Numerous major cities in California grew out of missions, including San Francisco (Mission San Francisco de Asís), San Diego (Mission San Diego de Alcalá), Ventura (Mission San Buenaventura), and Santa Barbara (Mission Santa Barbara), among others. In conclusion, California isn’t just one experience; it’s a multifaceted adventure waiting to be explored. Whether you’re drawn to the glitz and glam of Hollywood, the tech-driven buzz of Silicon Valley, the agricultural richness of the Central Valley, or the natural wonders of its parks and coastlines, there’s something in the Golden State for everyone. With its dense redwood forests, the rugged Pacific coastline, and the volcanic landscapes of Mount Shasta, it’s a place of untamed beauty. This region is less populated, giving it an untouched feel, perfect for those seeking solitude and connection with nature. Renowned attractions include Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, drawing millions annually.
- The southeastern border of California with Arizona is entirely formed by the Colorado River, from which the southern part of the state gets about half of its water.
- The state stretches from the Pacific Ocean to the Sierra Nevada mountain range, and from the southern Mojave Desert to the dense forests of the northern Coast Ranges.
- It is also the cultural, and economic hub of the larger Sacramento Metropolitan Area.
- Squaw Valley Ski Resort (now Palisades Tahoe) in the Lake Tahoe region hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics.
As the result of gerrymandering, the districts in California were usually dominated by one or the other party, and few districts were considered competitive. In 2008, Californians passed Proposition 20 to empower a 14-member independent citizen commission to redraw districts for both local politicians and Congress. After the 2012 elections, when the new system took effect, Democrats gained four seats and held a 38–15 majority in the delegation. Following the 2018 midterm House elections, Democrats won 46 out of 53 congressional house seats in California, leaving Republicans with seven. According to the Cook Political Report, California contains five of the 15 most Democratic congressional districts in the United States.
Other sports that are big in the state include golf, rodeo, tennis, mountain climbing, marathon running, horse racing, bowling, mixed martial arts, boxing, and motorsports, especially NASCAR and Formula One. California is the only U.S. state to have hosted both the Summer and Winter Olympics. Squaw Valley Ski Resort (now Palisades Tahoe) in the Lake Tahoe region hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics. Several fast food, fast casual, and casual dining chains were also founded California, including some that have since expanded internationally like California Pizza Kitchen, Denny’s, IHOP, McDonald’s, Panda Express, and Taco Bell. At the time of California’s admission into the Union, travel between California and the rest of the continental United States had been a time-consuming and dangerous feat.
- Despite its urban hubs, the Central Valley retains a rural charm and is deeply connected to the land.
- Droughts and wildfires are an ongoing issue,13 while simultaneously, atmospheric rivers are turning increasingly prevalent and leading to intense flooding events—especially in the winter.
- Its largest towns are in the Owens Valley, which was a fertile farmland until its groundwater flow was diverted to Los Angeles through a mammoth series of conduits built in 1908–13.
- Majestic and awe-inspiring, the Sierra Nevada mountains are home to Yosemite National Park and Lake Tahoe.
- The Portolá expedition of 1769–70 was a pivotal event in the Spanish colonization of California, resulting in the establishment of numerous missions, presidios, and pueblos.
- This tech-driven region houses Silicon Valley, the global hub for innovation and home to tech giants like Google, Apple, and Facebook.
Climate
The Portolá expedition of 1769–70 was a pivotal event in the Spanish colonization of California, resulting in the establishment of numerous missions, presidios, and pueblos. The military and civil contingent of the expedition was led by Gaspar de Portolá, who traveled over land from Sonora into California, while the religious component was headed by Junípero Serra, who came by sea from Baja California. In 1769, Portolá and Serra established Mission San Diego de Alcalá and the Presidio of San Diego, the first religious and military settlements founded by the Spanish in California. By the end of the expedition in 1770, they would establish the Presidio of Monterey and Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo on Monterey Bay. Known for its iconic Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco is the crown jewel of the Bay Area.
Main Cities: Lake Tahoe, Yosemite Valley, Mammoth Lakes
California (/ˌkælɪˈfɔːrniə/) is a state in the Western United States that lies on the Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares an international border with the Mexican state of Baja California to the south. With almost 40 million residents across an area of 163,696 square miles (423,970 km2), it is the largest state by population and third-largest by area. Key geographical regions include the Coastal Range, home to iconic locations such as Big Sur and the Redwood National Park.
Education
It is also the cultural, and economic hub of the larger Sacramento Metropolitan Area. Situated in Southern California is Los Angeles – the largest and the most populous city in California. The city of Los Angeles has been designated as a global city and is considered to be a leader in the technology, science, entertainment, and medicine industry. Incorporated cities and towns in California are either charter or general-law municipalities.161 General-law municipalities owe their existence to state law and are consequently governed by it; charter municipalities are governed by their own city or town charters. Municipalities incorporated in the 19th century tend to be charter municipalities.
Main Cities: San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose
The Central Valley, a major agricultural hub, lies between the Sierra Nevada and the Coast Ranges. The Sierra Nevada mountains, which include Mount Whitney—the highest peak in the contiguous United california tax brackets 2023 States—extend along the eastern edge of the state. The state also contains significant desert regions, such as Death Valley, which holds the record for the highest temperature on Earth.
California milestones
Major cities include Los Angeles, a global hub for entertainment and culture; San Francisco, known for its finance and technology sectors; San Diego, notable for its maritime and military presence; and San Jose, the heart of Silicon Valley and a center for innovation. The 800-mile (1,300-km) San Andreas Fault is a major fault line running through most of California. Tectonic movement along the fault has caused massive earthquakes, including the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Separate fault systems in the Sierra Nevada and the Klamath Mountains are tectonically active as well.
The Greater Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay areas are the nation’s second- and fifth-most populous urban regions, with 19 million and 10 million residents respectively.11 Los Angeles is the state’s most populous city and the nation’s second-most. Two-thirds of the nation’s earthquake risk lies in California.12 The Central Valley, a fertile agricultural area, dominates the state’s center. The large size of the state results in climates that vary from moist temperate rainforest in the north to arid desert in the interior, as well as snowy alpine in the mountains. Droughts and wildfires are an ongoing issue,13 while simultaneously, atmospheric rivers are turning increasingly prevalent and leading to intense flooding events—especially in the winter. Water is chronically scarce in southern California and the desert regions, but excesses of rain and snowmelt cause winter flooding along the rivers of the northern coast. Complex systems of dams and aqueducts transport water from north to south, but not without the protests of those who regard the export of water from their regions as a bar to future growth or as a threat to environmental balance.
Major rivers like the Sacramento and San Joaquin run through the Central Valley, providing essential water resources. These varied landscapes contribute to California’s unique climate zones, from Mediterranean along the coast to alpine in the Sierra Nevada, supporting its rich biodiversity and varied ecosystems. The roughly 1,100-mile- (1,800-km-) long coastline of California is mountainous, most dramatically so in the Santa Lucia Range south of San Francisco, where towering cliffs rise about 800 feet (240 meters) above the ocean. Hills of lesser elevation flank entrances to the coast’s three major natural harbors, at San Diego, San Francisco, and Eureka. Coastal mountains, made up of many indistinct chains, are from about 20 to 40 miles (30 to 65 km) in width and from 2,000 to 8,000 feet (600 to 2,400 meters) in elevation.
With a land area of 163,696 mi² (423,971 km²), California is the third largest state in the US, surpassed by only Alaska and Texas. Compared to other US States, West Virginia would fit into California nearly seven times. Explore theme parks, beaches, mountains, and other family-friendly California activities.
The state’s crude oil and natural gas deposits are located in the Central Valley and along the coast, including the large Midway-Sunset Oil Field. Natural gas-fired power plants typically account for more than one-half of state electricity generation. California has long been a subject of interest in the public mind and has often been promoted by its boosters as a kind of paradise.
Along the coast north of the Tehachapi Mountains, the population becomes sparser, though the central coastal region has grown rapidly since the 1990s. The populous coastal area around San Francisco Bay gives way to the less-developed northern coast, where lumbering and fishing villages lie beside creeks and rivers flowing from the Coast Ranges. This is the area of coastal redwood forests and Redwood National Park, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1980. The sparsely settled northeastern corner of the state is a jumble of barren plains and mountains, as well as a volcanic plateau.