Chapter 16. The Pacific Northwest

The Pacific Northwest is a region of the United States that is mainly made up of the combined areas of the States Washington, Oregon, and the Canadian Province British Columbia, in addition to Alaska. This region is responsible for much of the lumber distributed throughout the United States and is a poplular tourist destination for those who appreciate the beauty of forestation.

According to the book The Geography of North America: Environment, Culture, Economy, "We refer to the region discussed in this chapter as the Pacific Northwest. It includes western Oregon, western Washington, British Columbia west of the Rocky Moun-tains, and the southeastern panhandle of Alaska. Before discussing this linear area, however, it is important to note that Canadians usually refer more accurately to the Canadian part of this North American region as the Pacific Southwest instead of the Pacific Northwest. Whether it is referred to as Northwest, Southwest, Cascadia, or Ecotopia, this region is physically cut off from the rest of North America on all sides."

The Pacific Northwest is inhabited by a number of people from different cultures. Many of the residents of the Pacific Northwest are immigrants from Russia. Since Russia and Alaska are in close proximity to one another, the transition for many of the russian immigrants was easy. In recent years, the Pacific Northwest has seen a spike in immigrants from Asia as well, and is becoming a region for people who want to experience an life in an urban landscape with a connection to the natural elements of the region.

During the Summer of Last year, I was afforded the opportunity to travel in the Pacific Northwest on a musical tour. Being from an urbanized region, it was an eye opening experience for me to see such natural beauty of the pacific northwest. Surprisingly enough, the climate differed from city to city in the region. Cities in Alaska were typically rainy and wet while cities like Seattle and Vancouver were much more temperate, reminiscent of Los Angeles Weather.