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- The origin of the name “Oregon” is uncertain. However, according to one account, the name is believed to have been derived from the French word, ‘Ouragan,’ which is loosely translated as hurricane’ or windstorm’.
- The state has 11 lighthouses, and Yaquina is the tallest of them all – 93 feet. The tallest lighthouse is the most popular lighthouse on the coast and has been in service since 1873.
- To provide some order for the residents of Oregon, the Oregon Treaty was created in 1846. It was prompted by new settlers who formed a provisional government.
- Oregon is one of only two states in the US to have self-serving fuel stations. The other is New Jersey.
Learn about the history, geography, wildlife, and natural resources of Oregon, the 33rd state in the U.S. Find out how Oregon got its name, what makes it unique, and what attractions it offers for kids. See photos of its diverse landscapes, from the deepest lake in the U.S. to the largest tree in the world.
- Jamie Kiffel-Alcheh
- 3 min
- Overview
- Relief and drainage
Oregon, constituent state of the United States of America. Oregon is bounded to the north by Washington state, from which it receives the waters of the Columbia River; to the east by Idaho, more than half the border with which is formed by the winding Snake River and Hells Canyon; to the south by Nevada and California, with which Oregon shares its mountain and desert systems; and to the west by the Pacific Ocean, which produces the moderate climate of Oregon’s western lands. The capital is Salem, in the northwestern part of the state.
Admitted to the union as the 33rd state on February 14, 1859, Oregon comprises an area of startling physical diversity, from the moist rainforests, mountains, and fertile valleys of its western third to the naturally arid and climatically harsh eastern deserts. Mountains, plateaus, plains, and valleys of different geologic ages and materials are arrayed in countless combinations, including such natural wonders as the Columbia River Gorge, Oregon Caves National Monument, Crater Lake National Park, the majestic snow-covered peaks of the Cascade Range, and the central Oregon “moon country” (lava fields that served as a training site for astronauts in the U.S. space program in the 1960s). The name Oregon is thought to be Native American in origin.
Oregon has nine major landform regions, of which the forest-blanketed Coast Range, which borders the Pacific Ocean from the Coquille River northward, is the lowest. Its elevations are generally below 2,000 feet (600 metres), but Mount Bolivar, east of Port Orford, reaches 4,319 feet (1,316 metres).
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The Klamath Mountains, which extend from California, lie south of the Coast Range and west of the Cascades. Composed of ancient resistant rocks, they have had a complicated geologic history. They are higher and more rugged than the Coast Range and lack the north-south orientation. The Rogue River, bisecting the area, provides the major drainage. Thick forests grow on these mountains, which also contain rich mineral deposits. Mount Ashland, which reaches 7,532 feet (2,296 metres), is the tallest peak in Oregon’s Klamath Mountains.
The Willamette valley is essentially an alluvial plain produced by burying stream-modified lowland with enormous quantities of sediments brought down by tributary streams from the bordering mountains. The low, hilly areas in the central and northern portions are composed of resistant rocks. This valley contains the prime land of the state, about one-tenth of its total acreage, and its soils support intensive agriculture.
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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 km 2 ), 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]
- 98,381 sq mi (254,806 km²)
May 13, 2023 · Learn about Oregon's history, geography, culture, and attractions with these 50 interesting and fun facts. From its nickname and flag to its volcanoes and wine, discover something new about the Beaver State.
Nov 16, 2021 · Learn about the history, geography, culture, and wildlife of Oregon, the Beaver State. Discover 30 unique and interesting facts about Oregon's natural beauty, energy, flora, fauna, and more.
Nov 3, 2023 · Learn about Oregon's public beaches, volcanoes, slime eels, pump ban, exploding whale, and more. Discover the history, culture, and nature of this eclectic state with these interesting facts.
