California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2 million residents[6] across a total area of approximately 163,696 square miles (423,970 km2),[11] it is the most populous U.S. state and the third-largest by area. It is also the most populated subnational entity in North America and the 34th most populous in the world. The Greater Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay areas are the nation's second and fifth most populous urban regions respectively, with the former having more than 18.7 million residents and the latter having over 9.6 million.[12] Sacramento is the state's capital, while Los Angeles is the most populous city in the state and the second most populous city in the country. San Francisco is the second most densely populated major city in the country. Los Angeles County is the country's most populous, while San Bernardino County is the largest county by area in the country. California borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, the Mexican state of Baja California to the south; and it has a coastline along the Pacific Ocean to the west.
California | |
|---|---|
| State of California | |
| Nickname: The Golden State[1] | |
| Motto: | |
| Anthem: "I Love You, California" | |
 Map of the United States with California highlighted | |
| Country | United States |
| Before statehood | Mexican Cession unorganized territory |
| Admitted to the Union | September 9, 1850 (31st) |
| Capital | Sacramento |
| Largest city | Los Angeles |
| Largest county or equivalent | Los Angeles |
| Largest metro and urban areas | Greater Los Angeles |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Gavin Newsom (D) |
| • Lieutenant Governor | Eleni Kounalakis (D) |
| Legislature | State Legislature |
| • Upper house | State Senate |
| • Lower house | State Assembly |
| Judiciary | Supreme Court of California |
| U.S. senators | Dianne Feinstein (D) Alex Padilla (D) |
| U.S. House delegation |
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| Area | |
| • Total | 163,696 sq mi (423,970 km2) |
| • Land | 155,959 sq mi (403,932 km2) |
| • Water | 7,737 sq mi (20,047 km2) 4.7% |
| • Rank | 3rd |
| Dimensions | |
| • Length | 760 mi (1,220 km) |
| • Width | 250 mi (400 km) |
| Elevation | 2,900 ft (880 m) |
| Highest elevation | 14,505 ft (4,421.0 m) |
| Lowest elevation | −279 ft (−85.0 m) |
| Population (2022) | |
| • Total |  39,185,605[6] |
| • Rank | 1st |
| • Density | 251.3/sq mi (97/km2) |
| • Rank | 11th |
| • Median household income | $78,700[7] |
| • Income rank | 5th |
| Demonym | Californian |
| Language | |
| • Official language | English |
| • Spoken language | |
| Time zone | UTC−08:00 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−07:00 (PDT) |
| USPS abbreviation | CA |
| ISO 3166 code | US-CA |
| Traditional abbreviation | Calif., Cal., Cali. |
| Latitude | 32°32′ N to 42° N |
| Longitude | 114°8′ W to 124°26′ W |
| Website | www |
| List of state symbols | |
|---|---|
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| Living insignia | |
| Amphibian | California red-legged frog |
| Bird | California quail |
| Fish |
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| Flower | California poppy |
| Grass | Purple needlegrass |
| Insect | California dogface butterfly |
| Mammal |
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| Reptile | Desert tortoise |
| Tree | Coast redwood & giant sequoia[9] |
| Inanimate insignia | |
| Colors | Blue & gold[10] |
| Dance | West Coast Swing |
| Folk dance | Square dance |
| Fossil | Sabre-toothed cat |
| Gemstone | Benitoite |
| Mineral | Native gold |
| Rock | Serpentine |
| Soil | San Joaquin |
| Sport | Surfing |
| Tartan | California state tartan |
| State route marker | |
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| State quarter | |
 Released in 2005 | |
| Lists of United States state symbols | |
California's economy is the largest of any state within the United States, with a $3.37 trillion gross state product (GSP) as of 2022[update].[13] It is the largest sub-national economy in the world. If California were a sovereign nation, it would rank as the world's fifth-largest economy as of 2022[update],[14][15] behind Germany and ahead of India, as well as the 37th most populous.[16] The Greater Los Angeles area and the San Francisco area are the nation's second- and fourth-largest urban economies ($1.0 trillion and $0.6 trillion respectively as of 2020[update]), following the New York metropolitan area's $1.8 trillion.[17] The San Francisco Bay Area Combined Statistical Area had the nation's highest gross domestic product per capita ($106,757) among large primary statistical areas in 2018,[18] and is home to five of the world's ten largest companies by market capitalization[19] and four of the world's ten richest people.[20] Slightly over 84 percent of the state's residents hold a high school degree, the lowest high school education rate of all 50 states.
Prior to European colonization, California was one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse areas in pre-Columbian North America and contained the highest Native American population density north of what is now Mexico. European exploration in the 16th and 17th centuries led to the colonization of California by the Spanish Empire. In 1804, it was included in Alta California province within the Viceroyalty of New Spain. The area became a part of Mexico in 1821, following its successful war for independence, but was ceded to the United States in 1848 after the Mexican–American War. The California Gold Rush started in 1848 and led to dramatic social and demographic changes. The western portion of Alta California was then organized and admitted as the 31st state on September 9, 1850 as a free state, following the Compromise of 1850.
Notable contributions to popular culture, ranging from entertainment, sports, music, and fashion, have their origins in California. The state also has made substantial contributions in the fields of communication, information, innovation, education, environmentalism, entertainment, economics, politics, technology, and religion.[21][22][23] California is the home of Hollywood, the oldest and the largest film industry in the world, profoundly influencing global entertainment. It is considered the origin of the American film industry, hippie counterculture, beach and car culture, the personal computer, the internet, fast food, diners, burger joints, skateboarding, and the fortune cookie.[24][25][26][27] Many full-service restaurants were invented in the state. The state is also notable for being home to many amusement parks, including Disneyland, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Knotts Berry Farm, and Universal Studios Hollywood. The San Francisco Bay Area and the Greater Los Angeles Area are widely seen as the centers of the global technology and film industries, respectively. California's economy is very diverse.[28] Although it accounts for only 1.5% of the state's economy,[28] California's agriculture industry has the highest output of any U.S. state.[29][30][31] California's ports and harbors handle about a third of all U.S. imports, most originating in Pacific Rim international trade.
The state's extremely diverse geography ranges from the Pacific Coast and metropolitan areas in the west to the Sierra Nevada mountains in the east, and from the redwood and Douglas fir forests in the northwest to the Mojave Desert in the southeast. Two-thirds of the nation's earthquake risk lies in California.[32] The Central Valley, a fertile agricultural area, dominates the state's center. California is well known for its warm Mediterranean climate along the coast and monsoon seasonal weather inland. The large size of the state results in climates that vary from moist temperate rainforest in the north to arid desert in the interior, as well as snowy alpine in the mountains. Drought and wildfires are a persistent issue for the state.[33]