Oregon (/ˈɒrɪɡən, -ɡɒn/ ⓘ ORR-ih-ghən, -gon) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho. The 42° north parallel delineates the southern boundary with California and Nevada. The western boundary is formed by the Pacific Ocean.
Oregon | |
|---|---|
| Nickname: The Beaver State | |
| Motto(s): | |
| Anthem: Oregon, My Oregon | |
 Location of Oregon within the United States | |
| Country | United States |
| Before statehood | Oregon Territory |
| Admitted to the Union | February 14, 1859 (33rd) |
| Capital | Salem |
| Largest city | Portland |
| Largest county or equivalent | Multnomah |
| Largest metro and urban areas | Portland |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Tina Kotek (D) |
| • Secretary of State | Tobias Read (D) |
| Legislature | Legislative Assembly |
| • Upper house | State Senate |
| • Lower house | House of Representatives |
| Judiciary | Oregon Supreme Court |
| U.S. senators | Ron Wyden (D) Jeff Merkley (D) |
| U.S. House delegation | 5 Democrats 1 Republican (list) |
| Area | |
• Total | 98,381 sq mi (254,806 km2) |
| • Land | 95,997 sq mi (248,631 km2) |
| • Water | 2,384 sq mi (6,175 km2) 2.4% |
| • Rank | 9th |
| Dimensions | |
| • Length | 360 mi (580 km) |
| • Width | 400 mi (640 km) |
| Elevation | 3,300 ft (1,000 m) |
| Highest elevation | 11,249 ft (3,428.6 m) |
| Lowest elevation (Pacific Ocean) | 0 ft (0 m) |
| Population (2024) | |
• Total |  4,272,371 |
| • Rank | 27th |
| • Density | 39/sq mi (15/km2) |
| • Rank | 39th |
| • Median household income | $80,200 (2023) |
| • Income rank | 19th |
| Demonym | Oregonian |
| Language | |
| • Official language | De jure: none De facto: English |
| Time zones | |
| most of state | UTC−08:00 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−07:00 (PDT) |
| majority of Malheur County | UTC−07:00 (Mountain) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−06:00 (MDT) |
| USPS abbreviation | OR |
| ISO 3166 code | US-OR |
| Traditional abbreviation | Ore. |
| Latitude | 42° N to 46°18′ N |
| Longitude | 116°28′ W to 124°38′ W |
| Website | oregon |
| ASN | |
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| List of state symbols | |
|---|---|
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| Motto | She Flies With Her Own Wings |
| Living insignia | |
| Bird | Western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) |
| Butterfly | Oregon swallowtail (Papilio machaon oregonia) |
| Crustacean | Dungeness crab (Metacarcinus magister) |
| Fish | Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) |
| Flower | Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium) |
| Grass | Bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata) |
| Insect | Oregon swallowtail (Papilio oregonius) |
| Mammal | American beaver (Castor canadensis) |
| Mushroom | Pacific golden chanterelle (Cantharellus formosus) |
| Tree | Douglas-fir |
| Inanimate insignia | |
| Beverage | Milk |
| Dance | Square dance |
| Food | Pear (Pyrus) |
| Fossil | Metasequoia |
| Gemstone | Oregon sunstone |
| Rock | Thunderegg |
| Shell | Oregon hairy triton (Fusitriton oregonensis) |
| Soil | Jory soil |
| Other | Nut: Hazelnut |
| State route marker | |
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| State quarter | |
 Released in 2005 | |
| Lists of United States state symbols | |
Oregon has been home to many indigenous nations for thousands of years. The first European traders, explorers, and settlers began exploring what is now Oregon's Pacific coast in the early to mid-16th century. As early as 1564, the Spanish began sending vessels northeast from the Philippines, riding the Kuroshio Current in a sweeping circular route across the northern part of the Pacific. In 1592, Juan de Fuca undertook detailed mapping and studies of ocean currents in the Pacific Northwest, including the Oregon coast as well as the strait now bearing his name. The Lewis and Clark Expedition traversed Oregon in the early 19th century, and the first permanent European settlements in Oregon were established soon afterward by trappers and fur traders. The United States received joint occupation rights to the region from the United Kingdom through the Treaty of 1818. The Oregon Treaty of 1846 formally brought Oregon under American sovereignty, and the Oregon Territory was created two years later. Oregon was admitted to the United States on February 14, 1859, becoming the 33rd state.
Today, with 4.2 million people over 98,000 square miles (250,000 km2), Oregon is the ninth-largest and 27th-most populous U.S. state. The capital, Salem, is the third-most populous city in Oregon, with 175,535 residents. Portland, with 652,503, ranks as the 26th among U.S. cities. The Portland metropolitan area, which includes neighboring counties in Washington, is the 25th largest metro area in the nation, with a population of 2,512,859. Oregon is also one of the most geographically diverse states in the U.S., marked by volcanoes, abundant bodies of water, dense evergreen and mixed forests, as well as high deserts and semi-arid shrublands. At 11,249 feet (3,429 m), Mount Hood is the state's highest point. Oregon's only national park, Crater Lake National Park, comprises the caldera surrounding Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the U.S. The state is also home to the single largest organism in the world, Armillaria ostoyae, a fungus that runs beneath 2,200 acres (8.9 km2) of the Malheur National Forest.
Oregon's economy has historically been powered by various forms of agriculture, fishing, logging, and hydroelectric power. Oregon is the top lumber producer of the contiguous U.S., with the lumber industry dominating the state's economy during the 20th century. Technology is another one of Oregon's major economic forces, beginning in the 1970s with the establishment of the Silicon Forest and the expansion of Tektronix and Intel. Sportswear company Nike, Inc., headquartered in Beaverton, is the state's largest public corporation with an annual revenue of $46.7 billion.
