Oregon is a state located in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The state’s capital is Salem. The largest city, Portland, is also the most heavily populated. Oregon has a population of 3,825,657 (2009 est.).* It was inhabited by Native Americans and Spanish explorers before the arrival of British captain James Crook in 1778 in his search of the Northwest Passage. Oregon was admitted into statehood on February 14, 1859.
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the gross state product for Oregon as of 2008 was at $169 billion.** The state of Oregon has a diverse economic base. The wine industry has been thriving since the 1970s but has been around even before Prohibition. Oregon has more than 300 wineries today. Agricultural outputs include beef cattle, milk, eggs and poultry, wheat, onions and ryegrass, peppermint oil, timber, potatoes, sweet corn, sugar beets, snap beans, green peas, hazelnuts, hops, apples, berries, plums, pears and cherries. Greenhouse and nursery products are the most important in the agriculture sector. The manufacturing outputs include electronic equipment, wood processing and food processing. High technology and service industries have been chief employers in the last few decades. Intel is the largest private employer in Oregon to date.
The state is also a favorite location for filming by the entertainment industry and has been the setting for numerous well-known and even lesser-known films. The TV series “The Simpsons” is created by Matt Groening, an Oregon native. He has integrated a lot of allusions to his hometown in the series.
As of August 2010, the unemployment rate for Oregon was at 10.6%.***
| Unemployment Agency | Website | Phone Number | State |
| Worksource Oregon | Oregon Website | 1-877-728-7970 1-877-877-1781 | Oregon Unemployment Benefits |
Below is a list of the 50 largest employers in Oregon:****
| Employer | City |
| OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIV | Portland |
| CANCER CENTER/OHSU CANCER | Portland |
| HEWLETT-PACKARD | Corvallis |
| KAISER SUNNYSIDE MEDICAL CTR | Clackamas |
| NIKE INC | Beaverton |
| SACRED HEART MEDICAL CTR | Springfield |
| SAMARITAN HEALTH SVC | Corvallis |
| UNIVERSITY OF OREGON | Eugene |
| LANE COMMUNITY COLLEGE | Eugene |
| PEACEHEALTH OREGON REGION | Eugene |
| PORTLAND INTL AIRPORT-PDX | Portland |
| PROVIDENCE ST. VINCENT MED CTR | Portland |
| ROSEBURG FOREST PRODUCTIONS CO | Dillard |
| ROGUE VALLEY MEDICAL CTR | Medford |
| ESPRESSO PRN | Eugene |
| PROVIDENCE PORTLAND MED CTR | Portland |
| ASANTE HEALTH SYSTEM | Medford |
| LEGACY EMANUEL HOSP & HEALTH | Portland |
| SALEM HOSPITAL | Salem |
| US POST OFFICE | Portland |
| PORTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE | Portland |
| TRIMET | Portland |
| MONACO RV LLC | Coburg |
| CASCADE HEALTH SVC | Bend |
| PORTLAND VA MEDICAL CTR | Portland |
| TOWNSEND FAMRS INC | Fairview |
| FRED MEYER STORES INC | Portland |
| ST. CHARLES MEDICAL CTR-REDMOND | Redmond |
| REGENCE GROUP | Portland |
| STAN CORP FINANCIAL GROUP INC | Portland |
| SUNNYSIDE MEDICAL OFFICE | Clackamas |
| STANDARD INSURANCE CO | Portland |
| PACIFIC RETIREMENT SVC INC | Medford |
| PCC STRUCTURALS INC | Portland |
| SUNRIVER RESORT | Sunriver |
| METRO REGIONAL CTR | Portland |
| HYNIX SEMICONDUCTOR MFG | Eugene |
| KB PIPELINE CO | Portland |
| METRO GRAPHICS CORP | Wilsonville |
| MERCY MEDICAL CTR | Roseburg |
| MILITARY DEPT | Salem |
| SACRED HEART MEDICAL CTR | Eugene |
| SPIRIT MOUNTAIN CASINO | Grand Ronde |
| US BONNEVILLE POWER ADMIN | Portland |
| PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY | Portland |
| GEORGIA-PACIFIC CORP | Clatskanie |
| MERIX CORP | Beaverton |
| US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS | Portland |
| CHEMEKETA COMMUNITY COLLEGE | Salem |
| DAIMLER TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA | Portland |
Sources:
* http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/41000.html
** http://www.bea.gov/regional/gsp/action.cfm
*** http://data.bls.gov:8080/PDQ/servlet/SurveyOutputServlet;jsessionid=62304aeb8bd04c4b2469
**** http://www.acinet.org/acinet/oview6.asp?soccode=&stfips=41&from=State&id=11&nodeid=12