Eastern Oregon
From Free net encyclopedia
Eastern Oregon is a geographical term that is generally taken to mean the area of the state of Oregon east of the Cascade Range, save the region around the Dalles and sometimes Klamath County. The area around Bend is often considered to be Central Oregon rather than Eastern Oregon, but those in the Willamette Valley would tend to disagree as they tend to view anything past the Cascade Range as Eastern Oregon, similar to the way Australians lump everything west of the Great Dividing Range into the Outback.
Compared to the maritime rain forest climate of Western Oregon, which is adjacent to the Pacific Ocean, the climate of Eastern Oregon is a drier continental climate, with much greater seasonal variations in temperature. Unlike the Willamette Valley, Eastern Oregon gets a good amount of snow in the winter. Some parts of Eastern Oregon get less than 10 inches of rain, and thus are valid deserts. Pine and juniper forests cover areas of Eastern Oregon, especially in the mountains east of Klamath Falls and in the Blue Mountains (Oregon).
It is also much more sparsely populated, on average, than Western Oregon, and has a reputation of being more politically conservative. The region's economy is primarily agricultural. Timber and mining, while formerly key industries, have decreased in importance in recent years. Historical tourism is on the rise.
Larger population centers in Eastern Oregon include Hermiston, La Grande, and Pendleton.
The extreme eastern section of Oregon in the Snake River Valley, including the town of Ontario, is part of the Treasure Valley which includes Boise, Idaho; unlike the rest of the state, that section is included in the Mountain Time Zone.
