California

Extracted Attributes

• Area

  163,696 square miles (423,970 km2)

• Capital

  Sacramento

• Climate

  Moist temperate rainforest (north), arid desert (interior), snowy alpine (mountains), warm Mediterranean, monsoon seasonal

• Location

  Pacific Coast, Western United States

• Major Port

  Port of Los Angeles

• Population

  Nearly 40 million residents

• Area Rank (US)

  Third-largest by area

• Earthquake Risk

  Two-thirds of the nation's earthquake risk

• Most Populous City

  Los Angeles

• Number of Counties

  58 counties

• Film Industry Center

  Hollywood

• Population Rank (US)

  Most populous state

• Contribution to US GDP

  Almost 15%

• Environmental Challenges

  Droughts, wildfires, atmospheric rivers causing intense flooding

• Number of National Parks

  9 national parks

• Key Agricultural Products

  Dairy, almonds, grapes

• Technology Industry Center

  Silicon Valley

• Economy Size (Gross State Product)

  $4.172 trillion (as of Q4 2024)

• Global Economy Rank (sub-national)

  Largest sub-national economy

• Global Economy Rank (if independent country)

  Fourth-largest globally

Timeline

• European exploration by the Spanish Empire began, leading to colonization. (Source: Summary)

  1500s-1600s

• Included in Alta California province within the Viceroyalty of New Spain. (Source: DBPedia)

  1804-XX-XX

• Became part of Mexico following its successful war for independence. (Source: Summary)

  1821-XX-XX

• Ceded to the United States after the Mexican-American War. (Source: Summary)

  1848-XX-XX

• The California Gold Rush began, significantly altering demographics and leading to depopulation of Indigenous tribes. (Source: Summary)

  1848-XX-XX

• Admitted to the Union as the 31st state, never having been a U.S. territory. (Source: Summary)

  1850-09-09

• Experienced a decrease in defense spending, shrinking the aerospace and military contracting industry, and was plagued with a series of natural disasters including floods, fires, droughts, and earthquakes. (Source: Web Search (Britannica))

  1990s-XX-XX

• Estimated gross state product reached approximately $4.172 trillion. (Source: Summary)

  2024-Q4-XX

California

California () 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. Prior to European colonization, California was one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse areas in pre-Columbian North America. European exploration in the 16th and 17th centuries led to the colonization by the Spanish Empire. The area became a part of Mexico in 1821, following its successful war for independence, but was ceded to the United States in 1848 after the Mexican–American War. The California gold rush started in 1848 and led to social and demographic changes, including depopulation of Indigenous tribes. It organized itself and was admitted as the 31st state in 1850 as a free state, following the Compromise of 1850. It never had the status of territory. 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. Los Angeles is the state's most populous city and the nation's second-most. California's capital is Sacramento. Part of the Californias region of North America, the state's diverse geography ranges from the Pacific Coast and metropolitan areas in the west to the Sierra Nevada mountains in the east, and from the redwood and Douglas fir forests in the northwest to the Mojave Desert in the southeast. Two-thirds of the nation's earthquake risk lies in California. 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, while simultaneously, atmospheric rivers are turning increasingly prevalent and leading to intense flooding events—especially in the winter. The economy of California is the largest of any U.S. state, with an estimated 2024 gross state product of $4.172 trillion as of Q4 2024. It is the world's largest sub-national economy and, if it were an independent country, would be the fourth-largest economy in the world (putting it, as of 2025, behind Germany and ahead of Japan) when ranked by nominal GDP. The state's agricultural industry leads the nation in agricultural output, fueled by its production of dairy, almonds, and grapes. With the busiest port in the country (Los Angeles), California plays a pivotal role in the global supply chain, hauling in about 40% of goods imported to the US. Notable contributions to popular culture, ranging from entertainment, sports, music, and fashion, have their origins in California. Hollywood in Los Angeles is the center of the U.S. film industry and one of the oldest and one of the largest film industries in the world; profoundly influencing global entertainment since the 1920s. The San Francisco Bay's Silicon Valley is the center of the global technology industry.

Web Search Results

• History of California - Wikipedia

  _California_ was the name given to a mythical island populated only by beautiful Amazon warriors, as depicted in Greek myths, using gold tools and weapons in the popular early 16th-century romance novel _Las Sergas de Esplandián_ (The Adventures of Esplandián) by Spanish author Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo. This popular Spanish fantasy was printed in several editions with the earliest surviving edition published about 1510. In exploring Baja California the earliest explorers thought the Baja [...] California was often depicted as an island, due to the Baja California peninsula, from the 16th to the 18th centuries, such as in this 1650 map by cartographer Johannes Vingboons. The Spanish settlement of Alta California was the last colonization project to expand Spain's vastly over-extended empire in North America, and they tried to do it with minimal cost and support. Approximately half the cost of settling Alta California was borne by donations and half by funds from the Spanish crown. [...] California.

• Government of California - Wikipedia

  The government of California is the governmental structure of the U.S. state of California as established by the California Constitution. California uses the separation of powers system to structure its government. It is composed of three branches: the executive, consisting of the governor of California and the other constitutionally elected and appointed officers and offices; the legislative, consisting of the California State Legislature, which includes the Assembly and the Senate; and the [...] California is divided into counties which are legal subdivisions of the state. There are 58 counties, 482 California cities, about 1,102 school districts, and about 3,400 special districts. Counties and incorporated cities may promulgate local ordinances, which are usually codified in county or city codes, respectively, and are misdemeanor crimes unless otherwise specified as infractions. School districts, which are independent of cities and counties, handle public education. Special Districts [...] | Cities and towns | Los Angeles San Diego") San Jose San Francisco Fresno") Sacramento Long Beach") Oakland") Bakersfield") Anaheim") Santa Ana") Riverside") Stockton") Chula Vista") Fremont") Irvine") San Bernardino") Modesto") Oxnard") Fontana") Moreno Valley") Glendale") Huntington Beach") Santa Clarita") Garden Grove") Santa Rosa") Oceanside") Rancho Cucamonga") Ontario") Lancaster") Elk Grove") Palmdale") Corona") Salinas") Pomona") Torrance")

• California State Portal | CA.gov

  Learn more about California California by the numbers ------------------------- 39 million California is home to nearly 40 million residents. One in four Californians is born overseas. 15% of the US GDP California contributes almost 15% to the US GDP. It is the world's fifth-largest economy. 9 national parks With the most national parks in the US, California also boasts 87 state parks and 63 state beaches. In the spotlight ---------------- [...] Popular topics -------------- ### DMV/Auto ### Personal records ### Businesses ### Jobs and unemployment ### Social services ### Taxes View all topics California highlights --------------------- Image 4: A light skinned white man and woman look at photography displays at an exhibit at the SF MOMA. ### Places to visit(external link) Discover places to visit and learn about California's various regions and lively cities. [...] California State Portal | CA.gov =============== Skip to Main Content Official California website California government websites use .ca.gov A .ca.gov website is part of California’s government. Español)한국어)Tagalog)Tiếng Việt)繁體中文)Translate Image 1: CA.gov official logo Menu Menu Image 2: CA.gov official logo Custom Google Search Submit Close Services Departments About California Get help

• History of California - Exploration, Gold Rush, Statehood - Britannica

  Image 5: California: flagImage 6: seal of CaliforniaImage 7: The state bird is the California valley quail.Image 8: The golden poppy is the state flower of California.Image 9: CaliforniaImage 10: Big SurImage 11: CaliforniaImage 12: Discover the contrasting landscapes of California from Mount Whitney to Death ValleyImage 13: Death ValleyImage 14: Los AngelesImage 15: CaliforniaImage 16: Mount DanaImage 17: Sequoia National ForestImage 18: brittlebushImage 19: Colorado Desert: Salton SeaImage [...] Ask the ChatbotGames & QuizzesHistory & SocietyScience & TechBiographiesAnimals & NatureGeography & TravelArts & CultureProConMoneyVideos California Table of Contents Introduction & Quick Facts Land Relief Drainage Climate and wildfires Plant and animal life People Population composition Settlement patterns and demographic trends Economy Agriculture, forestry, and fishing Resources and power [...] California’s population continued to increase rapidly throughout the 1980s, after which a national economic recession caught up with the population boom. In the early 1990s the U.S. government decreased defense spending, shrinking the state’s expansive aerospace and military contracting industry. At the same time, California was plagued with a series of natural disasters—floods, fires, droughts, and earthquakes—which contributed to diminishing the allure of the Golden State. In 1994 California

• Visit California - Official Travel & Tourism Website

  ### Craft Beer & Breweries ### Beaches ### Aquariums & Zoos ### Camping ### Lakes & Rivers ### National Parks ### Big Trees ## Explore California's 12 Regions ### Los Angeles County ### Inland Empire ### San Diego County ### Shasta Cascade ### Central Coast ### Orange County ### Deserts ### Central Valley ### High Sierra ### Gold Country ### San Francisco Bay Area ### North Coast ## California Now Travel Stories ## Travel Videos California 101 ### Yosemite National Park [...] Find Your Ultimate Playground Travel Alerts Find Your Ultimate Playground Travel Alerts Santa Monica Pier, California # California Love California is a land of breathtaking beauty and diverse landscapes, stretching from the Pacific Ocean to the Sierra Nevada mountains. Come experience the warmth of the Golden State spirit — where all dreams are welcome. Start your vacation off on the right foot with these great discounts on hotels, theme parks, and more. [...] Sign up for our email newsletter to get weekly travel inspiration, special deals, offers, and more. Discover endless adventures and playful experiences in California, The Ultimate Playground. Planning a trip with kids? Explore theme parks, beaches, mountains, and other family-friendly California activities. ## Trip Inspiration ### ### ### ### ### Explore Things To Do ### Theme Parks ### California 101 ### Food & Drink ### Arts & Culture ### Outdoor Adventure ### Wine

• Country

  United Arab Emirates

• Located In

  Dubai

• Instance Of

  Q13691

• Coordinates

  Lat: 25.202877, Lon: 55.143905

California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2 million residents across a total area of approximately 163,696 square miles (423,970 km2), it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the most populated subnational entity in North America and the 34th most populous in the world. The Greater Los Angeles area and the San Francisco Bay Area are the nation's second and fifth most populous urban regions respectively, with the former having more than 18.7 million residents and the latter having over 9.6 million. Sacramento is the state's capital, while Los Angeles is the most populous city in the state and the second most populous city in the country. San Francisco is the second most densely populated major city in the country. Los Angeles County is the country's most populous, while San Bernardino County is the largest county by area in the country. California borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, the Mexican state of Baja California to the south; and has a coastline along the Pacific Ocean to the west. The economy of the state of California is the largest in the United States, with a $3.4 trillion gross state product (GSP) as of 2022. It is the largest sub-national economy in the world. If California were a sovereign nation, it would rank as the world's fifth-largest economy as of 2022, behind Germany and ahead of India, as well as the 37th most populous. The Greater Los Angeles area and the San Francisco Bay Area are the nation's second- and third-largest urban economies ($1.0 trillion and $0.5 trillion respectively as of 2020). The San Francisco Bay Area Combined Statistical Area had the nation's highest gross domestic product per capita ($106,757) among large primary statistical areas in 2018, and is home to five of the world's ten largest companies by market capitalization and four of the world's ten richest people. Prior to European colonization, California was one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse areas in pre-Columbian North America and contained the highest Native American population density north of what is now Mexico. European exploration in the 16th and 17th centuries led to the colonization of California by the Spanish Empire. In 1804, it was included in Alta California province within the Viceroyalty of New Spain. The area became a part of Mexico in 1821, following its successful war for independence, but was ceded to the United States in 1848 after the Mexican–American War. The California Gold Rush started in 1848 and led to dramatic social and demographic changes, including large-scale immigration into California, a worldwide economic boom, and the California genocide of indigenous people. The western portion of Alta California was then organized and admitted as the 31st state on September 9, 1850, following the Compromise of 1850. Notable contributions to popular culture, for example in entertainment and sports, have their origins in California. The state also has made noteworthy contributions in the fields of communication, information, innovation, environmentalism, economics, and politics. It is the home of Hollywood, the oldest and one of the largest film industries in the world, which has had a profound influence upon global entertainment. It is considered the origin of the hippie counterculture, beach and car culture, and the personal computer, among other innovations. The San Francisco Bay Area and the Greater Los Angeles Area are widely seen as the centers of the global technology and film industries, respectively. California's economy is very diverse: 58% of it is based on finance, government, real estate services, technology, and professional, scientific, and technical business services. Although it accounts for only 1.5% of the state's economy, California's agriculture industry has the highest output of any U.S. state. California's ports and harbors handle about a third of all U.S. imports, most originating in Pacific Rim international trade. The state's extremely diverse geography ranges from the Pacific Coast and metropolitan areas in the west to the Sierra Nevada mountains in the east, and from the redwood and Douglas fir forests in the northwest to the Mojave Desert in the southeast. The Central Valley, a major agricultural area, dominates the state's center. California is well known for its warm Mediterranean climate and monsoon seasonal weather. 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.