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CALIFORNIA - USA
California is a state located in the western
United States, bordering the Pacific Ocean. The most populous and third
largest state in the U.S., California is both physically and demographically
diverse. The state's official nickname is "The Golden State" (referring to
the golden brown color of much of the state during the summer), and its U.S.
Postal abbreviation is CA.
Southern California is highly populated, while the larger northern
California is less densely populated. The vast majority of the population
lives within 50 miles (80 km) of the Pacific Ocean.
The name comes from Las sergas de Espladián (Adventures
of Spladian), a 16th century novel, by Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo, where
there is an island paradise called California.
History
The first Europeans to explore the coast were Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo in
1542, followed by Francis Drake in 1579. Beginning in the late 1700s,
Spanish missionaries set up tiny settlements on enormous grants of land in
the vast territory north of Spanish (Baja) California proper. Upon Mexican
independence from Spain, the chain of missions became the property of the
Mexican government, and they were quickly dissolved and abandoned.
California was the name given to the northwestern part of the Spanish Empire
in North America. Following the Mexican-American War of 1847, the region was
divided between Mexico and the United States. The Mexican portion, Baja (lower)
California was later divided into the states of Baja California and Baja
California Sur. The American portion, Alta (upper) California became the U.S.
state of California in 1850.
In 1848, the Spanish-speaking population of distant upper California
numbered around 4,000. But after gold was discovered, the population
burgeoned with Americans and a few Europeans in the great California gold
rush. A California Republic was founded and the Bear Flag was flown that
featured a golden bear and a star. The Republic came to a sudden end when
Commodore John D. Sloat of the United States Navy sailed into San Francisco
Bay and claimed California for the United States. In 1850, the state was
admitted to the Union.
During the U.S. Civil War, popular support was divided between the North and
the South, and although California officially entered on the side of the
North, troops volunteered for both sides.
The connection of the far Pacific West to the eastern population centers
came in 1869 with the completion of the first transcontinental railroad. Out
West, residents were discovering that California was extremely well suited
to fruit cultivation and agriculture in general. Citrus, oranges in
particular, were widely grown, and the foundation was laid for the state's
prodigious agricultural production of today.
In the period from 1900 to 1965 the population grew from fewer than one
million to become the most populous state in the Union, sending the most
electors to the Electoral College to elect the President. From 1965 to the
present, this population completely changed and became one of the most
diverse in the world. The state is liberal-leaning, technologically and
culturally savvy, and a world center of engineering businesses, the film and
television industry and, as mentioned above, American agricultural
production.
Law and government
The Governor of California and the other state constitutional officers serve
four-year terms and may be reelected only once. The California State
Legislature consists of a 40 member Senate and 80 member Assembly. Senators
serve four year terms and Assemblymembers two. The terms of the Senators are
staggered so that half the membership is elected every two years. The
Senators representing the odd-numbered districts are elected in years evenly
divisible by four, i.e., presidential election years. The Senators from the
even-numbered districts are elected in the intervening even-numbered years,
in the gubernatorial election cycle.
For the 2003-2004 session, there are 48 Democrats and 32 Republicans in the
Assembly. In the Senate, there are 25 Democrats and 15 Republicans. The
current Governor is Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose current term
lasts through January 2007. Schwarzenegger was only the second person in the
history of the United States to be put into office by a recall of a sitting
Governor. Schwarzenegger replaced Governor Gray Davis (1999-2003) who was
removed from office by the October 2003 California recall election.
The state's capital is Sacramento. In California's early history, the
capital was located in Monterey (1775-1849), San Jose (1849-1851), Vallejo
(1852-1853), Benicia (1853-1854), and San Francisco (1862). The capital
moved to Sacramento temporarily in 1852 when construction on a State House
could not be completed in time in Vallejo. The capital moved to Sacramento
for good on February 25, 1854, except for a four-month temporary move in
1862 to San Francisco due to severe flooding in Sacramento.
At the national level, California is represented by two senators and 53
representatives. It has 55 electoral votes in the U.S. Electoral College.
California has the most Congressmen and Presidential Electors of any state.
The two U.S. Senators from California are Democrats Dianne Feinstein and
Barbara Boxer. Thirty Democrats and 20 Republicans represent the state in
the U.S. House of Representatives.
Geography
California borders the Pacific Ocean, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, and the
Mexican State of Baja California. The state has striking natural features,
including a huge fertile central valley, high mountains, and hot dry deserts.
With an area of 410,000 km² it is the third largest state in the U.S. Most
major cities cling to the cool, pleasant seacoast along the Pacific, notably
San Francisco, San Jose, Los Angeles and San Diego. The capital, however, is
Sacramento in the Central Valley.
California has many types of geography. Down the center of the state lies
the Central Valley, a huge, fertile valley bounded by the coastal mountain
ranges in the west, the Sierra Nevada to the east, the Cascade Range in the
north and the Tehachapi Mountains in the south. Mountain-fed rivers
naturally irrigate the Central Valley. With dredging, several of these
rivers have become sufficiently large and deep that several inland cities,
notably Stockton, California, are seaports.
In the center and east of the state are the Sierra Nevada, containing the
highest peak in the continental U.S., Mount Whitney, at 14,505 feet (4421
m). Also in the Sierra is the world famous Yosemite National Park and a deep
freshwater lake, Lake Tahoe. To the east of the Sierra is the Owens Valley
and Mono Lake, an essential seabird habitat.
In the south lie the Transverse Ranges and a large salt lake, the Salton
Sea. The south-central desert is called the Mojave. To the northeast of the
Mojave lies Death Valley, which contains the lowest, hottest point in North
America.
California is famous for its earthquakes due partly to the presence of the
San Andreas Fault. While more powerful earthquakes in the United States have
occurred in Alaska and along the Mississippi River, California earthquakes
are notable due to their frequency and location in highly populated areas.
Popular legend has it that, eventually, an earthquake known as "The Big One"
will result in the splitting of coastal California from the continent,
either to sink into the ocean or form a new landmass. The fact that this
scenario is completely implausible from a geologic standpoint does not
lessen its acceptance in public conventional wisdom, or its exploitation by
the producers of science fiction and fantasy media. Notable movies in which
the possible destruction of much of California by an earthquake includes the
titles Earthquake, A View to a Kill, and Superman.
California is also home to several volcanoes, some active such as Mammoth
Mountain. Other volcanoes include Lassen Peak, which erupted from 1914 and
1921.
Climate
Different regions of California have very different climates, depending on
their latitude, elevation, and proximity to the coast. Most of the state has
a Mediterranean climate, with rainy winters and dry summers. The influence
of the ocean generally moderates temperature extremes, creating cooler
summers and warmer winters, and the cold oceanic California Current offshore
often creates summer fog near the coast. As one moves away from the coast,
the climate becomes more continental, with hotter summers and colder winters.
Westerly winds from the ocean also bring moisture, and the northern parts of
the state generally receive higher rainfall than the south. California's
mountain ranges influence the climate as well; moisture-laden air from the
west cools as it ascends the mountains, dropping moisture; some of the
rainiest parts of the state are west-facing mountain slopes. Northwestern
California has a temperate climate with rainfall of 15-40 inches (38-102 cm)
per year. The Central Valley has a Mediterranean climate, but with greater
temperature extremes than the coastal areas. The high mountains, including
the Sierra Nevada, have a mountain climate with snow in winter and moderate
heat in summer.
On the east side of the mountains is a drier "rain shadow." California's
desert climate regions lie east of the high Sierra Nevada and southern
California's Transverse Ranges and Peninsular Ranges. The low deserts east
of the southern California mountains, including the Imperial and Coachella
valleys and the lower Colorado River, are part of the Sonoran Desert, with
hot summers and mild winters; the higher elevation deserts of eastern
California, including the Mojave Desert, Owens Valley, and the Modoc Plateau,
are part of the Great Basin region, with hot summers and cold winters.
Ecology
Ecologically, California is one of the richest and most diverse parts of the
world, and includes some of the most endangered ecological communities.
California's diverse geography, geology, soils and climate have generated a
tremendous diversity of plant and animal life. The state of California is
part of the Nearctic ecozone, and spans a number of terrestrial ecoregions,
and is perhaps the most ecologically diverse state in the United States.
California has a high percentage of endemic species. California endemics
include relict species that have died out elsewhere, including the redwoods
and the Catalina Ironwood (Lyonothamnus floribundus). Many other endemics
originated through differentiation or adaptive radiation, whereby multiple
species develop from a common ancestor to take advantage of diverse
ecological conditions. California's great abundance of species of California
lilac (Ceanothus) is an example of adaptive radiation. Many California
endemics have become endangered, as urbanization, logging, overgrazing, and
the introduction of exotic species have encroached on their habitat.
Economy
California is responsible for 14% of American gross domestic product, which
at nearly $1.4 trillion is greater than that of every country in the world
save for the United States, China, Japan, Germany, France and the United
Kingdom.
The predominant industry, more than twice as large as the next largest, is
agriculture, (including fruit, vegetables, dairy, and wine). This is
followed by aerospace; entertainment, primarily television by dollar volume,
although many movies are still made in California; and light manufacturing
including computer hardware and software, and the mining of borax.
Per capita income varies widely by geographic region and profession. The
Central Valley has the most extreme contrasts of income, with migrant farm
workers making less than minimum wage, contrasted with farmers who
frequently manage multimillion-dollar farms. Most farm managers are highly
educated, most with at least master's degrees. While cities include some of
the wealthiest per-capita areas in the U.S., notably Irvine in Orange County,
the non-agricultural central counties have some of the highest poverty rates
in the U.S. The high-technology sectors in Orange County and Silicon Valley,
in Santa Clara County are currently in a recession because of the dot.com
bust, but medical systems, video games and animation are taking up the slack.
Demographics
With a population of 33,871,648 as of 2000, California is the most populous
state in the U.S., and contributes 12% to the total U.S. population.
According to the census, California lacks a majority ethnic group. Whites
are still the largest group, but are no longer a majority of the population.
Hispanics make up almost one-third of the population; in order, other groups
are Asian Americans, African Americans, and Native Americans. Because of
high levels of immigration from Mexico and higher birth rates among the
Hispanic population, Hispanics are predicted to become a majority around
2040.
Important cities and towns
The state of California has many cities and the majority of these cities are
within one of nine total major metropolitan areas. The four largest are
coastal being Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, and San Francisco. The other
five are inland and consist of the Inland Empire (Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario),
Sacramento, Fresno, Bakersfield, and the Antelope Valley (Palmdale-Lancaster).
Population greater than 10,000,000 (urbanized area)
Los Angeles
Population greater than 1,000,000 (urbanized area)
Inland Empire
San Diego
San Francisco
San Jose
Sacramento
Population greater than 500,000 (urbanized area)
Bakersfield
Fresno
Population greater than 100,000 (urbanized area)
Antelope Valley
Stockton
Important suburbs
Anaheim
Berkeley
Glendale
Huntington Beach
Long Beach
Monterey
Oakland
Ontario
Palo Alto
Santa Ana
Riverside
San Bernardino
Education
Main article: List of colleges and universities in California
California's educational system is supported by a unique constitutional
amendment that requires 40% of state revenues to be spent on education.
The preeminent state university is the 9-campus University of California,
which employs more Nobel Prize winners than any other institution in the
world. The eight general campuses are in Berkeley, Los Angeles, Davis, Santa
Cruz, Santa Barbara, Irvine, Riverside, and San Diego. A ninth campus, in
San Francisco, teaches only health-sciences students. A tenth campus, in
Merced, is scheduled to open in 2005.[1] (http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/campuses/welcome.html)
The UC system is intended to accept students from the top 12.5% of college-bound
students, and provide most graduate studies and research. The University of
California also administers federal laboratories for the Federal Department
of Energy: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory, and Los Alamos National Laboratory.
The California State University system provides education for teachers, the
trades, agriculture and industry. With over 400,000 students, the CSU system
is the largest university system in the United States. It is intended to
accept most college-bound high-school students, while carrying out some
research, especially in applied sciences. Lower-division course credits are
frequently transferable to the University of California.
The California community college system provides vocational education,
remedial education, and continuing education programs. It awards
certificates and associate degrees. It also provides lower division general-education
courses, whose credit units are transferable to the CSU and UC systems. It
is composed of 109 colleges organized into 72 districts. The system serves a
student population of over 2.9 million.
Preeminent private institutions include Stanford University, the University
of Southern California (USC), and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
(which administers the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for NASA).
California has hundreds of private colleges and universities, including many
religious and special-purpose institutions. This leads to many unique
entertainment and educational opportunities for residents. For example,
Southern California, with one of the highest densities of post-secondary
institutions in the world, has a very large base of classically trained
vocalists that compete in large choir festivals. Near Los Angeles, there are
numerous art and film institutes, including the prestigious Academy of
Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the CalArts Institute.
Secondary education consists of high schools that teach elective courses in
trades, languages and liberal arts with tracks for gifted, college-bound and
industrial arts students. They accept students from roughly age 14 to 18,
with mandatory education ceasing at age 16. In many districts, junior high
schools teach electives with a strong skills-based curriculum, for ages from
11 to 13. Elementary schools teach pure skills, history and social studies,
with optional half-day kindergartens beginning at age 5. Mandatory full-time
instruction begins at age 6.
The primary schools are of varying effectiveness. The quality of the local
schools depends strongly on the local tax base, and the size of the local
administration. In some regions, administrative costs divert a significant
amount of educational monies from instructional purposes. In poor regions,
literacy rates may fall below 70%. One thing they all have in common is a
state mandate to teach fourth grade students about the history of
California, including the role of the early missions; most schools implement
this by requiring students complete a multiple medium project.
State symbols
State Mammal: California grizzly bear
State Bird: California Quail
State Colors: Blue and gold
State Capital: Sacramento
State Dance: West Coast Swing
State Fish: Golden trout
State Marine Fish: Garibaldi
State Reptile: Desert Tortoise
State Marine Mammal: Gray Whale
State Flower: California Poppy
State Fossil: Sabertooth cat
State Insect: California dogface butterfly
State Motto: "Eureka!"
State Song: "I Love You, California"
State Tree: California redwood
State Mineral: Gold
State Rock: Serpentine
State Soil: San Joaquin soil
State Gemstone: Benitoite
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