| Capital city | Sacramento |
| Population | 39,538,223 (2020) |
| Surface | 423,970 km² |
| Governor | Gavin Newsom (D) |
| Member of the US since | 1850 |
California (English: California) is one of the 50 states of the United States. California is located in the southwestern United States. In terms of population, California is the largest state in the United States with no less than 39.5 million inhabitants. After Alaska and Texas, California is also the largest state in terms of area. California’s abbreviation is CA and the state’s nickname is The Golden State. The bear is the symbol of the state and can also be found on the flag. The capital of California is Sacramento. California is bordered to the north by Oregon and to the east by Nevada and Arizona, to the south by the Mexican state of Baja California and to the west by the Pacific Ocean. California was originally part of the Spanish colony of New Spain and then of the Mexican province of Alta California. Spanish and Mexican culture can still be found in the state. After the Mexican-American War, California was handed over to the United States. Around the same time, gold was found in California, leading to migration and the gold rush. California was incorporated as the 31st state in 1850 as a result of the Compromise of 1850. Since then, the state grew into one of the richest states in the country. California is internationally known for its beaches, beach culture, Hollywood movies, the Disneyland theme park and Silicon Valley technology. It is also the state where many movie stars and millionaires live. In addition, the state still has extensive and diverse nature reserves. Besides entertainment and technology, agriculture, communication and tourism are also important sectors. The state features several world cities, such as Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco.
Population
How many counties in California? The State of California comprises 58 counties. California has a population of 38,802,500. This makes it the largest state in the United States by population. About 38% of the population is Hispanic. Hispanics come from Latin America and usually speak Spanish (or Portuguese). Mostly Mexicans live in California.
Language
Many different languages are spoken throughout California. The official language is English. That’s what most people say too. Other languages spoken include Spanish, Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean and more. These languages are mainly spoken by immigrants.
Largest Cities in California
San Francisco, one of California’s most famous cities
The 10 largest cities in California:
| Name | Inhabitants | County | |
| 1. | Los Angeles | 3,849,378 | Los Angeles County |
| 2. | San Diego | 1.256.951 | San Diego County |
| 3. | San Jose | 929,936 | Santa Clara County |
| 4. | San Francisco | 744,041 | San Francisco County |
| 5. | Fresno | 494,665 | Fresno County |
| 6. | Sacramento | 466,488 | Sacramento County |
| 7. | Long Beach | 462.257 | Los Angeles County |
| 8. | Oakland | 390,724 | Alameda County |
| 9. | Bakersfield | 347,483 | Kern County |
| 10. | Anaheim | 336.265 | Orange County |
Nature
Yosemite National Park
There is a lot of nature in California. This is how sequoias grow here. Those are the tallest trees in the world. The largest ever was 115.5 meters. That is three meters higher than the Dom of Utrecht. The California coast also attracts many visitors. A large part of the coast consists of high rocks. There is a road here called California State Route 1. The road’s nickname is the Pacific Coast Highway. This road is known for its beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean (called the Pacific in English). Another place that many people go to is Yosemite. Sequoias grow in this national park. The trees are a bit smaller here. You have different types of sequoias. Yosemite also has many waterfalls. If it has snowed a lot in winter, the waterfalls give a lot of water. Otherwise not. Lake Tahoe is a lake on the border of California and Nevada. This is one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. When it’s summer and it’s hot at the lake, you can still see snow on the peaks around the lake. People often take a trip on the lake via a radar boat. Lake Tahoe’s most famous spot is Emerald Bay. The water here has the color of an emerald. In addition to all this, California also consists of a large part of desert. In addition to California, the Mojave Desert is also located in Nevada, Arizona and a small part of Utah. The famous gambling city of Las Vegas is located in this desert. There are also many ghost towns in the mojave. Gold prospectors used to live there. Along the highways that run through the desert are a few small villages, such as Barstow. Also in the desert is a research center with a very strange name, Zzyzx. Death Valley is also located in the Mojave. This is one of the warmest places on Earth. The world record for the warmest temperature on earth, 56.7 °C, has been set here. The two main rivers are the Sacramento River and the San Joaquin River. They flow into the Pacific Ocean through San Francisco Bay. Two other major rivers are the Klamath River in the north, and the Colorado River. That’s the same river that carved the Grand Canyon.
