The last division of the West is the Pacific: the states that touch the Pacific Ocean.
Key idea
The five Pacific states are Washington, Oregon and California along the West Coast, plus Alaska and Hawaii.
Why it works
Why are Alaska and Hawaii grouped with the West Coast? Both touch the Pacific, and the Census Bureau groups states by the ocean and land they share. On most maps they appear in boxes near California for the same reason.
- Washington is at the top, on the Canadian border, with Puget Sound cutting into it.
- Oregon is in the middle.
- California is the long state reaching down to Mexico.
- Alaska is the giant in the northwest; Hawaii is the island chain in the middle of the Pacific.
Worked example: Coast order
Driving south along the Pacific coast from Canada to Mexico, which states do you pass, in order?
- Start at the Canadian border: Washington.
- Next: Oregon.
- Last and longest: California.
Answer: Washington, Oregon, California.
Common mistake
Students mix up Washington State with Washington, D.C. The state is here, in the far northwest corner of the 48 states. The capital city is on the other side of the country, on the Atlantic side.