California - The golden state
California is a state spanning the southern half of the west coast of the mainland United States. With a population of thirty-seven million and an area of over 158,000 square miles, California is the largest state in population and the third largest in area.
The area was inhabited by Native Americans before European explorers started to make occasional visitations during the sixteenth century. Spain colonized the coastal areas of the territory starting in 1769 before it temporarily became part of Mexico after the Mexican War of Independence. At the beginning of the Mexican-American War which began in 1846, the state was captured by five hundred United State soldiers and sailors. Following the war, the area was bought by the United States. The Gold Rush of 1848 and 1849 brought about 90,000 additional United States immigrants into the state, and it became the thirty-first state of the United States in 1850.
California is known for its sunny and warm climate and has a reputation for being very casual and laid back compared to the East Coast of the United States. The state has an economy that is larger than all but seven national economies in the world. The state’s major predominant industries include agriculture, entertainment, light manufacturing, and tourism. California is also the home of several significant economic regions including Hollywood, which is recognized worldwide for entertainment. Other economic regions include the California Central Valley which is known for agriculture, the Silicon Valley known for computers and technology, and the Wine Country obviously known for wine production.
California is also famous for earthquakes due to the presence of a number of faults, in particular the San Andreas Fault. While powerful earthquakes in the United States have occurred in other states such as Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and Missouri , people are more aware of earthquakes in California due to their frequency and tendency to strike in highly populated areas. It is predicted that the state will someday be subjected to the “big one,” an earthquake high on the Richter scale that could totally devastate or wipe out the state.
California has eight of the top fifty most populated cities in the country. They are Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Long Beach, Fresno, Sacramento, and Oakland. The climate in the state varies in different regions. Most of the state has rainy winters and dry summers and temperatures rarely drop below freezing in the winter or rise above ninety in the summer. The hottest region in the state is Death Valley with temperatures reaching as high as 130 degrees Farenheit.
California is a great place to visit for its beaches, entertainment, and activities. If you are thinking of planning a vacation there, search for more information online or visit your local travel agent.