Why Eastern Oregon, Washington and Idaho Are So Sparsely Populated

The Pacific Northwest, primarily comprising the states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, is home to about 14 million people in total. However, about 72% of the region's entire population, about 10 million people, live west of the Cascade Mountain Range, leaving the vast majority of the Pacific Northwest relatively empty. Here's why so few Americans live in the empty Pacific Northwest. Hello and welcome to Geography by Jeff. Today we're off to the rainy and green Pacific Northwest. Or at least that's what you would believe if you've only ever traveled to the areas west of the Cascades. The other side is completely different, and that forms the basis of our story today. But first, today's podcast episode is all about time zones. These bizarre geographic boundary lines literally determine what time it is at any given location, and there's a surprisingly complex geography underpinning it all. You can learn all about time zones, why we have them, and why they're so bizarre in today's episode. Listen right here on YouTube or whatever app you use to listen to podcasts. All links are in the description below. The Pacific Northwest, encompassing Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, is a region rich in natural beauty and complex history. Its human story begins with the Missoula Floods, a geologic event that shaped almost everything that the Pacific Northwest would become. Occurring at the end of the last ice age, approximately 15,000 and 13,000 years ago, these floods were caused by the periodic, sudden ruptures of the ice dam that contained glacial Lake Missoula, located in what is now Montana. The sheer magnitude of these floods was unparalleled, with water volumes that dwarfed modern rivers, creating forces capable of reshaping the landscape on a monumental scale. As the ice dam broke, it released vast quantities of water across parts of present-day Washington and Oregon, carving out unique geological features and significantly altering the topography. Most importantly, it deposited rich soils across vast swaths of the region, making it particularly useful for agriculture. Humans are theorized to have arrived to the Pacific Northwest around this same time period by way of the creation of rudimentary sailing vessels and coming down the coast before inhabiting the current states of Oregon and Washington. These peoples would eventually form the indigenous tribes of the Pacific Northwest, including the Chinook, Nez Perce, Coast Salish, Tillamook, and many others. And because of the Pacific Northwest's rich, bountiful rivers, many tribes in this region practiced more sedentary lifestyles, something not seen amongst the more nomadic Great Plains tribes. But as usual, the lives of the native peoples would be upended when the Europeans arrived in the 1700s. The fabled quest for the Northwest Passage led many explorers, including James Cook and George Vancouver, to map the coastline, establishing initial contact with native peoples. And during this exploration, the Europeans began to trade with the local tribes, particularly for furs, which would eventually draw the attention of both European powers and the United States. Due to these early explorations, the 1800s saw an increase in competition for control over the Pacific Northwest. The Lewis and Clark Expedition from 1804 to 1806, commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson, was pivotal in asserting American interests in the territory, establishing routes for future settlers and traders. The fur trade, dominated by the Hudson's Bay Company and the Northwest Company, became the region's economic backbone, with Fort Vancouver serving as a major trading post. The question over sovereignty of the Pacific Northwest was a huge point of contention between the British Empire and the United States. The Oregon Trail, beginning in the 1830s, brought thousands of American settlers westward, seeking land and opportunity. This migration pressured the governments to resolve territorial disputes. The Oregon Treaty of 1846 finally drew the boundary line along the 49th parallel, granting the United States control over the lands south of this line, thus shaping the future states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. With sovereignty decided and the land carved into the Oregon Territory, statehood followed. Oregon joined the Union in 1859, Washington State in 1889, and Idaho in 1890. The region's growth was propelled by the timber industry, agriculture, particularly in the Willamette Valley, and the discovery of gold and other minerals, attracting more settlers and fostering the development of infrastructure, including railroads. The history of the Pacific Northwest is completely tied to its geography, from where the indigenous tribes originally settled, to where American and British settlers first established their cities. But before we get to the physical geography of the Pacific Northwest, if you're enjoying this video, hit that subscribe button. More fun geography videos are just a single click away. The Pacific Northwest, a region defined by its striking natural beauty and diverse landscapes, is neatly bisected by the Cascade Mountain Range, creating two distinct geographic areas, the western and eastern Pacific Northwest. This division plays a crucial role in the region's climate, ecosystems, and human activity. But despite this division, both halves of the region have scars left by the Missoula Floods. One of the most striking features created by the Missoula Floods is the channeled scaplands in eastern Washington. This barren, deeply scarred landscape is characterized by ancient and dry riverbeds, giant ripple marks, and rock basins carved by the powerful floodwaters. These features were so unusual and extensive that initially, their origin was a mystery to geologists. Additionally, the Columbia River Gorge, a spectacular canyon formed by the mighty Columbia River, forms the border between Oregon and Washington, and was also shaped in part by the Missoula Floods. The floods scoured out and widened the gorge, creating the landscape we see today with its dramatic cliffs and waterfalls. Despite the division that's part of this video, the Missoula Floods remains as a historic event that binds the entire region together. That said, there are significant differences between the western side and eastern side of the Cascade Mountain Range. To the west of the Cascades, the climate is predominantly maritime, characterized by mild, wet winters and cooler, drier summers. This climate is ideal for dense forests of Douglas fir, western hemlock, and red cedar, which make up the vast temperate rainforests, a hallmark of the region. The western side benefits from the moisture-laden winds blowing in from the Pacific Ocean, leading to significant rainfall and lush vegetation. The coastlines of Oregon and Washington, rugged and dotted with cliffs and extensive beaches, are shaped by the dynamic forces of the Pacific Ocean. In contrast, the eastern side of the Cascades experiences a rain shadow effect, leading to a more arid and continental climate. This part of the Pacific Northwest is characterized by significantly less precipitation, wider temperature ranges, and different ecosystems. Here, the landscape transitions to the dry grasslands, sagebrush steppes, and semi-arid environments, particularly moving further inland. The Columbia Plateau, covering parts of eastern Washington and Oregon and stretching into Idaho, showcases this arid environment, with its basalt flows, river canyons, and fertile agricultural lands known for wheat production. And of course, a large part of southeast Oregon is part of the Great Basin, the same desert system that encompasses much of Nevada. The Cascade Range itself is a formidable barrier, not only climatically, but also physically, with towering peaks such as Mount Rainier and Mount Hood dominating the skyline. These volcanic mountains are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, and have shaped much of the region's geography through volcanic activity. Glaciers and snow melt from these mountains feed into the region's rivers, providing vital water sources for ecosystems and human use. Eastern Washington and Oregon gradually give way to the rugged, mountainous terrain of Idaho, which features some of the most untouched wilderness areas in the United States. Idaho's landscape is marked by the Rocky Mountains, expansive lakes, and the Snake River, which plays a crucial role in the state's agriculture. The division of the Pacific Northwest by the Cascades has created two remarkably different worlds within the same region, each with its own unique physical characteristics and challenges, and it's for this reason that we start to understand why there's such a huge population difference between the two halves. The division of the Pacific Northwest by the Cascade Mountain Range has resulted in not just a geographic and climatic split, but also a demographic one, with the western part of the region being home to about 72% of the entire region's population, as compared to the east side's 28%. This disparity in population can be attributed to several factors rooted in both the natural environment and human economic activities. The western Pacific Northwest, with its mild, moist climate, has historically been more hospitable to human settlement. The abundant rainfall supports a lush environment and fertile soils, making it ideal for agriculture, especially in the valleys such as the Willamette Valley of Oregon, one of most agriculturally rich areas of the country. Additionally, the dense forest west of the Cascades has been a source of economic activity through the timber industry, providing lucrative jobs for many generations of Oregonians and Washingtonians. The presence of major rivers, such as the Columbia and the Willamette, has also facilitated trade and transportation, further attracting settlers, particularly in the early years of settlement. And because of this access, cities like Seattle, Portland, and Tacoma emerged as significant urban centers driven by ports, commerce, and later, the technology and aerospace industries. The natural beauty, coupled with economic opportunities, has made the western Pacific Northwest a magnet for population growth and urbanization. In contrast, the eastern Pacific Northwest, lying in the rain shadow of the Cascades, presents a harsher environment for large-scale human habitation. The drier climate and less fertile soils have made large parts of this area less suitable for dense agricultural development, except for certain artificially irrigated regions. The landscape, characterized by plateaus, mountains, and semi-arid basins, has limited the expansion of urban areas and made transportation more challenging. Finally, the eastern Pacific Northwest's economy and lifestyle has retained a stronger emphasis on land-intensive, extractive industries, such as mining, logging, and agriculture, which necessitate lower population densities in the modern era. The vast wilderness areas and national parks, while attracting tourism, have also contributed to keeping large swaths of land relatively undeveloped and uninhabited. Social and cultural factors also play a role in population distribution. The western part of the region, especially in and around its major urban centers of Portland and Seattle, has seen significant inward migration due to its appeal to those seeking lifestyle, employment, and education opportunities. This has led to a virtuous cycle of where increased population supports a broader range of services and industries, which in turn attracts more people. The eastern Pacific Northwest, with its rugged beauty and open spaces, appeals to those seeking a more rural or outdoor-oriented lifestyle. However, the scale and nature of economic opportunities here are different, often appealing to a smaller segment of the population. Today, the western Pacific Northwest would be led by the Seattle-Washington metro region, with a little over 4 million people. This would be followed by Portland, Oregon, with 2.5 million, and Eugene, Oregon, with about 400,000 people. In contrast, the largest metro region in the east would be Boise, Idaho, with 760,000 people, Spokane, Washington, with 600,000, and Bend, Oregon, with 100,000. Though it's worth pointing out that Boise, Spokane, and Bend have all consistently ranked as some of the fastest growing cities in the entire country over the last few years. Point Roberts, a small piece of the United States that's attached to the mainland of Canada, is an interesting case of historic mapmaking gone awry. This anomaly arises not from a modern diplomatic agreement or a land purchase, but from the 19th century border negotiation and a misunderstanding of geography at the time. The story of Point Roberts' inclusion as part of the United States dates back to the Oregon Treaty of 1846, which was intended to resolve ongoing territorial disputes between the British Empire, which controlled what is now Canada, and the United States. The treaty aimed to establish a clear boundary between the two powers' territories in the Pacific Northwest. It specified that the border would continue along the 49th parallel from the Rocky Mountains to the middle of the channel which separates Vancouver Island from the mainland. However, the detailed geography of the area was not fully understood at the time. The negotiators did not realize that extending the 49th parallel westward would cut through the southern tip of the Tawasson Peninsula, isolating a small piece of land, Point Roberts, from the rest of the United States mainland. It was only when surveyors later mapped the area more accurately that the full implications of the treaty terms became apparent. Despite its awkward location, Point Roberts became part of the United States, a quirk of political geography that has persisted. The area covers just about 5 square miles and is accessible from the rest of the United States only by crossing through Canada or by water. The community there has adapted to its unique circumstances, with residents and goods moving across the international border for schooling, shopping, and other everyday activities. The border itself is relatively unobtrusive, with checkpoints staffed by both US and Canadian border agents to regulate the flow of traffic, though residents during the COVID-19 pandemic era had a particularly challenging time when the Canadian border was completely closed off to travel. The Pacific Northwest is divided by the Cascade Mountain Range and, as such, has created two completely different ecosystems, each fueling their respective economies. For this reason, the vast majority of Americans in this region live on the western side. That said, the eastern side of the region is growing at a much faster rate, so maybe this population imbalance won't be so pronounced in the future. I hope you enjoyed learning more about the Pacific Northwest. If you did, please subscribe to my channel. If you want to watch more of my videos, click here. If you want to listen to the podcast, click here. Thanks for watching. See you next time.