Oregon is located in the Western United States on the Pacific Ocean. The state's name was first recorded by Spanish explorers who sailed from the Philippines to the U.S. coast beginning in 1543, although its meaning remains unclear. Previously, the territory was inhabited by a variety of Native American tribes. In 1805, the Lewis and Clark expedition crossed Oregon and built Fort Clatsop as a winter encampment near the mouth of the Columbia River. It was named after the local Clatsop tribe who advised the expedition. The first permanent European settlement was established in 1811 and was an outpost of the Pacific Fur Company. In 1848, the Territory of Oregon was created. It initially also encompassed Washington and Idaho as well as parts of Montana and Wyoming. After its secession from the territory, Oregon was admitted to the Union as the 33^rd state in 1859. The state's motto is "She flies with her own wings", with "she" referring to Oregon.

Oregon's landscape features rainforest, volcanoes, high deserts and badlands. It is home to Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the U.S., and the "Humongous fungus". The Armillaria ostoyae fungus covers about 3.7 square miles (9.6 km²) in Malheur National Forest and is considered the largest living organism in the world. 

The most important economic sectors have traditionally been logging, agriculture and fishing, and Oregon remains the largest producer of softwood lumber in the nation. In the late 20^th century, the high-tech industry grew significantly, and the state's diverse nature promotes tourism. The athletic footwear company Nike was founded in Oregon in 1964 and is headquartered near the city of Beaverton.

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