Portland is the cultural hub, economic center, and largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers. According to the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, estimated to have reached 609,456 in 2013, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States. Approximately 2,314,554 people live in the Portland metropolitan area (MSA), the 19th most populated MSA in the United States. Portland was incorporated in 1851 near the end of the Oregon Trail and is the county seat of Multnomah County. The city operates with a unique commission-based government guided by a mayor and four commissioners as well as Metro – the only directly elected metropolitan planning organization in the United States. The city government is renowned for its superior land-use planning and investment in public transportation. Portland is frequently recognized as one of the most environmentally conscious or “green” cities in the world because of its high walkability, large community of bicyclists, expansive network of public transportation options and 10,000+ acres of public parks. Portland is located in the Willamette Valley region of the Pacific Northwest, between the Pacific Ocean and the Cascade Mountains, and its climate is marked by warm, dry summers as well as damp, cool-to-chilly winter days. This climate is ideal for growing roses. 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 city is also known for its abundant outdoor activities, liberal political values, and coffee and beer enthusiasm. Portland is home to the most total breweries and independent microbreweries of any city in the world, with 58 active breweries within city limits, as well as 600+ food carts and food trucks which contribute to the unofficial slogan “Keep Portland Weird”.
