The map can be downloaded, printed and used for geography education purposes like map-pointing and coloring activities. California, nicknamed the Golden State, sits on the United States Western coast. Additionally, it extends southward to Mexico and is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west. One of the first U.S. cities to issue anti-discrimination ordinances on the basis of sexual preference was San Francisco, which had become a haven for gay men and lesbians in the years following World War II. Other California cities, including Los Angeles, also have significant gay and lesbian populations that are politically and culturally active. In May 2008, California’s Supreme Court overturned a ban on same-sex marriage.
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Many California endemics have become endangered, as urbanization, logging, overgrazing, and the introduction of exotic species have encroached on their habitat. Much of the state has a Mediterranean climate, with cool, rainy winters and dry summers. California is famous for earthquakes due to a number of faults, in particular the San Andreas Fault. It is vulnerable to tsunamis, floods, droughts, Santa Ana winds, wildfires, and landslides on steep terrain, and has several volcanoes, one of which, Lassen Peak, the southern-most volcano in the Cascade Range, last erupted in 1915. Explore theme parks, beaches, mountains, and other family-friendly California activities.
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. The central valley’s notable crops include tomatoes, cereals, citrus, tree fruits, nuts, and grapes. However, its large, concentrated population creates strains on its natural resources and challenges the state to solve its pressing needs for water, energy, and clean air. Tensions exist between those who value restoring California’s rivers to their wild state and those who want to harness the water for electricity, irrigation, and drinking water.
- In the far north the terrain is rugged and heavily forested, becoming wetter on the coastal side and drier and barren in the higher northeast.
- The low deserts east of the Southern California mountains experience hot summers and nearly frostless mild winters; the higher-elevation deserts of eastern California see hot summers and cold winters.
- More than 4,000 square miles (10,500 square km) of the desert lie below sea level, including the 300-square-mile (800-square-km) Salton Sea, a lake with no outlet that was created in 1905–07 when the nearby Colorado River broke out of its channel.
- For a calmer ride experience, try the Ferris wheel, or stroll along pretty palm tree-lined pathways in nearby Palisades Park for a stunning vista of the coastline framed by the Santa Monica Mountains.
- By 2007, California’s population was estimated at 36,553,215, making it the most populated state and the 13th fastest-growing state.
A facility known as “The Geysers,” located in the Mayacamas Mountains north of San Francisco, is the largest group of geothermal power plants in the world. In the southeast lies the Mojave Desert, which, at more than 25,000 square miles (65,000 square km), occupies one-sixth of the land area of California. 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. Vegetation includes the evergreen creosote bush, yucca, saltbush, burroweed, encelia, cottonwood, and mesquite. 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. With dredging, the Sacramento and the San Joaquin Rivers have remained deep enough for several inland cities to be seaports.
Book a stay at the divine San Ysidro Ranch, a 550-acre private enclave that’s tailor-made for total relaxation. You’ll want to trade your surfboard for a snowboard on a visit to Mammoth Mountain. The beloved ski resort is home to some of the best powder in the world, as well as one of the longest ski seasons in the U.S. Don’t feel intimidated if you’re a newbie, as the resort also houses a ski school for anyone who needs to brush up on their skills or take lessons. Stay at Outbound Mammoth, a revamped classic that’s equal parts rustic and charming, making for an ideal mountain getaway.
Redwood National Park
Elsewhere in the Sierra lie hundreds of smaller lakes, some above the timberline in regions of tumbled granite and smooth-walled canyons. West of the Sierra Nevada is Clear Lake; at 67 square miles (174 square km), it is the largest natural lake wholly within the state. On the eastern flank of the Sierra are Mono Lake and Owens Lake, both long endangered by agricultural development. 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.
In 2008, Californians passed Proposition 20 to empower a 14-member independent citizen commission to redraw districts for both local politicians and Congress. After the 2012 elections, when the new system took effect, Democrats gained four seats and held a 38–15 majority in the delegation. Following the 2018 midterm House elections, Democrats won 46 out of 53 congressional house seats in California, leaving Republicans with seven. The state’s trend towards the Democratic Party and away from the Republican Party can be seen in state elections.
Tectonic movement along the fault has caused massive earthquakes, including the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Separate fault systems in the Sierra Nevada and the Klamath Mountains are tectonically active as well. House, the Democrats held a 34–19 edge in the California delegation of the 110th U.S. As the result of gerrymandering, the districts in California were usually dominated by one or the other party, and few districts were considered competitive.
After 1850, when California was ratified as a state, the Capitol was also located in Vallejo, and Benicia before moving to Sacramento. In the 1879 Constitutional Convention, Sacramento was named to be the permanent State Capital. The Democrats also hold a supermajority in both houses of the state legislature. There are 62 Democrats and 18 Republicans in the Assembly; and 32 Democrats and eight Republicans in the Senate. Nearly all counties operate bus lines, and many cities operate their own city bus lines as well.
- Enjoy a boutique stay at The New Inn, which offers just five stunning villas for ultimate privacy.
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- To the east of the Sierra Nevada are Owens Valley and Mono Lake, an essential migratory bird habitat.
- According to the Cook Political Report, California contains five of the 15 most Democratic congressional districts in the U.S.
- 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.
Handling different data centers
Book a room at Edgewood, situated just over the border on the Nevada side, for a luxurious stay with lakeside views to boot. And no, we aren’t talking about Napa, but the southern part of the state’s wine region, Temecula. Located in southwestern Riverside County, this beautiful part of the state is home to some of the best wineries in the region, with nearly 50 area vineyards growing more than 30 varietals of wine. Enjoy a boutique stay at The New Inn, which offers just five stunning villas for ultimate privacy. The State of California is located in the western (Pacific) region of the United States.
Snag a room at the historic Inn at Death Valley, which dates to 1927 and counts Clark Gable and Marlon Brando among its famous former guests. Then, it’s time to head to San Diego, the place to be for a surf lesson (or two) and lounge session on the warm, sandy shore. Beach activities aside, the city offers a ton of other things to do, from tasting local IPAs at fantastic breweries to visiting the famed San Diego Zoo, one of the best zoos in the world. Book a stay at Pendry San Diego, which features a rooftop pool and city skyline views.
After this rail link was established, hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizens came west, where new Californians were discovering that land in the state, if irrigated during the dry summer months, was extremely well suited to fruit cultivation and agriculture in general. Vast expanses of wheat and other cereal crops, vegetables, cotton, and nut and fruit trees were grown (including oranges in Southern California), and the foundation was laid for the state’s prodigious agricultural production in the Central Valley and elsewhere. Just south of the Mojave Desert is the lower Colorado Desert, an extension of the Sonoran Desert, which begins in the Coachella Valley. The Colorado Desert descends to the Imperial Valley adjacent to the Mexican border. The valley is a heavily irrigated agricultural area known for its winter crops. More than 4,000 square miles (10,500 square km) of the desert lie below sea level, including the 300-square-mile (800-square-km) Salton Sea, a lake with no outlet that was created in 1905–07 when the nearby Colorado River broke out of its channel.
Located in the north-central part of the state in the Sacramento Valley is Sacramento – the capital and the 6th largest city of California. It serves as the administrative, political, financial, educational, health-care, and tourism center of the state. 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.
Land
In 1821, the Mexican War of Independence gave the Mexican Empire (which included California) independence from Spain. 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. The missions, which controlled most of the best land in the state, were california taxes are among the highest in the nation secularized by 1834 and became the property of the Mexican government.50 The governor granted many square leagues of land to others with political influence.
Most small cities have a council–manager form of government, where the elected city council appoints a city manager to supervise the operations of the city. Some larger cities have a directly elected mayor who oversees the city government. In many council-manager cities, the city council selects one of its members as a mayor, sometimes rotating through the council membership—but this type of mayoral position is primarily ceremonial. The Government of San Francisco is the only consolidated city-county in California, where both the city and county governments have been merged into one unified jurisdiction. The most prominent river system within California is formed by the Sacramento River and San Joaquin River, which are fed mostly by snowmelt from the west slope of the Sierra Nevada, and respectively drain the north and south halves of the Central Valley.
Central Valley
California is also home to such notable private universities as Stanford University, the University of Southern California, and the California Institute of Technology. California has hundreds of other private colleges and universities, including many religious and special-purpose institutions. California ranks third in the United States in petroleum refining capacity and accounts for more than one-tenth of total U.S. capacity.
In the 2016 U.S. presidential election, California had the third highest percentage of Democratic votes behind the District of Columbia and Hawaii.362 In the 2020 U.S. presidential election, it had the 6th highest behind D.C., Vermont, Massachusetts, Maryland, and Hawaii. According to the Cook Political Report, California contains five of the 15 most Democratic congressional districts in the U.S. The geographic area of a special district can spread across multiple cities or counties, or could consist of only a portion of one. Most of California’s special districts are single-purpose districts, and provide one service.
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The Los Angeles Area, the Bay Area, and the San Diego metropolitan area are among several major metropolitan areas along the California coast. Users will instantly receive messages with codes in a special chat inside Telegram. Located in the northern part of the state, Redwood National Park is home to some of the tallest trees in the world—a few are so large, you can actually drive through them. Stay in the park at one of the on-site campgrounds—both backcountry and developed spots are available—or in one of the delightfully charming Elk Meadow Cabins near the middle of the park. In the winter, the community becomes a snow-filled haven, much to the delight of skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts in Los Angeles, who can get here in under a two-hour drive. In summer, the area transforms into a lakeside paradise, so there’s no need to pick one or the other, as every season here is just as special.
California is also home to the second lowest and hottest place in the Western Hemisphere, Death Valley. The state’s widespread redistribution of water also invites the frequent scorn of environmentalists. To the east of the Sierra Nevada are Owens Valley and Mono Lake, an essential migratory bird habitat.
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