Incorporated in 1851, Portland is the largest city in Oregon and the county seat of Multnomah County, situated near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers. It is the third largest city in the Pacific Northwest behind Vancouver, BC and Seattle. About two million people live in the Portland metropolitan area.
There are 95 officially recognized Portland neighborhoods, each represented by a neighborhood association. The neighborhoods are found in five sections of the city:
Southwest - includes downtown and neighborhoods such as South Portland, South Burlingame, Hillsdale and Multnomah.
Southeast - includes historic Ladd's Addition, Hawthorne, Belmont and Gresham districts. Reed College is here.
Northeast - includes a large diverse collection of neighborhoods, including some of the oldest and most expensive homes in Portland, Irvington, the Alameda Ridge, as well as working class King. Inner Northeast includes the affluent Irvington, Alameda, Grant Park and Laurelhurst neighborhoods.
Northwest - includes the Pearl District, most of Old Town Chinatown, and the Northwest District, which includes Uptown, trendy Nob Hill (also known as the NW 21st and 23rd Avenue neighborhood) and the Alphabet Historic district. The Portland Streetcar connects Nob Hill to downtown Portland. Arlington Heights has grand homes and some of Portland's most famous parks, including the Japanese Garden.
North - also known as NoPo, it is a diverse mix of residential, commercial, and industrial areas. The Portland International Raceway, the University of Portland and cargo facilities of the Port of Portland are located here.
Colleges and universities include Portland State University, Portland Community College, Lewis and Clark College, University of Portland, Oregon Health Sciences University, Reed College and Concordia University.
