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Modern Portland

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Today Portland is a thriving metropolis with a population of 529,121. Service industries dominate the economic scene, accounting for over 80% of jobs in Portland. Portland's beautiful surroundings have become a magnet for tourists.

The city of Portland sits in the shadow of the spectacular Mount Hood, just south of the Oregon-Washington border. City attractions range from outdoor activities like alpine skiing and hiking to the plethora of museums, restaurants and other cultural venues that Portland has to offer. The city has 37,000 acres of urban parkland. Truly an environmentally conscious city, Portland boasts a light rail transit system that provides inner-city transportation. There is also a rich variety of cultural influences in Portland as well.

The arts here flourish in many unexpected places. You can find artwork in police stations, office towers, banks, playgrounds, and even on the sides of buildings. The brick-paved transit mall downtown is an outdoor gallery of fountains and sculptures. As for the performing arts, Portland is home to several professional theater companies, the Oregon Symphony, the Portland Opera, and Chamber Music Northwest, to name a few. Those into nightlife will also find some of the best live-band and club action in the country. Families have plenty of kid-friendly attractions to enjoy, including the Oregon Zoo, Oaks Amusement Park, and Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.

Although a very modern city, Portland has not forgotten its past. Architectural preservation is a major preoccupation, particularly when it comes to the 1860s brick buildings with cast-iron columns and the 1890s ornate terra-cotta designs in areas like the Skidmore Old Town, Yamhill, and Glazed Terra-Cotta national historic districts. In the Pearl District, older industrial buildings are also being renovated and used as residential lofts, restaurants, office space, galleries, and boutiques.

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