Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest. It borders Washington state to the north, California and Nevada to the south, Idaho to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. As of 2025, Oregon has a population of 4,272,371, most of whom live in the western part of the state. The capital of Oregon is Salem and its largest city is Portland.
Oregon was originally unclaimed by most European powers. Spain, Russia, Great Britain, and America all contested this region until its annexation into the United States in 1843. Settlers to the region initially arrived via the Oregon Trail. In 1859, Oregon was granted statehood, becoming the 33rd state to achieve this milestone.
Today, the state of Oregon is is the nineth largest state by area and the 27th largest state by population. It was originally a state that produced lumber, though that industry died when tree-hugging hippies were elected to the state government in the early 1990s. Oregon is mostly divided politically and geographically between the Liberal west and Conservative east. It is also home Silicon Forest, a technological hub anchored around the city of Portland. Oregon is also the home of sportswear brand Nike.