Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The Oregon Territory was created in 1848 after American settlement began in earnest in the 1840s. Oregon is located on the Pacific coast between Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern boundaries respectively. Salem is the state's third most populous city and the state capital, with Portland the most populous.