Northwestern United States

The Northwestern United States is an informal geographic region of the United States. The region consistently includes the states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho — and usually Montana and Wyoming. Some sources include southeast Alaska in the Northwest. The related but distinct term "Pacific Northwest" generally excludes areas from the Rockies eastward.

The Northwestern United States is a subportion of the Western U.S. region (which is, itself, even more ambiguous). In contrast, states included in the neighboring regions Southwestern U.S. and Great Plains are not simultaneously considered part of both regions.

Like the southwestern United States, the Northwest definition has moved westward over time. The 19th century Northwest (usually termed the "Old Northwest") comprised the Northwest Territory and gradually migrated across the Midwest to its current definition. The current area includes the old Oregon Territory (created in 1848 – Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and areas in Montana west of the Continental Divide). The region is similar to Federal Region X, which comprises Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Alaska.

It is home to over 13 million citizens. Some of the fastest growing cities in this region and in the nation include Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, Vancouver, Kennewick, Pasco, Yakima, and Boise.