Los Angeles
Los Angeles (US: /lɔːs ˈændʒələs/ (
listen) lawss AN-jəl-əs;[lower-alpha 1] Spanish: Los Ángeles [los ˈaŋxeles], lit. 'The Angels'), often referred to by its initials L.A.,[15] is the largest city in California. With a 2020 population of 3,898,747 [10] it is the second-largest city in the United States following New York City. Los Angeles is known for its Mediterranean climate, ethnic and cultural diversity, Hollywood film industry, and sprawling metropolitan area.
Los Angeles, California | |
|---|---|
Clockwise from top: Central Los Angeles skyline, Griffith Observatory, City Hall, Venice Beach, Theme Building at Los Angeles International Airport, Echo Park, and the Hollywood Sign | |
| Nickname(s): | |
 Map of Los Angeles County, California, with Los Angeles highlighted | |
  Los Angeles Location within California  Los Angeles Location within the United States  Los Angeles Location within North America | |
| Coordinates: 34°03′N 118°15′W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Los Angeles |
| Region | Southern California |
| CSA | Los Angeles-Long Beach |
| MSA | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim |
| Pueblo | September 4, 1781[2] |
| City status | May 23, 1835[3] |
| Incorporated | April 4, 1850[4] |
| Named for | Our Lady, Queen of the Angels |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor-Council-Commission[5] |
| • Body | Los Angeles City Council |
| • Mayor | Eric Garcetti (D)[6] |
| • City Attorney | Mike Feuer (D)[6] |
| • City Controller | Ron Galperin (D)[6] |
| Area | |
| • Total | 501.55 sq mi (1,299.01 km2) |
| • Land | 469.49 sq mi (1,215.97 km2) |
| • Water | 32.06 sq mi (83.04 km2) |
| Elevation | 305 ft (93 m) |
| Highest elevation | 5,074 ft (1,547 m) |
| Lowest elevation | 0 ft (0 m) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 3,898,747 |
| • Rank | 2nd in the United States 1st in California |
| • Density | 8,304.22/sq mi (3,206.29/km2) |
| • Metro | 13,200,998 (2nd) |
| Demonym(s) | Angeleno, Angelino[12] |
| Time zone | UTC–08:00 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC–07:00 (PDT) |
| ZIP Codes | List
|
| Area codes | 213/323, 310/424, 747/818 |
| FIPS code | 06-44000 |
| GNIS feature IDs | 1662328, 2410877 |
| International airport | Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) |
| Rapid Transit | Metro |
| Website | lacity.org |
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The city of Los Angeles lies in a basin in Southern California. Adjacent to the Pacific Ocean extending through the Santa Monica Mountains and into the San Fernando Valley it covers about 469 square miles (1,210 km2).[7] It is the seat of Los Angeles County, which is the most populous county in the United States with just over 10 million residents in 2020.
Home to the Chumash and Tongva indigenous peoples, the area that became Los Angeles was claimed by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo for Spain in 1542. The city was founded on September 4, 1781, under Spanish governor Felipe de Neve, on the village of Yaanga.[16] It became a part of Mexico in 1821 following the Mexican War of Independence. In 1848, at the end of the Mexican–American War, Los Angeles and the rest of California were purchased as part of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, and thus became part of the United States. Los Angeles was incorporated as a municipality on April 4, 1850, five months before California achieved statehood. The discovery of oil in the 1890s brought rapid growth to the city.[17] The city was further expanded with the completion of the Los Angeles Aqueduct in 1913, which delivers water from Eastern California.
Los Angeles has a diverse and robust economy, and hosts businesses in a broad range of professional and cultural fields. It also has the busiest container port in the Americas.[18] In 2018, the Los Angeles metropolitan area had a gross metropolitan product of over $1.0 trillion,[19] making it the city with the third-largest GDP in the world, after Tokyo and New York City. Los Angeles hosted the 1932 and 1984 Summer Olympics and will host the 2028 Summer Olympics.