The West Coast or Pacific Coast is the coastline along which the contiguous Western United States meets the North Pacific Ocean. As a region, this term most often refers to the coastal states of California, Oregon and Washington. More specifically, it refers to an area defined on the east by the Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada and Mojave Desert, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. The U.S. Census groups the five states of California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii together as the Pacific States division. 

As of the 2010 Census, the estimated population of the Census Bureau's Pacific Region was approximately 47.8 million (56.9 million if Nevada and Arizona are included) – about 15.3% (18.2% with Nevada and Arizona) of US population. The largest city on the west coast of the United States is Los Angeles. 

Major cities and metropolitan areas on the West Coast include (from north to south): 

However, of these aforementioned cities and metropolitan areas, only Los Angeles/Long Beach, San Francisco and San Diego are directly on the open Pacific Ocean. 

The history of the West Coast begins with the arrival of the earliest known humans of the Americas, Paleo-Indians, crossing the Bering Strait from Eurasia into North America over a land bridge, Beringia, that existed between 45,000 BCE and 12,000 BCE (47,000–14,000 years ago). Small isolated groups of hunter-gatherers migrated alongside herds of large herbivores far into Alaska. Between 16,500 BCE and 13,500 BCE (18,500–15,500 years ago), ice-free corridors developed along the Pacific coast and valleys of North America and possibly by sea.
What's the largest city on the west coast of the US?
Who were the earliest known humans to arrive on the West Coast?
What did they cross to get here?
From where?
Which states are usually thought of as the West coast region?
What exactly is the West or Pacific Coast?
What is the  Pacific States division?
What was the population of the Pacific Region in 2010?
How much would it have been with Nevada and Arizona?
What percentage of the population would that be (without NV and AZ)?
What was the land bridge that Paleo-Indians crossed, called?
When did it exist?
Which kind of people migrated into Alaska?
When did  ice-free corridors appear?
Which three cities, on the open ocean, are mentioned?
Which desert is located to the east of the Pacific Region?
What is another mountain range?
Who estimated the population of the Pacific Region in 2010?
Los Angeles
Los Angeles
Paleo-Indians
Paleo-Indians
Bering Strait
Bering Strait
Eurasia
Eurasia
California, Oregon and Washington
California, Oregon and Washington
Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii
California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii
47.8 million
47.8 million 
56.9 million
56.9 million
15.3%
15.3%
Beringia
Beringia
between 45,000 BCE and 12,000 BCE
between 45,000 BCE and 12,000 BCE
hunter-gatherers
hunter-gatherers
Between 16,500 BCE and 13,500 BCE
Between 16,500 BCE and 13,500 BCE
Los Angeles/Long Beach, San Francisco and San Diego
Los Angeles/Long Beach, San Francisco and San Diego
Sierra Nevada and Mojave Desert
Sierra Nevada and Mojave Desert
Cascade Range
Cascade Range
Census Bureau
Census Bureau's Pacific Region