Powell's Books
 With more than a million volumes, this is the nation's largest bookstore (it occupies an entire city block). Visitors, however, don't need to worry about getting lost inside Powell's; friendly staff members distribute maps detailing the store's floor plan and sections. A coffee shop, where browsers can read possible purchases and grab a snack, is also on site. Open year-round. No admission.

General Media Kit

Facts, Accolades and Trivia

Facts
Accolades
Trivia
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Facts

Population

545,140; 2 million in the Portland metropolitan area

Area

145 square miles (375 square km)

Elevation

Average height of 173 feet above sea level (52.5 m)

Time zone

Pacific

Miles to ocean

78 (125 km)

Miles to a glacier

65 to the Palmer Glacier on Mount Hood (104 km)

Average temperatures

January, 39.6 F (4.2 C); July, 76 F (24.4 C)

Average rainfall

36.3 inches (less than Atlanta, Houston, Birmingham, Indianapolis or Seattle – and without that nasty humidity)

Newspapers

The Oregonian (daily), The Portland Tribune (semiweekly), Willamette Week (weekly)

Major industry

Tourism, high-tech, health care and manufacturing

Weather

503.275.9792

Road conditions

503.222.6721 (AAA Oregon)

Airport

Portland International Airport (503.460.4234

Transit

MAX, Portland ’s light rail system (503.238.7433, www.trimet.org)
TriMet bus system (503.238.7433, www.trimet.org)
Portland Streetcar (503.238.7433, www.portlandstreetcar.org)
Amtrak, Union Station (800.872.7245, www.amtrak.com)

Official Bird Blue Heron

 

 

Sister Cities

City Country Date Established
Sapporo Japan November 17, 1959
Guadalajara Mexico September 23, 1983
Corinto Nicaragua April 17, 1985
Ashkelon Israel October 13, 1987
Ulsan South Korea November 20, 1987
Suzhou China June 7, 1988
Khabarovsk Russia June 10, 1988
Kaohsiung Taiwan October 11, 1988
Mutare Zimbabwe December 18, 1991
Bologna Italy June 5, 2003

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Portland Accolades

  • Best Place to Live in the U.S. - Men’s Journal (April 2006)
  • Best Walking Town in America - Prevention magazine (April 2006)
  • Best Cycling City in the U.S. - Bicycling magazine (March 2006)
  • “One of 18 perfect towns that have it all: Hip, smart and packed with adventure.” - Outside (August 2005)
  • No. 2 in U.S. for Sustainable Cities - SustainLane.com (June 2005)
  • “These days Portland is a wine and food town, and a serious one.” - Wine Spectator (September 2004)
  • No. 2 “Best big city” in the United States – Men’s Journal (June 2004)
  • “This gateway to Oregon’s wine country is a wine destination in its own right.” – Food & Wine magazine (August 2003)
  • “Best running town” and home of the “Best urban running trail: the Leif Erickson Trail” – Runner’s World (May 2003)
  • No. 1 urban destination for summer travel in the United States, according to Travel + Leisure readers; plus No. 1 for general safety; No. 1 for ease of getting around; No. 3 for fall travel. – Travel + Leisure magazine (April 2003)
  • One of “America’s 10 Best Summer Vacations” – Citysearch Editors’ Poll (June 2002)
  • One of “10 perfect places in North America to spend your summer holiday.” – Money magazine (April 2002)
  • One of America’s “Top 25 Arts Destinations” – AmericanStyle magazine (Spring 2002)
  • Called “the next Napa” and “. . . the Burgundy of America.” – Gourmet magazine (January 2002)
  • No. 2, “Best Places to Live in the United States” – Money magazine (December 2001)
  • “North America’s No. 1 Cycling City” – Bicycling magazine (November 2001)

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Portland Trivia

  • The Portland Saturday Market is the largest continuously operating open-air crafts market in the United States.
  • Powell’s City of Books, occupying an entire city block, is the world’s largest independent bookstore.
  • The Port of Portland is the largest wheat export port in the United States.
  • Portland’s Junior Rose Festival Parade is the largest children’s parade in America.
  • Portlandia is the second-largest hammered-copper statue in the world (the Statue of Liberty is the first).
  • Portland’s International Rose Test Garden is the oldest in the nation.
  • More Asian elephants (27 to date) have been born in Portland than in any other North American city.
  • Portland is known as the epicenter of America’s craft brewing renaissance.
  • Portland is home to both the world’s smallest dedicated park, Mill Ends Park (24 inches in size), and the nation’s largest forested city wilderness – the 5,000-acre Forest Park.
  • There are 37,000 acres of parks in the Portland metro area.
  • Portland’s nicknames include “Rose City,” “City of Bridges,” “Rip City,” and “Rivercity.”
  • The Oregon Brewers Festival is the largest gathering of independent brewers in North America.
  • The city of Portland was officially incorporated on February 8, 1851.
  • There is no sales tax in Oregon.

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