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Learn about California, the most populous and diverse state in the U.S., from its pre-Columbian origins to its modern economy and politics. Explore its regions, demographics, symbols, and more on this comprehensive encyclopedia article.
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California, constituent state of the United States of America. 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. No version of the origin of California’s name has been fully accepted, but there is wide support for the contention that it derived from an early 16th-century Spanish novel, Las sergas de Esplandián (“The Adventures of Esplandián”), that described a paradisiacal island full of gold and precious stones called California. The influence of the Spanish settlers of the 18th and 19th centuries is evident in California’s architecture and place-names. The capital is Sacramento.
California is bounded by the U.S. state of Oregon to the north, by the states of Nevada and Arizona to the east, by the Mexican state of Baja California to the south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. From the rainy northern coast to the parched Colorado Desert in the south, and from the Mediterranean-like central and southern littoral to the volcanic plateau of the far northeast, California is a land of stunning physical contrasts. 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.
The heartland of California is the Central Valley, which runs for 450 miles (725 km) through the centre of the state, forming a trough between the Coast Ranges to the west and the Sierra Nevada to the east. The valley is the state’s agricultural centre. Its single opening is the delta through which the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers drain into San Francisco Bay. The valley is sealed off by the Cascade Range to the northeast and by the Klamath Mountains to the northwest. 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. 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.
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Most of eastern California is desert. The sparsely settled northeastern corner of the state is a jumble of barren plains and mountains, as well as a volcanic plateau. 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 metres) 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.
The Sierra Nevada rises just to the west of the Trans-Sierra desert. The eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada is sheer, dropping some 10,000 feet (3,000 metres) within a 10-mile (16-km) stretch near Owens Lake. On the west the range slopes in gradually declining foothills toward the Central Valley, comprising the San Joaquin and Sacramento river valleys. From the wall that rises near Lassen Peak in the north, the Sierra Nevada extends south for 430 miles (700 km) to the fringes of Los Angeles. Aside from Mount Whitney (14,494 feet [4,418 metres] above sea level), 10 other peaks in the Sierra Nevada exceed 14,000 feet (4,200 metres) in elevation. East-west passes are few but high; some are found at more than 9,000 feet (2,700 metres) in elevation. There are three national parks in the Sierra Nevada: Kings Canyon, Sequoia, and Yosemite. The last, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1978, rises from the purplish foothills of the Mother Lode Country and extends through the ice-carved valleys of the Merced and Tuolumne rivers. Its valleys feature waterfalls and granite domes.
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Water is chronically scarce in southern California and the desert regions, but excesses of rain and snowmelt cause winter flooding along the rivers of the northern coast. Complex systems of dams and aqueducts transport water from north to south, but not without the protests of those who regard the export of water from their regions as a bar to future growth or as a threat to environmental balance. The Colorado River Aqueduct at the Arizona border carries water from that river across the southern California desert and mountains to serve the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The California State Water Project, launched in 1960, is the largest water-transfer system ever undertaken. It is designed to deliver water daily from the Feather River (a tributary of the Sacramento River) in north-central California to communities as far south as the Mexican border.
The largest lake of the Sierra Nevada is Lake Tahoe, astride the California-Nevada border at an elevation of 6,229 feet (1,899 metres). A mountain-ringed alpine lake about 193 square miles (500 square km) in area, it has among the world’s greatest average depth and a maximum depth of about 1,640 feet (500 metres). 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.
Learn about California, the most populous and diverse state in the United States, from its origin, geography, economy, and culture. Explore its natural wonders, cities, landmarks, and attractions with Britannica.
Plan your perfect getaway to California, the Ultimate Playground, with endless ways to play. Explore theme parks, food and drink, outdoor adventure, arts and culture, wine, beaches, and more in 12 regions.
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May 16, 2024 · Learn about the geography, history, and regions of California, the most populous and third largest state in the US. Explore maps of counties, cities, mountains, deserts, and more.
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Aug 6, 2024 · From popular cities like San Diego and San Francisco to nature escapes in Mammoth Lakes and Sequoia National Park, see which California spots made the list.
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