California - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California California Coordinates: 37°N 120°W From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia i California ( /ˌkælɨˈfɔrnjə/) is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is the most populous State of California U.S. state,[11] home to 1 out of 8 Americans, and is the third largest state by area (after Alaska and Texas). It is home to the nation's second and fifth largest census statistical areas (Greater Los Angeles area and San Francisco Bay Area, respectively), and eight of the nation's 50 most populated cities (Los Angeles, San Flag Seal Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno, Sacramento, Nickname(s): The Golden State Long Beach, and Oakland). [12] The capital city is Sacramento. Motto(s): Eureka [1] California is bordered by Oregon to the north, Nevada to the east, and Arizona to the southeast. California is also bordered by Baja California, a state of Mexico, to the south. California's diverse geography ranges from the Pacific Coast in the west, to the Sierra Nevada in the east – from the Redwood–Douglas-fir forests of the northwest, to the Mojave Desert areas in the southeast. The center of the state is dominated by the Central Valley, a major agricultural area. California contains Official English both the highest and lowest points in the contiguous language(s) United States (Mount Whitney and Death Valley), and Spoken has the 3rd longest coastline of all states (after Alaska language(s) As of 2007 and Florida). Earthquakes are a common occurrence due to the state's location along the Pacific Ring of Fire: English only 57.4% [2] [2] about 37,000 are recorded annually. [13] Multilingual 32.8% Spanish or The name California once referred to a large area of Spanish Creole North America claimed by Spain that included much of or Ladino 28.5% [3] the modern-day Southwestern United States and the [3] Baja California peninsula. Beginning in the late 18th Chinese 2.8% [3] century, the area known as Alta California, comprising Tagalog 2.2% the California territory north of the Baja Peninsula, was Demonym Californian colonized by the Spanish Empire as part of New Spain. In 1821, Alta California became a part of Mexico Capital Sacramento following its successful war for independence. Shortly Largest city Los Angeles after the beginning of the Mexican-American War in Largest metro Greater Los Angeles Area 1846, a group of American settlers in Sonoma declared Area Ranked 3rd in the U.S. an independent California Republic in Alta California. - Total 163,696 sq mi Though its existence was short-lived, its flag became the (423,970 km 2) precursor for California's current state flag. American - Width 250 miles (400 km) victory in the war led to the Treaty of Guadalupe - Length 770 miles (1,240 km) Hidalgo, in which Mexico ceded Alta California to the - % water 4.7 United States. Western areas of Alta California became - Latitude 32° 32′ N to 42° N 1 of 34 California - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California the state of California, which was admitted as the 31st - Longitude 114° 8′ W to 124° 26′ W state on September 9, 1850. Population Ranked 1st in the U.S. [4] The California Gold Rush beginning in 1848 led to - Total 38,041,430 (2012 est) dramatic social and demographic change, with large - Density 242/sq mi (93.3/km 2) scale immigration from the U.S. and abroad and an Ranked 11th in the U.S. accompanying economic boom. Key developments in - Median US$61,021 (9th) the early 20th century included the emergence of Los household Angeles as the center of the American entertainment income industry, and the growth of a large, state-wide tourism Elevation sector. The late 20th century saw the development of the - Highest point Mount Whitney [5][6][7][8] technology and information sectors, punctuated by the 14,505 ft (4,421.0 m) growth of Silicon Valley (part of the San Francisco Bay - Mean 2,900 ft (880 m) Area). California's prosperous agricultural industry also - Lowest point Badwater Basin in emerged; at least half of the fresh fruit produced in the Death Valley [6][7] United States are now cultivated in California, and the −282 [9] ft (−86.0 m) state also leads in the production of vegetables. [14] Other important contributors to its economy include Before California Republic aerospace, education, and manufacturing. If California statehood were a country, as of 2012 it would have been the 9th Admission to September 9, 1850 (31st) Union largest economy in the world [15] and the 34th most populous nation. Governor Jerry Brown (D) Lieutenant Gavin Newsom (D)[10] Governor Legislature California State Legislature Contents - Upper house California State Senate - Lower house California State Assembly 1 Etymology 2 Geography U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D) 2.1 Climate Barbara Boxer (D) 2.2 Ecology U.S. House 38 Democrats, 15 Republicans 2.3 Flora and fauna delegation (list) 2.4 Rivers Time zones Pacific Time Zone 2.5 Regions - Standard time PST (UTC−8) 3 History - Summer time PDT (UTC−7) 3.1 19th century (DST) 3.2 20th century 4 Demographics Abbreviations CA, Calif. US-CA 4.1 Population Website www.ca.gov 4.1.1 Immigration (http://www.ca.gov/) 4.2 Racial and ancestral makeup 4.3 Languages 4.4 Armed forces California State symbols 5 Culture 5.1 Religion 6 Economy 6.1 State finances 7 Infrastructure 7.1 Energy 7.2 Transportation 2 of 34 California - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California 7.3 Water 8 Government and politics 8.1 State government 8.2 Politics 8.2.1 LGBT 9 Cities, towns and counties 10 Education 11 Sports 12 See also 13 Notes 14 References The Flag of California. 15 Further reading 16 External links Etymology Main article: Origin of the name California The word California originally referred to the entire region composed of the Baja California peninsula of Mexico, the current U.S. states of California, Nevada, and Utah, and parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Wyoming. The name California is most commonly believed to have derived from a fictional paradise peopled by Black Amazons and ruled by Queen Calafia.[16][17] The story The Seal of California. of Calafia is recorded in a 1510 work The Adventures of Esplandián , written as a sequel to Amadis de Gaula by Animate insignia Spanish adventure writer Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo. [18][19][20] The kingdom of Queen Calafia, according to Bird(s) California Quail Montalvo, was said to be a remote land inhabited by Fish Golden Trout griffins and other strange beasts, and rich in gold. Flower(s) California Poppy Grass Purple Needlegrass Insect California Dogface Butterfly Know ye that at the right hand of the Indies there is an island called California, very close Mammal(s) California grizzly bear (State Animal [1] to that part of the Terrestrial Paradise, which ) was inhabited by black women without a Reptile Desert Tortoise single man among them, and they lived in the Tree California Redwood manner of Amazons. They were robust of body with strong passionate hearts and great Inanimate insignia virtue. The island itself is one of the wildest in the world on account of the bold and Beverage Wine craggy rocks. Colors Blue & Gold Dance West Coast Swing — Chapter CLVII of The Adventures of 3 of 34 California - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California Esplandián [21] Fossil Sabre-toothed cat Gemstone Benitoite Mineral Native Gold The name California is the fifth oldest surviving Motto Eureka [1] European place-name in the US and was applied to what Rock Serpentine is now the southern tip of Baja California peninsula as Soil San Joaquin the Island of California by a Spanish expedition led by Diego de Becerra and Fortún Ximénez, who landed Song(s) "I Love You, California" there in 1533 at the behest of Hernán Cortés.[note 1] Tartan California State Tartan Geography Route marker(s) Main article: Geography of California California is the 3rd largest state in the United States in size, after Alaska and Texas.[23] In the middle of the state lies the California Central Valley, bounded by the coastal mountain ranges in the west, the Sierra Nevada to the east, the Cascade Range State Quarter in the north and the Tehachapi Mountains in the south. The Central Valley is California's agricultural heartland. Divided in two by the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, the northern portion, the Sacramento Valley serves as the watershed of the Sacramento River, while the southern portion, the San Joaquin Valley is the watershed for the San Joaquin River; both areas derive their names from the rivers that transit them. With Released in 2005 dredging, the Sacramento and the San Joaquin Rivers have remained sufficiently deep that several inland cities are seaports. Lists of United States state insignia The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta serves as a critical water supply hub for the state. Water is routed through an extensive network of canals and pumps out of the delta, that traverse nearly the length of the state, including the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project. Water from the Delta provides drinking water for nearly 23 million people, almost two-thirds of the state's population, and provides water to farmers on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley. The Channel Islands are located off the southern coast. The Sierra Nevada (Spanish for "snowy range") includes the highest peak in the contiguous forty-eight states, Mount Whitney, at 14,505 feet (4,421 m).