Query: On the Pacific Coast, a climate pattern that had pushed billions of gallons of water toward Asia is now ending, so that in coming decades the sea is likely to rise quickly off states like Oregon and California.

Relevant passages:
California <=SEP=> California ( -LSB- kælᵻˈfɔːrnjə , _ - ni.ə -RSB- , ) is the most populous state in the United States and the third most extensive by area . Located on the western ( Pacific Ocean ) coast of the U.S. , California is bordered by the other U.S. states of Oregon , Nevada , and Arizona and shares an international border with the Mexican state of Baja California . The state capital is Sacramento . Los Angeles is California 's most populous city , and the country 's second largest after New York City . The Greater Los Angeles Area and the San Francisco Bay Area are the nation 's second - and fifth-most populous urban regions , respectively . California also has the nation 's most populous county , Los Angeles County , and its largest county by area , San Bernardino County .   California 's diverse geography ranges from the Pacific Coast in the west to the Sierra Nevada mountain range in the east ; and from the redwood -- Douglas fir forests in the northwest to the Mojave Desert in the southeast . The Central Valley , a major agricultural area , dominates the state 's center . Though California is well-known for its warm Mediterranean climate , the large size of the state means it can vary from moist temperate rainforest in the north , to arid desert in the interior , as well as snowy alpine in the mountains .   What is now California was first settled by various Native American tribes before being explored by a number of European expeditions during the 16th and 17th centuries . The Spanish Empire then claimed it as part of Alta California in their New Spain colony . The area became a part of Mexico in 1821 following its successful war for independence , but was ceded to the United States in 1848 after the Mexican -- American War . The western portion of Alta California then was organized as the State of California , and admitted as the 31st state on September 9 , 1850 . The California Gold Rush starting in 1848 led to dramatic social and demographic changes , with large-scale emigration from the east and abroad with an accompanying economic boom .   If it were a country , California would be the 6th largest economy in the world and the 35th most populous . It is also regarded as a global trendsetter in both popular culture and politics , and is the origin of the film industry , the hippie counterculture , the Internet , and the personal computer , among others . Fifty-eight percent of the state 's economy is centered on finance , government , real estate services , technology , and professional , scientific and technical business services . The San Francisco Bay Area has the nation 's highest median household income by metropolitan area , and is the headquarters of three of the world 's largest 40 firms by revenue , Chevron , Apple , and McKesson . Although it accounts for only 1.5 percent of the state 's economy , California 's agriculture industry has the highest output of any U.S. state .

Western United States <=SEP=> The Western United States , commonly referred to as the American West , the Far West , or simply the West , traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States . Because European settlement in the U.S. expanded westward after its founding , the meaning of the West has evolved over time . Prior to about 1800 , the crest of the Appalachian Mountains was seen as the western frontier .   Since then , the frontier generally moved westward and eventually lands west of the Mississippi River came to be referred to as the West . Though no consensus exists , even among experts , for the definition of the West as a region , the U.S. Census Bureau 's definition of the 13 westernmost states includes the Rocky Mountains and the Great Basin to the West Coast , and the outlying states of Hawaii and Alaska .   The West contains several major biomes . It is known for arid to semi-arid plateaus and plains , particularly in the American Southwest -- forested mountains , including the major ranges of the American Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains -- the massive coastal shoreline of the American Pacific Coast -- and the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest .

United States <=SEP=> The United States of America ( USA ) , commonly known as the United States ( U.S. ) or America , is a constitutional federal republic composed of 50 states , a federal district , five major self-governing territories , and various possessions .  Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico . The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America , bordered by Canada to the east and across the Bering Strait from Russia to the west . The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean . The U.S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea . Nine time zones are covered . The geography , climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse .   At 3.8 million square miles ( 9.8 million km2 ) and with over 324 million people , the United States is the world 's third - or fourth-largest country by total area , third-largest by land area , and the third-most populous . It is one of the world 's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations , and is home to the world 's largest immigrant population . The capital is Washington , D.C. , and the largest city is New York City ; nine other major metropolitan areas -- each with at least 4.5 million inhabitants and the largest having more than 13 million people -- are Los Angeles , Chicago , Dallas , Houston , Philadelphia , Miami , Atlanta , Boston , and San Francisco .   Paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago . European colonization began in the 16th century . The United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast . Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the colonies following the Seven Years ' War led to the American Revolution , which began in 1775 . On July 4 , 1776 , during the course of the American Revolutionary War , the colonies unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence . The war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain , representing the first successful war of independence against a European power . The current constitution was adopted in 1788 , after the Articles of Confederation , adopted in 1781 , were felt to have provided inadequate federal powers . The first ten amendments , collectively named the Bill of Rights , were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties .   The United States embarked on a vigorous expansion across North America throughout the 19th century , displacing Native American tribes , acquiring new territories , and gradually admitting new states until it spanned the continent by 1848 . During the second half of the 19th century , the American Civil War led to the end of legal slavery in the country . By the end of that century , the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean , and its economy , driven in large part by the Industrial Revolution , began to soar . The Spanish -- American War and confirmed the country 's status as a global military power . The United States emerged from as a global superpower , the first country to develop nuclear weapons , the only country to use them in warfare , and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council . The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the world 's sole superpower . The U.S. is a founding member of the United Nations , World Bank , International Monetary Fund , Organization of American States ( OAS ) , and other international organizations .   The United States is a highly developed country , with the world 's largest economy by nominal GDP and second-largest economy by PPP . Though its population is only 4.3 % of the world total , Americans hold nearly 40 % of the total wealth in the world . The United States ranks among the highest in several measures of socioeconomic performance , including average wage , human development , per capita GDP , and productivity per person . While the U.S. economy is considered post-industrial , characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy , the manufacturing sector remains the second-largest in the world . Accounting for approximately a quarter of global GDP and a third of global military spending , the United States is the world 's foremost economic and military power . The United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally , and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations .

Oregon <=SEP=> Oregon ( -LSB- ˈɒrᵻɡən -RSB- ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region on the West coast of the United States . The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon 's northern boundary along Washington state , while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary along Idaho . The parallel 42 ° north delineates the southern boundary with California and Nevada . It is one of only three states of the contiguous United States to have a coastline on the Pacific Ocean .   Oregon was inhabited by many indigenous tribes before Western traders , explorers , and settlers arrived . An autonomous government was formed in the Oregon Country in 1843 before the Oregon Territory was created in 1848 . Oregon became the 33rd state on February 14 , 1859 . Today , at 98,000 square miles ( 255,000 km ² ) , Oregon is the ninth largest and , with a population of 4 million , 27th most populous U.S. state . The state capital , Salem , is the second most populous of its cities , with 164,549 residents , while Portland , with 632,309 residents , is the most populous , ranking as the 26th most populous city in the United States . Portland 's metro population of 2,389,228 ranks the 23rd largest metro in the nation .   Oregon is one of the most geographically diverse states in the United States , marked by volcanoes , abundant bodies of water , dense evergreen and mixed forests , as well as high deserts and semi-arid shrublands . At 11249 ft , Mount Hood is the state 's highest point . Oregon 's only national park , Crater Lake National Park , comprises the caldera surrounding Crater Lake , the deepest lake in the United States . The state is also home to the single largest organism in the world , Armillaria ostoyae , a fungus that runs beneath 8.9 km2 of the Malheur National Forest .   Because of its diverse landscapes and waterways , Oregon 's economy is largely powered by various forms of agriculture , fishing , and hydroelectric power . It is also the top timber-producer of the lower 48 states . Technology is another one of the state 's major economic forces , which began in the 1970s with the establishment of the Silicon Forest and the expansion of Tektronix and Intel . Sportswear company Nike , Inc. , headquartered in Beaverton , is the state 's largest public corporation with an annual revenue of $ 30.6 billion .