Long Beach is a city located in southern Los Angeles County, California, on the Pacific coast. It borders Orange County on its southeast edge. It is about 20 miles (30 km) south of downtown Los Angeles.

As of the 2000 census, the city population was 461,522. By 2006 its population is estimated to have increased to 490,166 . It is the 34th-largest city in the nation, 5th in California and 2nd in Los Angeles County (after Los Angeles). Long Beach is also the largest U.S. city that is not a county seat.

According to the 2000 US Census, Long Beach is the most ethnically diverse large city in the United States . For example, Long Beach has the second-largest population of Cambodians outside of Asia (after Paris), and the area along Anaheim St. is sometimes called "Little Phnom Penh". There are also sizable populations of African-Americans, Mexicans, Salvadorians and other Central Americans, Filipino Americans, Vietnamese Americans and other Asians. There is a small population of Pacific Islander Americans in Long Beach and the surrounding communities, especially Samoan Americans. There is also a significant population of gays and lesbians, with many gay-owned businesses along Broadway, 2nd Street and 4th Street between Downtown Long Beach and Belmont Shore.

Having an excellent harbor, it is one of the world's largest shipping ports and a year-round resort noted for its long, wide beaches and beautiful active marina. It has the largest municipally owned marina in the country with 3,400 slips. The city also has a large oil industry; oil (discovered in 1921) is found both underground and offshore. Manufactures include aircraft, automobile parts, electronic and audiovisual equipment, and home furnishings. It is also home to numerous regional, national, and world headquarters for major corporations such as Epson America, Molina Healthcare, Scan Health Care, and Polar Air Cargo. Long Beach grew with the development of high-technology and aerospace industries in the area.

The city draws 5.5 million visitors annually. The R.M.S. Queen Mary has been located in Long Beach since her retirement in 1967 and now serves as a hotel, convention center, and tourist attraction. The Aquarium of the Pacific, a world-class research facility, is a popular tourist destination.

Tourists are also drawn to Long Beach by the numerous annual events held in the city, which include music festivals, sports competitions, and cultural celebrations.

The Long Beach Grand Prix, an annual Champ Car race, takes place on city streets near the Convention Center and is one of the largest Grand Prix events in the world. It is the largest street race in the United States with an estimated 300,000 people watching the event in person every year over three days.

Long Beach is the location of the largest California State University, CSULB, and the headquarters of the California State University system. The city also has a Veterans Affairs hospital and is a major healthcare hub for the region.

Signal Hill is an incorporated city surrounded entirely by Long Beach.