Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest inhabited the narrow coastal area stretching from Alaska's Prince William Sound to Northern California. Extensive mountain ranges isolated them from the continent's interior. This culture region abuts the Far West and Subarctic culture regions.
The Alaskan and Canadian portions of this territory were populated by Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian, Bella Coola, Kwakiutl and Nootka tribes; the Puget Sound region by such various Coastal Salish tribes as the Nisqually, Samish, Squaxin, Stillaguamish, Suquamish, Swinomish, Upper Skagit, Tulalip, Puyallup, Nooksak; and the Oregon and Washington coasts by Makah, S'Klallam Hoh, Lummi, Muckleshoot, Quinault, Skokomish Quileute, Chehalis, Cowlitz, Chinook, Siletz, Tillamook, Coos, Umpqua, Siuslaw, Cow Creek Umpqua, Coquille, Grand Ronde, Latgawa and Takelmas tribes.
Northwest Native Americans were generally peaceful, though raids between villages were not uncommon. The Northwest Economy was based on abundant natural resources, especially fish and wood. The people were atypically wealth-conscious, with a highly stratified Society and a distinctive Culture. Their Lifestyle was organized and stable. They would later be influenced by European explorers, trappers and settlers.