Regional definitions vary from source to source. The states shown in dark red are usually included, while all or portions of the light red states may or may not be considered part of the west coast.
The "
West Coast", "
Western Seaboard", or "
Pacific Coastline" are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the
United States. It most often comprises
California,
Oregon and
Washington.
Arizona and
Nevada, while not coastal states, are often included due to their proximity to the Pacific Coast and their economic and cultural ties to California (such as Arizona's two largest universities which are members of the
Pacific-10 Conference).
Although not part of the
contiguous United States,
Alaska and
Hawaii do border the
Pacific Ocean and could be included in the "West Coast". As of 2007, the estimated population of the west coast ranged from approximately 50 to 60 million, depending on which states are included in the estimate.
The West Coast is sometimes simply referred to as "the Coast", an older term thought to have arisen in the
Northeastern United States. Based on its reputation for being more politically
left-wing than some other parts of the United States, the term "
Left Coast" is sometimes used.
Major coastal cities on the West Coast include
Los Angeles,
San Diego,
San Francisco,
Seattle,
Anchorage,
Honolulu, and
Long Beach. Major non-coastal cities include
Phoenix;
San Jose;
Las Vegas;
Portland;
Sacramento;
Fresno;
Tucson; and
Oakland.
The
history of the West Coast includes the arrival of the first humans some 10,000 years ago, and the presence of Spanish, British, Mexican, Russian and American explorers and settlers.
See also
