Oregon

is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It joined the Union on February 14 1859 as the 33rd state. Previously, the region was part of the Oregon Territory that was created in 1848 after American settlement began in earnest in the 1840s. The state lies on the Pacific coast between Washington on the north and California and Nevada on the south; Idaho lies to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers form much of its northern and eastern boundaries, respectively. Salem, the state's third most populous city, is the state capital, while the most populous city is Portland. The valley of the Willamette River in western Oregon is the most densely populated and agriculturally productive region of the state and is home to 8 of the 10 most populous cities. Oregon's population in 2000 was about 3.5 million, a 20.3% increase over 1990; it is estimated to have reached 3.7 million by 2006. Oregon's largest private employer is Intel, located in the Silicon Forest area in... full article at wikipedia