NationMaster - Encyclopedia: State of California

California is a state located in the western United States, bordering the Pacific Ocean. The most populous and third largest state in the U.S., with a population roughly the size of Canada and one of the biggest economies in the world, California is more like a country than a state. California is both physically and demographically diverse. The state's official nickname is "The Golden State", which refers to the discovery of gold in California in 1848 and the subsequent gold rush. California's U.S. postal abbreviation is CA, and its Associated Press abbreviation is Calif. File links The following pages link to this file: California Dana Rohrabacher Los Angeles, California San Francisco Peninsula San Francisco Bay Area Silicon Valley San Diego, California Sacramento, California Sacramento County, California Orange County, California Death Valley San Francisco, California Sierra Nevada (US) Oakland, California Fremont, California San Jose, California... State seal of California File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The modern Bear Flag of California The flag of California was first flown during the Bear Flag Revolt and was adopted by the California state legislature in 1911. ... Categories: Stub | California | U.S. state seals ... This is a list of U.S. state nicknames: (official state nicknames in bold) External link Information about U.S. State Nicknames Categories: U.S. state insignia ... Public domain map courtesy of The General Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin, modified to highlight state boundaries. ... A U.S. state is any one of the 50 states which have membership of the federation known as the United States of America (USA or U.S.). The separate state governments and the U.S. federal government share sovereignty. ... This is a list of U.S. state capitals: See also List of state capitals and former capital cities in the United States List of capitals of subnational entities List of U.S. state capitals List of U.S. states largest cities List of U.S. states by date of... Sacramento is the county seat of Sacramento County, California and the capital of the U.S. state of California. ... This is a list of the largest cities of U.S. states and territories See also List of U.S. state capitals List of U.S. states largest cities List of U.S. states by date of statehood List of U.S. states that were never territories List of U... Griffith Observatory and the Downtown Los Angeles skyline. ... This is a list of Governors of California since statehood. ... Arnold Schwarzenegger as governor of California, with the gubernatorial seal in the background. ... The United States is (as of 2004) the home of approximately 336 languages (spoken or signed) of which 176 are indigenous to the area. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Here are three lists of the U.S. states in order of their area. ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ... The United States 2000 census, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13. ... This is a list of the 50 U.S. states, ordered by population density. ... This is a list of U.S. states by order of admission into the Union. ... September 9 is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years). ... 1850 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Map of the U.S. with time zones. ... The Pacific Standard Time Zone is a geographic region that keeps time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). ... UTC also stands for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Coordinated Universal Time or UTC, also sometimes referred to as Zulu time, the basis for civil time, differs by an integral number of seconds from atomic time and a fractional number of seconds from UT1. ... Daylight saving time (also called DST, or Summer Time) is the portion of the year in which a regions local time is advanced by (usually) one hour from its standard official time. ... States AK: Alaska AL: Alabama AR: Arkansas AZ: Arizona CA: California CO: Colorado CT: Connecticut DE: Delaware FL: Florida GA: Georgia HI: Hawaii IA: Iowa ID: Idaho IL: Illinois IN: Indiana KS: Kansas KY: Kentucky LA: Louisiana MA: Massachusetts MD: Maryland ME: Maine MI: Michigan MN: Minnesota MO: Missouri MS... ISO 3166-2 is the second part of the ISO 3166 standard. ... A state animal is the official or representative animal of a U.S. state. ... Binomial name Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758 The Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) is a species of bear that can reach weights of 130–700 kg (300–1500 pounds). ... This is a list of U.S. state birds: See also List of national birds List of Canadian provincial birds Lists of U.S. state insignia Categories: U.S. state insignia ... Genera Coturnix Anurophasis Perdicula Ophrysia † See also Pheasant, Partridge, Grouse Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds in the Pheasant family Phasianidae. ... This is a list of official U.S. state butterflies: See also List of U.S. state insects Lists of U.S. state insignia Missouri Monarch External link State Insects of the United States Categories: Incomplete lists | U.S. state insignia ... Binomial name Zerene eurydice Boisduval 1855 The California dogface butterfly (Zerene eurydice, or Colias eurydice Boisduval) has been the state insect of the U.S. state of California since 1972. ... This is a list of official U.S. state fish: See also Lists of U.S. state insignia Categories: U.S. state insignia ... This article is about the species of fish. ... This is a list of U.S. state flowers: External link Juelies State Flower Garden of Gifs See also Lists of U.S. state insignia Categories: Lists of flowers | U.S. state insignia ... Binomial name Eschscholzia californica Cham The California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica) is a popular garden flower of the family Papaveraceae. ... This is a list of official U.S. state grass: See also Lists of U.S. state insignia Categories: U.S. state insignia ... This is a list of U.S. state insects: See also Lists of U.S. state insignia Categories: U.S. state insignia ... Binomial name Zerene eurydice Boisduval 1855 The California dogface butterfly (Zerene eurydice, or Colias eurydice Boisduval) has been the state insect of the U.S. state of California since 1972. ... This is a list of official U.S. state reptiles: See also Lists of U.S. state insignia Categories: U.S. state insignia ... Genera Chersina Dipsochelys Furculachelys Geochelone Gopherus Homopus Indotestudo Kinixys Malacochersus Manouria Psammobates Pyxis Testudo Tortoise is the name given to the land-dwelling reptiles most of whose body is shielded by a special shell. ... This List of U.S. state trees includes official trees of the following states and U.S. possessions: See also Lists of U.S. state insignia National Grove of State Trees External link USDA list of state trees and flowers Categories: U.S. state insignia | Lists of plants | Trees ... Redwood is a name used for several species of trees with wood with a red or reddish colour; see each species for individual details. ... This article needs cleanup. ... This is a list of U.S. state capitals: See also List of state capitals and former capital cities in the United States List of capitals of subnational entities List of U.S. state capitals List of U.S. states largest cities List of U.S. states by date of... Sacramento is the county seat of Sacramento County, California and the capital of the U.S. state of California. ... This is a list of U.S. state colors: See also Lists of U.S. state insignia Categories: U.S. state insignia ... Blue (from Old High German blao shining) is one of the three primary additive colors; blue light has the shortest wavelength range (about 420-490 nm) of the three primary colors. ... General Name, Symbol, Number Gold, Au, 79 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11 (IB), 6, d Density, Hardness 19300 kg/m3, 2. ... This is a list of official U.S. state dances: See also Lists of U.S. state insignia Categories: U.S. state insignia ... West Coast Swing (WCS) is a partner dance derived from Lindy Hop. ... Square dance is a folk dance for four couples that was first described in 17th century England, but which has become associated with the United States of America due to its historic development in that country. ... Though every state in the United States has a State Bird and a State Flower, not every state in the United States has a State Fossil. ... Species Smilodon californicus Smilodon fatalis Smilodon gracilis Smilodon populator The large extinct cats known as smilodon lived approximately 3 million-10,000 years ago in North America and South America. ... List of U.S. state minerals, rocks, stones, and gemstones. ... Benitoite or barium titanium silicate, BaTiSi3O9, is the state gemstone of California. ... List of U.S. state minerals, rocks, stones, and gemstones. ... General Name, Symbol, Number Gold, Au, 79 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11 (IB), 6, d Density, Hardness 19300 kg/m3, 2. ... Here is a list of state mottos for the states of the United States. ... EUREKA is a research and development funding and coordination organization of the European Union founded in 1985. ... This is a list of U.S. state nicknames: (official state nicknames in bold) External link Information about U.S. State Nicknames Categories: U.S. state insignia ... List of U.S. state minerals, rocks, stones, and gemstones. ... Serpentine Serpentine is a group of common rock-forming hydrous magnesium iron phyllosilicate ((Mg,Fe)3Si2O5(OH)4) minerals. ... Each state in the United States (except New Jersey) has a state song, selected by the state legislature as a symbol of the state. ... Californias official state song I Love You, California was written by F. B. Silverwood, a Los Angeles merchant. ... This is a list of official U.S. state soils: See also Lists of U.S. state insignia External link United States Dept. ... A U.S. state is any one of the 50 states which have membership of the federation known as the United States of America (USA or U.S.). The separate state governments and the U.S. federal government share sovereignty. ... This article deals with the western United States. ... Gold rush handbill The California Gold Rush was a period in American history marked by mass hysteria concerning a gold discovery in Northern California. ... States AK: Alaska AL: Alabama AR: Arkansas AZ: Arizona CA: California CO: Colorado CT: Connecticut DE: Delaware FL: Florida GA: Georgia HI: Hawaii IA: Iowa ID: Idaho IL: Illinois IN: Indiana KS: Kansas KY: Kentucky LA: Louisiana MA: Massachusetts MD: Maryland ME: Maine MI: Michigan MN: Minnesota MO: Missouri MS... Associated Press logo The Associated Press, or AP, is an American news agency that claims to be the worlds oldest and largest. ...

Southern California is highly populated, while the larger northern California is less densely populated. The vast majority of the population lives within 50 miles (80 km) of the Pacific Ocean. California dominates American culture and economy, contributing significant advances in technology and legal reform, in addition to paying significantly more to the federal system than it receives in benefits. Southern California Los Angeles, rush hour on the Harbor Freeway San Diego Southern California, sometimes abbreviated SoCal, is an informal name for the southern one-third of the state of California. ... Northern California (sometimes NorCal) refers to the northern portion of the U.S. state of California, roughly covering all of those counties except for the eight counties which make up Southern California. ...

The entire region originally known as California was composed of the Mexican peninsula now known as Baja California and the land in the current states of California, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Arizona and Wyoming, known as Alta California. In these early times, the boundaries of the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific coast were only partially explored and California was shown on early maps as an island. The name comes from Las sergas de Espladián (Adventures of Spladian), a 16th century novel, by Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo, where there is an island paradise called California. (For further discussion, see: Origin of the name California.) Baja California (highlighted) Alternative use: Baja California (state) Baja California or Lower California is a peninsula in the west of Mexico. ... Alta California (Upper California) was formed in 1804 when the province of California, then a part of the Spanish colony of Dominican missions in the south. ... The Gulf of California (highlighted) The Gulf of California (also known as the Sea of Cortez or Sea of Cortés; locally known in the Spanish language as Mar de Cortés or, much less frequently, Golfo de California) is a body of water that separates the Baja California Peninsula... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo was a Spanish author (d. ... The toponym California is currently used by three subnational entities – the U.S. state of California and the Mexican states of Baja California and Baja California Sur – and by a string of cities in other parts of the English-speaking world. ...

History

The first Europeans to explore parts of the coast were Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo in 1542. The first to explore the entire coast and claim possession of it was Francis Drake in 1579. Beginning in the late 1700s, Spanish missionaries set up tiny settlements on enormous grants of land in the vast territory north of Baja California. Upon Mexican independence from Spain, the chain of missions became the property of the Mexican government, and they were quickly dissolved and abandoned. This article is about the continent. ... The Cabrillo National Monument in San Diego, CA Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, in Portuguese João Rodrigues Cabrilho, (ca 1499 – January 3, 1543) was an explorer noted for his exploration of the west coast of North America while sailing for Spain. ... Events War resumes between Francis I of France and Emperor Charles V. This time Henry VIII of England is allied to the Emperor, while James V of Scotland and Sultan Suleiman I are allied to the French. ... Sir Francis Drake, c. ... Events January 6 - The Union of Atrecht united the southern Netherlands under the Duke of Parma, governor in the name of king Philip II of Spain. ... Postcard of the reconstructed Mission Santa Bárbara The California missions are a series of settlements established by Spanish Catholic Franciscans, to Christianize the local Native Americans, but with the added benefit of giving Spain a toehold in the frontier land. ...

In 1846, at the outset of the Mexican-American War, a California Republic was founded and the Bear Flag was flown that featured a golden bear and a star. The Republic came to a sudden end when Commodore John D. Sloat of the United States Navy sailed into San Francisco Bay and claimed California for the United States. Following the Mexican-American War, the region was divided between Mexico and the United States. The Mexican portion, Baja (lower) California was later divided into the states of Baja California and Baja California Sur. The western part of the U.S. portion, Alta (upper) California, was to become the state of California. 1846 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The Mexican-American War was a war fought between the United States and Mexico between 1846 and 1848. ... The first Bear Flag. ... The modern Bear Flag of California The flag of California was first flown during the Bear Flag Revolt and was adopted by the California state legislature in 1911. ... Binomial name Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758 The Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) is a species of bear that can reach weights of 130–700 kg (300–1500 pounds). ... Commodore John D. Sloat John Drake Sloat (July 6, 1781 - November 28, 1867) was a commodore in the United States Navy, and in 1846 claimed California for the United States. ... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... San Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay, and the Golden Gate The San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary in which water draining approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, enters the Pacific Ocean. ... The Mexican-American War was a war fought between the United States and Mexico between 1846 and 1848. ... Other Mexican States Capital Mexicali Other major cities Tijuana Ensenada list of municipalities Area 69,921 km² Ranked 12th Population (2000 census) 2,487,700 Ranked 15th Governor (2001-07) Eugenio Elorduy Walther (PAN/PVEM) Federal Deputies (6) PAN = 6 Federal Senators PAN = 2 PRI = 1 ISO 3166-2 Postal... This article is currently in the process of being translated from its Spanish counterpart, es:Baja California Sur. ...

In 1848, the Spanish-speaking population of distant upper California numbered around 4,000. But after gold was discovered, the population burgeoned with Americans and a few Europeans in the great California gold rush. In 1850, the state was admitted to the Union. Gold rush handbill The California Gold Rush was a period in American history marked by mass hysteria concerning a gold discovery in Northern California. ... 1850 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

During the American Civil War, popular support was divided 70% for the South and 30% for the North, and although California officially entered on the side of the North, many troops went east to fight with the Confederacy. The American Civil War was fought in the United States from 1861 until 1865 between the United States – forces coming mostly from the 23 northern states of the Union – and the newly-formed Confederate States of America, which consisted of 11 southern states that had declared their secession. ...

The connection of the far Pacific West to the eastern population centers came in 1869 with the completion of the first transcontinental railroad. Out West, residents were discovering that California was extremely well suited to fruit cultivation and agriculture in general. Citrus, oranges in particular, were widely grown, and the foundation was laid for the state's prodigious agricultural production of today. 1869 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Poster announcing railroads opening The First Transcontinental Railroad was a transcontinental railroad in North America that was finished in 1869. ...

In the period from 1900 to 1965 the population grew from fewer than one million to become the most populous state in the Union, sending the most electors to the Electoral College to elect the President. From 1965 to the present, this population completely changed and became one of the most diverse in the world. The state is liberal-leaning, technologically and culturally savvy, and a world center of engineering businesses, the film and television industry and, as mentioned above, American agricultural production.

Law and government

California is governed as a republic, with three branches of government, the executive branch consisting of the Governor of California and the other elected constitutional officers, the legislative branch consisting of the Assembly and Senate, and the judicial branch consisting of the Supreme Court of California and lower courts. The State also allows direct participation of the electorate by referendum, recall, and ratification. In a broad definition a republic is a state or country that is led by people that dont found their political power on any principle beyond the control of the people living in that state or country. ... Separation of powers is the idea that the powers of a sovereign government should be split between two or more strongly independent entities, preventing any one person or group from gaining too much power. ... Under the doctrine of the separation of powers, the executive is the branch of a government charged with implementing, or executing, the law. ... Governors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gray Davis with President George W. Bush (2003) The Governor of California is the highest executive authority in the state government, whose responsibilities include making yearly State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, attending a grand meeting with all the... The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. ... The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. ... The Supreme Court of California is the state supreme court in California. ... A referendum (plural: referendums or referenda) or plebiscite is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. ... A recall election is a procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office. ... Ratification is the process of adopting an international treaty, or a constitution or other nationally binding document (such as an amendment to a constitution) by the agreement of multiple subnational entities. ...

The Governor of California and the other state constitutional officers serve four-year terms and may be reelected only once. The California State Legislature consists of a 40 member Senate and 80 member Assembly. Senators serve four year terms and Assembly members two. The terms of the Senators are staggered so that half the membership is elected every two years. The Senators representing the odd-numbered districts are elected in years evenly divisible by four, i.e., presidential election years. The Senators from the even-numbered districts are elected in the intervening even-numbered years, in the gubernatorial election cycle. Governors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gray Davis with President George W. Bush (2003) The Governor of California is the highest executive authority in the state government, whose responsibilities include making yearly State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, attending a grand meeting with all the... The California State Legislature is the legislative branch of the state government of California. ... The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. ... The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. ...

For the 2003-2004 session, there are 48 Democrats and 32 Republicans in the Assembly. In the Senate, there are 25 Democrats and 15 Republicans. The current Governor is the Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose current term lasts through January 2007. Schwarzenegger was only the second person in the history of the United States to be put into office by a recall of a sitting Governor (the first was the 1921 recall of North Dakota Governor Lynn J. Frazier). Schwarzenegger replaced Governor Gray Davis (1999-2003) who was removed from office by the October 2003 California recall election. The Democratic Party is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... The Republican Party, often called the GOP (for Grand Old Party, although one early citation described it as the Gallant Old Party) [1], is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... Arnold Schwarzenegger as governor of California, with the gubernatorial seal in the background. ... A recall election is a procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office. ... 1921 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... State nickname: Peace Garden State, Roughrider State, Flickertail State Other U.S. States Capital Bismarck Largest city Fargo Governor John Hoeven Official languages English Area 183,272 km² (19th) - Land 178,839 km² - Water 4,432 km² (2. ... Lynn Joseph Frazier (December 21, 1874 - January 11, 1947) was a U.S. Senator from North Dakota (1923-1941) and the Governor of that state from 1917 until being recalled in 1921. ... Gray Davis Joseph Graham Davis Jr. ... The 2003 California recall was a special election permitted under California law. ...

The state's capital is Sacramento. In California's early history, the capital was located in Monterey (1775-1849), San Jose (1849-1851), Vallejo (1852-1853), Benicia (1853-1854), and San Francisco (1862). The capital moved to Sacramento temporarily in 1852 when construction on a State House could not be completed in time in Vallejo. The capital moved to Sacramento for good on February 25, 1854, except for a four-month temporary move in 1862 to San Francisco due to severe flooding in Sacramento. Sacramento is the county seat of Sacramento County, California and the capital of the U.S. state of California. ... The Customs House at Monterey View of Monterey Bay and its kelp A sea lion rookery at the marina Museum interior with ship models and equipment Kelp Forest display at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Monterey is a city near the Pacific coast in northern California. ... Events February 9 - American Revolutionary War: British Parliament declares Massachusetts in rebellion March 23 - American Revolutionary War: Patrick Henry delivers his speech - give me liberty or give me death in Williamsburg, Virginia. ... 1849 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... City nickname: Capital of Silicon Valley Location within Santa Clara County, California Country State County United States California Santa Clara Mayor Ron Gonzales Area - Land - Water 178. ... 1849 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Events January 23 - The flip of a coin determines whether a new city in Oregon is named after Boston, Massachusetts, or Portland, Maine, with Portland winning. ... Vallejo is a city located in Solano County, California. ... 1852 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1853 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Benicia is a city located in Solano County, California. ... 1853 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1854 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... San Francisco skyline. ... 1862 - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... 1852 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... February 25 is the 56th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1854 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1862 - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ...

California's giant judiciary is supervised by the seven Justices of the Supreme Court of California. California judges are always appointed by the Governor but must be regularly reconfirmed by the electorate. The judiciary, also referred to as the judicature, consists of justices, judges and magistrates among other types of adjudicators. ... The Supreme Court of California is the state supreme court in California. ...

At the national level, California is represented by two senators and 53 representatives. It has 55 electoral votes in the U.S. Electoral College. California has the most Congressmen and Presidential Electors of any state. The two U.S. Senators from California are Democrats Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer. 33 Democrats and 20 Republicans represent the state in the U.S. House of Representatives. The United States Electoral College is the electoral college which chooses the President and Vice President of the United States at the conclusion of each Presidential election. ... The United States Senate is the upper house of the U.S. Congress, smaller than the United States House of Representatives. ... Dianne Feinstein Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein (born June 23, 1933) is a Democratic U.S. Senator from California, a position she has held since 1992. ... Barbara Boxer Barbara Levy Boxer (born November 11, 1940) is an American politician and the current junior United States Senator from California. ... The House of Representatives is the larger of two houses that make up the U.S. Congress, the other being the United States Senate. ...

Geography

Main article: Geography of California Digitally colored elevation map of California The geography of California is defined by its central feature--the Central Valley, a huge, fertile valley between the coastal mountain ranges and the Sierra Nevada to the east. ...

California borders the Pacific Ocean, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, and the Mexican state of Baja California. The state has striking natural features, including an expansive central valley, high mountains, and hot dry deserts. With an area of 410,000 km² it is the third largest state in the U.S. Most major cities cling to the cool, pleasant seacoast along the Pacific, notably San Francisco, San Jose, Los Angeles, Santa Ana/Orange County, and San Diego. However, the capital, Sacramento is in the Central Valley. File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... State nickname: Beaver State Other U.S. States Capital Salem Largest city Portland Governor Ted Kulongoski Official languages None Area 255,026 km² (9th) - Land 248,849 km² - Water 6,177 km² (2. ... State nickname: Silver State, Battle Born State (official) Other U.S. States Capital Carson City Largest city Las Vegas Governor Kenny Guinn Official languages None Area 286,367 km² (7th) - Land 284,396 km² - Water 1,971 km² (0. ... State nickname: The Grand Canyon State, The Copper State Other U.S. States Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix [[List of Governors of {{{Name}}}|Governor]] Janet Napolitano Official languages English Only State Area 295,254 km² (6th) - Land 294,312 km² - Water 942 km² (0. ... Other Mexican States Capital Mexicali Other major cities Tijuana Ensenada list of municipalities Area 69,921 km² Ranked 12th Population (2000 census) 2,487,700 Ranked 15th Governor (2001-07) Eugenio Elorduy Walther (PAN/PVEM) Federal Deputies (6) PAN = 6 Federal Senators PAN = 2 PRI = 1 ISO 3166-2 Postal... To help compare orders of magnitude of different geographical regions, we list here surface areas between 100,000 km² and 1,000,000 km². See also areas of other orders of magnitude. ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ... San Francisco skyline. ... City nickname: Capital of Silicon Valley Location within Santa Clara County, California Country State County United States California Santa Clara Mayor Ron Gonzales Area - Land - Water 178. ... Griffith Observatory and the Downtown Los Angeles skyline. ... Santa Ana is the largest city and the county seat of Orange County, California. ... This is an article about the county in California. ... City nickname Americas Finest City City flower Bird of Paradise City urban tree Jacaranda City native tree Torrey Pine Mayor Dick Murphy* City Attorney Michael Aguirre City Council District One District Two District Three District Four District Five District Six District Seven District Eight Scott Peters Michael Zucchet Toni... In politics a capital (also called capital city or political capital — although the latter phrase has an alternative meaning based on an alternative meaning of capital) is the principal city or town associated with its government. ... Sacramento is the county seat of Sacramento County, California and the capital of the U.S. state of California. ... The California Central Valley The California Central Valley dominates the central portion of the state of California. ...

California has extremely varied geography. Down the center of the state lies the Central Valley, a huge, fertile valley bounded by the coastal mountain ranges in the west, the granite Sierra Nevada to the east, the volcanic Cascade Range in the north and the Tehachapi Mountains in the south. Mountain-fed rivers, dams, and canals provide water to irrigate the Central Valley. With dredging, several of these rivers have become sufficiently large and deep that several inland cities, notably Stockton, California, are seaports. This article is about the physical-geographic term. ... The Pacific Coast Ranges are the series of mountain ranges that stretch along west coast of North America from Alaska to Mexico. ... A compass rose with West highlighted West is most commonly a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. ... The Sierra Nevada is a mountain range that is mostly in eastern California. ... East is most commonly a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. ... Mount Adams in Washington state The Cascade Range is a mountainous region famous for its chain of tall volcanos called the High Cascades that run north-south along the west coast of North America from British Columbia to the Shasta Cascade area of northern California. ... A compass rose with North highlighted North is one of the four primary cardinal directions, specifically the direction that, in Western culture, is treated as the primary direction and used (explicitly or implicitly) to define all other directions. ... Tehachapi Mountains The Tehachapi Mountains are a short transverse range in southern California in the United States, running SW-NE to connect the Coast Ranges on the west with the southern end of the Sierra Nevada mountains on the east. ... A compass rose with South highlighted South is one of the four cardinal or compass directions. ... For the Second World War frigate class, see River class frigate The Murray River in Australia A waterfall on the Ova da Fedoz, Switzerland A river is a large natural waterway. ... Stockton is a city in California and the county seat of San Joaquin County. ... Categories: Stub | Commercial item transport and distribution | Transportation ...

In the center and east of the state are the Sierra Nevada, containing the highest peak in the continental U.S., Mount Whitney, at 14,505 feet (4421 m). Also located in the Sierra are the world famous Yosemite National Park and a deep freshwater lake, Lake Tahoe, the largest lake is the state by volume. To the east of the Sierra are Owens Valley and Mono Lake, an essential seabird habitat. To the west is Clear Lake, California's largest fresh water lake by area. Mount Whitney is the highest point in the Continental United States. ... Yosemite National Park (pron. ... Lake Tahoe Lake Tahoe is one of the deepest (1645 feet/501 m), largest and highest (6229 feet/1898 m), and bluest lakes in the United States. ... Owens Valley is the arid ranching valley of the Owens River in southeastern California in the United States. ... Mono Lake, showing nearby Lake Tahoe and Yosemite National Park Mono Lake is an alkaline and hypersaline lake in California, United States that is a critical nesting habitat for several bird species and is one of the most productive ecosystems in North America. ... Seabirds are birds that spend much of their lives, outside the breeding season at least, at sea. ... Clear Lake is the largest (by area) freshwater lake wholly in California. ...

In the south lie the Transverse Ranges and a large salt lake, the Salton Sea. The south-central desert is called the Mojave. To the northeast of the Mojave lies Death Valley, which contains the lowest, hottest point in North America. The Transverse ranges are a group of mountain ranges of southern California, part of the North American Coast Ranges that run along the Pacific coast from Alaska to Mexico. ... The Salton Sea and the Imperial Valley as seen from the Space shuttle. ... Mojave Desert The Mojave or Mohave Desert occupies a significant portion of Southern California and parts of Utah, Nevada, and Arizona. ... The Panamint Range, Death Valley, and the Black Mountains as seen from the Space Shuttle (NASA image) Death Valley is a deep arid basin in the northern Mojave Desert of southern California in the United States, extending for approximately 140 mi (225 km) along the California-Nevada border approximately 100... World map showing location of North America A satellite composite image of North America North America is the third largest continent in area and in population after Eurasia and Africa. ...

California is famous for its earthquakes due partly to the presence of the San Andreas Fault. While more powerful earthquakes in the United States have occurred in Alaska and along the Mississippi River, California earthquakes are notable in their frequency and location in highly populated areas. Popular legend has it that, eventually, a huge earthquake will result in the splitting of coastal California from the continent, either to sink into the ocean or form a new landmass. The fact that this scenario is completely implausible from a geologic standpoint does not lessen its acceptance in public conventional wisdom, or its exploitation by the producers of science fiction and fantasy media. Notable movies in which the possible destruction of much of California by an earthquake includes the titles Earthquake, A View to a Kill, Escape from L.A., and Superman. Global earthquake epicenters, 1963–1998 An earthquake is a trembling or a shaking movement of the Earths surface. ... View of the San Andreas Fault in central California The San Andreas Fault is a geological fault, known as a right-lateral strike-slip fault, that spans a length of roughly 800 miles (1287 kilometers) through California. ... State nickname: The Last Frontier, The Land of the Midnight Sun Other U.S. States Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Governor Frank Murkowski Official languages English Area 1,717,854 km² (1st) - Land 1,481,347 km² - Water 236,507 km² (13. ... Length 6,270 km Elevation of the source 450 m Average discharge 16,200 m³/s Area watershed 2,980,000 km² Origin Lake Itasca Mouth Gulf of Mexico Basin countries United States (98. ... Global earthquake epicenters, 1963–1998 An earthquake is a trembling or a shaking movement of the Earths surface. ... A View to a Kill, released in 1985, is the fourteenth entry in the James Bond series of films made by EON Productions, and the last to star Roger Moore as British Secret Service Agent, Commander James Bond. ... Escape from L.A. is a 1996 film directed by John Carpenter. ... Christopher Reeve as the Man of Steel, Superman Superman, also known as Superman: The Movie, is a 1978 Warner Bros. ...

California is also home to several volcanoes, some active such as Mammoth Mountain. Other volcanoes include Lassen Peak, which erupted from 1914 and 1921, and Mount Shasta. This article is about volcanoes in geology. ... Mammoth Mountain is a volcano that lies to the west of the town of Mammoth Lakes, California in the Inyo National Forest. ... Lassen Peak, in Shasta County, California USA, is the largest plug dome volcano in the world and is the southernmost volcano in the Cascade Range. ... Mount Shasta, a 14,179-foot (4,322 m) stratovolcano, is the second-highest peak in the Cascade Range and the second-highest point in California (after Mount Whitney). ...

Digitally colored elevation map of California The geography of California is defined by its central feature--the Central Valley, a huge, fertile valley between the coastal mountain ranges and the Sierra Nevada to the east. ... File links The following pages link to this file: California Dana Rohrabacher Los Angeles, California San Francisco Peninsula San Francisco Bay Area Silicon Valley San Diego, California Sacramento, California Sacramento County, California Orange County, California Death Valley San Francisco, California Sierra Nevada (US) Oakland, California Fremont, California San Jose, California... The Antelope Valley consists of northern Los Angeles County and the southeastern portion of Kern County, California. ... The California Central Valley A typical Central Valley scene The California Central Valley is a large, flat valley that dominates the central portion of the state of California. ... The Central Coast is an area of California, extending from Santa Cruz in the north to Santa Barbara in the south, but centering primarily on Monterey County, California. ... The eight Channel Islands of California, off the west coast of the United States. ... Coachella Valley The Coachella Valley is an irrigated agricultural and recreational desert valley in southern California east of Los Angeles. ... The Pacific Coast Ranges are the series of mountain ranges that stretch along west coast of North America from Alaska to Mexico. ... The Conejo Valley is a region spanning both Southeastern Ventura County and Northwestern Los Angeles County in Southern California. ... The Panamint Range, Death Valley, and the Black Mountains as seen from the Space Shuttle (NASA image) Death Valley is a deep arid basin in the northern Mojave Desert of southern California in the United States, extending for approximately 140 mi (225 km) along the California-Nevada border approximately 100... Gold Country (also Mother Lode Country) is a region of northeastern California famed for the mines and mineral deposits which so famously brought the 49ers west for the California Gold Rush. ... The Greater Los Angeles Area is the suburban area around the city of Los Angeles, California. ... The Imperial Valley and the Salton Sea, as seen from the Space shuttle. ... For residents of Southern California, the Inland Empire is a popular informal name for a region located at the eastern end of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area. ... Mojave Desert The Mojave or Mohave Desert occupies a significant portion of Southern California and parts of Utah, Nevada, and Arizona. ... Napa County is in north-central California Napa Valley is most famous for its wine. ... Northern California (sometimes NorCal) refers to the northern portion of the U.S. state of California, roughly covering all of those counties except for the eight counties which make up Southern California. ... This is an article about the county in California. ... Owens Valley is the arid ranching valley of the Owens River in southeastern California in the United States. ... The Pomona Valley, a part of the Inland Empire, is located in the eastern and western portion of Los Angeles County and San Bernardino County, California, respectively. ... The Redwood Empire (also Redwood Coast or North Coast) is a region of California that stretches from San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon coast. ... City nickname Americas Finest City City flower Bird of Paradise City urban tree Jacaranda City native tree Torrey Pine Mayor Dick Murphy* City Attorney Michael Aguirre City Council District One District Two District Three District Four District Five District Six District Seven District Eight Scott Peters Michael Zucchet Toni... San Fernando Valley The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley in southern California, lying mostly within the city limits of Los Angeles. ... USGS Satellite photo of the San Francisco Bay Area. ... The San Francisco peninsula separates the San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean. ... The San Gabriel Valley is one of the principal valleys of southern California. ... The Santa Clara Valley is a valley just south of the San Francisco Bay in northern California in the United States. ... The Santa Clarita Valley is part of the Santa Clara River valley in California, squeezed between the San Gabriel and Santa Susana Mountains to the South and the Sierra Pelona/Liebre Mountains/Topatopa Mountains to the North. ... The Shasta Cascade region of California is located in the northeastern section of the state bordering Oregon and Nevada, north of the Central Valley and the Sierra Nevada mountain range. ... The Sierra Nevada is a mountain range that is mostly in eastern California. ... Silicon Valley is a commonly used nickname for the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in northern California, USA, originally referring to the concentration of silicon chip innovators and manufacturers, but eventually becoming a metaphor for the entire concentration of high tech businesses. ... Southern California Los Angeles, rush hour on the Harbor Freeway San Diego Southern California, sometimes abbreviated SoCal, is an informal name for the southern one-third of the state of California. ... Wine Country is a region of Northern California in the United States, known as a wine-growing region since 1838. ...

Climate

Different regions of California have very different climates, depending on their latitude, elevation, and proximity to the coast. Most of the state has a Mediterranean climate, with rainy winters and dry summers. The influence of the ocean generally moderates temperature extremes, creating cooler summers and warmer winters, and the cold oceanic California Current offshore often creates summer fog near the coast. As one moves away from the coast, the climate becomes more continental, with hotter summers and colder winters. Westerly winds from the ocean also bring moisture, and the northern parts of the state generally receive higher rainfall than the south. California's mountain ranges influence the climate as well; moisture-laden air from the west cools as it ascends the mountains, dropping moisture; some of the rainiest parts of the state are west-facing mountain slopes. Northwestern California has a temperate climate with rainfall of 15-40 inches (38-102 cm) per year. The Central Valley has a Mediterranean climate, but with greater temperature extremes than the coastal areas; parts of the valley are often filled with thick fog, similar to that found in the coastal valleys. The high mountains, including the Sierra Nevada, have a mountain climate with snow in winter and moderate heat in summer. A Mediterranean climate is one that resembles those of the lands bordering the Mediterranean Sea. ... In many parts of the world, winter is associated with snow. ... Summer is one of the four temperate seasons. ... A continental climate is the climate typical of the interiors of the large continents of the Northern Hemisphere; similar climates exist along the east coasts (but not the west coasts) of the same continents, and also at higher elevations in certain other parts of the world. ... In geography, temperate latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. ... The Sierra Nevada is a mountain range that is mostly in eastern California. ... This page is about the form of precipitation. ...

On the east side of the mountains is a drier "rain shadow". California's desert climate regions lie east of the high Sierra Nevada and southern California's Transverse Ranges and Peninsular Ranges. The low deserts east of the southern California mountains, including the Imperial and Coachella valleys and the lower Colorado River, are part of the Sonoran Desert, with hot summers and mild winters; the higher elevation deserts of eastern California, including the Mojave Desert, Owens Valley, and the Modoc Plateau, are part of the Great Basin region, with hot summers and cold winters. A rain shadow (or more accurately, precipitation shadow) is a dry region on the surface of the Earth that is leeward or behind a mountain with respect to the prevailing wind direction. ... A dune in the Egyptian desert In geography, a desert is a landscape form or region that receives little precipitation. ... The Transverse ranges are a group of mountain ranges of southern California, part of the North American Coast Ranges that run along the Pacific coast from Alaska to Mexico. ... The Peninsular Ranges are a group of mountain ranges which stretch 900 miles from southern California to the southern tip of Baja California, part of the North American Coast Ranges that run along the Pacific coast from Alaska to Mexico. ... Colorado River in the Grand Canyon from Desert View The Colorado River is a river in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately 1,450 mi (2,333 km) long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. ... Categories: Stub | Deserts | Ecoregions | Arizona geography | California geography | Geography of Mexico ... Eastern California is not a well-defined term. ... Mojave Desert The Mojave or Mohave Desert occupies a significant portion of Southern California and parts of Utah, Nevada, and Arizona. ... Owens Valley is the arid ranching valley of the Owens River in southeastern California in the United States. ... The Modoc Plateau lies in the northeast corner of California as well as parts of Oregon and Nevada. ... The Great Basin is a large, arid region of the western United States, commonly defined as the contiguous watershed region, roughly between the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada, that has no natural outlet to the sea. ...

Ecology

Ecologically, California is one of the richest and most diverse parts of the world, and includes some of the most endangered ecological communities. California's diverse geography, geology, soils and climate have generated a tremendous diversity of plant and animal life. The state of California is part of the Nearctic ecozone, and spans a number of terrestrial ecoregions, and is perhaps the most ecologically diverse state in the United States. The Nearctic is one of the eight terrestrial ecozones dividing the Earths land surface. ... Ecozone is a classification system of the world first proposed by Miklos Udvardy under the name biogeographical realms for conservation purposes. ... Ecoregions are defined by the World Wildlife Fund as relatively large units of land or water containing a distinct assemblage of natural communities and species, with boundaries that approximate the original extent of natural communities prior to major land-use change. Terrestrial ecoregions are land ecoregions, as distinct from freshwater...

California has a high percentage of endemic species. California endemics include relict species that have died out elsewhere, including the redwoods and the Catalina Ironwood (Lyonothamnus floribundus). Many other endemics originated through differentiation or adaptive radiation, whereby multiple species develop from a common ancestor to take advantage of diverse ecological conditions. California's great abundance of species of California lilac (Ceanothus) is an example of adaptive radiation. Many California endemics have become endangered, as urbanization, logging, overgrazing, and the introduction of exotic species have encroached on their habitat. This article is about the ecological meaning of endemic. See also endemic (epidemiology). ... Adaptive radiation describes the rapid speciation of a single or a few species to fill many ecological niches. ... Species See text Ceanothus L., is a genus of about 50-60 species of shrubs or small trees in the buckthorn family Rhamnaceae. ...

Economy

California is responsible for 14% of the United States' gross domestic product (GDP). The state's own GDP, which at $1.4 trillion USD (as of 2003), is greater than that of every other inidividual U.S state, and every country in the world (by Purchasing Power Parity) save for the other combined 49 United States, China, Japan, Germany, and the United Kingdom. If California was considered as an independent self-sufficient economy, it would be ranked the 6th, ahead of France. In economics, the gross domestic product (GDP) is a measure of the amount of the economic production of a particular territory in financial capital terms during a specific time period. ... In economics, purchasing power parity (PPP) is a method used to calculate an alternative exchange rate between the currencies of two countries. ... Autonomy is the condition of something that does not depend on anything else. ...

The predominant industry, more than twice as large as the next largest, is agriculture, (including fruit, vegetables, dairy, and wine). This is followed by aerospace; entertainment, primarily television by dollar volume, although many movies are still made in California; and light manufacturing including computer hardware and software, and the mining of borax. In botany, a fruit is the ripened ovary, together with its seeds, of a flowering plant. ... Vegetables on a market Vegetable is a nutritional and culinary term denoting any part of a plant that is commonly consumed by humans as food, but is not regarded as a culinary fruit, nut, herb, spice, or grain. ... Dairy farm near Oxford, New York, July 2001 In many northern-hemisphere countries a dairy is a facility for the extraction and processing of animal milk (mostly from cows, sometimes from buffaloes or goats) for human consumption. ... A glass of white wine This article is about the beverage. ... Aerospace engineering is the branch of engineering concerning aircraft, spacecraft and related topics. ... Entertainment is an amusement or diversion intended to hold the attention of an audience or its participants. ... Film refers to the celluloid media on which movies are printed Film — also called movies, the cinema, the silver screen, moving pictures, photoplays, picture shows, flicks, or motion pictures, — is a field that encompasses motion pictures as an art form or as part of the entertainment industry. ... Hardware comprises all of the physical parts of a computer, as distinguished from the data it contains or operates on, and the software that provides instructions for the hardware to accomplish tasks. ... Computer software (or simply software) refers to one or more computer programs and data held in the storage of a computer for some purpose. ... The El Chino Mine located near Silver City, New Mexico is an open-pit copper mine Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, usually (but not always) from an ore body, vein, or (coal) seam. ... Borax, (Na2B4O7·10H2O, sodium borate or sodium tetraborate) is an important boron compound. ...

Per capita personal income is $33,415 as of 2003, ranking 12^th in the nation. Per capita income varies widely by geographic region and profession. The Central Valley has the most extreme contrasts of income, with migrant farm workers making less than minimum wage, contrasted with farmers who frequently manage multimillion-dollar farms. Most farm managers are highly educated, most with at least master's degrees. While some coastal cities include some of the wealthiest per-capita areas in the U.S., notably San Francisco and Marin County, the non-agricultural central counties have some of the highest poverty rates in the U.S. The high-technology sectors in Northern California, specifically Silicon Valley, in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, are currently emerging from economic depression caused by the dot.com bust, which caused the loss of over 250,000 jobs in Northern California alone. Recent (Spring 2005) economic data (http://uclaforecast.com) indicates that economic growth has resumed in California, although still slightly below the national annualized forecast of 3.9%. Bales of hay on a farm near Ames, Iowa A farm is the basic unit in agriculture. ... The minimum wage is the minimum rate a worker can legally be paid (usually per hour) as opposed to wages that are determined by the forces of supply and demand in a free market. ... Farmer spreading grasshopper bait in his alfalfa field. ... A masters degree is an academic degree usually awarded for completion of a postgraduate or graduate course of one to three years in duration. ... San Francisco skyline. ... Marin County is a county located in Californias San Francisco Bay Area, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. ... Silicon Valley is a commonly used nickname for the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in northern California, USA, originally referring to the concentration of silicon chip innovators and manufacturers, but eventually becoming a metaphor for the entire concentration of high tech businesses. ... Santa Clara County is a county located in Californias San Francisco Bay Area. ... San Mateo County is a county located in the San Francisco Bay Area. ... Dot-com (also dotcom or redundantly dot. ...

See also: California unemployment statistics These are the California unemployment statistics from 1967-2002: Categories: California history ...

Demographics

The U.S. Census Bureau reports California's 2000 population as 33,871,648, and estimates its 2003 population as 35,484,453. California is the most populous state in the U.S., and contains about 12% of the U.S.'s population. Download high resolution version (1146x1426, 356 KB)large california map, moved over from meta Small: Image:California Map-Small. ... Download high resolution version (1146x1426, 356 KB)large california map, moved over from meta Small: Image:California Map-Small. ... The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ...

-46.7% White White is a color (more accurately it contains all the colors of the spectrum and is sometimes described as an achromatic color—black is the absence of color) that has high brightness but zero hue. ...

-32.4% Hispanic Hispanic, as used in the United States, is one of several terms used to categorize US citizens, permanent residents and temporary immigrants, whose background hail either from the Spanish-speaking countries of Latin America or relating to a Spanish-speaking culture. ...

-10.9% Asian An Asian American is a person of Asian ancestry or origin who was born in or is an immigrant to the United States. ...

-6.7% Black African Americans, also known as Afro-Americans or black Americans, are an ethnic group in the United States of America whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Sub-Saharan and West Africa. ...

-1.0% American Indian Native Americans (also Indians, Aboriginal Peoples, American Indians, First Nations, Alaskan Natives, or Indigenous Peoples of America) are the indigenous inhabitants of The Americas prior to the European colonization, and their modern descendants. ...

-4.7% mixed race The terms multiracial, biracial and mixed-race describe people whose ancestors are not of a single race. ...

-50.2% female Female is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces egg cells. ...

-49.8% male Male is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces sperms. ...

California lacks a majority ethnic group. It is the third minority-majority state, after Hawaii and New Mexico. Non-Hispanic Whites are still the largest group, but are no longer a majority of the population due to high levels of immigration in recent years. Hispanics make up almost one-third of the population; in order, other groups are Asian Americans, African Americans, and American Indian. An ethnic group is a group of people who identify with one another, or are so identified by others, on the basis of a boundary that distinguishes them from other groups. ... State nickname: The Aloha State Other U.S. States Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Governor Linda Lingle Official languages Hawaiian and English Area 28,337 km² (43rd) - Land 16,649 km² - Water 11,672 km² (41. ... This article needs cleanup. ... Whites (or White) is a broad term used to describe people of ethnic European, Middle Eastern and North African descent, especially those with fair skin. ... Hispanic, as used in the United States, is one of several terms used to categorize US citizens, permanent residents and temporary immigrants, whose background hail either from the Spanish-speaking countries of Latin America or relating to a Spanish-speaking culture. ... An Asian American is a person of Asian ancestry or origin who was born in or is an immigrant to the United States. ... African Americans, also known as Afro-Americans or black Americans, are an ethnic group in the United States of America whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Sub-Saharan and West Africa. ... Native Americans (also Indians, Aboriginal Peoples, American Indians, First Nations, Alaskan Natives, or Indigenous Peoples of America) are the indigenous inhabitants of The Americas prior to the European colonization, and their modern descendants. ...

Because of high levels of immigration from Latin America, especially Mexico, and higher birth rates among the Hispanic population, Hispanics are predicted to become a majority around 2040.

-48th in its percentage of Whites White is a color (more accurately it contains all the colors of the spectrum and is sometimes described as an achromatic color—black is the absence of color) that has high brightness but zero hue. ...

-2nd in its percentage of Hispanics Hispanic, as used in the United States, is one of several terms used to categorize US citizens, permanent residents and temporary immigrants, whose background hail either from the Spanish-speaking countries of Latin America or relating to a Spanish-speaking culture. ...

-2nd in its percentage of Asians The term Asian can refer to something or someone from Asia. ...

-27th in its percentage of Blacks African Americans, also known as Afro-Americans or black Americans, are an ethnic group in the United States of America whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Sub-Saharan and West Africa. ...

-18th in its percentage of American Indians Native Americans (also Indians, Aboriginal Peoples, American Indians, First Nations, Alaskan Natives, or Indigenous Peoples of America) are the indigenous inhabitants of The Americas prior to the European colonization, and their modern descendants. ...

-3rd in its percentage of people of mixed race The terms multiracial, biracial and mixed-race describe people whose ancestors are not of a single race. ...

-11th in its percentage of males The word male has the following meanings: In biology, it refers to one half of a heterogamous reproduction system, where the female is the other half. ...

-41st in its percentage of females Female is a sex that denotes an animal which produces egg cells in order to reproduce. ...

-74% Protestant Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ...

-20% Roman Catholic The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ...

-0% Other Religions (Judaism, Buddhism, Islamism) The Star of David, a common symbol of Jews and Judaism Judaism is the religion and culture of the Jewish people and one of the first recorded monotheistic faiths. ... Statues of Buddha such as this, the Tian Tan Buddha statue in Hong Kong, remind followers to practice right living. ... Islamism is a political ideology derived from the conservative religious views of Muslim fundamentalism. ...

The three largest Protestant denominations in California are: Baptist (30% of total state population), Methodist (10%), and Lutheran (6%). Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... Baptist churches are part of a Christian movement often regarded as an Evangelical, Protestant denomination. ... The Methodist movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity. ... The Lutheran movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity by the original definition. ...

Important cities and towns

The state of California has many cities, and the majority of them are within one of the large metropolitan areas below. Download high resolution version (1000x664, 202 KB)Image released under terms of the GNU FDL. File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Download high resolution version (1000x664, 202 KB)Image released under terms of the GNU FDL. File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... San Diego in 2002. ... San Diego in 2002. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1000x667, 184 KB)Downtown San Jose, California from the Adobe towers. ... Download high resolution version (1000x667, 184 KB)Downtown San Jose, California from the Adobe towers. ... A metropolitan area is a large population center consisting of a large city and its adjacent zone of influence, or of several neighboring cities or towns and adjoining areas, with one or more large cities serving as its hub or hubs. ...

This is a list of cities in California - including incorporated cities and unincorporated community place names - arranged in alphabetical order. ... List of cities in California (by population). See also: List of urbanized areas in California (by population) and List of cities in California. ... Bakersfield Glendale Long Beach Los Angeles Palmdale Sacramento San Diego San Francisco San Jose Santa Barbara A list of urbanized areas in California (sorted into groups by population) is below. ... Griffith Observatory and the Downtown Los Angeles skyline. ... County Los Angeles County, California Area - Total - Water 170. ... The Greater Los Angeles Area is the suburban area around the city of Los Angeles, California. ... Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA is the metropolitan designation given to the Orange County Area by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB). ... This is an article about the county in California. ... Riverside is the county seat of Riverside County, California, United States. ... San Bernardino is the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States. ... Ontario is a city located in San Bernardino County, California. ... For residents of Southern California, the Inland Empire is a popular, informal, term for the region that is centered on the oldest cities in the region: (in no particular order) Ontario, San Bernardino, Redlands, Upland, and Riverside. ... Sacramento is the county seat of Sacramento County, California and the capital of the U.S. state of California. ... City nickname Americas Finest City City flower Bird of Paradise City urban tree Jacaranda City native tree Torrey Pine Mayor Dick Murphy* City Attorney Michael Aguirre City Council District One District Two District Three District Four District Five District Six District Seven District Eight Scott Peters Michael Zucchet Toni... San Francisco skyline. ... Aerial view looking west over downtown Oakland, Lake Merritt and the Port of Oakland in the upper left portion of the image. ... USGS Satellite photo of the San Francisco Bay Area. ... City nickname: Capital of Silicon Valley Location within Santa Clara County, California Country State County United States California Santa Clara Mayor Ron Gonzales Area - Land - Water 178. ... Silicon Valley is a commonly used nickname for the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in northern California, USA, originally referring to the concentration of silicon chip innovators and manufacturers, but eventually becoming a metaphor for the entire concentration of high tech businesses. ... Fresno is the county seat of Fresno County, California. ... City nickname:Calfornias Country Music Capital County Kern County, California Area - Total - Water 296. ... Anaheim is a city in Orange County, Southern California, located 6 miles (15km) northwest of Downtown Santa Ana. ... Orange County is the name of several counties in the United States of America: Orange County, California: probably named for the city of Orange, California, which in turn may have been named after the orange groves that used to exist there. ... Berkeley is a city in the San Francisco Bay Area of northern California, United States. ... USGS Satellite photo of the San Francisco Bay Area. ... This article or section should be merged with Burbank, Los Angeles County, California This article is about the Burbank in Southern California. ... The Greater Los Angeles Area is the suburban area around the city of Los Angeles, California. ... Chula Vista is a city located in San Diego County, California. ... City nickname Americas Finest City City flower Bird of Paradise City urban tree Jacaranda City native tree Torrey Pine Mayor Dick Murphy* City Attorney Michael Aguirre City Council District One District Two District Three District Four District Five District Six District Seven District Eight Scott Peters Michael Zucchet Toni... Concord is a city located in Contra Costa County, California. ... USGS Satellite photo of the San Francisco Bay Area. ... Fremont, California from NASAs Landsat Fremont is a city in California which was incorporated on January 23, 1956, from the merger of five smaller communities: Mission San Jose, Irvington, Niles, Centerville, and Warm Springs. ... USGS Satellite photo of the San Francisco Bay Area. ... County Los Angeles County, California Area - Total - Water 79. ... The Greater Los Angeles Area is the suburban area around the city of Los Angeles, California. ... Huntington Beach, sometimes called Surf City, is a seaside city in Orange County, in southern California. ... Orange County is the name of several counties in the United States of America: Orange County, California: probably named for the city of Orange, California, which in turn may have been named after the orange groves that used to exist there. ... City tree Camphor City flower Lily of the Nile City insect Western Swallowtail Butterfly Mayor Beth Krom County Orange County Area - Total - Sphere of Influence 55. ... Orange County is the name of several counties in the United States of America: Orange County, California: probably named for the city of Orange, California, which in turn may have been named after the orange groves that used to exist there. ... City Incorporation September 1, 1906 City Tree Coral Tree City flower Bougainvillea Mayor Steven Bromberg County Orange County Area - Total - Land - Water 50. ... Orange County is the name of several counties in the United States of America: Orange County, California: probably named for the city of Orange, California, which in turn may have been named after the orange groves that used to exist there. ... Ontario is a city located in San Bernardino County, California. ... There are three places in the United States called the Inland Empire: Inland Empire (California) Inland Empire (Georgia) Inland Empire (Pacific Northwest) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Downtown Palo Alto Palo Alto is a city in Santa Clara County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, USA. Palo Alto is located at the northern end of the Silicon Valley, and is home to Stanford University (which is technically located in an adjacent area — Stanford, California), and... Silicon Valley is a commonly used nickname for the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in northern California, USA, originally referring to the concentration of silicon chip innovators and manufacturers, but eventually becoming a metaphor for the entire concentration of high tech businesses. ... The Colorado Street Bridge in Pasadena, CA Pasadena is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. ... The Greater Los Angeles Area is the suburban area around the city of Los Angeles, California. ... Santa Ana is the largest city and the county seat of Orange County, California. ... Orange County is the name of several counties in the United States of America: Orange County, California: probably named for the city of Orange, California, which in turn may have been named after the orange groves that used to exist there. ... Santa Clara, founded in 1852, is a city located in Santa Clara County, in the U.S. state of California. ... Silicon Valley is a commonly used nickname for the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in northern California, USA, originally referring to the concentration of silicon chip innovators and manufacturers, but eventually becoming a metaphor for the entire concentration of high tech businesses. ... County Los Angeles County, California Area - Total - Water 123. ... The Greater Los Angeles Area is the suburban area around the city of Los Angeles, California. ... Simi Valley is an incorporated city located in the extreme southeast corner of Ventura County, California, bordering the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. ... The Greater Los Angeles Area is the suburban area around the city of Los Angeles, California. ... Sunnyvale is a city located in Santa Clara County, California, USA. It is one of the major cities that make up the Silicon Valley. ... Silicon Valley is a commonly used nickname for the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in northern California, USA, originally referring to the concentration of silicon chip innovators and manufacturers, but eventually becoming a metaphor for the entire concentration of high tech businesses. ... Temecula is a city located in Riverside County, California. ... There are three places in the United States called the Inland Empire: Inland Empire (California) Inland Empire (Georgia) Inland Empire (Pacific Northwest) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... City nickname Americas Finest City City flower Bird of Paradise City urban tree Jacaranda City native tree Torrey Pine Mayor Dick Murphy* City Attorney Michael Aguirre City Council District One District Two District Three District Four District Five District Six District Seven District Eight Scott Peters Michael Zucchet Toni... Thousand Oaks is a city located in Ventura County, California. ... The Greater Los Angeles Area is the suburban area around the city of Los Angeles, California. ... City of Torrance official logo Torrance is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. ... The Greater Los Angeles Area is the suburban area around the city of Los Angeles, California. ... San Buenaventura (Ventura) is the county seat of Ventura County, California. ... The Greater Los Angeles Area is the suburban area around the city of Los Angeles, California. ... Looking east across Walnut Creek. ... USGS Satellite photo of the San Francisco Bay Area. ...

25 wealthiest places in California

Thanks to the state's powerful economy, certain California cities are among the wealthiest on the planet, as evidenced by large numbers of extravagant mansions, sports cars, and beautiful people. The following list is ranked by per capita income: Mansion near Almelo, The Netherlands Introduction A mansion is a large and stately dwelling house. ... A Honda NSX sports car A TVR Tuscan sports car A sports car is a car designed for sporting performance above utility. ... The per capita income for an area may be defined as the total personal income in an area, divided by the number of people in that area. ...

1 Belvedere, California $113,595
2 Rancho Santa Fe, California $113,132
3 Atherton, California $112,408
4 Rolling Hills, California $111,031
5 Woodside, California $104,667
6 Portola Valley, California $99,621
7 Newport Coast, California $98,770
8 Hillsborough, California $98,643
9 Diablo, California $95,419
10 Fairbanks Ranch, California $94,150
11 Hidden Hills, California $94,096
12 Los Altos Hills, California $92,840
13 Tiburon, California $85,966
14 Sausalito, California $81,040
15 Monte Sereno, California $76,577
16 Indian Wells, California $76,187
17 Malibu, California $74,336
18 Del Monte Forest, California $70,609
19 Piedmont, California $70,539
20 Montecito, California $70,077
21 Palos Verdes Estates, California $69,040
22 Emerald Lake Hills, California $68,966
23 Loyola, California $68,730
24 Blackhawk-Camino Tassajara, California $66,972
25 Los Altos, California $66,776
See complete list of California places Belvedere is a city located in Marin County, California. ... Rancho Santa Fe is a census-designated place located in San Diego County, California. ... Atherton is a town located in San Mateo County, California. ... Rolling Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. ... Woodside (pop. ... Portola Valley is a town located in San Mateo County, California. ... An entrance to Newport Coast from Pacific Coast Highway Newport Coast is a census-designated place located in Orange County, California. ... Hillsborough is a town located in San Mateo County, California. ... Diablo is a census-designated place located in Contra Costa County, California. ... Fairbanks Ranch is a census-designated place located in San Diego County, California. ... Hidden Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. ... Los Altos Hills is a town located in Santa Clara County, California. ... Tiburon is a town located in Marin County, California. ... Sausalito is a city located in Marin County, California. ... Monte Sereno is a city located in Santa Clara County, California. ... Indian Wells is a city located in Riverside County, California, in the Palm Springs area, in between Palm Desert and La Quinta. ... Malibu is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. ... Del Monte Forest is a census-designated place located in Monterey County, California. ... Piedmont is a city located in Alameda County, California. ... Montecito is a census-designated place and an unincorporated area in Santa Barbara County, California. ... Palos Verdes Estates is a city located in Los Angeles County, California on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. ... Emerald Lake Hills is a census-designated place and neighborhood in unincorporated San Mateo County, in the state of California, USA. It is located in the hills between Woodside and Redwood City, roughly bounded by Edgewood Road, Alameda de las Pulgas, Farm Hill Boulevard, and Interstate highway 280. ... Loyola is a census-designated place and an unincorporated town located in Santa Clara County, California. ... Blackhawk-Camino Tassajara is an unincorporated area located in Contra Costa County, California, near the town of Danville. ... Los Altos is a city at the southern end of the San Francisco Peninsula (part of the Silicon Valley). ... ...

Education

California's educational system is supported by a unique constitutional amendment that requires 40% of state revenues to be spent on education. Photograph of Memorial Glade at the UC Berkeley campus taken on November 2, 2002 by gku. ... Photograph of Memorial Glade at the UC Berkeley campus taken on November 2, 2002 by gku. ... Photo: L.A. Cicero/Stanford News Service The red roofs of Stanfords buildings are evident in this aerial view showing a portion of the Main Quad. ... Photo: L.A. Cicero/Stanford News Service The red roofs of Stanfords buildings are evident in this aerial view showing a portion of the Main Quad. ... Download high resolution version (1536x1024, 712 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: California Los Angeles, California University of Southern California Categories: Images with unknown source ... Download high resolution version (1536x1024, 712 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: California Los Angeles, California University of Southern California Categories: Images with unknown source ... California State University Long Beach Pyramid File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... California State University Long Beach Pyramid File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

The preeminent state university is the 9-campus University of California, which employs more Nobel Prize winners than any other institution in the world and is considered one of the finest public higher-education systems in the country. The eight general campuses are in Berkeley, Los Angeles, Davis, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, Irvine, Riverside, and San Diego. A ninth campus, in San Francisco, teaches only graduate health-sciences students. A tenth campus, in Merced, is scheduled to open in 2005.[1] (http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/campuses/welcome.html) The UC system is intended to accept students from the top 12.5% of college-bound students, and provide most graduate studies and research. The University of California also administers federal laboratories for the Federal Department of Energy: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Los Alamos National Laboratory. The University of California (UC) is a public university system within the State of California. ... The Nobel Prizes (pronounced no-BELL or no-bell) are awarded annually to people who have done outstanding research, invented groundbreaking techniques or equipment, or made outstanding contributions to society. ... University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (also known as Cal, UC Berkeley, UCB, or simply Berkeley) is a public coeducational university situated in the foothills of Berkeley, California, USA to the east of San Francisco Bay, overlooking the Golden Gate. ... The University of California, Los Angeles, popularly known as UCLA, is a public, coeducational university situated in the neighborhood of Westwood within the city of Los Angeles. ... The University of California, Davis, commonly abbreviated to UC Davis or UCD is one of the ten University of California campuses. ... The University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC or UC Santa Cruz) is a coeducational public university located in Santa Cruz, California. ... The University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) is a coeducational public university located in Santa Barbara County, California. ... The University of California, Irvine is a public, coeducational university situated in suburban Irvine, California. ... The University of California, Riverside is a public, coeducational university situated in Riverside, California beside Box Springs Mountain. ... The University of California, San Diego (popularly known as UCSD) is a public, coeducational university located in La Jolla, California. ... The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is a public university located in San Francisco, California. ... University of California, Merced The University of California, Merced (UC Merced), located in the San Joaquin Valley at Merced, California, is the tenth University of California campus. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government responsible for energy policy and nuclear safety. ... Aerial view of the lab and surrounding area. ... The Berkeley Lab is perched on a hill overlooking the Berkeley central campus and San Francisco Bay. ... Los Alamos National Laboratory, aerial view from 1995. ...

The California State University system provides education for teachers, the trades, agriculture and industry. With over 400,000 students, the CSU system is the largest university system in the United States. It is intended to accept most college-bound high-school students, while carrying out some research, especially in applied sciences. Lower-division course credits are frequently transferable to the University of California. The CSU Seal The California State University (CSU) system has a combined 23 campuses, 414,000 students, and 44,000 faculty and staff, making it the largest university system in the United States. ...

The California Community Colleges system provides vocational education, remedial education, and continuing education programs. It awards certificates and associate degrees. It also provides lower division general-education courses, whose credit units are transferable to the CSU and UC systems. It is composed of 109 colleges organized into 72 districts. The system serves a student population of over 2.9 million. Administered by The Chancellor’s Office located in Sacramento, the California Community Colleges system consists of 109 community colleges and 72 community college districts in California. ...

Preeminent private institutions include Stanford University, the University of Southern California (USC), and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) (which administers the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for NASA). For other meanings of Stanford, see Stanford (disambiguation). ... The University of Southern California (also known as USC), Southern Californias oldest private research university, is located in the urban center of Los Angeles, California. ... The California Institute of Technology (commonly known as Caltech) is a private, coeducational university located in Pasadena, California, in the United States. ... The JPL complex in Pasadena, Ca. ... The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (established 1958) is the government agency responsible for the United States of Americas space program and long-term general aerospace research. ...

California has hundreds of private colleges and universities, including many religious and special-purpose institutions. This leads to many unique entertainment and educational opportunities for residents. For example, Southern California, with one of the highest densities of post-secondary institutions in the world, has a very large base of classically trained vocalists that compete in large choir festivals. Near Los Angeles, there are numerous art and film institutes, including the prestigious Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the CalArts Institute. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) is a professional honorary organization, founded on May 11, 1927 in California to advance the arts and sciences of motion pictures. ... The California Institute of the Arts, commonly known as CalArts, and located in Valencia, California, grants degrees in visual and performing arts. ...

Secondary education consists of high schools that teach elective courses in trades, languages and liberal arts with tracks for gifted, college-bound and industrial arts students. They accept students from roughly age 14 to 18, with mandatory education ceasing at age 16. In many districts, junior high schools or middle schools teach electives with a strong skills-based curriculum, for ages from 11 to 13. Elementary schools teach pure skills, history and social studies, with optional half-day kindergartens beginning at age 5. Mandatory full-time instruction begins at age 6.

The primary schools are of varying effectiveness. The quality of the local schools depends strongly on the local tax base, and the size of the local administration. In some regions, administrative costs divert a significant amount of educational monies from instructional purposes. In poor regions, literacy rates may fall below 70%. One thing they all have in common is a state mandate to teach fourth grade students about the history of California, including the role of the early missions; most schools implement this by requiring students complete a multiple medium project. Fourth grade students enrolled in California public schools are taught about the role the California missions founded in the late 1700s and early 1800s played. ...

Transportation

California's vast terrain is connected by an extensive system of freeways, expressways, and highways, all maintained by Caltrans and patrolled by the California Highway Patrol. Most Californians usually resort to the roads for their commutes, errands, and vacations, which is why California's cities have a reputation equalled in the U.S. only by New York City for severe traffic congestion. The lovely Glendale Freeway (Highway 2), as photographed on July 7, 2004 from the transition ramp that connects the eastbound Ventura Freeway (Highway 134) to the northbound Glendale Freeway. ... The lovely Glendale Freeway (Highway 2), as photographed on July 7, 2004 from the transition ramp that connects the eastbound Ventura Freeway (Highway 134) to the northbound Glendale Freeway. ... An interchange is a location where two things meet, usually perform some kind of exchange, and possibly go on their ways again. ... A typical freeway with an interchange in the foreground Rush hour on the Harbor Freeway in downtown Los Angeles A typical rural freeway (Interstate 5 in the Central Valley of California). ... An expressway is a divided highway, usually 4 lanes or wider in size, where direct access to adjacent properties has been eliminated. ... A highway is a major road within a city, or linking several cities together. ... Caltrans logo The soaring ramps in the stack interchanges favored by Caltrans often provide stunning views. ... The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is a highway patrol agency created in 1929 to ensure road safety in California. ... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the most populous city in the state of New York and the entire United States. ... Traffic jams are common in heavily populated areas. ...

As for air travel, San Francisco International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport are major hubs for trans-Pacific and transcontinental traffic. There are about a dozen important commercial airports and many more general aviation airports throughout the state's 58 counties. FAA diagram of SFO San Francisco International Airport is located in San Mateo County adjacent to the cities of Millbrae and San Bruno, 13 miles (21 km) south of San Francisco, California. ... Los Angeles International Airport (IATA Airport Code: LAX, ICAO Airport Code: KLAX), is the primary airport serving Los Angeles, California. ... General aviation (GA) encompasses all aviation other than scheduled airline flights and military aviation. ...

California also has several excellent seaports. The giant seaport complex formed by the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach in Southern California is the largest in the country and responsible for handling about a fourth of all container cargo traffic in the United States. The Port of Oakland handles most of the ocean containers passing through Northern California. Categories: Stub | Commercial item transport and distribution | Transportation ... The Port of Los Angeles is located on San Pedro Bay in the San Pedro neighborhood of Los Angeles, approximately 20 miles (30 km) south of downtown. ... County Los Angeles County, California Area - Total - Water 170. ... The Port of Oakland was the first major port on the Pacific Coast of the United States to build terminals for container ships. ...

Intercity rail travel is provided by Amtrak. San Francisco and Los Angeles both have rapid rail/subway networks, in addition to light rail. San Jose and Sacramento have only light rail. Metrolink commuter rail serves much of Southern California, and Caltrain commuter rail connects San Jose to San Francisco. Altamont Commuter Express (ACE) connects Tracy, Livermore and other edge cities with Silicon Valley. San Diego has Trolley light rail and Coaster commuter rail services. Nearly all counties operate bus lines, and many cities operate their own bus and light rail lines as well. Los Angeles, California. ... Los Angeles, California. ... An interchange is a location where two things meet, usually perform some kind of exchange, and possibly go on their ways again. ... This article is about the largest city in California. ... Amtrak is the trademark name of an intercity passenger train system created on May 1, 1971 in the United States. ... This article describes subways as mass transit lines. ... This article is about light rail systems in general. ... Metrolink is the name of several transport services throughout the world: Metrolink (Southern California) - Southern California Manchester Metrolink - Greater Manchester, United Kingdom St. ... A Connex commuter train stands by the platform in Melbourne, Australia Regional rail systems, or commuter rail systems, usually provide a rail service through a central business district area into suburbs or other locations that draw large numbers of people on a daily basis. ... Caltrain is a public supported commuter rail line on the San Francisco Peninsula and the Santa Clara Valley in the United States. ... The Altamont Commuter Express (also known as ACE) is a commuter train service in California connecting Stockton with San Jose. ... Tracy is a city located in San Joaquin County, California. ... Livermore is a city located in Alameda County, California. ... Silicon Valley is a commonly used nickname for the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in northern California, USA, originally referring to the concentration of silicon chip innovators and manufacturers, but eventually becoming a metaphor for the entire concentration of high tech businesses. ... San Diego County in the Southwest corner of California. ... San Diego, California has a light rail system, which until 2004 was known as the San Diego Trolley, because of the trolley-style German-built vehicles from Siemens-Duwag. ... Categories: Rail stubs | Mass transit in California | Regional rail systems | San Diego ... The Bus, established by Mayor Frank Fasi, is Honolulus only public transit system. ...

Both Greyhound and Amtrak provide intercity bus service. This article is about the breed of dog; for other meanings of Greyhound, see Greyhound (disambiguation). ...

The rapidly growing population of the state is straining all of its transportation networks. A regularly recurring issue in California politics is whether the state should continue to aggressively expand its freeway network or concentrate on improving mass transit networks in urban areas.

See also

Example signage of the Califonia State Highway System Below is a partial list of California state highways. ... César Chávez, middle-aged César Estrada Chávez ( March 31, 1927 – April 23, 1993) founded the National Farm Workers Association that later became the United Farm Workers. ... March 31 is the 90th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (91st in Leap years), with 275 days remaining, as the final day of March. ...

Miscellaneous information

List of professional sports teams in California National Football League Oakland Raiders San Francisco 49ers San Diego Chargers National Basketball Association Golden State Warriors (Oakland) Los Angeles Lakers Los Angeles Clippers Sacramento Kings Womens National Basketball Association Los Angeles Sparks Sacramento Monarchs Womens United Soccer Association San Diego... The U.S. state of California is divided into 58 counties. ... This is a list of state prisons in California. ... Greetings from California, vintage large-letter postcard. ... This is a list of cities in California - including incorporated cities and unincorporated community place names - arranged in alphabetical order. ... List of cities in California (by population). See also: List of urbanized areas in California (by population) and List of cities in California. ... Six ships of the United States Navy have been named USS California in honor of the 31st state. ... The state of California maintains over 270 protected areas, which include almost one-third of Californias scenic coastline, including coastal wetlands, estuaries, beaches, and dune systems. ... California English is a variety of the English language spoken in the U.S. state of California. ... California cuisine is a cuisine marked by an interest in fusion— integrating disparate cooking styles and ingredients— and which, out of respect for the states health-conscious tradition, tends to produce food which is fresh and/or lean, rather than manufactured and/or fried. ... The toponym California is currently used by three subnational entities – the U.S. state of California and the Mexican states of Baja California and Baja California Sur – and by a string of cities in other parts of the English-speaking world. ... This is a list of local California politicians organized by county and city. ...

External links

class="preview" id="pv563"> File links The following pages link to this file: Abu Dhabi Abraham Lincoln Australia Adolf Hitler Animation Andorra Alaska Anatomy Asia Albert Einstein Asterales Automobile Aircraft Alexander Graham Bell Apple Computer American Civil War Ancient Egypt Asteraceae Alps Arches National Park Aarhus Almond Caesar Augustus Acacia Acropolis Acupuncture Amaranth Alexander... The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free images, sound and other multimedia files. ... The U.S. state of California is divided into 58 counties. ... File links The following pages link to this file: California Dana Rohrabacher Los Angeles, California San Francisco Peninsula San Francisco Bay Area Silicon Valley San Diego, California Sacramento, California Sacramento County, California Orange County, California Death Valley San Francisco, California Sierra Nevada (US) Oakland, California Fremont, California San Jose, California... Anaheim is a city in Orange County, Southern California, located 6 miles (15km) northwest of Downtown Santa Ana. ... City nickname:Calfornias Country Music Capital County Kern County, California Area - Total - Water 296. ... Chula Vista is a city located in San Diego County, California. ... Corona is a city located in Riverside County, California. ... Escondido is a city located in San Diego County, California just north of San Diego, California. ... Fontana is a city located in San Bernardino County, California. ... Fremont, California from NASAs Landsat Fremont is a city in California which was incorporated on January 23, 1956, from the merger of five smaller communities: Mission San Jose, Irvington, Niles, Centerville, and Warm Springs. ... Fresno is the county seat of Fresno County, California. ... Garden Grove is a city centrally located in northern Orange County, California. ... County Los Angeles County, California Area - Total - Water 79. ... Hayward is a city located in Alameda County, California. ... Huntington Beach, sometimes called Surf City, is a seaside city in Orange County, in southern California. ... City tree Camphor City flower Lily of the Nile City insect Western Swallowtail Butterfly Mayor Beth Krom County Orange County Area - Total - Sphere of Influence 55. ... City nickname:The Heart of the Antelope Valley County Los Angeles County, California Area - Total - Water 243. ... County Los Angeles County, California Area - Total - Water 170. ... Griffith Observatory and the Downtown Los Angeles skyline. ... Modesto is the county seat of Stanislaus County, California. ... County Riverside County, California Area - Total - Water 133. ... Aerial view looking west over downtown Oakland, Lake Merritt and the Port of Oakland in the upper left portion of the image. ... Oceanside is a city in San Diego County, California, north of the city of San Diego. ... Ontario is a city located in San Bernardino County, California. ... Orange is a city located in Orange County, California. ... Oxnard is a city located in Ventura County, California. ... City nickname:Aerospace Capital of America County Los Angeles County, California Area - Total - Water 272. ... The Colorado Street Bridge in Pasadena, CA Pasadena is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. ... Pomona is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, in the eastern San Gabriel Valley. ... Rancho Cucamonga is a city located in San Bernardino County, California, United States. ... Riverside is the county seat of Riverside County, California, United States. ... Sacramento is the county seat of Sacramento County, California and the capital of the U.S. state of California. ... Salinas is the county seat of Monterey County, California. ... San Bernardino is the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States. ... City nickname Americas Finest City City flower Bird of Paradise City urban tree Jacaranda City native tree Torrey Pine Mayor Dick Murphy* City Attorney Michael Aguirre City Council District One District Two District Three District Four District Five District Six District Seven District Eight Scott Peters Michael Zucchet Toni... San Francisco skyline. ... City nickname: Capital of Silicon Valley Location within Santa Clara County, California Country State County United States California Santa Clara Mayor Ron Gonzales Area - Land - Water 178. ... Santa Ana is the largest city and the county seat of Orange County, California. ... County Los Angeles County, California Area - Total - Water 123. ... Santa Rosa is the county seat of Sonoma County, California. ... Stockton is a city in California and the county seat of San Joaquin County. ... Sunnyvale is a city located in Santa Clara County, California, USA. It is one of the major cities that make up the Silicon Valley. ... City of Torrance official logo Torrance is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. ... Alameda County is a suburban county in Californias San Francisco Bay Area. ... Alpine County is Californias smallest county, by population. ... Amador County is a county located in the Sierra Nevada of California. ... Butte County is a county located in Californias Central Valley, north of Sacramento. ... Calaveras County is a county located in Californias Gold Country. ... Colusa County is a county located in Californias Central Valley, northwest of Sacramento. ... Contra Costa County is a suburban county in Californias San Francisco Bay Area. ... Del Norte County is Californias northwesternmost county, located on the Pacific coast south of Oregon. ... El Dorado County is a county located in the Gold Country of California, in the Sierra Nevada. ... Fresno County is a county located in Californias Central Valley, south of Stockton and north of Bakersfield. ... Glenn County is a county located in the California Central Valley north of Sacramento County. ... Humboldt County is a county located on the northwest coast of California, on the Pacific Ocean. ... Imperial County is a county located in the far southeast of California, on the border with Arizona and Mexico, in the Imperial Valley. ... Inyo County is a county located in east-central California, on the east side of the Sierra Nevada south of Yosemite National Park. ... Kern County is a county located in the southern Central Valley of California. ... Kings County is a county located in the Central Valley of California, southeast of Fresno County. ... Lake County is a county located in north central California, north of the San Francisco Bay Area. ... Lassen County is a county located in northeastern California. ... Map of California showing Los Angeles County. ... Madera County is a county of California, located in the Central Valley north of Fresno County. ... Marin County is a county located in Californias San Francisco Bay Area, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. ... Mariposa County is a county located in Californias Central Valley, north of Fresno and southeast of Stockton. ... Mendocino County is a county located on Californias north coast, north of the San Francisco Bay Area and Sonoma County and west of the Central Valley. ... Merced County is a county located in Californias Central Valley, north of Fresno and southeast of San Jose. ... Modoc County is a county located in Californias far northeast corner, bounded by Oregon to the north and Nevada to the east. ... Mono County is a county located in east central California, to east of the Sierra Nevada between Yosemite National Park and Nevada. ... Monterey County is a county located on the Pacific coast of California, its northwestern section forming the southern half of Monterey Bay. ... Napa County is in north-central California Napa Valley is most famous for its wine. ... Nevada County is a county located in Californias Sierra Nevada, in the Mother Lode country. ... This is an article about the county in California. ... Placer County is a county located in Californias Sierra Nevada, in the Gold Country. ... Plumas County is a county located in Californias Sierra Nevada. ... Riverside County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of California, stretching from Orange County to the Colorado River, which is the border with Arizona. ... Sacramento County is a county of the U.S. state of California. ... San Benito County is a county located in the California Coast Range Mountains south of San Jose. ... San Bernardino County is the largest county in the United States by area, containing more land than 9 states. ... San Diego County is a county located on the Pacific Ocean in the far southwest of California, along the border with Mexico. ... San Francisco skyline. ... San Joaquin County is a county located in the United States of America in Californias Central Valley, just east of the San Francisco Bay Area. ... San Luis Obispo County is a county located on Californias central Pacific coast, between Los Angeles and the Bay Area. ... San Mateo County is a county located in the San Francisco Bay Area. ... Santa Barbara County is a county located on the Pacific coast of Southern California, in the state of California, just west of Ventura County. ... Santa Clara County is a county located in Californias San Francisco Bay Area. ... Santa Cruz County is a county located on the Pacific coast of California, just south of the San Francisco Bay Area. ... Shasta County is a county located in northern California, in the Cascade Mountains. ... Sierra County is a county located in Californias Sierra Nevada, northeast of Sacramento on the border with Nevada. ... Siskiyou County is a county located in far northernmost California, in the Cascade Mountains on the Oregon border. ... Solano County is a county located in central California, about halfway between San Francisco and Sacramento. ... Sonoma County is a county located on Californias Pacific coast north of the San Francisco Bay Area. ... Stanislaus County is a county located in Californias California Central Valley, between Stockton and Fresno. ... Sutter County is a county located along the Sacramento River in the California Central Valley north of Sacramento. ... Tehama County is a county located in Northern California. ... Trinity County is a county located in northwestern California, along the Trinity River and among the Cascade Mountains. ... Tulare County is a county located in U.S. state of Californias Central Valley, south of Fresno. ... Tuolumne County is a county located in the U.S. state of Californias Sierra Nevada. ... Ventura County is part of the Greater Los Angeles Area, located on Californias Pacific coast. ... Yolo County is located in the northern part of the U.S. state of California, bordered by the counties of Sacramento, Solano, Napa, Lake, Colusa, and Sutter. ... Yuba County is located in the U.S. state of Californias Central Valley, north of Sacramento, along the Feather River. ...

Categories: U.S. states | States of the American West | California The myriad political divisions of the United States include (but are not limited to) states, territories, counties, townships, cities, the federal district, possessions and insular areas, embassies and consulates, Indian reservations, military installations, conservation districts and non-municipal special-purpose districts like public authorities, school districts and utilities districts. ... Download high resolution version (1520x800, 18 KB) Subject: Flag of the United States. ... A U.S. state is any one of the 50 states which have membership of the federation known as the United States of America (USA or U.S.). The separate state governments and the U.S. federal government share sovereignty. ... Alabama is a state located in the southern United States; the population of Alabama is 4,447,100 as of 2000. ... State nickname: The Last Frontier, The Land of the Midnight Sun Other U.S. States Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Governor Frank Murkowski Official languages English Area 1,717,854 km² (1st) - Land 1,481,347 km² - Water 236,507 km² (13. ... State nickname: The Grand Canyon State, The Copper State Other U.S. States Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix [[List of Governors of {{{Name}}}|Governor]] Janet Napolitano Official languages English Only State Area 295,254 km² (6th) - Land 294,312 km² - Water 942 km² (0. ... State nickname: The Natural State Other U.S. States Capital Little Rock Largest city Little Rock Governor Mike Huckabee Official languages English Area 137,732 km² (29th) - Land 134,856 km² - Water 2,876 km² (2. ... There are also three Colorado Rivers: two in the United States and one in Argentina. ... State nickname: The Constitution State Other U.S. States Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport Governor M. Jodi Rell Official languages English Area 14,371 km² (48th) - Land 12,559 km² - Water 1,809 km² (12. ... State nickname: The First State Other U.S. States Capital Dover Largest city Wilmington Governor Ruth Ann Minner Official languages None Area 6,452 km² (49th) - Land 5,068 km² - Water 1,387 km² (21. ... State nickname: Everglade State, Sunshine State Other U.S. States Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Governor Jeb Bush Official languages English Area 170,451 km² (22nd) - Land 137,374 km² - Water 30,486 km² (17. ... State nickname: The Aloha State Other U.S. States Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Governor Linda Lingle Official languages Hawaiian and English Area 28,337 km² (43rd) - Land 16,649 km² - Water 11,672 km² (41. ... State nickname: Gem State Other U.S. States Capital Boise Largest city Boise Governor Dirk Kempthorne Official languages none Area 216,632 km² (14th) - Land 214,499 km² - Water 2,133 km² (0. ... State nickname: Land of Lincoln, The Prairie State Other U.S. States Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Governor Rod Blagojevich Official languages English Area 149,998 km² (25th) - Land 143,968 km² - Water 6,030 km² (4. ... State nickname: The Hoosier State Other U.S. States Capital Indianapolis Largest city Indianapolis Governor Mitch Daniels Official languages English Area 94,321 km² (38th) - Land 92,897 km² - Water 1,424 km² (1. ... State nickname: The Hawkeye State Other U.S. States Capital Des Moines Largest city Des Moines Governor Thomas Vilsack Official languages English Area 145,743 km² (26th) - Land 144,701 km² - Water 1,042 km² (0. ... State nickname: The Sunflower State Other U.S. States Capital Topeka Largest city Wichita Governor Kathleen Sebelius Official languages None Area 82,277 mi²; 213,096 km² (15th) - Land 81,815 mi²; 211,900 km² - Water 462 mi²; 1,196 km² (0. ... State nickname: Bluegrass State Other U.S. States Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Governor Ernie Fletcher Official languages English Area 104,749 km² (37th) - Land 102,989 km² - Water 1,760 km² (1. ... State nickname: Pelican State Other U.S. States Capital Baton Rouge Largest city New Orleans Governor Kathleen Blanco Official languages None; English and French de facto Area 134,382 km² (31st) - Land 112,927 km² - Water 21,455 km² (16%) Population (2000) - Population 4,468,976 (22nd) - Density 39. ... State nickname: The Pine Tree State Other U.S. States Capital Augusta Largest city Portland Governor John Baldacci Official languages None Area 86,542 km² (39th) - Land 80,005 km² - Water 11,724 km² (13. ... State nickname: Old Line State; Free State Other U.S. States Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Governor Robert L. Ehrlich Official languages English Area 32,160 km² (42nd) - Land 25,338 km² - Water 6,968 km² (21%) Population (2000) - Population 5,296,486 (19th) - Density 165 /km² (5th) Admittance into... State nickname: Bay State Other U.S. States Capital Boston Largest city Boston Governor Mitt Romney Official languages English Area 27,360 km² (44th) - Land 20,317 km² - Water 7,043 km² (25. ... State nickname: Wolverine State or Great Lakes State Other U.S. States Capital Lansing Largest city Detroit Governor Jennifer Granholm Official languages English Area 250,941 km² (11th) - Land 147,255 km² - Water 103,687 km² (41. ... State nickname: North Star State Other U.S. States Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Governor Tim Pawlenty Official languages None Area 225,365 km² (12th) - Land 206,375 km² - Water 18,990 km² (8. ... State nickname: Magnolia State Other U.S. States Capital Jackson Largest city Jackson Governor Haley Barbour Official languages English Area 125,546 km² (32nd) - Land 121,606 km² - Water 3,940 km² (3%) Population (2000) - Population 2,697,243 (31st) - Density 23. ... Missouri, named after the Missouri Siouan Indian tribe meaning canoe, is a Midwestern state of the United States with Jefferson City as its capital. ... State nickname: Treasure State Other U.S. States Capital Helena Largest city Billings Governor Brian Schweitzer Official languages English Area 381,156 km² (4th) - Land 377,295 km² - Water 3,862 km² (1%) Population (2000) - Population 902,194 (44th) - Density 2. ... State nickname: Cornhusker State Other U.S. States Capital Lincoln Largest city Omaha Governor Dave Heineman Official languages English Area 200,520 km² (16th) - Land 199,099 km² - Water 1,247 km² (0. ... State nickname: Silver State, Battle Born State (official) Other U.S. States Capital Carson City Largest city Las Vegas Governor Kenny Guinn Official languages None Area 286,367 km² (7th) - Land 284,396 km² - Water 1,971 km² (0. ... State nickname: The Granite State Other U.S. States Capital Concord Largest city Manchester Governor John Lynch Official languages English Area 24,239 km² (46th) - Land 23,249 km² - Water 814 km² (3. ... State nickname: The Garden State Other U.S. States Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Governor Richard Codey (acting) Official languages None defined Area 22,608 km² (47th) - Land 19,231 km² - Water 3,378 km² (14. ... This article needs cleanup. ... State nickname: Empire State Other U.S. States Capital Albany Largest city New York Governor George Pataki Official languages None Area 141,205 km² (27th) - Land 122,409 km² - Water 18,795 km² (13. ... State nickname: Tar Heel State Other U.S. States Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Governor Michael Easley Official languages English Area 139,509 km² (28th) - Land 126,256 km² - Water 13,227 km² (9. ... State nickname: Peace Garden State, Roughrider State, Flickertail State Other U.S. States Capital Bismarck Largest city Fargo Governor John Hoeven Official languages English Area 183,272 km² (19th) - Land 178,839 km² - Water 4,432 km² (2. ... State nickname: The Buckeye State Other U.S. States Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus Governor Bob Taft Official languages None Area 116,096 km² (34th) - Land 106,154 km² - Water 10,044 km² (8. ... State nickname: Sooner State Other U.S. States Capital Oklahoma City Largest city Oklahoma City Governor Brad Henry Official languages None Area 181,196 km² (20th) - Land 178,023 km² - Water 3,173 km² (1. ... State nickname: Beaver State Other U.S. States Capital Salem Largest city Portland Governor Ted Kulongoski Official languages None Area 255,026 km² (9th) - Land 248,849 km² - Water 6,177 km² (2. ... State nickname: The Keystone State Other U.S. States Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Governor Ed Rendell Official languages None Area 119,283 km² (33rd) - Land 116,074 km² - Water 3,208 km² (2. ... State nickname: The Ocean State Other U.S. States Capital Providence Largest city Providence Governor Donald Carcieri Official languages None Area 4,005 km² (50th) - Land 2,709 km² - Water 1,296 km² (32. ... State nickname: Palmetto State Other U.S. States Capital Columbia Largest city Columbia Governor Mark Sanford Official languages English Area 82,965 km² (40th) - Land 78,051 km² - Water 4,915 km² (6%) Population (2000) - Population 4,012,012 (26th) - Density 51. ... State nickname: The Mount Rushmore State Other U.S. States Capital Pierre Largest city Sioux Falls Governor Mike Rounds Official languages English Area 199,905 km² (17th) - Land 196,735 km² - Water 3,173 km² (1. ... State nickname: Volunteer State Other U.S. States Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis Governor Phil Bredesen Official languages English Area 109,247 km² (36th) - Land 106,846 km² - Water 2,400 km² (2. ... State nickname: Lone Star State Other U.S. States Capital Austin Largest city Houston Governor Rick Perry Official languages None Area 696,241 km² (2nd) - Land 678,907 km² - Water 17,333 km² (2. ... State nickname: Beehive State Other U.S. States Capital Salt Lake City Largest city Salt Lake City Governor Jon M. Huntsman, Jr. ... State nickname: The Green Mountain State Other U.S. States Capital Montpelier Largest city Burlington Governor Jim Douglas Official languages None Area 24,923 km² (45th) - Land 23,974 km² - Water 949 km² (3. ... State nickname: Old Dominion Other U.S. States Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Governor Mark R. Warner Official languages English Area 110,862 km² (35th) - Land 102,642 km² - Water 8,220 km² (7. ... State nickname: The Evergreen State Other U.S. States Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Governor Christine Gregoire Official languages None Area 184,824 km² (18th) - Land 172,587 km² - Water 12,237 km² (6. ... State nickname: Mountain State Other U.S. States Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Governor Joe Manchin Official languages None Area 62,809 km² (41st) - Land 62,436 km² - Water 376 km² (0. ... One of the periods of glaciation was also termed the Wisconsin glaciation. ... State nickname: Equality State Other U.S. States Capital Cheyenne Largest city Cheyenne Governor Dave Freudenthal Official languages English Area 253,554 km² (10th) - Land 251,706 km² - Water 1,851 km² (0. ... Federal Districts are subdivisions of a federal system of government. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United... An insular area of the United States is a jurisdiction that is neither a part of one of the fifty states nor a part of the District of Columbia, the nations federal district. ... Midway Atoll (also known as Midway Island or Midway Islands) is a 6. ...

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