Portland and Salem lie approximately 47 miles apart in Oregon (Pacific Northwest).

Salem is the state capital. Portland, the largest city in the state, has become known as a progressive center for its planning controls on urban sprawl and has also attracted hightech investment in computers and media. It also hosts the Portland Trailblazers (basketball). Despite growth limits, this dual metropolis continues to grow rapidly, with a projected metropolitan population in 2020 of 2.8 million (a 38 percent increase from 1995), challenging the natural landscapes and lifestyles that have fostered its attractiveness for many.