United States, Pacific Northwest

The pacific northwest is a region of varied landforms and differing climatic conditions consisting of two states: Oregon and Washington. As of 2005, Oregon is 98,386 square miles and ranks as the 9th largest state; it has an estimated population of 3,641,056 and is the 27th most populated state. Also as of 2005, Washington is 71,303 square miles and ranks as the 18th largest state; it has an estimated population of 6,287,759 and is the 15th most populated state. Both states are located on the west coast of North America within a latitudinal band containing a humid coastal climate. Precipitation amounts are particularly high along the coasts of both states and especially on the windward slopes of the Coastal Range and the Cascade Mountains. High pressure over the eastern Pacific Ocean blocks the moist air from moving farther south. This guarantees maximum precipitation along the coastal areas of Oregon and Washington. On some occasions, the amount of rainfall can be extraordinarily excessive and flooding can be a serious problem. In November 2006, areas of western Washington received over 15 inches of rainfall, an amount that brought severe flooding to homes and businesses. Televised news accounts showed automobiles and even houses caught up in fast moving rivers. Earthquakes are not infrequent, and the massive eruption of Mount St. Helens in the 1980s is a reminder of the dynamic geological nature of the region.

To the east of the prominent north-south trending mountain ranges, precipitation diminishes significantly. The coastal areas of the two states receive between 60 and 80 inches of precipitation annually while areas inland range from 10 to 20 inches annually. In fact, both states contain areas of true desert in their eastern areas. Vegetation in the region includes Douglas fir, redwoods, spruce, red cedar, and hemlock within the alpine coniferous forest. Grasslands are found within the steppe east of the mountains.

The Pacific Northwest was identified by Joel Garreau in his 1981 book The Nine Nations of North America as lying within two regions: Ecotopia, a borrowing from a 1975 book of the same name by Ernest Callenbach, and the Empty Quarter, an expanse of the interior stretching from the border with New Mexico north through the arid and mountainous western United States and into Canada and Alaska. The Empty Quarter is characterized by having the lowest population densities of any area of comparable size on the continent. The term Ecotopia is derived from Callenbach's combination of the two words ecological and utopia. The term characterizes well the attitudes of the people in the region and identifies their love of nature and overwhelming support of environmental awareness and protection. The coastal area has also been called “Cascadia” after the Cascade Mountains and because of the multitude of rivers flowing out of the highlands into the Pacific Ocean.

The fast flowing and voluminous rivers in the region are valuable sources of power for the generation of electricity. Within the Columbia Basin, hydroelectric power is used in the processing of aluminum, a metal used extensively in the manufacture of airplanes. With several major operations of the Boeing aircraft company being located in the Puget Sound region, it comes as no surprise that this world class manufacturer of airplanes is the most important customer for aluminum produced locally. Accessibility to substantial amounts of aluminum within the Pacific Northwest is one reason why Boeing remains within this region despite its significant number of rainy days each year, a climatic condition not ideal for operating aircraft.

...