West Coast of the United States

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Regional definitions vary from source to source. The states shown in dark red are usually included, while all or portions of the striped states may or may not be considered part of the West Coast.

In general, the term "West Coast" is a nickname for the coastal states of the Western United States, comprising California, Oregon and Washington, and sometimes Alaska and Hawaii (see Pacific States). Often Arizona and Nevada, while not coastal states, are included in the West Coast due to their proximity to the Pacific Coast and their economic and cultural ties to California. For certain purposes, all the cities stretching from Vancouver, Canada to Tijuana, Mexico are sometimes included.

While Arizona and Nevada are not coastal states, the urban centers of Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada, as well as Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona are significantly influenced by California culture and economic activity. Therefore, Arizona and Nevada are often considered part of the "West Coast." Although cities in Arizona and Nevada are inland, they share inclusion in the "West Coast" much like the inland cities of Eugene, Oregon, Sacramento, California, and Palm Springs, California.

The West Coast has also come to be deemed "The Coast", especially by New Yorkers, or the "Left Coast," a pun based on its lefthand position on a map of the US as well as its reputation for being more politically liberal (or "leftist") than certain places on the East Coast or in the Midwestern United States. California is the core of the region; when the term "West Coast" is used by outsiders, more often than not it is in reference to California or even specifically to Southern California.

The term has also been taken by hip hop culture when used to refer to a particular school of artists, such as Tupac Shakur and Dr. Dre.

West Coast of the United States

See also