Oregon State Facts

Oregon is a U.S. state in the Pacific Northwest, bordered by Washington to the north, Idaho to the east, Nevada and California to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It became the 33rd state on February 14, 1859 — a date commemorated as Oregon Statehood Day.

Oregon is geographically diverse: the wet, temperate west side of the Cascades contrasts sharply with the dry, high-desert east side. The Cascade Range runs north–south through the state, and the Coast Range parallels the Pacific shore. Major rivers include the Columbia (northern border), the Willamette (through the most populated areas), and the Rogue, Deschutes, McKenzie, and John Day rivers.

The state’s population is concentrated in the Willamette Valley and Portland Metro area, which together hold more than two-thirds of all Oregonians. Portland is by far the largest city; Salem (the capital), Eugene, Gresham, Hillsboro, and Beaverton round out the six most populous cities.

Oregon’s economy is anchored by technology, agriculture, timber, food processing, and tourism. The tech sector — led by Intel, Nike, Adidas, and many firms clustered in Washington County’s “Silicon Forest” — accounts for a large share of exports. Healthcare (Providence, Oregon Health & Science University, Asante) is a major employer statewide.

Agriculture thrives in the Willamette Valley (wine grapes, berries, hazelnuts, Christmas trees), the Rogue Valley (pears, wine grapes), and Eastern Oregon (wheat, cattle, potatoes). Oregon’s timber industry, though smaller than its historical peak, remains important in rural counties. Tourism draws millions of visitors to the coast, Crater Lake, Mt. Hood, and the Columbia River Gorge.

Oregon has no statewide sales tax, which affects consumer prices and cross-border shopping patterns. The state does levy a personal income tax.

Oregon’s pre-contact history spans thousands of years of Indigenous settlement. Nations including the Chinook, Kalapuya, Nez Perce, Paiute, Tillamook, Coos, and many others lived throughout the region. European contact began in the 18th century through maritime exploration; Lewis and Clark reached the Pacific here in 1805 and wintered at Fort Clatsop near present-day Astoria.

The Oregon Trail — one of the great mass migrations in American history — brought roughly 400,000 settlers from Missouri to Oregon between the 1840s and 1860s. Statehood followed on February 14, 1859. The 20th century brought significant industrialization, construction of Columbia River hydroelectric dams, World War II shipbuilding in Portland, and postwar suburban growth across the Willamette Valley.