The Pacific Northwest may be known for timber and airplanes and software. But the region's reputation as a data center hotbed continues to grow. Already, companies such as Amazon.com, Ask.com, Intuit, Google, Microsoft and Vmware operate massive Internet data centers in the region. Now, one of the world's biggest social networking companies is choosing the Northwest.

Facebook announced today that it broke ground on a new data center in Prineville, Oregon, the first for the company. Facebook noted in a blog post that it was drawn to the central Oregon town due to its "reliable and affordable power, a favorable atmospheric climate, and the prospect of state and local tax incentives." Mike Rogoway at The Oregonian reports that Crook County -- where Prineville is located -- has Oregon's highest unemployment rate at 17.4 percent.

As with most data centers, the facility won't employ a ton of people when it is completed. Facebook said today that about 35 people will work there.

Artist rendering of Facebook's new Oregon data center. [Via Facebook]

"Our new data center is another example of our investment to meet the needs of the growing number of people using Facebook and to deliver richer and more innovative services to you," wrote Jonathan Heiliger, vice president of technical operations at Facebook. "The new data center will help us by adding more computing and storage capacity, which we expect to help us deliver a faster, more reliable experience worldwide."

Amazon.com has reportedly been working on its own data center along the Columbia River in eastern Oregon, though reports surfaced last September that work had come to a halt. Microsoft also recently said that it was shifting some of its data center operations out of Washington state due to tax policy.

The Bend Bulletin reports that the 117,000 square foot Facebook data center will cost an estimated $188 million to build, with an opening date slated for next year.