (mælˈhɪər is a county located in the southeast corner of the U The Mountain Time Zone of North America keeps time by subtracting seven hours from Coordinated Universal Time ( UTC-7) during the shortest days of autumn Daylight saving time ( DST The traditional abbreviations for US states and territories were widely used in mailing addresses prior to the introduction of two-letter U ISO 3166-2US is an ISO standard which defines Geocodes it is the subset of ISO 3166-2 which applies to the United States of America. A website (alternatively web site or Web site, a back-construction from the Proper noun World Wide Web) is a collection of Web pages A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government The Pacific Northwest is a region in the northwest of North America (the term refers to the land not the ocean The United States of America —commonly referred to as the It joined the Union on February 14, 1859 as the 33rd state. Events 842 - Charles the Bald and Louis the German swear the Oaths of Strasbourg in the French and German Year 1859 ( MDCCCLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Previously, the region was part of the Oregon Territory that was created in 1848 after American settlement began in earnest in the 1840s. The Oregon Territory is the name applied both to the unorganized Oregon Country claimed by both the United States and Britain (but normally referred to The state lies on the Pacific coast between Washington on the north and California and Nevada on the south; Idaho lies to the east. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions Washington ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America. The State of Idaho ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States of America. The Columbia and Snake rivers form much of its northern and eastern boundaries, respectively. The Columbia River (known as The Snake River is a major Tributary of the Columbia River in the U Salem, the state's third most populous city, is the state capital, while the most populous city is Portland. Salem (ˈseɪləm is the Capital of the US state of Oregon, and the County seat of Marion County. Portland is a city located in the Northwestern United States, near the Confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers

The valley of the Willamette River in western Oregon is the most densely populated and agriculturally productive region of the state and is home to 8 of the 10 most populous cities. The Willamette Valley () is the region in northwest Oregon in the United States that surrounds the Willamette River as it proceeds northward from its emergence The Willamette River (pronounced) is a Tributary of the Columbia River. Oregon's population in 2000 was about 3. 5 million, a 20. 3% increase over 1990; it is estimated to have reached 3. 7 million by 2006. ^[5] Oregon's largest private employer is Intel, located in the Silicon Forest area in Portland's western suburbs. History The term Silicon Forest can refer to all the technology companies in Oregon but often is in reference only to those in Washington County on Portland’s west side Nike is the only Fortune 500 company headquartered in the state. Nike Inc ('naɪki ( is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The state has 199 public school districts, with Portland Public Schools as the largest. Portland Public Schools (or PPS) is a Public school district located in Portland Oregon, United States. There are 17 community colleges, and seven publicly financed colleges in the Oregon University System. "OUS" redirects here For the Ohio University branch campus in Ironton Ohio, see Ohio University Southern Campus. Oregon Health & Science University, the state's only medical school, is affiliated with the system. Oregon Health & Science University ( OHSU) is a public University in Oregon with a main campus including three Hospitals in Portland Oregon State University in Corvallis and the University of Oregon in Eugene are the two flagship universities of the state, while Portland State University has the largest enrollment. Oregon State University ( OSU) is a Coeducational public Research[[ university]] located in Corvallis, Oregon, United Corvallis (kɔrˈvælɪs is a City located in central western Oregon, United States. The University of Oregon (UO is a public, Coeducational Research university in Eugene Oregon, United States. The city of Eugene ( "yoo-JEEN") is the County seat of Lane County, Oregon, Portland State University (PSU is a public state Urban university located in downtown Portland Oregon, United States. Willamette University in Salem is the oldest college in Oregon. Willamette University is an American private institution of higher learning located in Salem Oregon.

Major highways include Interstate 5 which runs the entire north-south length of the state, Interstate 84 that runs east-west, U.S. Route 97 that crosses the middle of the state, U.S. Route 101 that travels the entire coastline, and U.S. Route 26 that runs east-west, among many other highways. In the US state of Oregon, Interstate 5 traverses across the state passing through the major cities of Portland, Salem, Eugene, In the US state of Oregon, Interstate 84 travels east-west following the Columbia River and the rough path of the old Oregon Trail In the US state of Oregon, US Route 97 is a major north-south United States highway which runs through the state of Oregon (among In the US state of Oregon, US Route 101 a major north-south U In the US state of Oregon, US Route 26 is a major cross-state State highway, connecting U Portland International Airport is the busiest commercial airport in the state, run by the Port of Portland, the busiest port in Oregon. Portland International Airport is the largest airport in the U The Port of Portland is the Port district responsible for overseeing Portland International Airport, general aviation and marine activities in the Portland Rail service includes Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway freight service, Amtrak passenger service, as well as light rail and street car routes in the Portland metro area. The BNSF Railway headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, is one of the four remaining Transcontinental railroads and one of the largest railroad networks in The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Doing business as Amtrak, is a Government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971

Oregon has a diverse landscape with tall, dense forests that stretch a third of the way across the state in the north and halfway across the state in the south; and its accessible and scenic Pacific coastline and its rugged, glaciated Cascade volcanoes. Other areas include semi-arid scrublands, prairies, and deserts that cover approximately half the state in eastern and north-central Oregon, and sparser pine forests in the northeast. Mount Hood is the highest point in the state at 11,239 feet (3,425 m) above sea-level. Mount Hood (called Wy'east by the Multnomah tribe) is a Stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc in northern Crater Lake National Park is the only National Park in Oregon. Crater Lake National Park is a United States National Park located in Southern Oregon whose primary feature is Crater Lake.

Contents 1 History 2 Name 3 Geography 3.1 Major cities and towns 3.2 Climate 4 Law and government 4.1 State government 4.1.1 Racial discrimination 4.2 Federal government 4.3 Politics 5 Economy 5.1 Taxes and budgets 6 Demographics 6.1 Religion 6.2 2000–2003 population trends 7 Education 7.1 Primary and secondary 7.2 Colleges and universities 7.2.1 Public 7.2.2 Private 8 Sports 9 State symbols 10 Sister states 11 See also 12 References 13 Further reading 14 External links

History

Main article: History of Oregon

See also: Oregon Pioneer History

Human habitation of the Pacific Northwest began at least 15,000 years ago, with the oldest evidence of habitation in Oregon found at Fort Rock Cave in Lake County by archaeologist Luther Cressman dating to 13,200 years ago. The History of Oregon, a US state, may be considered in five eras geologic history inhabitation by native peoples, early exploration by Europeans Oregon Pioneer History (1806 to 1890 is the period in the history of the U Oregon Country or Oregon (to be distinguished from the American State also called Oregon) was a predominantly American term referring to The Pacific Northwest is a region in the northwest of North America (the term refers to the land not the ocean Fort Rock Cave is the site of the earliest evidence of human habitation in the U Lake County is a county located in the US state of Oregon. It is so named for the sizeable number of lakes found within its boundaries including Luther Sheeleigh Cressman ( October 24 1897 &ndash April 4 1994) was an American Anthropologist. ^[6] By 8000 B. C. there were settlements throughout the state, with populations concentrated along the lower Columbia River, in the western valleys, and around coastal estuaries.

By the 16th century Oregon was home to many Native American groups, including the Bannock, Chasta, Chinook, Kalapuya, Klamath, Molalla, Nez Perce, Takelma, and Umpqua. Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States The Bannock or Banate are a Native American people who traditionally lived in the northern Great Basin in what is now southeastern Oregon and The Shasta (or Chasta) are an indigenous people of Northern California and Southern Oregon in the United States. Chinookan refers to several groups of Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The Kalapuya (also Kalapuyan, Kalapooian, Calapooya, Calapooia) are a Native American Ethnic group and are members of the The Klamath are a Native American tribe of the Plateau culture area in Southern Oregon. The Molala (also Molale, Molalla, Molele) were a people of the Plateau culture area in central Oregon, United States. The Nez Perce (ˌnɛzˈpɝs are a Tribe of Native Americans who live in the Pacific Northwest region ( Columbia River Plateau) of the United The Takelma (also Dagelma) were a Native American people that lived in the Rogue Valley of interior southwest Oregon, with most of their villages sited Umpqua refers to any of several distinct groups of Native Americans that live in present-day south central Oregon in the United States. ^{[7][8][9][10]}

James Cook explored the coast in 1778 in search of the Northwest Passage. Captain James Cook FRS RN ( – 14 February 1779) was an English Explorer, Navigator and The Northwest Passage is a sea route through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways amidst the Canadian Arctic Archipelago The Lewis and Clark Expedition traveled through the region during their expedition to explore the Louisiana Purchase. For the film see Louisiana Purchase (film. The Louisiana Purchase (French Vente de la Louisiane "Louisiana Sale" They built their winter fort at Fort Clatsop, near the mouth of the Columbia River. Fort Clatsop was the encampment of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in the Oregon Country near the mouth of the Columbia River during the winter of 1805-1806 The Columbia River (known as Exploration by Lewis and Clark (1805–1806) and the United Kingdom's David Thompson (1811) publicized the abundance of fur-bearing animals in the area. David Thompson ( April 30, 1770 &ndash February 10, 1857) was an English-Canadian fur trader surveyor and map-maker known Also in 1811, New Yorker John Jacob Astor financed the establishment of Fort Astoria at the mouth of the Columbia River as a western outpost to his Pacific Fur Company. The City of New York For other pages relating to Astor see John Jacob Astor (disambiguation John Jacob Astor (born Johann Jakob or Johann Jacob Astor) ( July Fort Astoria (also named Fort George) was the Pacific Fur Company 's primary Fur trading post in the Northwest and was the first American-owned The Pacific Fur Company was founded June 23, 1810, in New York City ^[11] ; this was the first permanent Caucasian settlement in Oregon.

In the War of 1812, the British gained control of all of the Pacific Fur Company posts. The War of 1812 was fought between the United States of America and the British Empire, particularly Great Britain and her North American colonies The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom from 1 January 1801 until 12 April 1927 By the 1820s and 1830s, the Hudson's Bay Company dominated the Pacific Northwest from its Columbia District headquarters at Fort Vancouver (built in 1825 by the District's Chief Factor John McLoughlin across the Columbia from present-day Portland). Fort Vancouver was a 19th century fur trading outpost along the Columbia River that served as the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company in the company's For the survivor of the attacks of September 11 2001 see John McLoughlin (World Trade Center attack survivor For articles on John McLaughlin see

In 1841, the master trapper and entrepreneur Ewing Young died leaving considerable wealth and no apparent heir, and no system to probate his estate. Ewing Young ( 1799 - February 9[[ 841]] was an American fur trapper and trader from Tennessee who traveled the western United States before settling Probate is the Legal process of settling the estate of a deceased person specifically resolving all claims and distributing the decedent's Property A meeting followed Young's funeral at which a probate government was proposed. Doctor Ira Babcock of Jason Lee's Methodist Mission was elected Supreme Judge. Doctor Ira Leonard Babcock (c1808- March 21 1888) was an American pioneer selected as supreme judge with probate powers in 1841 in Oregon Country Jason Lee ( June 28 1803 &ndash March 12 1845) an American missionary and pioneer was born on a farm near Stanstead, The Methodist Mission was founded in Oregon Country in 1834 by the Reverend Jason Lee. Babcock chaired two meetings in 1842 at Champoeg (half way between Lee's mission and Oregon City) to discuss wolves and other animals of contemporary concern. Champoeg (ʃæmˈpuːi sham-POO-ee or historically as sham poo' eg is a former town in the U Oregon City was the first city in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated The grey wolf or gray wolf ( Canis lupus) also known as the timber wolf or simply wolf, is a Mammal of the order Carnivora These meetings were precursors to an all-citizen meeting in 1843, which instituted a provisional government headed by an executive committee made up of David Hill, Alanson Beers, and Joseph Gale. The Champoeg Meetings in Oregon Country were the first attempts at governing in the Pacific Northwest by United States European-American pioneers An Executive Committee was the title of a three-person committee which served as the Executive Branch of the Provisional Government of Oregon in the disputed David Hill (1809 – May 9, 1850) was an American pioneer and Settler of what became Hillsboro, Oregon, United States Alanson Beers ( 1800 - February 20 1853) was an American pioneer and politician in the early days of the settlement of the Oregon Country For the US Tax Court judge see Joseph H Gale. Joseph Goff Gale ( April 29 1807 - December 13[[ 881]] was an This government was the first acting public government of the Oregon Country before annexation by the government of the United States. Oregon Country or Oregon (to be distinguished from the American State also called Oregon) was a predominantly American term referring to Annexation ( Latin ad, to and nexus, joining is the legal incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity (either adjacent or non-contiguous

The Oregon Trail brought many new settlers to the region, starting in 1842–1843, after the United States agreed with the United Kingdom to jointly settle the Oregon Country. Pioneers traveled across the Oregon Trail, one of the main overland migration routes on the North American Continent, in wagons in order to settle new parts of the The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Oregon Country or Oregon (to be distinguished from the American State also called Oregon) was a predominantly American term referring to For some time, it seemed that these two nations would go to war for a third time in 75 years (see Oregon boundary dispute), but the border was defined peacefully in 1846 by the Oregon Treaty. The Oregon boundary dispute (or Oregon question) arose as a result of competing British and American claims to the Pacific Northwest of The Oregon Treaty, officially known as the Treaty with Great Britain in Regard to Limits Westward of the Rocky Mountains, Buchanan-Packenham The border between the United States and British North America was set at the 49th parallel. British North America consisted of the colonies and territories of the British Empire in continental North America after the end of the American Revolutionary The 49th parallel north is a Circle of latitude that is 49 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. The Oregon Territory was officially organized in 1848. The Oregon Territory is the name applied both to the unorganized Oregon Country claimed by both the United States and Britain (but normally referred to

Settlement increased because of the Donation Land Claim Act of 1850, in conjunction with the forced relocation of the native population to Indian reservations in Oregon. The Donation Land Claim Act of 1850 (ch 76 9 Stat 496 September 27 1850) sometimes known just as the Donation Land Act, was a statute enacted by the Population transfer is the movement of a large group of people from one region to another by state policy or international authority most frequently on the basis of ethnicity or religion This is a list of Indian reservations in the US state of Oregon as of 2006 The state was admitted to the Union on February 14, 1859. Events 842 - Charles the Bald and Louis the German swear the Oaths of Strasbourg in the French and German Year 1859 ( MDCCCLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common

At the outbreak of the American Civil War, regular U. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South S. troops were withdrawn and sent east. Volunteer cavalry were recruited in California and sent north to Oregon to keep peace and protect the populace. The First Oregon Cavalry served until June 1865. The First Regiment Oregon Cavalry was a Regiment in the volunteer Union army that participated in the American Civil War.

In the 1880s, the proliferation of railroads assisted in marketing of the state's lumber and wheat, as well as the more rapid growth of its cities. Lumber or timber is Wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural Material for Construction, or Wheat ( Triticum spp is a worldwide cultivated grass from the Levant area of the Middle East.

Industrial expansion began in earnest following the construction of the Bonneville Dam in 1933-1937 on the Columbia River. Bonneville Lock and Dam (ˈbɑnəvɪl consists of several Dam structures that together complete a span of the Columbia River between the U The Columbia River (known as Hydroelectric power, food, and lumber provided by Oregon helped fuel the development of the West, although the periodic fluctuations in the U. Hydroelectricity is electricity generated by Hydropower, ie the production of power through use of the gravitational force of falling water S. building industry have hurt the state's economy on multiple occasions. Economics is the social science that studies the production distribution, and consumption of goods and services.

The state has a long history of polarizing conflicts: American Indians vs. British fur trappers, British vs. U. S. settlers, ranchers vs. farmers, wealthy growing cities vs. established but poor rural areas, loggers vs. environmentalists, white supremacists vs. Environmentalism is a broad philosophy and Social movement centered on a concern for the conservation and improvement of the environment. White supremacy is a racist ideology based on the assertion that White people are superior to other racial groups. anti-racists, social progressivism vs. Progressivism is a term that refers to a broad school of international social and political philosophies. small-government conservatism, supporters of social spending vs. Conservatism is a term used to describe political philosophies that favour Tradition, where tradition refers to various religious cultural or nationally defined "Social welfare" redirects here For other uses see Welfare A social welfare provision refers to any program which seeks to provide anti-tax activists, and native Oregonians vs. The Oregon Tax revolt is a political movement in Oregon which advocates for lower taxes Californians (or outsiders in general). Californication is a Portmanteau of California and Fornication, written about in Time on August 21[[ 972]] and Oregonians also have a long history of secessionist ideas, with people in various regions and on all sides of the political spectrum attempting to form other states and even other countries. (See: State of Jefferson, Cascadia and Ecotopia. Jefferson is a mostly rural area of Southern Oregon and Northern California in the United States. Cascadia (commonly called the Republic of Cascadia as a full name is a proposed name for an independent sovereign state advocated by a small grassroots environmental movement Ecotopia The Notebooks and Reports of William Weston is the title of a seminal book by Ernest Callenbach, published in 1975 )

In 1902, Oregon introduced a system of direct legislation by the state’s citizens by way of initiative and referendum, known as the Oregon System. The Oregon Direct Legislation League was an organization of political activists founded in 1898 by William S In Political science, the initiative (also known as popular or citizen's initiative) provides a means by which a Petition signed by a certain A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita The Oregon Direct Legislation League was an organization of political activists founded in 1898 by William S Oregon state ballots often include politically conservative proposals (e. g. anti-gay, pro-religious measures) side-by-side with politically liberal ones (e. g. drug decriminalization), illustrating the wide spectrum of political thought in the state. The prohibition of drugs through sumptuary Legislation or Religious law is a common means of attempting to control Drug use and the

Name

Main article: Oregon (toponym)

The origin of the name "Oregon" is unknown. The origin of the name of the US state of Oregon is unknown and a subject of some dispute One account, advanced by George R. Stewart in a 1944 article in American Speech, was endorsed as the "most plausible explanation" in the book Oregon Geographic Names. George Rippey Stewart ( May 31, 1895 – August 22, 1980) was an American Toponymist, a novelist and a professor of English Oregon Geographic Names is an authoritative compilation of the origin and meaning of place names in the U According to Stewart, the name came from an engraver's error in a French map published in the early 1700s, on which the Ouisiconsink (Wisconsin) River was spelled "Ouaricon-sint", broken on two lines with the -sint below, so that there appeared to be a river flowing to the west named "Ouaricon". Other theories place the word's roots in the Spanish language, from words like Orejón ("big ear") or Aragón. Aragon ( Spanish: "Aragón") is an autonomous community of Spain.

The pronunciation of the name "Oregon" is a matter of local pride; Oregonians (pronounced /ˌɒrɨˈgoʊniɨnz/)^[12] pronounce the name [ˈɔɹəgən], [ˈɔɹɨgən], or ['ɔɹ. gɛn], and dutifully correct those from elsewhere, who often change the word's first and final syllables. ^[13][12]

Geography

National parks and historic areas in Oregon

Entity	Location
Crater Lake National Park	Southern Oregon
John Day Fossil Beds National Monument	Eastern Oregon
Newberry National Volcanic Monument	Central Oregon
Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument	Southern Oregon
Oregon Caves National Monument	Southern Oregon
California National Historic Trail	Southern Oregon, California
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site	Western Oregon, Washington
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail	IL, MO, KS, IA, NE, SD, ND, MT, ID, OR, WA
Lewis and Clark National and State Historical Parks	Western Oregon, Washington
Nez Perce National Historical Park	MT, ID, OR, WA
Oregon National Historic Trail	MO, KS, NE, WY, ID, OR

See also: List of counties in Oregon, List of cities and unincorporated communities in Oregon, Oregon Geographic Names, List of Oregon rivers, List of Oregon mountain ranges, List of Oregon state parks, and Oregon census statistical areas

Oregon's geography may be split roughly into seven areas:

• Oregon Coast—west of the Coast Range
• Willamette Valley
• Rogue Valley
• Cascade Mountains
• Klamath Mountains
• Columbia River Plateau
• Basin and Range Region

The mountainous regions of western Oregon were formed by the volcanic activity of Juan de Fuca Plate, a tectonic plate that poses a continued threat of volcanic activity and earthquakes in the region. Crater Lake National Park is a United States National Park located in Southern Oregon whose primary feature is Crater Lake. Southern Oregon is a region of the US state of Oregon south of Lane County and generally west of the Cascade Range, excluding the southern John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is a 14000 acre (57 km² park in eastern Eastern Oregon is the eastern part of the US state of Oregon. Newberry National Volcanic Monument was designated in November 1990 to protect the area around Central Oregon is a geographical region lying near the center of the U The Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument is a federally protected area that encompasses Oregon Caves National Monument is a national monument in the northern Siskiyou Mountains The California Trail was a major overland Emigrant route across the Western United States from Missouri to California in the middle 19th California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Fort Vancouver National Historic Site is a United States National Historic Site located in the states of Washington and Oregon. Western Oregon is a geographical term that is generally taken to apply to the portion of the state of Oregon that is west of the Washington ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail is part of the National Trails System The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union. Missouri ( or) is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee Kansas ( is a Midwestern state in the central region of the United States of America, an area often referred to as the American " The State of Iowa ( is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. Nebraska ( is a state located on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States and South Dakota ( is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. North Dakota ( is a state located in the Midwestern and Western regions of the United States of America. Montana ( is a state in the Western United States. One-third of the state in the western part contains numerous mountain ranges (approximately 77 named of the northern The State of Idaho ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States of America. Washington ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Lewis and Clark National and State Historical Parks, in the vicinity of the mouth of the Columbia River, commemorate the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The Nez Perce National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park comprising 38 sites located throughout the states of Idaho, Montana ( is a state in the Western United States. One-third of the state in the western part contains numerous mountain ranges (approximately 77 named of the northern The State of Idaho ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States of America. Washington ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Pioneers traveled across the Oregon Trail, one of the main overland migration routes on the North American Continent, in wagons in order to settle new parts of the Missouri ( or) is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee Kansas ( is a Midwestern state in the central region of the United States of America, an area often referred to as the American " Nebraska ( is a state located on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States and The State of Wyoming ( is a sparsely populated state in the western region of the United States. The State of Idaho ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States of America. The following is a list of 36 counties in the US state of Oregon. __NOEDITSECTION__This List of cities and unincorporated communities in the U Oregon Geographic Names is an authoritative compilation of the origin and meaning of place names in the U This is a partial listing of rivers in the state of Oregon, United States of America. Many Mountain ranges populate the US state of Oregon. Among them are The Blue Mountains Cascade Range, popularly This is a list of State parks and other facilities managed by the State Parks and Recreation Department of the U The United States Census Bureau has defined 2 Combined Statistical Areas (CSAs 6 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs and 13 Micropolitan Statistical Areas The Oregon Coast is a geographical term that is used to describe the Coast of the U The Oregon Coast Range is a Mountain range in the US state of Oregon along the Pacific Ocean. The Willamette Valley () is the region in northwest Oregon in the United States that surrounds the Willamette River as it proceeds northward from its emergence The Rogue Valley is a farming and timber -producing region in southwestern Oregon in the United States. Rogue River Oregon USAjpg|thumb|250px|Rogue River Gorge Oregon]]The Klamath Mountains, sometimes called the Salmon Mountains, are a rugged lightly populated Mountain range The Columbia River Plateau is a geologic and geographic region that lies across parts of the U The Great Basin is a large arid region of the western United States. Crater Lake is a Caldera Lake located in the US state of Oregon. The Juan de Fuca Plate, named after the explorer, is a Tectonic plate arising from the Juan de Fuca Ridge, and subducting under the northerly Plate tectonics (from Greek τέκτων tektōn "builder" or "mason" describes the large scale motions of Earth 's Lithosphere Plate tectonics and hotspots Divergent plate boundaries At the An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth 's crust that creates Seismic waves Earthquakes are recorded with a Seismometer The most recent major activity was the 1700 Cascadia earthquake; Washington's Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980, an event which was visible from Portland. Washington ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Mount St Helens is an active Stratovolcano located in Skamania County, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States

The Columbia River, which constitutes much of the northern border of Oregon, also played a major role in the region's geological evolution, as well as its economic and cultural development. The Columbia River (known as The Columbia is one of North America's largest rivers, and the only river to cut through the Cascades. About 15,000 years ago, the Columbia repeatedly flooded much of Oregon during the Missoula Floods; the modern fertility of the Willamette Valley is largely a result of those floods. The Missoula Floods (also known as the Spokane Floods or the Bretz Floods) refer to the cataclysmic Floods that swept periodically across eastern Washington The Willamette Valley () is the region in northwest Oregon in the United States that surrounds the Willamette River as it proceeds northward from its emergence Plentiful salmon made parts of the river, such as Celilo Falls, hubs of economic activity for thousands of years. Celilo Falls ( Wyam, meaning "echo of falling water" or "sound of water upon the rocks" in several native languages was a tribal fishing In the 20th century, numerous hydroelectric dams were constructed along the Columbia, with major impacts on salmon, transportation and commerce, electric power, and flood control. Hydroelectricity is electricity generated by Hydropower, ie the production of power through use of the gravitational force of falling water

Today, Oregon's landscape varies from rainforest in the Coast Range to barren desert in the southeast, which still meets the technical definition of a frontier. Rainforests are Forests characterized by high Rainfall with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 1750–2000 mm (68-78 inches The Oregon Coast Range is a Mountain range in the US state of Oregon along the Pacific Ocean. A frontier is a Political and Geographical term referring to areas near or beyond a boundary, or of a different nature

Oregon is 295 miles (475 km) north to south at longest distance, and 395 miles (636 km) east to west at longest distance. In terms of land and water area, Oregon is the ninth largest state, covering 98,381 square miles (254,810 km²). ^[15]

The highest point in Oregon is the summit of Mount Hood, at 11,239 feet (3,428 m), and its lowest point is sea level of the Pacific Ocean along the Oregon coast. Mount Hood (called Wy'east by the Multnomah tribe) is a Stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc in northern Mean sea level (MSL is the average (mean height of the Sea, with reference to a suitable reference surface The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions ^[2] Its mean elevation is 3,300 feet (1,006 m). Crater Lake National Park is the state's only National Park, and the site of Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the U. Crater Lake National Park is a United States National Park located in Southern Oregon whose primary feature is Crater Lake. A national park is a reserve of land usually declared and owned by a national Government, protected from most Human development and pollution Crater Lake is a Caldera Lake located in the US state of Oregon. S. at 1,943 feet (592 m). ^[16] Oregon claims the D River is the shortest river in the world,^[17] though the American state of Montana makes the same claim of its Roe River. The D River is a river in Lincoln City, Oregon, United States. "Riverine" redirects here For the use of that term in Maritime geography, see there Montana ( is a state in the Western United States. One-third of the state in the western part contains numerous mountain ranges (approximately 77 named of the northern The Roe River runs between Giant Springs and the Missouri River in Great Falls Montana. ^[18] Oregon is also home to Mill Ends Park (in Portland),^[19] the smallest park in the world at 452 square inches (0. Mill Ends Park (sometimes mistakenly called Mill's End Park in Portland Oregon, United States, is a small Park that was created on St 29 m²).

Oregon is home to what is considered the largest single organism in the world, an Armillaria ostoyae fungus beneath the Malheur National Forest of eastern Oregon. Armillaria ostoyae is a Fungus commonly known as a Honey mushroom, and sometimes called Shoestring Rot. The Malheur National Forest is a National Forest in the US state of Oregon. Eastern Oregon is the eastern part of the US state of Oregon. ^[20]

Major cities and towns

Ten Most Populous Cities in Oregon: 2007[21]
City	Population
1. __NOEDITSECTION__This List of cities and unincorporated communities in the U A city is an Urban area with a large Population and a particular Administrative, Legal, or Historical status Portland	568,380
2. Portland is a city located in the Northwestern United States, near the Confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers Eugene	153,690
3. The city of Eugene ( "yoo-JEEN") is the County seat of Lane County, Oregon, Salem	152,290
4. Salem (ˈseɪləm is the Capital of the US state of Oregon, and the County seat of Marion County. Gresham	99,225
5. Gresham (ˈɡrɛʃəm is a city located in Multnomah County, Oregon, United States immediately east of Portland. Hillsboro	88,300
6. Hillsboro is a city in and the County seat of Washington County, Oregon, United States Beaverton	85,560
7. Bend	77,780
8. Bend is the County seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States, and the principal city of the Bend Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Medford	75,675
9. Medford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of 2007 the city had a total population of 75675 and a Metropolitan area population Springfield	57,320
10. Springfield is a city in Lane County, Oregon, United States, separated from Eugene Oregon primarily by the I-5 highway. Corvallis	54,890

Further information: List of cities and unincorporated communities in Oregon

Oregon's population is largely concentrated in the Willamette Valley, which stretches from Eugene (home of the University of Oregon, second largest city in Oregon) through Salem (the capital, third largest) and Corvallis (home of Oregon State University) to Portland (Oregon's largest city). __NOEDITSECTION__This List of cities and unincorporated communities in the U The Willamette Valley () is the region in northwest Oregon in the United States that surrounds the Willamette River as it proceeds northward from its emergence The city of Eugene ( "yoo-JEEN") is the County seat of Lane County, Oregon, The University of Oregon (UO is a public, Coeducational Research university in Eugene Oregon, United States. Salem (ˈseɪləm is the Capital of the US state of Oregon, and the County seat of Marion County. Corvallis (kɔrˈvælɪs is a City located in central western Oregon, United States. Oregon State University ( OSU) is a Coeducational public Research[[ university]] located in Corvallis, Oregon, United Portland is a city located in the Northwestern United States, near the Confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers ^[21]

Astoria, at the mouth of the Columbia River, was the first permanent English-speaking settlement west of Rockies in what is now the United States. The City of Astoria is the County seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Mountain peaks of the Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a Mountain range in western North America. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Oregon City was the Oregon Territory's first incorporated city, and its first capital (from 1848 until 1852, when the capital was moved to Salem. Oregon City was the first city in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated The Oregon Territory is the name applied both to the unorganized Oregon Country claimed by both the United States and Britain (but normally referred to ) It was also the end of the Oregon Trail and the site of the first public library established west of the Rocky Mountains, stocked with only 300 volumes. Pioneers traveled across the Oregon Trail, one of the main overland migration routes on the North American Continent, in wagons in order to settle new parts of the Mountain peaks of the Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a Mountain range in western North America. Bend, near the geographic center of the state, is one of the ten fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States. Bend is the County seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States, and the principal city of the Bend Oregon Metropolitan Statistical ^[22] To the Southern part of the state, the Medford area is a rapidly growing metro area and culturally rich part of the state. It home to The Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport, the third busiest airport in the state. Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport is a public Airport located 3 miles (5 km north of downtown Medford in Jackson County, Oregon Further to the south, near the California-Oregon border, is the community of Ashland, home of the Tony Award winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival. The Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Awards, recognize achievement in live American Theatre and are presented The Oregon Shakespeare Festival ( OSF) is a regional repertory theatre in Ashland Oregon, United States.

Climate

Oregon's climate—especially in the western part of the state—is heavily influenced by the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions The climate is generally mild, but periods of extreme hot and cold can affect parts of the state. Precipitation in the state varies widely: the deserts of eastern Oregon, such as the Alvord Desert (in the rain shadow of Steens Mountain), get as little as 200 mm (8 inches) annually, while some western coastal slopes approach 5000 mm (200 inches) annually. The Alvord Desert is a Desert located in Harney County, in southeastern Oregon in the western United States. For the Australian television series see Rain Shadow (TV series. Steens Mountain is a large Fault-block mountain in the southeastern part of the U Oregon's population centers, which lie mostly in the western part of the state, are generally wet and soggy, while the high deserts of Central and Eastern Oregon are much drier.

Monthly Normal High and Low Temperatures(°F) For Various Oregon Cities^[23]

City	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Astoria	48/37	51/38	53/39	56/41	60/45	64/50	67/53	68/53	68/50	61/44	53/40	48/37
Bend	40/23	44/25	51/27	57/30	65/36	73/41	81/46	81/46	72/39	62/32	46/28	40/23
Brookings	55/42	56/42	58/42	60/44	63/47	67/50	68/52	68/53	68/51	65/48	58/45	55/41
Burns	35/14	40/19	49/25	57/29	66/36	75/41	85/46	84/44	75/35	62/26	45/21	35/15
Eugene	46/33	51/35	56/37	61/39	67/43	73/47	82/51	82/51	77/47	65/40	52/37	46/33
Medford	47/31	54/33	58/36	64/39	72/44	81/50	90/55	90/55	84/48	70/40	53/35	45/31
Pendleton	40/27	46/31	55/35	62/40	70/46	79/52	88/58	87/57	77/50	64/41	48/34	40/28
Portland	46/37	50/39	56/41	61/44	67/49	73/53	79/57	79/58	74/55	63/48	51/42	46/37
Salem	47/34	51/35	56/37	61/39	68/44	74/48	82/52	82/52	77/48	64/41	52/38	46/34

Law and government

The Oregon Country functioned as an independent republic with a three-person executive office and a chief executive until August 13, 1848, when Oregon was annexed by the United States, at which time a territorial government was established. Oregon Country or Oregon (to be distinguished from the American State also called Oregon) was a predominantly American term referring to A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its Events 3114 BC - According to the Lounsbury correlation the start of the Maya calendar. Year 1848 ( MDCCCXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap Annexation ( Latin ad, to and nexus, joining is the legal incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity (either adjacent or non-contiguous The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Oregon maintained a territorial government until February 14, 1859, when it was granted statehood. Events 842 - Charles the Bald and Louis the German swear the Oaths of Strasbourg in the French and German Year 1859 ( MDCCCLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common A state is a political association with effective Sovereignty over a geographic Area and representing a Population. ^[24]

State government

See also: Government of Oregon

Oregon state government has a separation of powers similar to the federal government. The government of the US state of Oregon, as prescribed by the Oregon Constitution, is composed of three government branches the executive Separation of powers, a term ascribed to French Enlightenment Political philosopher Baron de Montesquieu, is a model for the Governance The federal government of the United States is the central United States Governmental body established by the United States Constitution. It has three branches, called departments by the state's constitution:

• a legislative department (the bicameral Oregon Legislative Assembly),
• an executive department which includes an "administrative department" and Oregon's governor serving as chief executive, and
• a judicial department, headed by the Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court. The Oregon Constitution is a US state constitution, the governing document of the U A legislature is a type of representative Deliberative assembly with the power to create amend and change Laws The law created by a legislature is called Legislation In Government, bicameralism (bi + Latin la ''camera'' chamber is the practice of having two legislative or Parliamentary chambers Thus a bicameral The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U In Political science and Constitutional law, the executive is the branch of government responsible for the day-to-day management of the State. The Governor of Oregon is the top executive of the government of the U A chief executive officer ( CEO) or chief executive is typically the highest-ranking corporate officer ( executive) or administrator In Law, the judiciary or judicial system is the system of Courts which administer Justice in the name of the sovereign or State The Oregon Supreme Court ( OSC) is the highest State court in the U

Governors in Oregon serve four year terms and are limited to two consecutive terms, but an unlimited number of total terms. Oregon has no Lieutenant Governor; in the event that the office of Governor is vacated, Article V, Section 8a of the Oregon Constitution specifies that the Secretary of State is first in line for succession. A Lieutenant Governor is a high officer of state whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction The Oregon Constitution is a US state constitution, the governing document of the U The Secretary of State of Oregon an elected constitutional officer within the executive branch of government of the U ^[4] The other statewide officers are Treasurer, Attorney General, Superintendent, and Labor Commissioner. The Oregon State Treasurer is a constitutional officer within the executive branch of the government of the U The Oregon Attorney General is a Statutory office within the executive branch of the state of Oregon, and serves as the chief legal officer of the state The Superintendent of Public Instruction sometimes referred to as the State Superintendent of Schools is a constitutional office within the executive branch of the Oregon state government The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI is an agency in the executive branch of the government of the U The biennial Oregon Legislative Assembly consists of a thirty-member Senate and a sixty-member House. The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U The Oregon State Senate is the Upper house of the state-wide legislature for the U The Oregon House of Representatives is the Lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. The state supreme court has seven elected justices, currently including the only two openly gay state supreme court justices in the nation. The Oregon Supreme Court ( OSC) is the highest State court in the U They choose one of their own to serve a six-year term as Chief Justice. The only court that may reverse or modify a decision of the Oregon Supreme Court is the Supreme Court of the United States. The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body in the United States and leads the federal judiciary.

The debate over whether to move to annual sessions is a long-standing battle in Oregon politics, but the voters have resisted the move from citizen legislators to professional lawmakers. Because Oregon's state budget is written in two year increments and, having no sales tax, its revenue is based largely on income taxes, it is often significantly over- or under-budget. Recent legislatures have had to be called into special session repeatedly to address revenue shortfalls resulting from economic downturns, bringing to a head the need for more frequent legislative sessions.

The state maintains formal relationships with the nine federally recognized tribal governments in Oregon:

• Burns Paiute Tribe
• Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians
• Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde
• Confederated Tribes of Siletz
• Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs
• Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
• Coquille Tribe
• Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Indians
• Klamath Tribes

Oregonians have voted for the Democratic Presidential candidate in every election since 1988. Federally recognized tribes are those Indian tribes recognized by the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs for certain federal government The Confederated Tribes of Coos Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians are also known as the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, and are a United States Bureau of Indian The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon (CTGR consists of twenty-seven Native American tribes with long historical ties to present-day Western The Confederated Tribes of Siletz in the United States is a federally recognized confederation of 27 Native American tribal bands that once inhabited a range from The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs is a federally recognized confederation of Native American Tribes who currently live on and govern the Warm Springs Indian Reservation The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation is a federally recognized confederation of three Sahaptin -speaking Native American tribes who traditionally The Coquille Indian Tribe is the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs -recognized Native American tribal entity of the Coquille people Umpqua refers to any of several distinct groups of Native Americans that live in present-day south central Oregon in the United States. The Klamath Tribes, formerly the Klamath Indian Tribe of Oregon, are a federally recognized confederation of three Native American tribes who traditionally The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. In 2004 and 2006, Democrats won control of the state Senate and then the House. Since the late 1990s, Oregon has been represented by four Democrats and one Republican in the U. S. House of Representatives, and by one U. S. Senator from each party. Democratic Governor Ted Kulongoski defeated Republicans in 2002 and 2006, defeating conservative Kevin Mannix and the more moderate Ron Saxton respectively. The Governor of Oregon is the top executive of the government of the U Theodore R "Ted" Kulongoski (born November 5 1940) is an American politician currently serving his second term as the Governor of Oregon Kevin Leese Mannix (born November 26 1949) is a Politician, business Attorney, and former chairman of the Republican Party in the Ronald L Saxton (born 1954 is an American Lawyer and Republican Politician in Oregon.

The base of Democratic support is largely concentrated in the urban centers of the Willamette Valley. The Willamette Valley () is the region in northwest Oregon in the United States that surrounds the Willamette River as it proceeds northward from its emergence In both 2000 and 2004, the Democratic Presidential candidate won Oregon, but did so with majorities in only eight of Oregon's 36 counties. The eastern two-thirds of the state beyond the Cascade Mountains often votes Republican; in 2000 and 2004, George W. Bush carried every county east of the Cascades. George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. However, the region's sparse population means that the more populous counties in the Willamette Valley usually carry the day in statewide elections.

Oregon's politics are largely similar to those of neighboring Washington, for instance in the contrast between urban and rural issues. Washington ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States.

In the 2004 general election, Oregon voters passed ballot measures banning gay marriage, and restricting land use regulation. In US Politics, initiative and referendum is a process that allows citizens of many U Ballot Measure 36 was a 2004 Initiative in the US state of Oregon. Oregon Ballot Measure 37 is a controversial land-use ballot Initiative that passed in the U In the 2006 general election, voters restricted the use of eminent domain and extended the state's discount prescription drug coverage. Oregon 's 2006 statewide election included a May 16 Primary election and a November 7 General election. Oregon Ballot Measure 39, passed in the 2006 General Election is a ballot measure that prohibits the government from condemning property from one private party (by Eminent domain ^[25]

The distribution, sales and consumption of alcoholic beverages are regulated in the state by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. The Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC is an agency of the U Thus, Oregon is an Alcoholic beverage control state. David Justin 1550 16 September While wine and beer are available in most grocery stores, comparatively few stores sell hard liquor.

Racial discrimination

For more details on this topic, see History of Oregon#Racial discrimination. The History of Oregon, a US state, may be considered in five eras geologic history inhabitation by native peoples, early exploration by Europeans

Entering the Union at a time when the status of "Negroes" was very much in question, and wishing to stay out of the looming conflict between the Union and Confederate States, Oregon banned African Americans from moving into the state in the vote to adopt its Constitution (1858). Negro is a term referring to people of Black African ancestry During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty-three The Confederate States of America (also called the Confederacy, the Confederate States, and CSA) formed as the government set up from 1861 This ban was not officially lifted until 1925; in 2002, additional language now considered racist was struck from the Oregon Constitution by the voters of Oregon. The Oregon Constitution is a US state constitution, the governing document of the U

The historical policies of racial discrimination have had longterm effects on Oregon's population. A 1994 report from an Oregon Supreme Court task force found minorities more likely to be arrested, charged, convicted, incarcerated and on probation than "similarly situated nonminorities. "^[26] The report does not place blame on individuals, but instead points out the problems of institutional racism. Institutional Racism (or structural racism or systemic racism) refers to a form of Racism which occurs specifically in institutions such as public The report recommends multicultural training of the existing justice system personnel and also recommends diversifying the perspectives, backgrounds and demographics of future hires. The term multiculturalism generally refers to a state of racial, cultural and ethnic diversity within the Demographics of a specified

Federal government

Like all U.S. states, Oregon is represented by two U. A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government S. Senators. Since the 1980 census Oregon has had five Congressional districts. The US state of Oregon has had five United States congressional districts since 1982 when the Fifth District was added

After Oregon was admitted to the Union, it began with a single member in the House of Representatives (La Fayette Grover, who served in the 35th United States Congress for less than a month). La Fayette Grover ( November 29, 1823 – May 10, 1911) was a Democratic Politician and lawyer from the U The Thirty-fifth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government consisting of the United States Senate and Congressional apportionment led to the addition of new members following the censuses of 1890, 1910, 1940, and 1980. United States congressional apportionment is the redistribution of the 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives among the 50 states in consequence A detailed list of the past and present Congressional delegations from Oregon is available. These are tables of congressional delegations from Oregon to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives.

The United States District Court for the District of Oregon hears Federal cases in the state. The United States District Court for the District of Oregon is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises the state of Oregon. Oregon (among other western states and territories) is in the 9th judicial circuit. The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is a federal court with Appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts

Politics

See also: United States presidential election, 2004, in Oregon and Oregon statewide elections, 2006

During Oregon's history it has adopted many electoral reforms proposed during the Progressive Era, through the efforts of William S. U'Ren and his Direct Legislation League. Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry won 51% of Oregon's vote in 2004 narrowly defeating Republican incumbent George W Oregon 's 2006 statewide election included a May 16 Primary election and a November 7 General election. The Progressive Era in the United States was a period of reform which lasted from the 1890s to the 1920s William Simon U'Ren ( January 10, 1859 - March 5, 1949) was the father of Oregon 's Initiative process The Oregon Direct Legislation League was an organization of political activists founded in 1898 by William S Under his leadership, the state overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure in 1902 that created the initiative and referendum processes for citizens to directly introduce or approve proposed laws or amendments to the state constitution, making Oregon the first state to adopt such a system. In Political science, the initiative (also known as popular or citizen's initiative) provides a means by which a Petition signed by a certain A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita Today, roughly half of U. S. states do so. ^[27] In following years, the primary election to select party candidates was adopted in 1904, and in 1908 the Oregon Constitution was amended to include recall of public officials. A primary election ( nominating primary) also referred to simply as a primary, is an election in which voters in a Jurisdiction select candidates The Oregon Constitution is a US state constitution, the governing document of the U More recent amendments include the nation's only doctor-assisted suicide law,^[28] called the Death with Dignity law (which was challenged, unsuccessfully, in 2005 by the Bush administration in a case heard by the U.S. Supreme Court), legalization of medical marijuana, and among the nation's strongest anti-sprawl and pro-environment laws. Ballot Measure 16 of 1994 established the US state of Oregon 's Death with Dignity Act ( ORS 127 The Presidency of George W Bush began on his inauguration on January 20, 2001 as the 43rd and current President of the United States of America The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body in the United States and leads the federal judiciary. More recently, 2004's Measure 37 reflects a backlash against such land use laws. Oregon Ballot Measure 37 is a controversial land-use ballot Initiative that passed in the U However, a further ballot measure in 2007, Measure 49, curtailed many of the provisions of 37. Oregon Ballot Measure 37 is a controversial land-use ballot Initiative that passed in the U

Of the measures placed on the ballot since 1902, the people have passed 99 of the 288 initiatives and 25 of the 61 referendums on the ballot, though not all of them survived challenges in courts (see Pierce v. Society of Sisters, for an example). The following is a partial list of Oregon ballot measures. (The list is complete from 1996 to the present In Political science, the initiative (also known as popular or citizen's initiative) provides a means by which a Petition signed by a certain A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita Pierce v Society of Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary,, was an early 20th century United States Supreme Court decision which significantly expanded coverage During the same period, the legislature has referred 363 measures to the people, of which 206 have passed.

Oregon pioneered the American use of postal voting, beginning with experimentation authorized by the Oregon Legislative Assembly in 1981 and culminating with a 1998 ballot measure mandating that all counties conduct elections by mail. Postal voting describes the method of voting in an election whereby ballot papers are distributed and/or returned by post to electors in contrast to electors voting in person at a The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U Oregon Ballot Measure 60 was a ballot measure in the US state of Oregon in 1998

In the U.S. Electoral College, Oregon casts seven votes. The Electoral College consists of 538 popularly elected representatives who formally select the President and Vice President of the United States. Oregon has supported Democratic candidates in the last five elections. Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry won the state in 2004 by a margin of four percentage points, with 51. 4% of the popular vote.

Economy

Land in the Willamette Valley owes its fertility to the Missoula Floods, which deposited lake sediment from Lake Missoula in western Montana onto the valley floor. The Missoula Floods (also known as the Spokane Floods or the Bretz Floods) refer to the cataclysmic Floods that swept periodically across eastern Washington Glacial Lake Missoula was a prehistoric Proglacial lake in western Montana that existed periodically at the end of the last Ice age between 15000 and 13000 Montana ( is a state in the Western United States. One-third of the state in the western part contains numerous mountain ranges (approximately 77 named of the northern ^[29] This soil is the source of a wealth of agricultural products, including potatoes, peppermint, hops, apples and other fruits. The potato is a Starchy Tuberous crop Vegetable from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae Peppermint ( Mentha × piperita) is a hybrid mint, a cross between Watermint ( Mentha aquatica) and Spearmint Hops are the female Flower cones of the hop plant ( Humulus lupulus) The apple is the pomaceous Fruit of the apple tree Species Malus domestica in the Rose family Rosaceae. The term fruit has different meanings dependent on context and the term is not synonymous in Food preparation and Biology.

Oregon is also one of four major world hazelnut growing regions, and produces 95% of the domestic hazelnuts in the United States. The Common Hazel ( Corylus avellana) is a species of Hazel native to Europe and western Asia, from the British Isles While the history of the wine production in Oregon can be traced to before Prohibition, it became a significant industry beginning in the 1970s. Wine is an Alcoholic beverage made from the fermentation of Grape juice Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, also known as Noble Experiment, refers to a Sumptuary law which prohibits Alcohol The state of Oregon in the United States has established an international reputation for its production of Wine. In 2005, Oregon ranked third among U. S. states with 303 wineries. ^[30] Due to regional similarities in climate and soil, the grapes planted in Oregon are often the same varieties found in the French regions of Alsace and Burgundy. Alsace wine or Alsatian wine (in French: Vin d'Alsace) is produced in the Alsace region in France and is primarily white Burgundy wine ( is wine made in the Burgundy region in eastern France. In the northeastern region of the state, particularly around Pendleton, both irrigated and dryland wheat is grown. Pendleton (ˈpɛnəltɨn is a city in Umatilla County, Oregon, United States. Wheat ( Triticum spp is a worldwide cultivated grass from the Levant area of the Middle East. Oregon farmers and ranchers also produce cattle, sheep, dairy products, eggs and poultry. Cattle, colloquially referred to as cows, are domesticated Ungulates a member of the Subfamily Bovinae of the family A dairy is a facility for the extraction and processing of animal Milk &mdashmostly from goats or cows, but also from buffalo, Sheep

Vast forests have historically made Oregon one of the nation's major timber production and logging states, but forest fires (such as the Tillamook Burn), over-harvesting, and lawsuits over the proper management of the extensive federal forest holdings have reduced the amount of timber produced. Lumber or timber is Wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural Material for Construction, or Logging is the process in which Trees are cut down for Forest management and Timber. The Tillamook Burn was a series of Forest fires in the Northern Oregon Coast Range of Oregon in the United States that destroyed a total area of According to the Oregon Forest Resources Institute, between 1989 and 2001 the amount of timber harvested from federal lands dropped some 96%, from 4,333 million to 173 million board feet (10,000,000 to 408,000 m³), although harvest levels on private land have remained relatively constant. Oregon Forest Resources Institute (OFRI is an educational organization dedicated to Forestry issues including education and training for schools forest land owners and other The board-foot is a specialized unit of Volume for measuring Lumber in the United States and Canada. ^[31] Even the shift in recent years towards finished goods such as paper and building materials has not slowed the decline of the timber industry in the state. The effects of this decline have included Weyerhaeuser's acquisition of Portland-based Willamette Industries in January 2002, the relocation of Louisiana Pacific's corporate headquarters from Portland to Nashville, and the decline of former lumber company towns such as Gilchrist. Weyerhaeuser is one of the largest pulp and paper companies in the world the world's largest private owner of Softwood Timberland Willamette Industries Inc ( NASDAQ:WMTT was a Fortune 500 forest products company based in Portland Oregon, United States. Louisiana-Pacific Corporation, commonly known as " LP " is a building materials manufacturer A company town is a Town or City in which all Real estate, Buildings (both residential and commercial) Utilities Gilchrist (ˈɡɪlkrɪst is an unincorporated community in Klamath County, Oregon, United States on U Despite these changes, Oregon still leads the United States in softwood lumber production; in 2001, 6,056 million board feet (14,000,000 m³) was produced in Oregon, compared to 4,257 million board feet (10,050,000 m³). Softwood is a generic term used in Woodworking and the Lumber industries for Wood from Conifers (needle-bearing trees from the order Pinales in Washington, 2,731 million board feet (6,444,000 m³) in California, 2,413 million board feet (5,694,000 m³) in Georgia, and 2,327 million board feet (5,491,000 m³) in Mississippi. The State of Georgia ( is a state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule Mississippi ( is a state located in the Deep South of the United States ^[32] The effect of the forest industry crunch is still extensive unemployment in rural Oregon and is a bone of contention between rural and urban Oregon.

Oregon occasionally hosts film shoots. See also Filmmaking Principal photography is the phase of Film production in which the movie is actually shot as distinct from Pre-production Movies wholly or partially filmed in Oregon include Rooster Cogburn,The Goonies, National Lampoon's Animal House, Stand By Me, Kindergarten Cop, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Paint Your Wagon, The Hunted, Sometimes a Great Notion, Elephant, Bandits, The Ring, The Ring 2,Quarterback Princess, Mr. Brooks, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3, Short Circuit, Come See The Paradise, The Shining, Drugstore Cowboy, My Own Private Idaho, The Postman, Homeward Bound, Free Willy, Free Willy 2, 1941, Swordfish, and Untraceable. Rooster Cogburn (also Rooster Cogburn ( and the Lady) is a 1975 sequel to the 1969 western film, True Grit "Goonies" redirects here For other uses see Goonies (disambiguation. Stand by Me is a 1986 adventure - Drama film directed by Rob Reiner. Kindergarten Cop is a 1990 Comedy-drama film directed by Ivan Reitman and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a 1975 Comedy-drama film directed by Miloš Forman. Paint Your Wagon is a Musical film released in 1969, adapted by Paddy Chayefsky from the 1951 stage musical by Lerner Sometimes A Great Notion is a 1971 film starring Paul Newman and Henry Fonda, and featuring Richard Jaeckel in his Oscar Elephant is a 2003 crime - Drama film written and directed by Gus Van Sant. This is about the film bandits as a general term refers to thieves. The Ring is a 2002 American remake of the 1998 Japanese horror film of the same name (also known as Ringu) The Ring Two is a 2005 American Horror film, and a Sequel to the 2002 film The Ring, which Quarterback Princess is a 1983 fact-based Drama film by 20th Century Fox that chronicles the courage and determination of a teenage girl who Mr Brooks is a 2007 thriller film directed by Bruce A Evans and starring Kevin Costner, Demi Moore, Dane Cook, and This is the article on the movie For other interpretations see Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (disambiguation. Short Circuit is a 1986 comedy Science fiction film starring Ally Sheedy and Steve Guttenberg and directed by Come See the Paradise is a fact-based 1990 film directed by Alan Parker, starring Dennis Quaid and Tamlyn Tomita. The Shining is a 1980 horror Film directed by Stanley Kubrick, based on Stephen King 's novel of the same name Drugstore Cowboy is a 1989 Film written and directed by Gus Van Sant. My Own Private Idaho is a 1991 Independent film written and directed by Gus Van Sant, loosely based on Shakespeare 's Henry The Postman is a 1997 Film adaptation of the award-winning post-apocalyptic themed novel of the same name, written in 1985 by author Homeward Bound The Incredible Journey is a 1993 remake of the 1963 film The Incredible Journey based on the best-selling novel of the Free Willy is a 1993 Family film directed by Simon Wincer, and released by Warner Bros Free Willy 2 The Adventure Home is a 1995 Family film, directed Dwight H 1941 is Steven Spielberg 's fourth theatrical film written by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale. Swordfish is a 2001 action / thriller Film. It was directed by Dominic Sena and stars Hugh Jackman Untraceable is a 2008 film thriller starring Diane Lane, Joseph Cross, Billy Burke and Colin Hanks. Oregon native Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons, has incorporated many references from his hometown of Portland into the TV series. Matthew Abram Groening (ˈɡreɪnɪŋ GRAY-ning) (born February 15 1954 is an American Cartoonist, television producer and writer from Portland ^[33] Oregon's scenic coastal and mountain highways are frequently seen in automobile commercials.

Largest Public Corporations Headquartered in Oregon[34]
Corporation	Headquarters	Market cap (million)
1. A public company usually refers to a company that is permitted to offer its registered securities ( Stock, bonds, etc A corporation is a separate legal entity usually used to conduct business Market capitalization/capitalisation (aka market cap, mkt cap or capitalized/capitalised value) is a measurement of Corporate or Economic Nike, Inc.	near Beaverton	$32,039
2. Nike Inc ('naɪki ( is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. Precision Castparts Corp.	Portland	$16,158
3. Precision Castparts Corp ( is a Portland Oregon, United States -based Fortune 500 company Portland is a city located in the Northwestern United States, near the Confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers FLIR Systems	Wilsonville	$4,250
4. FLIR Systems ( is a US -based Infrared (thermal imaging systems for airborne applications manufacturer Wilsonville is a city primarily in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. StanCorp Financial Group, Inc.	Portland	$2,495
5. Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc.	Portland	$1,974
6. Portland General Electric	Portland	$1,737
7. Portland General Electric (PGE ( is an electrical utility formerly owned by the Houston -based Enron Corporation (but now independent that distributes electricity Columbia Sportswear	near Beaverton	$1,593
8. Columbia Sportswear Company is a United States company that manufactures and distributes outerwear and Sportswear. Northwest Natural Gas	Portland	$1,287
9. NW Natural ( is a publicly traded utility headquartered in Portland Oregon, United States. Mentor Graphics	Wilsonville	$976
10. Mentor Graphics Inc ( is a US -based multinational Corporation dealing in Electronic design automation (EDA for Electrical engineering and TriQuint Semiconductor	Hillsboro	$938

High technology industries and services have been a major employer since the 1970s. TriQuint Semiconductor ( is a semiconductor company that designs manufactures and supplies high-performance RF modules components and foundry services Hillsboro is a city in and the County seat of Washington County, Oregon, United States Tektronix was the largest private employer in Oregon until the late 1980s. Tektronix Inc is a North American company best known for its test and measurement equipment such as Oscilloscopes Logic analyzers, and video and mobile Intel's creation and expansion of several facilities in eastern Washington County continued the growth that Tektronix had started. Washington County is one of 36 counties in the US state of Oregon. Intel, the state's largest private employer, operates four large facilities, with Ronler Acres, Jones Farm and Hawthorn Farm all located in Hillsboro. Hillsboro is a city in and the County seat of Washington County, Oregon, United States The spinoffs and startups that were produced by these two companies led to the establishment in that area of the so-called Silicon Forest. History The term Silicon Forest can refer to all the technology companies in Oregon but often is in reference only to those in Washington County on Portland’s west side The recession and dot-com bust of 2001 hit the region hard; many high technology employers reduced the number of their employees or went out of business. The " dot-com bubble " (or sometimes the " IT bubble " was a speculative bubble covering roughly 1995–2001 (with a climax on March 10 OSDL made news in 2004 when they hired Linus Torvalds, developer of the Linux kernel. Open Source Development Labs ( OSDL) was a Non-profit organization supported by a global Consortium tasked to "accelerate the deployment of Linux Linus Benedict Torvalds ( ˈtuːrvalds born December 28 1969 in Helsinki, Finland) is a Finnish software engineer Linux is an operating system kernel used by a family of Unix-like Operating systems These are popularly termed Linux operating systems and Recently, biotechnology giant Genentech purchased several acres of land in Hillsboro in an effort to expand its production capabilities. Biotechnology is Technology based on Biology, especially when used in Agriculture, Food science, and Medicine. Genentech Inc ( a composite of Genetic Engineering Technology Inc ^[35]

Oregon is also the home of large corporations in other industries. The world headquarters of Nike, Inc. are located near Beaverton. Nike Inc ('naɪki ( is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. Medford is home to two of the largest mail order companies in the country: Harry and David Operations Corp. which sells gift items under several brands, and Musician's Friend, an international catalog and Internet retailer of musical instruments and related products. Medford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of 2007 the city had a total population of 75675 and a Metropolitan area population Harry and David Operations Corp, formerly "Bear Creek Corporation" is an American company that was founded early in the 20th century with the purchase of 240 acres Musician's Friend' is the #1 direct marketer of music gear in the world A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. Medford is also home to the national headquarters of the Fortune 1000 company, Lithia Motors. Medford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of 2007 the city had a total population of 75675 and a Metropolitan area population Please do not add the complete list of fortune 1000 companies Lithia Motors Inc ( is an automotive retailer headquartered in Medford Oregon. Portland is home to one of the West's largest trade book publishing houses, Graphic Arts Center Publishing. Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of Literature or Information &ndash the activity of making information available for public view Graphic Arts Center Publishing Company is a book Publishing company based in Portland, Oregon, United States.

Oregon has one of the largest salmon-fishing industries in the world, although ocean fisheries have reduced the river fisheries in recent years. Salmon is the common name for several species of Fish of the family Salmonidae. Tourism is also strong in the state; Oregon's evergreen mountain forests, waterfalls, pristine lakes (including Crater Lake National Park), and scenic beaches draw visitors year round. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel Crater Lake National Park is a United States National Park located in Southern Oregon whose primary feature is Crater Lake. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, held in Ashland, is a tourist draw which complements the southern region of the state's scenic beauty and opportunity for outdoor activities. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival ( OSF) is a regional repertory theatre in Ashland Oregon, United States. Ashland is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States, near Interstate 5 and the California

Oregon is home to a number of smaller breweries and Portland has the largest number of breweries of any city in the world. The US state of Oregon is home to several breweries that produce a large variety of beer. Portland is a city located in the Northwestern United States, near the Confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers ^[36]

Portland reportedly has more strip clubs per capita than both Las Vegas and San Francisco. ^[37]

Oregon's gross state product is $132. Gross state product (or gross regional product) is a measurement of the economic output of a state or Province. 66 billion as of 2006, making it the 27th largest GSP in the nation. ^[38]

Taxes and budgets

Oregon's biennial state budget, $42. 4 billion as of 2007, comprises General Funds, Federal Funds, Lottery Funds, and Other Funds. Personal income taxes account for 88% of the General Fund's projected funds. ^[39] The Lottery Fund, which has grown steadily since the lottery was approved in 1984, exceeded expectations in the 2007 fiscal years, at $604 million. ^[40]

Oregon is one of only five states that have no sales tax. Sales taxes in the United States are a Tax added onto the price of goods or services that are purchased in the United States. A sales tax is a Consumption tax charged at the Point of purchase for certain goods and services ^[41] Oregon voters have been resolute in their opposition to a sales tax, voting proposals down each of the nine times they have been presented. ^[42] The last vote, for 1993's Measure 1, was defeated by a 72–24% margin. ^[43]

The state also has a minimum corporate tax of only $10 per year, amounting to 5. 6% of the General Fund in the 2005–2007 biennium; data about what businesses pay the minimum is not available to the public. ^[44] As a result, the state relies almost entirely on property and income taxes for its revenue. Property tax, or millage tax, is an Ad valorem tax that an owner pays on the value of the property being taxed Oregon has the fifth highest personal income tax per person in the nation. According to the U. S. Census Bureau, Oregon ranked 41st out of the 50 states in taxes per person in 2005. ^[45] The average paid of $1,791. 45 is higher than only nine other states. ^[45]

Some local governments levy sales taxes on services: the city of Ashland, for example, collects a 5% sales tax on prepared food. Ashland is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States, near Interstate 5 and the California ^[46]

Oregon is one of six states with a revenue limit. ^[47] The "kicker law" stipulates that when income tax collections exceed state economists' estimates by 2 percent or more, all of the excess must be returned to taxpayers. The Oregon tax rebate, commonly referred to as the Kicker, is a Rebate given to both individual and corporate Taxpayers in the U ^[48] Since the inception of the law in 1979, refunds have been issued for seven of the eleven biennia. ^[49] In 2000, Ballot Measure 86 converted the "kicker" law from statute to the Oregon Constitution, and changed some of its provisions. The Oregon Constitution is a US state constitution, the governing document of the U

Federal payments to county governments, which were granted to replace timber revenue when logging in National Forests was restricted in the 1990s, have been under threat of suspension for several years. This issue dominates the future revenue of rural counties, which have come to rely on the payments in providing essential services. ^[50]

Most of state revenues are spent on public education. ^[51]

Demographics

As of 2005, Oregon has an estimated population of 3,641,056, which is an increase of 49,693, or 1. 4%, from the prior year and an increase of 219,620, or 6. 4%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 75,196 people (that is 236,557 births minus 161,361 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 150,084 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 72,263 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 77,821 people. American immigration ( emigration to the United States of America) refers to the movement of non-residents to the United States.

The center of population of Oregon is located in Linn County, in the city of Lyons. In Demographics, the center of population of a region is the geographical point nearest to all the inhabitants of that region on average Linn County is a county located in the US state of Oregon. It is named in honor of Lewis F Lyons is a city in Linn County, Oregon, United States. The population was 1008 at the 2000 census ^[53]

As of 2004, Oregon's population included 309,700 foreign-born residents (accounting for 8. 7% of the state population) and an estimated 90,000 illegal immigrants (2. 5% of the state population).

Demographics of Oregon (csv)
By race	White	Black	AIAN*	Asian	NHPI*
2000 (total population)	93. 45%	2. 17%	2. 54%	3. 75%	0. 48%
2000 (Hispanic only)	7. 63%	0. 17%	0. 32%	0. 10%	0. 05%
2005 (total population)	92. 95%	2. 38%	2. 44%	4. 25%	0. 50%
2005 (Hispanic only)	9. 38%	0. 24%	0. 34%	0. 11%	0. 05%
Growth 2000–05 (total population)	5. 85%	16. 64%	2. 45%	20. 78%	10. 87%
Growth 2000–05 (non-Hispanic only)	3. 63%	13. 63%	0. 62%	20. 75%	10. 26%
Growth 2000–05 (Hispanic only)	30. 84%	52. 63%	15. 25%	21. 84%	16. 42%
* AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native; NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

The largest reported ancestry groups in Oregon are: German (20. German Americans ( German: Deutschamerikaner) are citizens of the United States of Ethnic German ancestry 5%), English (13. 2%), Irish (11. Irish Americans (Gael-Mheiriceánach are citizens of the United States who can claim ancestry originating in Ireland. 9%), American (6. The ancestry of the people of the United States is widely varied and includes descendants of Populations from around the World, some presumably extinct 2%), and Mexican (5. See also History of Mexican-Americans Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican ancestry 5%). Most Oregon counties are inhabited principally by residents of European ancestry. Concentrations of Mexican-Americans are highest in Malheur and Jefferson counties. See also History of Mexican-Americans Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican ancestry Malheur County (mælˈhɪər is a county located in the southeast corner of the U Jefferson County is a county located in the US state of Oregon.

Oregon ranks 16th highest for population that is "white alone," with 86. 1% in 2006. ^[54]

6. 5% of Oregon's population were reported as less than 5 years old, 24. 7% under 18, and 12. 8% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 50. 4% of the population.

See also: List of people from Oregon, List of Portlanders, and Oregon locations by per capita income

Religion

Of the U. This is a list of some famous people strongly associated with the state of Oregon: A Robert H The following is a partial list of notable residents past and present from Portland Oregon. The following is a list of Oregon counties and places in order of per capita income. S. states, Oregon has the third largest percentage of people identifying themselves as "non-religious" (tied with Colorado at 21 percent), after Washington and Vermont. The State of Colorado ( or chiefly by nonresidents) is a state located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States of America. Washington ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Vermont ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. ^[55] However, 75-79% of Oregonians identify themselves as being Christian [1], and some hold deeply conservative convictions. During much of the 1990s a group of conservative Christians formed the Oregon Citizens Alliance, and unsuccessfully tried to pass legislation limiting the civil rights of gays and lesbians. The Oregon Citizens Alliance (OCA is a conservative Christian political activist organization founded by Lon Mabon in the U ^[56]

Oregon also contains the largest community of Russian Old Believers to be found in the United States. Introductory summary of origins In 1652 Nikon (1605 – 1681 Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church from 1652 to 1658 introduced a number of ritual and textual ^[57] Additionally, Oregon, particularly the Portland metropolitan area, has become known as a center of non-mainstream spirituality. For the metropolitan area in Maine see Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area. The Northwest Tibetan Cultural Association, reported to be the largest such institution of its kind, is headquartered in Portland, and the popular New Age film What the Bleep Do We Know? was filmed and had its premiere in Portland. New Age ( New Age Movement and New Age Spirituality) is a Social Collective Phenomenon and a Spiritual Nature What the Bleep Do We Know!? (also written What tнe #$*! Dө ωΣ (kπow!? and What the #$*! Do We Know!?) is a 2004 film which

See also: Religion in the United States#Popular affiliation and Category:Religious culture of the Pacific Northwest

2000–2003 population trends

Estimates released September 2004 show double-digit growth in Latino and Asian American populations since the 2000 Census. Lightmatter Hsi Lai Temple 4jpg|thumb|200px| Hsi Lai Temple (lit "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Hispanic and Latino Americans are Americans of Hispanic or Latino descent, which comprises ancestry or origins in Hispanic America Asian Americans are Americans of Asian ancestry. They include sub-ethnic groups such as Chinese Americans Filipino Americans Indian About 60% of the 138,197 new residents come from ethnic and racial minorities. Asian growth is located mostly in the metropolitan areas of Portland, Salem, Medford and Eugene; Hispanic population growth is across the state.

Education

Primary and secondary

As of 2005, the state had 559,215 students in public primary and secondary schools. ^[58] There were 199 public school districts at that time, served by 20 education service districts. An educational service district or education service district (ESD is a type of collective government district in the U ^[58] The five largest school districts as of 2007 were: Portland Public Schools (46,262 students), Salem-Keizer School District (40,106), Beaverton School District (37,821), Hillsboro School District (20,401), and Eugene School District (18,025). Portland Public Schools (or PPS) is a Public school district located in Portland Oregon, United States. Salem-Keizer School District is a School district in the US state of Oregon that serves the cities of Salem and Keizer. The Hillsboro School District 1J is a unified School district located in Hillsboro, Oregon, United States. Eugene School District (4J is a public School district in the U ^[59]

Colleges and universities

See also: List of colleges and universities in Oregon, Oregon University System, and List of Oregon community colleges

Public

The Oregon University System supports seven public universities and one affiliate in the state. The University of Oregon in Eugene is Oregon's flagship liberal arts institution,^[60] and was the state's only nationally ranked university by US News & World Reports. The University of Oregon (UO is a public, Coeducational Research university in Eugene Oregon, United States. USNews & World Report is an influential weekly American Newsmagazine published in Washington D ^[61] Oregon State University is located in Corvallis and holds the distinction of being the state's flagship in science, engineering and agricultural research and academics. Oregon State University ( OSU) is a Coeducational public Research[[ university]] located in Corvallis, Oregon, United The university is also the state's highest ranking university/college in a world survey of academic merit. ^[62]

The State has three regional universities: Western Oregon University in Monmouth, Southern Oregon University in Ashland, and Eastern Oregon University in La Grande. Western Oregon University (WOU is a public Liberal arts college located in Monmouth Oregon, United States. Southern Oregon University (SOU is a public Liberal arts college located in Ashland, Oregon, United States. Eastern Oregon University (or "EOU" is one of seven state-funded, four-year universities of Higher education in the State of Oregon Portland State University is Oregon's largest. Portland State University (PSU is a public state Urban university located in downtown Portland Oregon, United States. The Oregon Institute of Technology has its campus in Klamath Falls. The Oregon Institute of Technology, also known as Oregon Tech or OIT, is an accredited University in the Oregon University System, and the The affiliate Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) comprises a medical, dental, and nursing school in Portland and a science and engineering school in Hillsboro. Oregon Health & Science University ( OHSU) is a public University in Oregon with a main campus including three Hospitals in Portland

Oregon has historically struggled to fund higher education. Recently, Oregon has cut its higher education budget over 2002–2006 and now Oregon ranks 46th in the country in state spending per student. However, 2007 legislation forced tuition increases to cap at 3% per year, and funded the OUS far beyond the requested governor's budget. ^[63]

The state also supports 17 community colleges. The US state of Oregon supports seventeen regional Community colleges They offer community education as well as two-year degrees

Private

Oregon is home to a wide variety of private colleges. The University of Portland and Marylhurst University are Catholic institutions in the Portland area. The University of Portland (UP is a private Roman Catholic university located in Portland Oregon. Marylhurst University is a private Catholic Liberal arts university located in Marylhurst, Oregon, United States, nine miles south of Portland Concordia University, Lewis & Clark College, Multnomah Bible College, Reed College, Warner Pacific College, Cascade College, and the National College of Natural Medicine are also in Portland. Concordia University is a Christian university affiliated with the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod and the Concordia University System located in northeast Portland Lewis & Clark College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in Portland Oregon, United States. Reed College is a private, independent Liberal arts college located in southeast Portland Oregon. Warner Pacific College is an urban residential and commuter Christian Liberal arts College located in Southeast Portland Oregon, United National College of Natural Medicine (NCNM is a school of Naturopathic Medicine and Classical Chinese Medicine located in Portland Oregon, Pacific University is in the Portland suburb of Forest Grove. Pacific University is a private University located in Forest Grove, Oregon, United States about 38 km (23 mi west of Portland Forest Grove is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States, west of Portland.

There are also private colleges further south in the Willamette Valley. McMinnville has Linfield College, while nearby Newberg is home to George Fox University. Linfield College is a private four-year undergraduate liberal arts and sciences college located in McMinnville, Oregon, United States, with a campus George Fox University (GFU is a Christian University of the Liberal arts & Sciences and professional studies located in Newberg Salem is home to two private schools, Willamette University (the state's oldest, established during the provisional period) and Corban College. Willamette University is an American private institution of higher learning located in Salem Oregon. Corban College is a private independent Baptist college in Salem Oregon. Eugene is home to three private colleges: Northwest Christian College, Eugene Bible College, and Gutenberg College. Gutenberg College is a private four-year Great Books college in Eugene Oregon.

Sports

See also: Sports in Portland, Oregon

The only major professional sports team in Oregon is the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association. Although Portland Oregon has only one major league sports team (the Trail Blazers of the NBA it hosts a wide variety of sports and sporting events The Rose Garden, commonly known as the Rose Garden Arena, is the primary indoor Sports arena in Portland Oregon, United States The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, is an American professional Basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, is an American professional Basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. From the 1970s to the 1990s, the team was one of the most successful teams in the NBA in terms of both win-loss record and attendance. In the early 2000s, the team's popularity declined due to personnel and financial issues, but revived after the departure of controversial players and the acquisition of new players such as Brandon Roy and Greg Oden. Brandon Dawayne Roy (born July 23 1984 is an American professional Basketball player with the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association Gregory Wayne Oden Jr (born January 22 1988 is an American Basketball player at the center position ^[64][65]

The Blazers play in the Rose Garden in Portland's Lloyd District, which is also home to the Portland LumberJax of the National Lacrosse League and the Portland Winter Hawks of the minor-league Western Hockey League. The Rose Garden, commonly known as the Rose Garden Arena, is the primary indoor Sports arena in Portland Oregon, United States The Portland LumberJax (sometimes referred to as the Jax) is a professional lacrosse team in the National Lacrosse League (NLL which started playing The National Lacrosse League (NLL is the league of men's indoor lacrosse in North America. The Portland Winter Hawks are a major Junior ice hockey team playing in the Western Hockey League, a member league in the Canadian Hockey League, the highest This article refers to the junior Western Hockey League For other leagues with the same name see Western Hockey League (disambiguation. ^[66]

Portland has two minor-league sports teams who play at PGE Park: The Portland Timbers of the USL First Division are a very popular soccer team, and the Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League are the Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. PGE Park (formerly Civic Stadium, a name still used by locals originally Multnomah Stadium) is a Stadium located in Portland Oregon, Portland Timbers is an American professional Soccer team founded in 2001 History In 1996 the United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues established the new Select League consisting of its strongest teams from its professional FIFA The Portland Beavers are a Minor league baseball team representing Portland, Oregon in the Pacific Coast League (PCL The Pacific Coast League (PCL is a Minor league baseball league operating in the West and Midwest of the United States. The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego California since their founding in 1969 ^[67] Portland has actively pursued a Major League Baseball team. ^[68]

Eugene and Salem also have minor-league baseball teams. The Eugene Emeralds and the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes both play in the Single-A Northwest League. The Eugene Emeralds (nicknamed the Ems) are a Minor league baseball team in Eugene Oregon, United States. The Salem-Keizer Volcanoes are a Minor league baseball team in Keizer, Oregon, United States. The Northwest League of Professional Baseball (or simply the Northwest League) is a Short-Season A classification minor league ^[69] Oregon also has four teams in the fledgling International Basketball League: the Portland Chinooks, Central Oregon Hotshots, Salem Stampede, and the Eugene Chargers. This article is about the International Basketball League formed in 2004. The Portland Chinooks are a franchise in the International Basketball League based in Portland Oregon and owned by local businessman Terry Emmert The Central Oregon Hotshots are a team in the International Basketball League based in Bend Oregon. The Salem Stampede are a team in the International Basketball League, playing in Salem Oregon. The Eugene Chargers are a team in the International Basketball League based in Eugene Oregon. ^[70]

The Oregon State Beavers and the University of Oregon Ducks football teams of the Pacific-10 Conference meet annually in the Civil War, one of the oldest college football rivalries in the United States, dating back to 1894. The Oregon State Beavers is a name shared by all sports teams at Oregon State University, a University located in Corvallis Oregon in the United States The Oregon Ducks refers to the sports teams of the University of Oregon, located in Eugene Oregon, United States. The Pacific-10 Conference ( Pac-10) is a college athletic conference which operates in the western United States. The Civil War is the colloquial name for the annual College American Football game in the U This is a list of rivalry games in College football in the United States. Both schools have had recent success in other sports as well: Oregon State won back-to-back college baseball championships in 2006 and 2007, and the University of Oregon won the NCAA men's cross country championship in 2007. The College World Series or CWS is a Baseball Tournament held in Omaha Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball NCAA Men's Cross Country Champions Division I The Division I championship race has been run at different distances

State symbols

Oregon has 23 official state symbols. The Columbia River Gorge is a Canyon of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Crown Point is the name of a Promontory on the Columbia River Gorge and an associated State park in the U Chanticleer Point is a geographical landmark on the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge. ^[71] They are:

State flower: Oregon-grape (since 1899)

State song: "Oregon, My Oregon" (written in 1920 and adopted in 1927)

State bird: Western Meadowlark (chosen by the state's children in 1927)

State tree: Douglas-fir (since 1939)

State fish: Chinook salmon (since 1961)

State rock: Thunderegg (like a geode but formed in a rhyolitic lava flow; since 1965)

State animal: American Beaver (since 1969)

State dance: Square dance (Adopted in 1977)

State insect: Oregon Swallowtail (Papilio oregonius; since 1979)

State fossil: Metasequoia (since 2005)

State gemstone: Oregon sunstone, a type of feldspar (since 1987)

State nut: Hazelnut (sometimes called the Filbert) (since 1989)

State seashell: Oregon hairy triton (Fusitriton oregonensis, a gastropod in the ranellidae family; since 1991)

State mushroom: Pacific Golden Chanterelle (since 1999)

State beverage: Milk (since 1997)

State fruit: Pear (since 2005)

State motto: Alis Volat Propriis, Latin for "She Flies With Her Own Wings" (since 1987; This was the original motto of Oregon, but had been changed to "The Union" in 1957. In a number of countries plants have been chosen as symbols to represent specific geographic areas Oregon-grape ( Mahonia aquifolium, Berberidaceae) is an evergreen Shrub related to the Barberry. Introduction Forty-nine states of the United States (all except New Jersey) have one or more state songs, selected by the state "Oregon My Oregon" is the State song of Oregon, United States. This is a list of US state birds as designated by each state's legislature The Western Meadowlark ( Sturnella neglecta) is a medium-sized blackbird, very similar in appearance to the Eastern Meadowlark. In a number of countries plants have been chosen as symbols to represent specific geographic areas The Coast Douglas-fir ( Pseudotsuga menziesii var menziesii) a variety of Douglas-fir, is an Evergreen Conifer native This is a list of official and *unofficial US state fish:The only states lacking a state fish as of 2008 are Arkansas Indiana Kansas and Ohio Not every state has an official state mineral rock stone or gemstone This article is about a type of rock for the rock and roll band see Thunderegg (band A thunderegg (or thunder egg) is a nodule-like Geodes ( Greek geoides, "earthlike" are geological rock formations which occur in sedimentary and certain Volcanic This page is about a volcanic rock For the ghost town see Rhyolite Nevada, and for the satellite system see Rhyolite/Aquacade. Lava is molten rock expelled by a Volcano during an eruption When first expelled from a volcanic vent it is a Liquid at Temperatures A state mammal is the official or representative Animal of a U The American Beaver ( Castor canadensis) is a large semi-aquatic Rodent native to Canada, much of the United States, and parts of northern This is a list of official US state dances: See also Lists of U Square dance is a Folk dance with four couples (eight dancers arranged in a square with one couple on each side beginning with Couple 1 facing away from the music and going This is a list of United States state insects note that some states have more than one designated insect or have multiple categories (e The Oregon Swallowtail ( Papilio oregonius, sometimes classified as Papilio machaon oregonius or Papilio bairdii oregonius) is a species of Swallowtail Most American states have made a state fossil designation in many cases during the 1980s. Metasequoia ( Dawn Redwood) is a fast growing Tree genus in the conifer family Cupressaceae of which Metasequoia glyptostroboides Not every state has an official state mineral rock stone or gemstone See also Nauvoo Temple for an article including information on the Latter-day Saint motif known as a Sunstone and Sunstone Magazine for the magazine of Feldspar is the name of a group of rock-forming Minerals which make up as much as 60% of the Earth 's crust. The Common Hazel ( Corylus avellana) is a species of Hazel native to Europe and western Asia, from the British Isles This is a list of official state shells: See also Lists of US The Oregon hairy triton, Fusitriton oregonensis, is a Species of large Predatory sea Snail, a marine Gastropod The class Gastropoda or the gastropods, also previously known as gasteropods, or univalves, and more commonly known as Snails Ranellidae, Common name the triton shells or tritons, is a Taxonomic family of small to very large Cantharellus is a genus with many popular Edible mushrooms It is a Mycorrhizal edible Fungus, meaning it forms Symbiotic associations This is a list of official state beverages: Milk is an opaque white liquid produced by the Mammary glands of female Mammals (including Monotremes. This is a list of official US state foods: A pear is a pomaceous Fruit produced by a tree of Genus Pyrus. Here is a list of state Mottos for the states of the United States of America. Alis volat propriis is a Latin phrase meaning " She flies with her own wings " and is the motto of U Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. )^[72]

State hostess: Miss Oregon (since 1969)

State team: Portland Trail Blazers of 1990–1991 (since 1991)

State father: Dr. The Miss Oregon competition is a regional beauty pageant that selects the representative for the U The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, is an American professional Basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. John McLoughlin (since 1957)^[73]

State mother: Tabitha Brown (since 1987)^[73]

Statehood pageant: Champoeg Historical Pageant (since 1987)

State nickname: Beaver State

Sister states

•  China, Fujian Province - 1984^[74]
•  Taiwan, Taiwan Province - 1986^[74]
•  Japan, Toyama Prefecture - 1991^[74]
•  Republic of Korea, Jeollanam-do Province - 1995^[74]

See also

• List of Oregon-related topics

References

Further reading

External links

• State of Oregon website
• Oregon State Databases - Annotated list of searchable databases produced by Oregon state agencies and compiled by the Government Documents Roundtable of the American Library Association.
• TravelOregon.com an official website of the Oregon Tourism Commission
• Oregon Blue Book, the online version of the state's official directory and fact book
• Oregon Historical Society
• Oregon History Project
• USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Oregon
• U.S. Census Bureau
• Oregon Newspapers
• Oregon or the Grave
• Oregon Economic Community & Development Department
• County Maps Oregon Full color county maps. The Oregon Blue Book is the official directory and fact book for the U List of cities, towns, county seats
• Oregon State Facts
• Pronunciation Guide: Oregon
• The Oregon Explorer Digital Library of information about Oregon's natural resources

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