Oregon
Oregon (/ˈɒrɪɡən, -ɡɒn/ ⓘ ORR-ih-ghən, -gon)[7][8] is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Oregon is a part of the Western United States, 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.
This article is about the U.S. state. For other uses, see Oregon (disambiguation).
Oregon
February 14, 1859 (33rd)
Tina Kotek (D)
Ron Wyden (D)
Jeff Merkley (D)
4 Democrats
2 Republicans (list)
98,381 sq mi (254,806 km2)
95,997 sq mi (248,849 km2)
2,384 sq mi (6,177 km2) 2.4%
360 mi (580 km)
400 mi (640 km)
3,300 ft (1,000 m)
11,249 ft (3,428.8 m)
0 ft (0 m)
4,233,358[3]
39.9/sq mi (15.0/km2)
$71,562[4]
Oregonian
Ore.
42° N to 46°18′ N
116°28′ W to 124°38′ W
She Flies With Her Own Wings [6]
Western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)
Oregon swallowtail (Papilio machaon oregonia)
Dungeness crab
(Metacarcinus magister)
Chinook salmon
(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
Oregon grape
(Mahonia aquifolium)
Bluebunch wheatgrass
(Pseudoroegneria spicata)
Oregon swallowtail
(Papilio oregonius)
American beaver
(Castor canadensis)
Pacific golden chanterelle
(Cantharellus formosus)
Pear
(Pyrus)
Oregon hairy triton
(Fusitriton oregonensis)
Nut: Hazelnut
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 1800s, and the first permanent European settlements in Oregon were established by fur trappers and traders. In 1843, an autonomous government was formed in the Oregon Country, and the Oregon Territory was created in 1848. Oregon became the 33rd state of the U.S. on February 14, 1859.
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.[9] 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.,[10] 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 United States. 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.[11]
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 United States, with the lumber industry dominating the state's economy during the 20th century.[12] 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.[13]
Education[edit]
Elementary, middle, and high school[edit]
In the 2013–2014 school year, the state had 567,000 students in public schools.[224] There were 197 public school districts, served by 19 education service districts.[224]
In 2016, the largest school districts in the state were:[225] Portland Public Schools, comprising 47,323 students; Salem-Keizer School District, comprising 40,565 students; Beaverton School District, comprising 39,625 students; Hillsboro School District, comprising 21,118 students; and North Clackamas School District, comprising 17,053 students.
Approximately 90.5% of Oregon high school students graduate, improving on the national average of 88.3% as measured from the 2010 U.S. census.[226]
On May 8, 2019, educators across the state protested to demand smaller class sizes, hiring more support staff, such as school counselors, librarians, and nurses, and the restoration of art, music, and physical education classes. The protests caused two dozen school districts to close, which equals to about 600 schools across the state.[227]
