Yosemite National Park, located in the Sierra Nevada, offers iconic landscapes and outdoor recreational activities. The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco remains a prominent architectural marvel. Coastal destinations like Malibu and Santa Monica attract visitors with their beaches and pier attractions. You may download, print or use the above map for educational, personal and non-commercial purposes. For any website, blog, scientific research or e-book, you must place a hyperlink (to this page) with an attribution next to the image used.
Santa Cruz
- With the Coachella Valley hosting the famous music festival and Palm Springs being a renowned resort city, this region offers both luxury and wild, open spaces.
- Natural gas-fired power plants typically account for more than one-half of state electricity generation.
- Along the coast north of the Tehachapi Mountains, the population becomes sparser, though the central coastal region has grown rapidly since the 1990s.
Both the highest and lowest points in the 48 conterminous states are in the state of California—Mount Whitney and Death Valley, respectively. The former is the culminating summit of the Sierra Nevada, one of the major mountain ranges of North America. It encompasses approximately 163,696 square miles, making it the third-largest state by area. The state stretches from the Pacific Ocean to the Sierra Nevada mountain range, and from the southern Mojave Desert to the dense forests of the northern Coast Ranges. Southern California’s dense settlement lies along a coastal plateau and in valleys ranging from about 10 to 60 miles (16 to 100 km) inland.
State seal
The Anza expedition selected numerous sites for missions, presidios, and pueblos, which subsequently would be established by settlers. Gabriel Moraga, a member of the expedition, would also christen many of California’s prominent rivers with their names in 1775–1776, such as the Sacramento River and the San Joaquin River. After the expedition, Gabriel’s son, José Joaquín Moraga, would found the pueblo of San Jose in 1777, making it the first civilian-established city in California.
The region also boasts the breathtaking beauty of Big Sur, a rugged coastline that has inspired countless artists, writers, and travelers. The stunning beach views of cities like San Luis Obispo and overall chill vibes define this region. The above outline map represents the State of California, located in the western (Pacific) region of the United States.
San Luis Obispo
In the south the Central Valley is closed off by the transverse ranges, most notably the Tehachapi Mountains, which are regarded as a dividing wall between southern and central California. The coast is the most populated region in the state, home to approximately 68% of all Californian residents. The coastal region consists of sandy beaches, wetlands, and plains originating from various major rivers. The climate is fairly moderate, although the northern coast is slightly cooler, foggier, and rainier. Due to these higher amounts of rain, Coastal Redwoods, California’s iconic conifer, flourish in this region.
In the east-central region is the Trans-Sierra desert, which extends along the sheer east escarpment of the Sierra Nevada range and comprises part of the vast interstate Great Basin of the Basin and Range Province. The Trans-Sierra desert ranges from 2,000 to 7,400 feet (600 to 2,300 meters) above sea level. Its largest towns are in the Owens Valley, which was a fertile farmland until its groundwater flow was diverted to Los Angeles through a mammoth series of conduits built in 1908–13. California boasts an abundance of mountains, with the Sierra Nevada Range spanning the California-Nevada border for 400 miles (600 kilometers).
Cities and towns
The agricultural heartland of California, the Central Valley provides a significant portion of the nation’s fruits, vegetables, and nuts. This expansive flat region stretches nearly 450 miles, bordered by the Sierra Nevada to the east and the Coast Ranges to the west. Despite its urban hubs, the california tax brackets 2023 Central Valley retains a rural charm and is deeply connected to the land. California’s history encompasses indigenous cultures, colonial periods, and rapid development. Indigenous peoples, including the Chumash, Miwok, and Yurok, inhabited the region for thousands of years before European contact. Spanish explorers claimed California in the 16th century, establishing missions and settlements by the 18th century.
- Its landmarks are broad basins and eroded mountains, fault blocks, and alluvial surfaces, most of which are more than 2,000 feet (600 meters) above sea level.
- For the next 25 years, Alta California remained a remote, sparsely populated, northwestern administrative district of the newly independent country of Mexico, which shortly after independence became a republic.
- Mexico inherited control after its independence in 1821, maintaining governance until the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ceded California to the United States following the Mexican-American War.
- Light rail systems are also found in San Jose (VTA light rail), San Diego (San Diego Trolley), Sacramento (SacRT light rail), and Northern San Diego County (Sprinter).
To the east of the Sierra Nevada are Owens Valley and Mono Lake, an essential migratory bird habitat. In the western part of the state is Clear Lake, the largest freshwater lake by area entirely in California. The Sierra Nevada falls to Arctic temperatures in winter and has several dozen small glaciers, including Palisade Glacier, the southernmost glacier in the United States.
California is a land of breathtaking beauty and diverse landscapes, stretching from the Pacific Ocean to the Sierra Nevada mountains. Come experience the warmth of the Golden State spirit — where all dreams are welcome. It was admitted as the 31st state of the union on September 9, 1850, and by the early 1960s it was the most populous U.S. state. The influence of the Spanish settlers of the 18th and 19th centuries is evident in California’s architecture and place-names. In the United States House, the Democrats held a 34–19 edge in the California delegation of the 110th United States Congress in 2007.
Explore California’s 12 Regions
In 1812, the Russian-American Company established a trading post and small fortification at Fort Ross on the North Coast.4647 Fort Ross was primarily used to supply Russia’s Alaskan colonies with food supplies. The settlement did not meet much success, failing to attract settlers or establish long term trade viability, and was abandoned by 1841. The Central Coast stretches between Los Angeles and San Francisco and offers a blend of stunning seascapes, wineries, and historic missions.
The state’s crude oil and natural gas deposits are located in the Central Valley and along the coast, including the large Midway-Sunset Oil Field. Natural gas-fired power plants typically account for more than one-half of state electricity generation. California has long been a subject of interest in the public mind and has often been promoted by its boosters as a kind of paradise.
The 15 highest mountain peaks of California
The Central Valley stretches over 400 miles, ranging from Bakersfield to Redding, with mountains bordering it on either side. The Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers drain water from the low-lying areas, dumping it into the San Francisco Bay, which ultimately prevents the valley from developing swamp-like conditions. As a result, this land is extremely fertile and the climate mild, producing one-fourth of the country’s food.
It is also the cultural, and economic hub of the larger Sacramento Metropolitan Area. Situated in Southern California is Los Angeles – the largest and the most populous city in California. The city of Los Angeles has been designated as a global city and is considered to be a leader in the technology, science, entertainment, and medicine industry. Incorporated cities and towns in California are either charter or general-law municipalities.161 General-law municipalities owe their existence to state law and are consequently governed by it; charter municipalities are governed by their own city or town charters. Municipalities incorporated in the 19th century tend to be charter municipalities.
Sacramento is the state capital, situated in the northern part of the Central Valley. With a population of approximately 39 million people, California is the most populous state in the country. The capital of California, Sacramento, is situated in the northern part of the state, while Los Angeles, California’s most populated city, sprawls along the southern Pacific coast.
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