The Pacific Coast,

economically the most important part of the American West, comprises the states of California (San Francisco, Los Angeles (L.A.), Oregon (Portland), Washington (Seattle).

 

California - the richest state of the US (american dream – to live in California) and one of the ten largest economies in the world.

Production of fruits and vegetables: carrots, lettuce, onions, broccoli, tomatoes, strawberries, and almonds; crops, grapes, cotton, flowers, and oranges; dairy products & domestic wine (the national leader in this sector). It’s a result of good soil, a long growing season, and the use of modern agricultural methods. Irrigation is critical, esp. In the San Joaquin Valley and Imperial Valley. The gathering and packing of crops is done largely by seasonal migrant labor (Mexicans). Fishing is important industry.

Industrial production: petroleum, natural gas, lumber, cement, and sand and gravel.

Since World War II - manufacturing of electronic equipment, computers, machinery, transportation equipment, and metal products.

Defense industries, a base of the economy esp. in S California, have declined following the end of the cold war, a serious blow to the state. But many high-tech companies remain in S California (the largest manufacturing belt in the US). Farther north, “Silicon Valley,” between Palo Alto and San Jose - the nation's leading producer of semiconductors, a focus of software development.

C. - major U.S. center for motion-picture, television film, and related entertainment industries, esp. in Hollywood and Burbank. In 2005 the world-known movie superstar Arnold Shvarzennegger was elected the governor of C.

Tourism: Disneyland, Sea World, and other theme parks (millions of visitors each year), San Francisco (hilly city) with its numerous attractions and Los Angeles (cinematography, Oscar ceremony) – entertainment areas.

Natural beauty of C.: many national parks and forests - such attractions as Yosemite Falls and giant sequoia trees - and along miles of Pacific beaches.

The state's great problem is its appetite for water. Fertile Owens valley is now arid, in the Imperial Valley irrigation is controlled by the All-American Canal, which draws from the Colorado River. In the Central Valley the water problem is one of poor distribution. In the 1970s and 80s many California cities began buying water from areas with a surplus water (payed be fed. Government), but political problems with water sharing continue. C.’s failure to develop a long-term plan to end surplus withdrawals from the Colorado led the fed.l government to stop the release of surplus water to the state in 2003.

 

Oregon is one of the nation's leading producers of snap beans, peppermint, sweet cherries (orchards are particularly numerous in the N Willamette Valley), broccoli, and strawberries. O. produces greenhouse products, wheat, cattle (huge herds graze on the plateaus), and dairy items. Hay, wheat, pears, and onions are important, and O. has developed a growing wine industry since 1980.

The state's 30.7 million acres (12.4 million hectares) of rich forestland (almost half the state) comprise the country's greatest reserves of standing timber; huge areas have been set aside (conservation). Wood processing was long the state's major industry; Douglas fir predominates in the Cascades and western pine in the eastern regions. Since 1991 many areas have been closed to logging in order to protect endangered wildlife. Nevertheless, O. has retained its title as the nation's foremost lumber state, producing more than 5 billion board feet a year.

Food, paper and paper items, machinery, and fabricated metals. Printing and publishing. In recent decades O. (also called “Silicon Forest”) has become home to many computer and electronic companies; growth in this sector has offset job losses in the timber industry.

Cheap electric power is supplied by numerous dams (on the Columbia River—Bonneville Dam, The Dalles Dam, and McNary Dam). The John Day Dam is one of the largest hydroelectric generators in the world. The dams also aid in flood control and navigation. The Bonneville Dam, in the steep gorge where the Columbia River pierces the Cascades, enables large vessels to travel far inland, and although river traffic is less vital than formerly, the Columbia River cities are still centers for a vast hinterland to the east. Portland is a port.

O.’s river resources: salmon-fishing industry, centered around Astoria, is one of the world's largest; other catches are tuna and crabs. Mining is still underdeveloped, but O. leads the nation in the production of nickel.

Tourism: beautiful ocean beaches, lakes, and mountains. Major attractions: the Oregon Caves National Monument, Fort Clatsop National Memorial, and McLoughlin House National Historic Site; Crater Lake National Park. There r 13 national forests, one national grassland, and more than 220 state parks.