California

California
flag	seal of California
other Federal States
base data
pointed name:	The golden State of (The golden State)
capital:	Sacramento
largest city:	Of Los Angeles
surface
Rank (within the USA):	3
altogether:	410,000 km ²
country:	404,298 km ²
water (%):	20,047 km ² (4.72%)
inhabitant
rank (within the USA):	1
altogether (2004):	35.893.799
density:	88 E./km ²
member state
place:	31
since:	9. September 1850
geography
time belt:	Pacific: UTC 8-7
degree of latitude:	32°30'N to 42°N
degree of longitude:	114°8'W to 124°24'W
broad:	402.5 km
length:	1,240 km
highest situation:	4,418 m
average situation:	884 m
deepest situation:	-86 m
politics
governor:	Arnold Schwarzenegger
abbreviations
postal:	APPROX.
officially:
ISO 3166-2:	US-CA

California (English California) is the US Federal State most densely populated with distance. It lies in the west of the USA, borders on the Pacific ocean, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona and the Mexican State of Baja California on the peninsula Niederkalifornien.

Table of contents 1 the name California of 2 cities 3 population 4 politics 5 of national park 6 Geografie 7 climate 8 history of 9 largest cities of 10 partner countries 11 economics 12 see also 13 Web on the left of

„welcomes in California “

the name California

the name California has a mythischen origin. 1510 published the Spaniard Ordones de Montalvo a novel, in which an island of full gold occurs named California, inhabited from beautiful Amazonen, which are controlled by queen Califia. When Cortés' soldiers came 1535 to Baja California, they, it believed an island was, and designated it after Montalvos book.

cities

Los Angeles

the capital of California is since 1854 Sacramento. The most important cities are Los Angeles, the second largest city of the USA and with the surrounding population centre one the largest Metropolregionen of the earth, and San Francisco, the center of the densely populated area San Francisco Bay AREA around the bay ofSan Francisco, San Francisco Bay.

Further important cities are San Diego, San Jose, Oakland, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Anaheim, Santa Ana and San Bernardino.

population

California is with 35.893.799Inhabitants (conditions: 2004) the most densely populated and surface-moderately the third biggest Federal State of the USA. The population structure builds itself up as follows: 46.7% white, 32.4% Hispanics, 10.9% Asians, 6.7% black and Afro American, 1.0% Indian, 0.3% Hawaiian. There are 11.502.870 households. The Pro-Kopf-Einkommen amounts to 29,707 US Dollar (conditions: 2002).

politics

governor of the Federal State are since 2003 a Filmschauspieler Arnold Schwarzenegger originating from Austria, which belongs to the republican party.

national park

in California gives it 26 of national park. With distance is the Yosemite national park usually-visited; as further well-known of national park are among other things the Death Valley national park, the Joshua Tree national park, the letting volume CAN IC leaving, the Redwood national park, the Sequoia and Kings Canyon national park to call as well as the Channel Iceland national park.

to Geografie

Pacific coast with bend Sur

Mojave desert

Mt. Whitney

California is to the San Andreas distortion in such a way specified because of the seam of two tectonic plates , why it comes in the entire region frequently to earthquakes.

Twopowerful mountain courses pull California through von Nordosten after southwest: the coastal mountains in the west and the Sierra Nevada in the east. Thus the country is divided into six physically different parts:

• Between the two mountain courses the Sacramento and San Joaquinbecken, that lieafter its two main rivers is designated and between 35° and 40°40' northern latitude lies; the area is about 77,000 km ² largely
• the coastal line enclosure about 109,000 km ²; the rivers rising in the coastal chains are briefly and usually also only to Rain time available: most importantly are too gradual the Salinas flowing with Monterey , the Gayama (or also Santa Maria) and
• the Santa Ana that about 100,000 km ² large area of the Sierra Nevada in the east of the State of, that to the west andeastward too steeply that
• drops about 20,000 km ² comprehensive Flussbecken of the Klamath, north 41. Degree of latitude convenient, rau and of deep Canyon pulled through is
• the area of the large, between the Columbia, the Colorado and the SierraNevada of lying basin on the eastern side, whose California part is large about 50,000 km ²; it represents a dried up, wild-fissured Hochebene, in which in the County Inyo the death valley (Death valley) lies.
• At the southwest border the Coloradowüste, those about39,000 km ² enclosure and the remainder of an original sea bay is, which is now up to 100 m under the sea level.

The Tularesee lies in the Sacramento and San Joaquin basin, which it locks at the same time in the south. At the rain time it is about 150km long, however so flat that one through-wades it everywhere can.

California is also well-known as the fruit garden America, whose climate is ideal for the cultivation of grapes/clusters , oranges , lemons and Avocados.

The highest mountain of the USAoutside of Alaska, the Mt. Whitney (4,418   m), lies in California. At the foot of the mountain is the place Lone Pine, in which a well-known film festival takes place annually. Into approximately 170 kilometers distance is the desert area Death Valley (valley of theDeath), which got its name in the time of the first settlers at the west coast, who had to experience pretty often the agonies of heat and thirst, if they crossed „the valley of death “. There are numerous nature parks and beaches more differentlyCondition. Among the most well-known parks the Yosemite national park ranks.

Near the Yosemite park is the winter sports area Mammoth Mountain. It developed from enormous Vulkankratern, whereby itself countless hot and also cold sources and Geysire let regard. Not far removes fromMt. Whitney gives it some salzhaltige seas, among other things to the mono Lake.

climate

the climate in California can be divided in three zones:

• At the coast the temperatures are by the influencethe quite cool Pacific causes lower than inside the country. In the north there are often rainy winters. In addition fog in the summer, which provides accordingly for cooler temperatures often, comes.
• In mountains like the Sierra Nevada becomes it in the summeroften quite hot, due to the altitude the temperatures drop after sunset however fast. In the winter must be gerechnt with very large snow quantities.
• In the desert it is the whole year during the day usually sunny and warmly, at night cools it howeververy strongly off.

From the mild climate profits under other Los Angeles.

history

after the landings of Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo in the year 1542 and Sir Francis Drake in the year 1579 lost European colonial powers the area of thetoday's US Federal State California again as far as possible from the eyes. Afterwards California was as upper California (Alta California) the northern part of the Spanish colony California (as part of new Spain one administered), however only many later than the south part was settled. Only offunder the line of the Paters Junipero Serra first of the 21 Spanish mission stations was built for the year 1769 by Franziskanermönchen, beside this established one also militarily fastened points (Presidios). Already Jesuiten were with the Missionierung busy, them before became however1767 drove out.

1812 was established to Ross a Russian base in the today's Sonoma County in northern California also away as continuation and rounding of the Russian possessions in Alaska. After the separationthe two parts of California of Spain in the year 1823 the country was integrated as province of in the meantime independent Republic of Mexico. The Mexican government returned again to the mission system, until the democratic party the mission nature to 17. March 1833 by decreecompletely dissolved and tries. Settling was promoted at the same time by a substantial immigration. The first immigrants were sold however after the accession Santa Anna, who the mission stations to receive wanted, again. These events put the foundation-stone for the animosity for many decadesbetween California and the Mexican government. 1836 broke loose a rebellion under früherern the customs inspector Alvaredo , which had to be finally confirmed of the ohnmächtigen government of Mexico as a governor of California. In the meantime Johann August Sutter had after its arrival in the year1839 dynamics brought into the development of the country. At this time the country counted about 30,000 Indians and 5,000 Europeans as an inhabitant.

1842 set Santa off Anna governor Alvaredo, who was hated as a the poet with the population, and made general Michel Torena to the new governor, who was just as unpopular however soon as its predecessor. In the spring 1846 the inhabitants of upper California revolted and selected Don José Castro, a born Kalifornier, to the commander of general. Sutter received the grant to build an address,which it gave the name „new Helvetien “. From it a flourishing colony with 20.000 pieces cattle, three horse mills, two Wassermühlen, a sawing mill, a tannery and over 50 houses became fast. Sutter prevailed like a small „emperor “over its„Imperium “, which was developed on agriculture, cattle breeding, wood trade and hunt. 1841 it acquired away Ross of Russia. It lost its possessions few years later in the course of gold fever.

1845 annektierten the USA Texas, which to a very strained relationshipwith Mexico led. During the Mexican-American war a Spanish-upper-California junta on Veranlassung of the US-American consul Larkin in Monterrey 1846 proclaimed the independence from Mexico. But still during the question of the connection to the USA or a European state were discussed,US-American settlers proclaimed a Gegenrepublik, which subjected the whole country with the help of 1846 penetrated US troops after the arrival of John Fremont.

In the year 1848, Niederkalifornien was the Mexicans straight by the contract of Guadalupe Hidalgo (2. February 1848) taken, became a gold find admits - California gold fever. Sutter tried to keep this secret but the message spread rapidly. Goldsucher and luck knights came in large number to California, which contributed to the fact that the public order broke down to a large extent.Hundredthousands through-rooted the earth, the valley of the Sacramento „the golden “west had become. Finally the government recognized the illegitimate conditions on, since so the USA had become an important gold export country. The Indians were sold and exterminated nearly completely.

To9. September 1850 was finally taken up California as state non-slave-holding to the USA. During the civil war California held itself to the union, however practically no role played because of the large distance to the theater of war. 1854 were appointed Sacramento the capital by California.

largest cities

city	County	inhabitant of 1.4.2000	inhabitants 1.7.2004
of Los Angeles	Los Angeles	3.694.820	3.845.541
San Diego	San Diego	1.223.400	1.263.756
San Jose	Santa Clara	894,943	904,522
San Francisco	San Francisco	776,733	744,230
Long Beach	Los Angeles	461.522	476,564
Fresno	Fresno	427,652	457,719
Sacramento	Sacramento	407,018	454,330
Oakland	Alameda	399,484	397,976
Santa Ana	orange	337,977	342,715
Anaheim	orange	328,014	333,776
Riverside	Riverside	255,166	288,384
Bakersfield	core	247,057	283,936
stick clay/tone	San Joaquin	243,771	279,888
Fremont	Fremont	203,413	202,373
Glendale	Los Angeles	194,973	201,326
Huntington Beach	orange	189,594	195,305
Modesto	Stanislaus	188,856	206,769
San Bernardino	San Bernardino	185,401	198,406
Chula Vista	San Diego	173,556	204,879
Oxnard	Ventura	170,358	183,587
guards Grove	orange	165,196	167,347
Oceanside	San Diego	161,029	167,438
Ontario	San Bernardino	158,007	170,057
Santa Clarita	Los Angeles	151,088	164,800
Salinas	Monterey	151,060	148,183
Pomona	Los Angeles	149,473	155,448
Santa pink	Sonoma	147,595	153,636
Irvine	orange	143,072	178,317
Moreno Valley	Riverside	142,381	166,290
Hayward	Hayward	140,030	140,795
gate-climbs	Los Angeles	137.946	142,841
Pasadena	Los Angeles	133,936	144,068
Escondido	San Diego	133,559	135,462
Sunnyvale	Santa Clara	131,760	128,012
Fontana	San Bernardino	128,929	158,715
orange	orange	128,821	133,819
Rancho Cucamonga	San Bernardino	127,743	159,346
filler clay/tone	orange	126,003	133,439
Corona	Riverside	124,966	145.398
Concord	versus Costa	121,780	124,328
Lancaster	Los Angeles	118,718	128,928
Thousand Oaks	Ventura	117,005	125,054
Vallejo	Solano	116,760	118,349
Palmdale	Los Angeles	116,670	131,153
El Monte	Los Angeles	115,965	122,123
Inglewood	Los Angeles	112,580	115,313
Simi Valley	Ventura	111,351	118.893
Costa Mesa	orange	108,724	110,411
Downey	Los Angeles	107,323	110,318
west Covina	Los Angeles	105,080	108,668
Daly town center	San Mateo	103,621	100,620
Norwalk	Los Angeles	103,298	106,683
Berkeley	Alameda	102,743	101,517
Santa Clara	Santa Clara	102,361	104,001
San Buenaventura	Ventura	100.916	104,068
Burbank	Los Angeles	100,316	104,114
smelling moon	versus Costa	99,216	102,318
Elk Grove	Sacramento	--¹	100,760
South gate	Los Angeles	96,375	99,627
Fairfield	Solano	96,178	103,949
El Cajon	San Diego	94,869	93,987
Compton	Los Angeles	93,493	96,235
mission Viejo	Orange	93,102	96,253
San Mateo	San Mateo	92,482	91,275
Santa Barbara	Santa Barbara	92,325	87,370
Rialto	San Bernardino	91,873	99,659
Visalia	Tulare	91,565	104,655
Antioch	versus Costa	90,532	100,923
Roseville	Roseville	79,921	103,609

¹ formation of the city at the 1. July2000

partner countries

the German Free State of Bavaria are partner country of California.

economics

with 14% of the annually gained gross inland product (largely domestic product) of the USA places Californiaone of the most important economic situations of the country. As of the USA detached member state would be California world-wide the sixth-largest economic power (2003) still before Canada. In particular the south weather-favoured for the industrielle agriculture and the there catchment area cheap Mexican agricultural worker helpCalifornia to this prosperity.

However the water supply requires large efforts. Enormous artificial lakes at the rivers in the neighbour state Arizona, canal constructions (with lengths as between Hamburg and Munich) east of north after south and the aquaducts of that that Sierra Nevada convenient lakes and meltwater supplying mountain snow glaciers comes here great importance. Since likewise for neighbour states (Arizona , Nevada) from them which are entitled the natural resources want to draw, the agriculture turns out increasingly under pressure. Nature protection editions continue to increase this.

see also

• north California, south California
• universities in California
• list of the cities in California
• list of the Countys in California
• list of the governors of California

Web on the left of

• official side of California
• California Tourism - California tourism office
• California Dreaming -A PowerPoint project to country, culture and people a contribution with teacher-on-line (author: Briefly Ludwig's)