Abbreviated as OR on abbreviationfinder.org, Oregon is a state of the North American Confederation; it faces the Pacific between 42 ° and 46 ° 18 ′ N latitude and between 116 ° 33 ′ and 124 ° 32 ′ W longitude. It has an area of 250,440 sq km; it borders Washington state to the north, Idaho to the east, California and Nevada to the south. The border is given by the 42nd parallel; to the east it is marked for a stretch by the Snake River; to the north, the Columbia River largely serves as a border. A short distance from the coast, interrupted by numerous inlets, especially in the northern section, rises the Coast Range, or Coastal Range, divided into numerous sections by the many rivers that flow into the Pacific. Further east opens the valley of the Willamette river, over 320 km long. and about fifty large, densely populated, with intense agriculture. It closes it to the west imposing Cascade Range, which culminates with Mount Hood (3421 m): it divides the state into two parts, of which the eastern one is a vast plateau, semi-arid, rich in closed basins, interrupted by mountain trunks. In the north-eastern section rise the Blue Mountains, with an average height of about 1800 meters.
The morphological characteristics are deeply reflected in the climate, which presents great variety. In the coastal section and in the Willamette valley, a temperate climate prevails, with mild winters and relatively cool summers: Astoria has 11 °, 1 of average annual temperature, 5 ° in January, 16 °, 7 in August; Portland 11th, 7th, 4th, 19th, 4th respectively; similar characteristics presents Albany in the middle course of the Willamette. Proceeding eastwards, and entering the central plateau, the climate becomes decidedly continental: annual temperatures decrease; winters are cold: Yoseph, a m. 1341, has in January −5 °; Lakeview, to m. 1542 at the southern limits of the state, −2 °, 2; the absolute minimums and maximums offer very strong differences, from minimums of −35 °, 5 (Silver Lake) to maximums of over 45 ° at Pendleton (Umatilla basin). Precipitation also has very significant variations: in general, rainfall decreases from north to south and from west to east: the altitude conditions and the direction of the chains have a decisive influence. Coastal Oregon is very rainy (Glenora, 3407 mm; Astoria, 1955 mm; Newport, 1830 mm); rainfall decreases in the valleys to the east of the Coastal Range (Albany, 1105mm; Roseburg, 875mm); becomes minimum in the central section, where it is always less than 500 mm. (Lakeview 425 mm.; Silver Lake, 260 mm .; Prineville, 205). Winter rains prevail, especially in the western section, with oceanic influence. decisive influence exert the elevation conditions and the direction of the chains. Coastal Oregon is very rainy (Glenora, 3407 mm; Astoria, 1955 mm; Newport, 1830 mm); rainfall decreases in the valleys to the east of the Coastal Range (Albany, 1105mm; Roseburg, 875mm); becomes minimum in the central section, where it is always less than 500 mm. (Lakeview 425 mm.; Silver Lake, 260 mm .; Prineville, 205). Winter rains prevail, especially in the western section, with oceanic influence. decisive influence exert the elevation conditions and the direction of the chains. Coastal Oregon is very rainy (Glenora, 3407 mm; Astoria, 1955 mm; Newport, 1830 mm); rainfall decreases in the valleys to the east of the Coastal Range (Albany, 1105mm; Roseburg, 875mm); becomes minimum in the central section, where it is always less than 500 mm. (Lakeview 425 mm.; Silver Lake, 260 mm .; Prineville, 205). Winter rains prevail, especially in the western section, with oceanic influence. 205). Winter rains prevail, especially in the western section, with oceanic influence. 205). Winter rains prevail, especially in the western section, with oceanic influence.
Much of Oregon sends its waters to the Columbia River, via the Snake and numerous other tributaries (Umatilla, John Day, Deschutes, Willamette), which run through valleys that are important for agriculture and intensive livestock; the section of SO. sends the waters directly to the Pacific (Umpqua, Coquille, Rogue rivers etc.), while inland Oregon is rich in closed basins, enclosing numerous lakes (Malheur, Harney, Summer, Upper Klamath Lake, etc.). The beauty of the landscape led to the creation of the Crater Lake National Park, established in 1902, with an area of 645 sq. Km., Which includes, among other things, a magnificent crater lake.
The main productions concern wheat, oats, potatoes, fodder. Of great importance is fruit growing (apple, pear, plum trees, etc.), especially in the western counties between the Coastal chain and that of the Cascades. Viticulture is mainly widespread in the NO counties. Of great importance is hops. The zootechnical patrimony gives the following figures for 1933: horses 154,000; mules 14,000; cattle 835,000; sheep 2,545,000 (for which the state occupies one of the first places in the Confederation, with a large production of raw wool); pigs 221,000. From a mining point of view, the state is not of great importance (production of small quantities of gold and other precious metals; coal, lime and building stones, etc.). In 1930, 409,645 people over the age of 10 were employed: of these, 26.2% in the crafts and industries, 22.4% in commerce and communications, 20% in agriculture. The number of workers employed in industry rose from 14,459 in 1899 to 65,505 in 1929, to drop to 42,267 in 1931. About half are in Multnomah County, due to the presence of the great downtown Portland. Given the great extension of the forests, the main industry is that of timber, in addition to the furniture and paper industry; it follows, for the importance of workers, the industry of fruit and vegetable preserves in general. due to the presence of the great downtown Portland. Given the great extension of the forests, the main industry is that of timber, in addition to the furniture and paper industry; it follows, for the importance of workers, the industry of fruit and vegetable preserves in general. due to the presence of the great downtown Portland. Given the great extension of the forests, the main industry is that of timber, in addition to the furniture and paper industry; it follows, for the importance of workers, the industry of fruit and vegetable preserves in general.
The state has waterways, mainly offered by the Columbia, the Snake and the Willamette; the lower reaches of Columbia and Willamette have seen the rise of heavily trafficked ports including Portland. The railways counted 6,588 km. in 1931. Of great importance are the line that descends south from Portland, going up the Willamette valley, to enter California with two branches and reach Los Angeles, and the transcontinental ones, which take advantage of the great valleys of Columbia and Snake. The areas with less railways are the arid ones in the south-east center. Motor vehicles numbered 259,271 in 1932.
History
The colonization of the area that forms today’s state of Oregon took place very late. It is by no means certain whether the Drake made it this far. After him the Spaniards, in search of the “north-west passage”, began to explore the coast, and in 1603 Martino Aguilar reached the 43rd parallel, where he said he had discovered a great river. This river became an obsession for all subsequent travelers, who resumed their exploration only in the second half of the century. XVIII, under the threat of English and Russian colonization. In 1774 Juan Pérez reached degree 54 °, exploring the entire coast for the first time in detail so that the following year Bruno Heceta was able to land at degree 46 ° 9 ‘and take formal possession of the territory. In 1778 Jonathan Carver stated in his travel book that there must be a great river on the coast, although no White had ever seen it, to which he gave the name of Oregon, a name of completely mysterious origin. We do not know whether he derived his knowledge of this river from Indian tales or solely from the universal desire to find a river that would serve as a gateway to the Atlantic. With the treaty of 1819, Spain ceded all its rights to the lands north of the 42nd parallel, that is, north of the southern Oregon border, to the United States. But already towards the end of the century. XVIII the Americans and the British had come to clash in this area, and the matter, known as the “Oregon question” or “Northwest border dispute”, disturbed the relations between the two peoples throughout the first half of the century. XIX. In 1792 the American Robert Gray discovered the legendary river, giving it, from his ship, the name “Columbia”, and thus assuring the United States, especially after the transfer of Spanish rights, a clear title to all the territory covered by it: title which was also reinforced by explorers Lewis and Clark in 1805-1806. John Jacob Astor and the Pacific Fur Company founded Astoria at the mouth of the river; but, when the war between England and the United States broke out in 1812, they preferred to sell the territory to the English rather than have it taken away by arms. Following the Treaty of Ghent, all the territories taken during the war had to be returned; but the English declared that this region had been sold, and while allowing it to be returned in 1818, they did not want to allow the American government to extend its border to the 49th degree. The two nations agreed to occupy the area in common for ten years. Withdrawal Spain in 1821 (with the ratification of the treaty of 1819), the Russians came forward in the same year, demanding the coast up to the 5th parallel, but in 1824 they agreed with the United States on the 54 ° 40 degree ′ Of latitude, which the Americans always considered, until the settlement of the dispute, as their northern border. But in 1827 the Anglo-American agreement of 1818 was renewed sine die. During the following years Oregon continued to increase its population peacefully, but a movement made itself felt in the west for the definitive settlement of the question, and in 1844 the Democratic party won in the national elections declaring that it was necessary to reach the 54 ° 40 ‘ even at the cost of a war, a statement energetically confirmed by the new president Polk in his inaugural address. Eventually the government, advised by the Senate, accepted milder advice, and with the treaty of 1846 the border was set at the 49th degree. In August 1848, Congress established the territory of Oregon, which then also encompassed the present states of Washington and Idaho and parts of Wyoming and Montana. Washington was detached from it and established as a territory in 1853. On February 14, 1859, Oregon was admitted to the Union.
For a generation the Indian riots continued to agitate the state; among them those of Modoc and Shoshone are especially noteworthy. Oregon has adopted the system whereby voters initiate new laws, a system that has not so far yielded very notable results. The majority of the population is Republican, but Democrats often manage to win in elections, especially governorial ones.
Portland
According to countryaah.com, Portland is a city of the USA (557,706 residents In 2008), in Oregon. It extends over the two banks of the Willamette River, 21 km upstream from its confluence with the river Columbia. Founded in 1845, it experienced a very rapid and significant demographic increase in the first decades of the 20th century, linked to its rapid industrial and commercial development, favored by excellent geo-economic conditions: natural routes such as the valleys of the Columbia and Willamette rivers; hydroelectric power supplied by the Willamette River Falls in nearby Oregon City. It is the main and most populous city in the state. Important industrial, commercial and port center. The most developed industries are the chemical, metallurgical, electronic, shipbuilding, food and textile industries. Activities in the high-tech, scientific research and advanced tertiary sectors (with financial, insurance and banking activities, and business services) are significant; tourist activities are highly developed.
