The location of Oregon

Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Oregon became the 33rd state admitted to the union on February 14, 1859. Oregon is located on the Pacific coast between Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The state capital is Salem and its largest city is Portland. Residents are known as Oregonians.

The Flag of Oregon

History

Humans have lived in Oregon for many years. The first European to sight the Oregon coast was Portugese explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo in 1543. The area was claimed by both Spain and Great Britain. The first American explorer to visit Oregon was Captain Robert Gray who sailed up the Columbia River in 1792.

Following the Louisiana Purchase, the Lewis and Clark expedition reached the mouth of the Columbia River in 1805. The area was claimed by both Great Britain and the United States, who agreed to peacefully share ownership of the territory. However, as more American settlers arrived in Oregon via the Oregon Trail, Britain released its hold on the territory in 1846. The Oregon Territory (which included present-day Washington, Idaho, and parts of Montana and Wyoming) was established in 1848. Oregon officially became a state on February 14, 1859.

Geography

Oregon is the ninth largest state in the US with a total area of 98,381 square miles (254,810km²). It borders Washington to the north, Idaho to the east, California to the south, and Nevada to the southeast. Oregon also has approximately 362 miles (583 km) of coastline along the Pacific Ocean. Oregon's highest point is the summit of Mount Hood at 11,249 feet (3,429 m).

Oregon is home to Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the United States and the ninth-deepest in the world.

Crater Lake

People

The United States Census Bureau estimated the population of Oregon was 4,217,871 in 2019.

In 2016, 85.1% of people in Oregon were White/Caucasian, 1.9% were black, 1.1% were Native American, 4.0% were Asian, and 0.4% were Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander.

State Symbols

• The state nickname is "The Beaver State" (unofficial)
• The state motto is "Alis Volat Propriss." It is Latin for "She Flies With Her Own Wings."
• The state animal is the American beaver
• The state beverage is milk
• The state bird is the Western meadowlark
• The state crustacean is the Dungeness crab
• The state dance is the square dance
• The state father is Dr. John McLoughlin
• The state fish is the Chinook salmon
• The state flower is the Oregon grape
• The state fossil is Metasequoia
• The state fruit is the pear
• The state gemstone is the Oregon sunstone
• The state hostess is Miss Oregon
• The state insect is the Oregon swallowtail
• The state Microbe is Brewer's yeast
• The state mother is Tabitha Brown
• The state mushroom is the Pacific golden chanterelle
• The state nut is the hazelnut
• The state rock is the Thunderegg
• The state seashell is the Oregon hairy triton
• The state soil is Jory soil
• The state song is "Oregon, My Oregon"
• The state pageant is the Champoeg Historical Pageant
• The state team is the Portland Trail Blazers of 1990-91
• The state tree is the Douglas fir