Geography of California by Thoughtco.Com, Adapted by Newsela Staff on 03.19.18 Word Count 773 Level 710L
Geography of California By ThoughtCo.com, adapted by Newsela staff on 03.19.18 Word Count 773 Level 710L
Image 1. A view of the California coast in Montana de Oro State Park, 2006. The park's name means "mountain of gold" in Spanish. The yellow and orange flowers are California poppies, the official state flower. Photo by: docentjoyce/Flickr
California is a state in the west of the United States. It has more than 39 million people. This makes it the U.S. state with the most people. It is also the third biggest state in the country.
Oregon is to the north, Nevada is to the east and Arizona is to the southeast. The country of Mexico is to the south. The Pacific Ocean runs along the western coast. California's nickname is the "Golden State."
California is best known for its large cities, good weather and many businesses. It has mountains, deserts, plains and coasts. Many people move to California from other countries and states.
California had about 70 different Native American tribes before the Europeans arrived in the 1500s. This was 500 years ago. Back then, the Spanish took over an area called Alta California. The area included today's state of California. The Spanish built 21 missions near the coast. The missions were buildings where Christian priests lived. These priests moved from Spain to California. Their goal was to spread Christianity to Native Americans. The missions were also used to expand the Spanish Empire.
This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. California Became Part Of The U.S. In 1850
In
1821, Mexico and Alta California won their freedom from Spain. The war was called the Mexican War of Independence. Alta California became part of Mexico.
In 1846, the Mexican-American War broke out between the U.S. and Mexico. The U.S. won, and Alta California became part of the U.S. In that period, many people went to California to mine for gold. This period was called the Gold Rush. In 1850, California became a U.S. state.
Today, California has as many people as all of Canada. Many people also come to California from other countries. When they come without permission, it's called illegal immigration.
There are three big city areas in California, where most people live. One is the Bay Area, which includes the cities of San Francisco and Oakland. Another is Southern California, which includes Los Angeles and San Diego. The third is the Central Valley. This area is in the middle of the state and includes the city of Sacramento.
Warm Weather And Mountain Views
California's geography includes mountain ranges, like the Sierra Nevada, which runs down the eastern side of the state, and the Tehachapi Mountains in the south. The state also has famous valleys. The Central Valley is a big farming area. Napa Valley is known for growing wine.
Central California has two big rivers that divide it into two areas. The Sacramento River starts near Mount Shasta in northern California. The other is the San Joaquin River in San Joaquin Valley. The two rivers join to form the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta system. Much of the state's water comes from these rivers. A delta is a wide area where a river meets the ocean. In a delta, bigger rivers split into smaller ones.
This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. California's weather is Mediterranean. That means it has warm-to-hot, dry summers and mild wet winters. Cities near the Pacific Ocean are cool and foggy in the summer, while the Central Valley can become very hot. California also has desert areas, like Death Valley. The higher mountain areas can get very cold.
Many Fault Lines Run Through The State
California is in the Pacific Ring of Fire. This large area goes all the way around the Pacific Ocean, from Asia to North and South America. It is an area with many earthquakes and volcanoes. California often gets earthquakes.
Many large faults, like San Andreas, run through the state. A fault is a crack between two tectonic plates, which are large pieces of the earth's crust. If the plates rub against each other, they cause an earthquake. California also has active volcanoes, like Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen. Drought, forest fires, landslides and flooding are other natural disasters in California.
California makes a big part of all the goods and services in the U.S. It makes and sells computers and electronics to other states and countries. It also has a high level of tourism and farming.
This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.