The Pacific Northwest

 

          The Pacific Northwest region is the region where Washington State is located; the part of Washington that I am most interested in.  This region contains the Coastal Ranges which include the Olympic Mountains in Washington (Hardwick, 2008).  These mountains, along with the Cascade Ranges are the main landforms that result in heavy precipitation in this part of the country.  The Cascades are also home to very active volcanoes, including Mount St. Helens in southwest Washington.  Mt. Rainier is the highest peak in the Cascades that can be seen from cities all around.  Most of the peaks in the Cascade Ranges are volcanoes which have been active in the past several thousand years (Hardwick, 2008).  Parts of Washington, such as the Olympic Rainforest National Park, can receive an annual rainfall of 12 to 14 feet.  Locations on the west side of the Cascades have lower temperatures and higher rainfall than the locations on the east side. 

        Washington is a state that contains an abundance of natural resources.  Almost all of the land was once forested with an abundance of furry mammals.  The first dominant industries in this region were agriculture, fishing, forestry, and the fur trade (Hardwick, 2008).  On the east side of Washington and in Oregon, there is a major agricultural economy.  Oregon produces hay, fruits and vegetables, along with other crops suite for the weather (Hardwick, 2008).  Washington is a major producer of apples along with wheat.  Many parts of the region are now holding farmers’ markets which sell all sorts of produce produced on local farms.  Logging has been a major industry as a result of the large amounts of trees in the region.  Oregon and northern parts of California are home to some of the tallest trees in the world (Hardwick, 2008).  Douglas fir, spruce, hemlock and many other tree species are commercially significant (Hardwick, 2008).

        Washington has become a high-tech center over the past few years.  The manufacturing of aircrafts, ships and military equipment has boomed (Hardwick, 2008).  Microsoft, which is the largest high-tech firm in the North America, is based in Seattle, Washington.  Seattle, along with being a “cool” place to work and live, is the birthplace of grunge rock music.  Seattle’s music has given the region a youthful vibe.  The famous coffee shop, Starbucks, was also founded in Seattle with different telecommunications firms.  The Pacific Northwest looks like it possesses a bright, high-tech future.

 

Hardwick, Susan W., Shelley, Fred M., Holtgrieve, Donald G. The Geography of North America. Glenview, 2008. Print.