About Portland
Portland is a city located in the Northwestern United States, 
near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the state of Oregon. As of 2009, it has an estimated population of 560,000 making it the 29th most populous in the United States. It has been referred to as the most environmentally friendly or “green” city in the United States, and the 2nd most in the world. Portland is Oregon’s most populous city, and the third most populous city in the Pacific Northwest, after Vancouver, British Columbia, and Seattle, Washington. Approximately two million people live in the Portland metropolitan area, the 23rd most populous in the United States as of July 2006.
Portland was incorporated in 1851 and is the county seat of Multnomah County. The city extends slightly into Washington County to the west and Clackamas County to the south. It is governed by a commission-based government headed by a mayor and four other commissioners. The city and region are noted for strong land-use planning and investment in light rail, supported by Metro, a distinctive regional-government.
Portland is known for its large number of microbreweries and micro distilleries, and its coffee fanaticism. It is also the home of the Trail Blazers NBA team. Portland lies in the Marine west coast climate region, marked by warm, dry summers and rainy but temperate winters. This climate is ideal for growing roses, and for more than a century, Portland has been known as “The City of Roses” with many rose gardens—most prominently the International Rose Test Garden. The most common nickname for Portland is The City of Roses. Other nicknames include Stumptown, Bridgetown, Rip City, Little Beirut, Beervana or Beertown, P-Town, and PDX.
Portland lies at the northern end of Oregon’s most populated region, the Willamette Valley. However, as the metropolitan area is culturally and politically distinct from the rest of the valley, local usage often excludes Portland from the valley proper. Although almost all of Portland lies within Multnomah County, small portions of the city lie within Clackamas and Washington counties. The Willamette River runs north through the city center, separating the east and west sections of the city before veering northwest to join with the Columbia River (which separates the state of Washington from the state of Oregon) a short distance north of the city.
Portland lies on top of an extinct Plio-Pleistocene volcanic field known as the Boring Lava Field. The Boring Lava Field includes at least 32 cinder cones such as Mount Tabor, and its center lies in Southeast Portland. The dormant but potentially active volcano Mount Hood to the east of Portland is easily visible from much of the city during clear weather. The active volcano Mount Saint Helens to the north in Washington is visible in the distance from high-elevation locations in the city and is close enough to have dusted the city with volcanic ash after an eruption on May 18, 1980.