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Oregon [ɔ: ʹrigən], abbreviated OR, US state; 255,000 km2,
4.2 million inhabitants (2018).Oregon is located in the western United States,
on the Pacific Ocean. The capital is Salem.
Oregon. State Map.
Nature
The western third of Oregon is occupied by the coniferous forests (Coast
Range) and the Cascade Mountains; the latter reaches 3 424 m above Mount
Hood. Between these mountain ranges lies the fertile valley of the Williamette
River. Eastern Oregon is comprised of the steep-sloped Columbia Plateau, where
the Columbia River and the Snake River cut into more than 1,000 m deep canyon
valleys in the lava fields. Southeastern Oregon is part of the deserted Great
Basin.
Kiger
Oregon. The Tiger Ravine in the Steens Mountains,
southeastern Oregon.
The climate varies greatly with the height above the sea. Portland in the
west has a maritime climate with an average temperature in January of 4 °C and
July of 18 ° C, and an average rainfall during the year of 1,200 mm. The area
east of the Cascade Mountains falls in the rain shadow and is considerably
drier.
Population
During the 2000s, Oregon has had a slightly higher population growth than the
United States as a whole. Almost 88 percent of the population is white and 4
percent of Asian descent and 1.8 percent are Native Americans. A significant
portion of the population lives in the Williamette Valley between the Coast
Mountains and the Cascade Mountains in northwest Oregon. Here are the cities of
Portland (632 300 inhabitants, in the metropolitan area Portland – Vancouver –
Hillsboro 2.4 million inhabitants, 2016), Eugene (163,500 inhabitants) and the
capital Salem (164,500 inhabitants).
Business
Forests and agriculture, as well as the industries that process these
products' products, have long been the basis of Oregon's economy. The forest
industry, which mainly manufactures sawn timber, plywood, pulp and paper, was
formerly a leader in the United States, but since the 1990s the importance of
the industry has diminished sharply.
Western Oregon has a diverse range of agriculture, especially in the fertile
Williamette Valley. East of the Cascade Mountains dominate wheat cultivation and
livestock management. Special crops (fruits, vegetables and flowers) are
important in irrigated areas.
Oregon. Pear cultivation in the valley of the
Colombian river. In the background is Mount Hood.
Fishing and mining are of limited importance. Since the 1980s, the high-tech
industry has grown in importance and is now the most important industrial branch
in the state. Much of the industry is located in the Williamette Valley, mainly
Portland, which is also an important port city. Tourism is, after industry and
agriculture, Oregon's largest source of income.
Tourism and gastronomy
The state's foremost tourist attraction is its fine nature, and Oregon has
set aside a large number of state parks for tourism and recreation, and a number
of wilderness areas and wildlife sanctuaries. The state has only one national
park, the quaint and quaint Crater Lake. Around the circular lake is a 50 km
long road, Rim Drive, with breathtaking views of the strong deep blue water that
fills the caldera after the sunken volcano Mount Mazama. Exciting attractions
include the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in the middle of the state
and Oregon Caves in the southwest. Scenic and interesting areas are Hells Canyon
in the Snake River Valley, Columbia River Gorge and the Pacific Coast Oregon
Dunes. Route 101 runs along the entire coast, which offers beautiful views,
where wild rock formations alternate with fine sandy beaches. Oregon also has a
number of historical monuments, mainly from the colonization era, such as Fort
Clatsop near the mouth of the Columbia River. Furthermore, the capital of Salem
and the big city of Portland are well-traveled destinations.
Much of the old settler spirit lives on at the dining tables in Oregon:
simple, saturated food, great steaks and chops, apple pie and sourdough
bread. Nature also contributes many gifts, which paves the way for a far from
uninspired gastronomic overall image. The Columbia River, which was very fishy
before the build-out, still contributes delicious salmon, which is served
cooked, grilled or in pot form as salmon stew. Mussels, oysters and
crab are also everyday foods; mixed they become cioppino, seafood stew. An
abundance of fruits and berries is reflected in the myriad recipes on apple,
walnut and berry pies. The game and the fish are also seasoned with juniper
berries, a feature that has been alive since the time of the Chinook Indians.
History
The area was long disputed between Russia, France, the United Kingdom and the
United States. From 1818 it was jointly governed by the United Kingdom and the
United States. In the 1840s, the American settlement increased sharply, and
after hard negotiations, on the verge of the outbreak of war, an agreement was
reached in 1846 on the border demarcation in the north, see the Oregon
Treaty. Oregon became territory 1848; In 1853, the latter state was separated,
and the rest of Oregon became the state in 1859. Democrats and Republicans have
switched to power in Oregon.
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