The Pacific Northwest and the Bay Area

The Pacific Northwest and the Bay Area have some interesting similarities. For one, both lie on the coast of the of the Pacific Ocean. In addition, both regions rely on similar economic activities. Fishing has been a staple in the economy of the Pacific Northwest for many years. In fact the Pacific Northwest accounts for more than a third of the U.S. annual commercial fish catch. Similarly, many species of fish, including salmon and halibut and dungeness crab rely on the San Francisco bay as a nursery.

In the Pacific Northwest, the high technology industry has been growing in recent years and is now a major asset to the economy. Companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Boeing are associated with the region. Similarly, the Bay Area's Silicon Valley is the high tech hub of the U.S.  and powers California's economy.

Tourism has also become more important throughout the years to the economy in the Pacific Northwest. With its beautiful natural scenery, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia attract people from all over the U.S. annually. Activities such as fishing and rafting also attract people to the region. In comparison, San Francisco is one of the most sought after tourist destinations in the world. The unique city with it's many landmarks including Alcatraz and the Golden Gate bridge attract tourists annually. In 2011, San Francisco ranked 44th most visited city in the world, and 6th most visited in the U.S.