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Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California, located 28 miles southeast of Los Angeles. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 328,014, making it the tenth-largest city in California and 55th-largest in the United States. Anaheim is the second largest city in Orange County and is known for its theme parks, sports teams, and convention center.

Founded by fifty German families in 1857 and incorporated on February 10, 1870, Anaheim developed into an industrial center, producing electronics, aircraft parts, and canned fruit. It is the site of the Disneyland Resort, a world-famous grouping of theme parks and hotels which opened in 1955, Angel Stadium, the Arrowhead Pond, and Anaheim Convention Center, the largest convention center on the American West Coast. Its name is a blend of "Ana", after the nearby Santa Ana River, and "heim", a common Upper German place name compound originally meaning "home". Previously, the settlement was known as Campo Alemán (Spanish for German Camp).

 - Total (1/1/2006)
 - Density

311,824
843.4/km²

Latitude
Longitude

35°21'26' N
119°1'54' W

Bakersfield is the county seat of Kern County, California, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 247,057. The city's economy thrives on agriculture, petroleum extraction, and refining. It is one of the fastest growing of the larger cities of the United States. As of 2006 the population is estimated near 400,000 according to local municipal sources. It is California's third largest inland city after Fresno and Sacramento.

Concord is a city in Contra Costa County, California, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 121,780. Until 1995 the city was the eastern terminus of the Concord line of Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) commuter train system; it has since been extended eastward to Pittsburg/Bay Point and the Concord line is now the Pittsburg/Bay Point - Daly City Line. Concord has been primarily a bedroom community over the last forty years, but during the last decade corporations such as ChevronTexaco and Bank of America have established extensive back-office operations there, diversifying the local economy.

Concord is also the home of the annual Concord Jazz Festival and the Concord Records jazz record label.

Concord's Mount Diablo High School is home to several acclaimed California academies, specifically the Digital Safari, a three-year program involving the integration of multimedia with the core curriculum through integrated, project-based learning. The headquarters of the Kabul Soccer Club is located in Concord.

Concord's De La Salle High School is home for the record winning streak of 151 games set by the football team between 1992 and 2004. During that span, De La Salle won 12 California North Coast sectional championships, and was named national champion five different times (once by ESPN, four times by USA Today).

Jazz musician Dave Brubeck was born in Concord, as was actor Tom Hanks, Olympic gold-medalist Natalie Coughlin and mixed martial artist Gil Castillo.

Concord is also home to the 11 time World Champion Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps. The corps is made up of talented musicians from around the world. The Concord Blue Devils are the most decorated drum and bugle corps in the history of Drum Corps International.

Corona is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 124,966; a 2004 special census put the fast-growing city's population at 144,274. The city of Norco lies to the northeast, Chino Hills and Yorba Linda to the west, and the Cleveland National Forest to the southwest; unincorporated areas of Riverside County line all of its other borders. It is served by the Corona, Chino Valley, and Riverside freeways, as well as the 91 Line of the Metrolink commuter rail system.

Corona was founded at the height of the Southern California citrus boom in 1896, advantageously situated at the upper end of the Santa Ana River Canyon, the only significant pass through the Santa Ana Mountains. It derived its name (and its nickname, The Circle City) from the curious layout of its streets, with a standard grid enclosed by the circular Grand Boulevard. Prior to the 1980s, Corona was a largely agricultural community, dominated by citrus orchards, ranches, and dairy farms. Sky-high real estate prices in Los Angeles and Orange counties made the area's cheap land desirable to developers and industrialists, and by the late 1990s it was considered a major suburb of Los Angeles. In recent years, Corona has changed from a working-class bedroom community for Orange County and the larger cities of the Inland Empire to a full-fledged edge city in its own right, with industrial parks opening near Norco and luxury housing developments rising in the foothills of the Santa Anas. The development of commerce and industry in the city has been accelerated by congestion on the Riverside Freeway, with many firms leaving northern Orange County to be closer to their employees' homes in Corona and Riverside. The construction of the Chino Valley Freeway nearby has also linked Corona to the Pomona and San Gabriel valleys, with the result that the once largely white and Latino city has experienced an influx of Asian-American residents who commute to Asian-oriented businesses in cities such as Alhambra and Diamond Bar. As with the rest of the Inland Empire, Corona has also experienced an influx of African Americans fleeing the continued decline of traditionally black areas of South Los Angeles. The city of Corona has four main high schools: Santiago, Corona, Centennial, and Buena Vista. One of Corona's major employers is the Fender Musical Instrument Corporation's main factory, which produces the U.S.-made models in the company's storied line, and also contains Fender's guitar and amplification custom shops. Corona is also the home of the Golden Cheese Company of California, and the Fender Center for Music Education, more commonly known as the Fender Museum.

Corona was also home to the Corona road race, a Grand Prix race in the early 20th Century.

Escondido is a city located in northern San Diego County, California just north of San Diego, California, USA. The name means "hidden" in Spanish-- it occupies a shallow valley ringed by hills. Founded in 1888, it is one of the oldest cities in San Diego County. The city has a mild climate, a growing population, and a diverse economy.

Fontana is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States.

Originally a sleepy, dusty town of citrus orchards and cattle ranches astride Route 66 (now known as Foothill Boulevard) and numerous rail lines, Fontana was radically transformed during World War II by the construction of a steel mill belonging to the Henry J. Kaiser Company and the routing of the San Bernardino Freeway through a section of the town. Explosive growth soon followed, with the area becoming a prominent industrial exurb of Los Angeles. Its working-class orientation, and a population of largely rural Southern and Midwestern origins, led to the city receiving the derisive nicknames Fontucky and Fontucket. This reputation for provincialism was not aided by the rise to prominence of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang, which had originally formed in Fontana. Despite this reputation, Fontana elected its first African American to the city council in 2004.

Foreign competition and mismanagement led to the closure of the Kaiser Steel plant in the early 1980s, and Fontana and neighboring San Bernardino soon became centers of lower income whites. The production and consumption of methamphetamine, and its distribution by the Hells Angels, rose during this time. However, Fontana's fortunes improved notably (along with the rest of the cities of the Inland Empire) with the advent of the Southern California real estate boom of the late 1990s and early 2000s: As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 128,929, but a July 1, 2002 Census estimate showed the fast-growing city's population at 143,607. The completion of the Foothill Freeway extension in 2003 should contribute to Fontana's increasing prominence as both a bedroom community and a center of industry. Much of the boom has occurred to the north of the city core with residents who choose to identify with surrounding cities such as Rancho Cucamonga.

Fontana's principal cultural/entertainment attraction is the California Speedway, a racetrack that plays host to two NASCAR Nextel Cup events a year and various smaller races. It is built on portions of the former site of the Kaiser mill. Some parts of the mill were sold to China, and the rest remains as an operating steel mill.

Fremont (IPA: fɹimɑnt) is a city in California which was incorporated on January 23, 1956, from the merger of five smaller communities: Centerville, Irvington, Mission San Jose, Niles, and Warm Springs. The area now comprising Fremont and the adjoining cities of Newark and Union City was formerly known as Washington Township. Fremont is located in the southeast area of the San Francisco Bay Area in Alameda County. The city is named after John Charles Frémont, "the Great Pathfinder."

Home to 243,414 people as of 2005 census, Fremont is the fourth most populous city in the Bay Area. Fremont has the largest Afghan population in the United States and hence became a center of media attention when the US attacked Afghanistan in 2001. The diverse city demographics includes many Asian ethnic groups, including Indians, Chinese, Taiwanese, and other Asian groups, concentrated most heavily in the Mission San Jose District.

NUMMI, a joint automobile manufacturing plant for General Motors and Toyota, is located in the Warm Springs district of Fremont.

Actress Julie Pinson was born in Fremont. Olympic skater Kristi Yamaguchi grew up in Fremont as did Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Dennis Eckersley (Eckersley was a 1972 graduate of Washington High School). Rap star and Christian minister M.C. Hammer, lived in Fremont during his prime as a music legend, during which such hits as "Can't Touch This" and "2 Legit to Quit" were well known. On the other end of Hip Hop's political spectrum, Emcee Lynx grew up in the Irvington district of Fremont.

Fremont is the sister city to Elizabeth, South Australia and Fukaya, Saitama in Japan.

Fresno is the county seat of Fresno County in the U.S. State of California. Estimates by the California Department of Finance (2005) approximate a city population of 464,727 and a metropolitan area of 1,002,284. Fresno is the sixth-largest city in California and the largest inland city in the state. It is located at 36°47' North, 119°48' West, in the San Joaquin Valley portion of California's expansive Central Valley. Its ZIP Code is 937xx.

Fullerton is a city located in northern Orange County, California, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 126,003.

It was founded in 1887 by George and Edward Amerige and named for George H. Fullerton, who secured the land on behalf of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. Historically it was a center of agriculture, notably groves of Valencia oranges and other citrus crops; petroleum extraction; transportation; and manufacturing. It is home to several educational institutions, notably the California State University, Fullerton (CSUF).

Garden Grove, is a city centrally located in northern Orange County, California, United States. As of 2004, the city population was 170,000 people. California State Route 22, also known as the Garden Grove Freeway, passes through the city from east to west. Garden Grove is home to a substantial Vietnamese-American population, forming the northern edge of Orange County's Little Saigon, and also to a large Korean-American population centered along Garden Grove Boulevard west of Brookhurst Street. The city is possibly best known outside the Southern California area for being the home of Robert H. Schuller's Crystal Cathedral, from which religious broadcasts are made.

Garden Grove was founded by Alonzo Cook in 1874. A school district and Methodist church were organized that year. It remained a small rural crossroads until the arrival of the railroad in 1905. The rail connection helped the town prosper with crops of oranges, walnuts, chili peppers and -- later -- strawberries. In 1933, much of the town's central business district was destroyed by the Long Beach earthquake, and one person was killed. The post-World War II boom led to rapid development, and Garden Grove was incorporated as a city in 1956 with about 44,000 residents.

By 1960, population had grown to 85,000; by 1970 it was 120,000. In the late Seventies and Eighties a significant Asian population (primarily Vietnamese and Korean) began to locate in the area. In recent years, Harbor Boulevard has become a booming entertainment and tourism area, served by nine high-rise hotels. Well-known Garden Grove residents include actor Steve Martin, adventurer Steve Fossett and baseball star Lenny Dysktra. Garden Grove also lends its name to a song by the famous Southern California band Sublime, on their eponymous album.

Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It lies at the eastern end of the San Fernando Valley, is bisected by the Verdugo Mountains, and is an important suburb in the Greater Los Angeles Area. The city is bordered to the southwest by the Atwater Village district of Los Angeles; to the west by Burbank; to the northwest by the Tujunga district of Los Angeles; to the northeast by the city of La Cañada Flintridge and the unincorporated La Crescenta area; and to the east by Pasadena. The Golden State, Ventura, Glendale, and Foothill freeways run through the city.

As of the 2000 census, the city population was 194,973. Since then, there have been estimates of 201,326 by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2004 and 207,007 by the California State government in 2005, making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the seventeenth largest city in the state of California.

Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, located in Glendale, contains the remains of many celebrities and local residents. It is famous as the pioneer of a new style of cemetery.

The U.S. headquarters of the Swiss foods multinational Nestlé are located here. Glendale is also home to the "southern campus" of DreamWorks SKG, the diversified entertainment company founded in 1994 by Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen.

For other places with the same name, see Hayward.

Hayward is a city located in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area in Alameda County. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 140,030. The suburbs of Mt. Eden and Schafer Park have been incorporated into Hayward.

Hayward is served by three high schools, Mt. Eden High School, Tennyson High School, and Hayward High School.

Hayward is the birthplace of Olympic gold medalist in figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi, Cartoonist Felipe Ochoa, and Pro Wrestler turned actor The Rock.

Huntington Beach, is a seaside city in Orange County, in southern California. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 189,594. It is bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the southwest, by Seal Beach on the northwest, by Costa Mesa on the east, by Newport Beach on the southeast, by Westminster on the north, and by Fountain Valley on the northeast.

It is known for its long 14 km (8.5 miles) beach, mild climate, and excellent surfing. The waves are a unique natural effect caused by edge-diffraction of ocean swells by the island of Catalina, and waves from distant hurricanes. Because of the curve of the coastline at Huntington Beach, the local beach actually faces southwest. In summer, the southwest-facing beach often has very strong surf from hurricanes off the Mexican coast.

Huntington Beach incorporated in 1909 under its first mayor, Ed Manning. Its original developer was the Huntington Beach Company, a real-estate development firm owned by Henry Huntington, a railroad magnate after whom the city is named. The Huntington Company is still a major land-owner in the city, and still owns most of the local mineral rights. The city's first high school, Huntington Beach High School was built in 1906. The school's team, the Oilers, are named after the city's original natural resource.

The climate is generally sunny, dry and cool, although evenings can be excessively damp. In the morning and evening, there are often strong breezes, 15 mph (25 km/h). Ocean water temperatures average 55 to 65 °F (10 to 15 °C). In the summer, temperatures rarely exceed 85 °F (25 °C). In the winter, temperatures rarely fall below 55 °F (10 °C), even on clear nights. There are about 10 inches (250 mm) of rain, almost all in mid-winter. Frost occurs only rarely on the coldest winter nights.

Huntington Harbour is suitable for light craft, and includes a dock, launching ramp, basic services and a few restaurants.

The harbor entrance is sometimes restricted by the US Navy, which loads ships with munitions at the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station to the north of the main channel.

Huntington Beach, is a seaside city in Orange County, in southern California. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 189,594. It is bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the southwest, by Seal Beach on the northwest, by Costa Mesa on the east, by Newport Beach on the southeast, by Westminster on the north, and by Fountain Valley on the northeast.

It is known for its long 14 km (8.5 miles) beach, mild climate, and excellent surfing. The waves are a unique natural effect caused by edge-diffraction of ocean swells by the island of Catalina, and waves from distant hurricanes. Because of the curve of the coastline at Huntington Beach, the local beach actually faces southwest. In summer, the southwest-facing beach often has very strong surf from hurricanes off the Mexican coast.

Huntington Beach incorporated in 1909 under its first mayor, Ed Manning. Its original developer was the Huntington Beach Company, a real-estate development firm owned by Henry Huntington, a railroad magnate after whom the city is named. The Huntington Company is still a major land-owner in the city, and still owns most of the local mineral rights. The city's first high school, Huntington Beach High School was built in 1906. The school's team, the Oilers, are named after the city's original natural resource.

The climate is generally sunny, dry and cool, although evenings can be excessively damp. In the morning and evening, there are often strong breezes, 15 mph (25 km/h). Ocean water temperatures average 55 to 65 °F (10 to 15 °C). In the summer, temperatures rarely exceed 85 °F (25 °C). In the winter, temperatures rarely fall below 55 °F (10 °C), even on clear nights. There are about 10 inches (250 mm) of rain, almost all in mid-winter. Frost occurs only rarely on the coldest winter nights.

Huntington Harbour is suitable for light craft, and includes a dock, launching ramp, basic services and a few restaurants.

The harbor entrance is sometimes restricted by the US Navy, which loads ships with munitions at the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station to the north of the main channel.

Irvine is an incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated in 1971, the 46-square mile city has a population of 180,803 (as of 2005). It currently has plans to annex an undeveloped area to the north, and has already annexed the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, most of which is to be made into a park called the Orange County Great Park.

The city is notable for its well-regarded public elementary and high schools and exceptionally low crime rate (as of 2005, the FBI considers Irvine the safest city in the US ).

Irvine is home to the University of California, Irvine (UCI), the Orange County Center of University of Southern California, Irvine Campus of Alliant International University, Concordia University, and Irvine Valley College.

Irvine is also home to a number of corporations, particularly in the technology sector. The city's two biggest employers are UCI and Verizon Wireless.

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.

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.

Los Angeles—often known simply as L.A. or informally as the City of Angels—is the largest city in the state of California and the second-largest in the United States. As of the 2004 U.S. Census estimate, the city had a population of 3.85 million. The city is the core cultural and economic center of the Los Angeles–Long Beach–Santa Ana metropolitan area with a population of 12.9 million.

Los Angeles was incorporated as a municipality on April 4 1850—five months before California achieved statehood—and is the county seat of Los Angeles County. The city has a global presence as a center of culture, science, and higher education. Los Angeles is arguably the world's leading producer of popular entertainment—such as motion pictures, television, and recorded music—lending the city an extraordinary measure of international fame.

Los Angeles is also one of the most cosmopolitan places in the world—it is home to people from virtually every nation on Earth. The city has hosted two Olympic Games—in 1932 and 1984—and is home to world-renowned scientific and cultural institutions. People have long been attracted to the world-class city for its balmy weather, unique and vibrant lifestyle, laid-back energy, Pacific Rim Gateway status, and the hope of realizing the "American Dream."

Modesto is the county seat of Stanislaus County in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 188,856. Current census estimates place the population at 206,300. One and a half hours from Sacramento, California's capital city, and two hours from both San Jose and San Francisco, Modesto's location has turned the agriculturally based city into a bedroom community. Over twenty percent of the workforce travels outside of the county to their place of employment. The area is plagued by some of the worst air quality in the nation, on occasion surpassing even that of Los Angeles. It is also reported to have the highest car theft per capita rate in the United States for at least two years .

 - Total (2005 estimate)
 - Density

165,328
3,041.3/km²

Latitude
Longitude

33°56'35'' N (33.926267)
117°13'42'' W (-117.228345)^GR1

Moreno Valley is a city located in Riverside County, California. When the 2000 census figures were taken the city had a total population of 155,105 but according to an estimate in 2005, the population of Moreno Valley is about 165,328. A relatively young city, its rapid growth in the 1980s and the 2000s propelled it to its status as second-largest city in Riverside County by population, and one of the Inland Empire's population centers. Neighboring Riverside, California is the county seat and largest city in the county; the two cities are closely tied, sharing March Air Reserve Base, among other things.

 - Total (2005 estimate)
 - Density

165,328
3,041.3/km²

Latitude
Longitude

33°56'35'' N (33.926267)
117°13'42'' W (-117.228345)^GR1

Moreno Valley is a city located in Riverside County, California. When the 2000 census figures were taken the city had a total population of 155,105 but according to an estimate in 2005, the population of Moreno Valley is about 165,328. A relatively young city, its rapid growth in the 1980s and the 2000s propelled it to its status as second-largest city in Riverside County by population, and one of the Inland Empire's population centers. Neighboring Riverside, California is the county seat and largest city in the county; the two cities are closely tied, sharing March Air Reserve Base, among other things.

Oakland, founded in 1852, is a major American city on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay in Northern California in the United States. To the north lies Berkeley, home to the campus of the renowned University of California. To west stands San Francisco, across the Bay Bridge. Separated from the mainland by an estuary to the southwest is the island city of Alameda, while San Leandro lies to the southeast. Along the hills which run northwest to southeast, Oakland borders five of the East Bay Regional Parks. In the center of Oakland, and completely surrounded by it (prompting the common analogy to a doughnut hole), is the wealthy city of Piedmont. Oakland is home of the Port of Oakland, one of three major shipping ports on the American West coast.

Oakland has experienced an increase of population and of real-estate prices in the past decade, attributable to economic recovery, along with Oakland's weather, location, hillside neighborhoods with views of San Francisco and the Bay, attempts to reduce crime, high rents and home prices in nearby San Francisco, and a substantial offering of shopping districts and restaurants representing cuisines both homegrown and worldwide.^{[citation needed]}

Oakland is the county seat of Alameda County. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city's population was 399,484, making it the third largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area after San Jose and San Francisco.

The Oakland Tribune published its first newspaper on February 21, 1874. The Tribune Tower, which sports a clock, is one of Oakland's landmarks.

Oakland hosts Oakland International Airport, which serves most of the low-cost air traveler's market to and from the San Francisco Bay Area. Major employers in Oakland include the local, state and federal governments, United States Postal Service, regional transportation and utility authorities, Kaiser Permanente, Clorox, Zhone Technologies, Dreyers Grand Ice Cream, carriers associated with the Port, and commercial bakeries.

Some Oaklanders are frustrated by the misuse of the most famous quote said about their city. "There's no there there," was uttered by Gertrude Stein upon learning as an adult that her childhood Oakland home had been torn down. Her quote did not refer to the city itself. Modern-day Oakland has turned the quote on its head, with a statue downtown simply titled, "There." Additionally, in 2005 a sculpture called HERETHERE has been installed by the City of Berkeley on the Berkeley-Oakland border at Martin Luther King Jr. Way. The sculpture consists of eight foot high letters spelling out the words "HERE" and "THERE" in front of a ramp that carries the BART rapid transit tracks from its elevated section in Oakland to the underground section in Berkeley.

Oceanside is a city in northern San Diego County, California. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 161,029. Together with Vista and Carlsbad, it makes up the Tri-City area. The city is just south of Camp Pendleton, the largest U.S. Marine Corps base in the world. The city was first encountered by European explorers in 1769 and was incorporated on July 3, 1888.

Ontario is a city located in San Bernardino County, California. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 158,007. It is the home of Ontario International Airport and the huge Ontario Mills shopping mall (the largest in the Inland Empire and one of the largest in North America). It is also the former home of the Ontario Motor Speedway. It takes its name from the Ontario Model Colony development established in 1882 by Canadian engineers George Chaffey and William Chaffey, who named the settlement after their home province of Ontario, Canada.

The City of Orange is located in Orange County, California. It is approximately 3 miles (6 kilometers) north of the County seat in Santa Ana, California, and approximately 32 miles (52 kilometers) southeast of Los Angeles.

The Current OMB metropolitan designation for Orange and the Orange County Area is "Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA."

Oxnard is the largest city in Ventura County, California in terms of population. It is located in the heart of the fertile Oxnard Plain, and is one of the world's most important agricultural centers, with its distinction as the strawberry and lima bean capital. Founded in 1903, it is home to more than 200,000 citizens.

The city is home to two large U.S. Navy bases (Port Hueneme and Point Mugu). The Port of Hueneme is the busiest commercial port between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Oxnard is also a major transit hub in Southern California, with Amtrak, Union Pacific, Metrolink, Greyhound, Intercalifornias and many others stopping in Oxnard. Oxnard also has a regional airport called Oxnard Airport (OXR), but its only destination is Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). There are ongoing discussions regarding future plans to build a major airport in the region.

The city boasts of its weather, its beaches, its economy (home to several major companies), its ambience, its sense of community and the numerous opportunities it offers.

Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 133,936. Pasadena is the main population and cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. It is the 8th largest city in Los Angeles County and famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade.

Pomona is a city in Los Angeles County, California, in the eastern San Gabriel Valley. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 149,473. In 2005, its population was estimated as 160,815 . Pomona is the 5th largest city in Los Angeles County (after Los Angeles, Long Beach, Glendale, and Santa Clarita).

Pomona is best known as the location of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona). This university was established on the site of breakfast cereal magnate W.K. Kellogg's massive ranch located on the city's west side. It is also the home of the Los Angeles County fairgrounds. While a fair in the nation's most populous county might seem quaint, Cal Poly is one of several major agricultural research facilities in the state, and the fair's livestock exhibits are a noted attraction. (Other major California agriculture schools include California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, Fresno State, UC Davis, and Chico State.)

Western University of Health Sciences is located in downtown Pomona, with programs ranging from veterinary medicine to nursing to osteopathic medicine.

Pomona is not, as is often assumed, the site of Pomona College. Although this elite liberal arts institution was founded in the city in 1887, its campus has been in neighboring Claremont since 1889.

Since the 1980's, Pomona's newest neighborhood Phillips Ranch, experienced rapid growth with demands of new housing units increased. Homes are still being built in the hilly area between Downtown and Diamond Bar. Today, Phillips Ranch is nearly all residential.

Rancho Cucamonga is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 127,743. By July 1, 2002 Census the fast-growing city's population had reached 143,711. By early 2006, the city's population had reached over 161,000 people.

Bill J Alexander is the current mayor of Rancho Cucamonga, since 1994. Jack Lam is the City Manager.

The city was incorporated in 1977, as a result of a merger among the unincorporated communities of Alta Loma, Cucamonga, and Etiwanda.

Riverside is the county seat of Riverside County, California, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 255,166. The city is a focus city of the Greater Los Angeles Area. A July 1, 2004 Census estimate put the fast-growing city's population at 288,384, making it the largest city in the Inland Empire Region and the 12th largest municipality in the state of California.

Sacramento is the capital of the U.S. state of California and county seat of Sacramento County, California. It is the 6th largest city in California. It was founded in December, 1848 by John Sutter. Sacramento grew from Sutter's Fort, which was established by Sutter in 1839, and the city is now a quickly growing metropolis. During the gold rush, Sacramento was a major distribution point, a commercial and agricultural center, and a terminus for wagon trains, stagecoaches, riverboats, the telegraph, the Pony Express and the First Transcontinental Railroad.

Typical of California informality, Sacramento is referred to by many names. The most prevalent are: Capitol City, River City (due to the two major rivers which run through the city), and the City of Trees. However, the nickname most used by those living in the area is simply, Sac. This is evident when residents refer to areas and landmarks by this name. Old Sac is the original town of Sacramento which to this day is maintained. The Big Tomato and Sacratomato continue to be used despite the ongoing triumph of tract houses over tomato fields.

Sac State (California State University, Sacramento), is the local university and is one of twenty-three campuses (and growing) in the California State University system.

Salinas is the county seat and largest municipality of Monterey County in the U.S. state of California, and it is also known as the "Salad Bowl" of America. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 151,060. The city's development in the 19th century may have been a WASP response to the predominantly Italian fishing community of Monterey.

Salinas' economy is largely based upon agriculture. Located in one of California's richest farming regions, the area produces a variety of fruits and vegetables, including lettuce, strawberries, watermelons, broccoli, carrots, cabbages, and spinach.

Salinas was also the birthplace of writer John Steinbeck. The recently revitalized historic downtown is home to the National Steinbeck Center and the John Steinbeck Library.

Salinas is the county seat and largest municipality of Monterey County in the U.S. state of California, and it is also known as the "Salad Bowl" of America. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 151,060. The city's development in the 19th century may have been a WASP response to the predominantly Italian fishing community of Monterey.

Salinas' economy is largely based upon agriculture. Located in one of California's richest farming regions, the area produces a variety of fruits and vegetables, including lettuce, strawberries, watermelons, broccoli, carrots, cabbages, and spinach.

Salinas was also the birthplace of writer John Steinbeck. The recently revitalized historic downtown is home to the National Steinbeck Center and the John Steinbeck Library.

San Bernardino is the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States. As of 2005 the California Department of Finance estimates the population at 199,803. Currently, freeway entry signs state the poulation is 201,823. Some areas, particularly north of downtown, have a density beyond design capacity, including garage conversions. Although rapid residential development is transforming the city into a bedroom community, manufacturing remains a major industry in San Bernardino and the surrounding cities. It is an anchor city of the Inland Empire. San Bernardino has three major events, the annual Route 66 Rendezvous a multi-day automobile event held in downtown San Bernardino each September, the National Orange Show , held each April/May, and the Western Regional Little League Championships in the summer.

San Diego (pop. 1,305,736 as of 2005 ) is a coastal Southern California city located in the southwestern corner of the continental United States. It is the second largest city in California and the seventh largest in the United States . It lies just north of the Mexican border (shares border with Tijuana, Mexico), and is a home for United States Navy and Marine Corps bases, many miles of beaches, and a mild marine climate. The annual mean temperature is 64.4 degrees Fahrenheit (18°C). San Diego's economy centers on tourism, trade, agriculture, ship-building, the military, biotechnology, computer science and electronics.

The University of California, San Diego and nearby research institutes on Torrey Mesa provide a base for technological innovation and there are numerous high-tech and biotech companies in the area, such as Qualcomm, Neurocrine, and Illumina. Major tourists attactions include the cities beaches and bays, Balboa Park with its many museums, the San Diego Zoo, Sea World, San Diego Wild Animal Park (in Escondido, north of the city) and Old Town, the site of of the original Spanish settlement.

Downtown San Diego is located on San Diego Bay. Coronado Island and Point Loma separate the bay from the ocean. Ocean Beach is on the west side of Point Loma. Mission Beach and Pacific Beach lie between the ocean and Mission Bay, a man-made aquatic park. La Jolla, an affluent community, lies north of Pacific Beach. Mount Soledad in La Jolla offers views from northern San Diego County to Mexico.

Mountains rise to the east of the city, and beyond the mountains are desert areas. Cleveland National Forest is a half-hour drive from downtown San Diego. Numerous farms are found in the valleys northeast of the city. The city of San Diego itself has deep canyons separating its mesas, creating small pockets of natural parkland scattered throughout the city.

Military bases in or near San Diego include U.S. Navy ports, Marine Corps bases, and Coast Guard stations. San Diego is the home port of the largest naval fleet in the world, including two Navy supercarriers (the USS Nimitz and the USS Ronald Reagan) five amphibious assault ships, several Los Angeles-class submarines, and many smaller ships.

One of the Marine Corps' two Recruit Depots is located here. San Diego is also known as the "birthplace of naval aviation," although Pensacola, Florida makes a rival claim.

Four Navy vessels have been named USS San Diego in honor of the city.

The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth-largest city in California and the fourteenth-largest in the United States, with a 2005 population of 799,263. It is located on the tip of the San Francisco Peninsula and is the focal point of the San Francisco Bay Area, whose population is seven million. San Francisco is the second most densely populated major American city, after New York. The city is famous for its history in progressive social movements.

In 1776, the Spanish became the first Europeans to settle in San Francisco, which they named for St. Francis. With the advent of the California gold rush in 1848, and the Comstock Lode and silver mines in 1859, the city entered a period of rapid growth. After being devastated by the 1906 earthquake and fire, San Francisco was quickly rebuilt and is today one of the most recognizable cities in the United States.

San Francisco has a unique mix of physical characteristics, including its months-long episodes of fog, its steep rolling hills, its eclectic mix of architecture (including Victorian style houses and modern highrises), and its being bordered on three sides by the Pacific Ocean and the San Francisco Bay. Famous hallmarks and landmarks include the San Francisco cable cars, the Transamerica Pyramid, the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island.

San Jose (IPA: [sæn hoʊˈzeɪ]) is the third-most populous city in California after Los Angeles and San Diego, and is the county seat of Santa Clara County. It is the tenth-most populous city in the United States, and has held the title of The Safest Big City in America for the past several years. The city is located at the south end of the San Francisco Bay within the informal boundaries of Silicon Valley. With an estimated population of 950,000, San Jose is also the largest city in Northern California.

San Jose was the first town in the Spanish colony of Nueva California (later Alta California), founded in 1777. Originally, the city served as a farming community to provide food for nearby military installations. It served as the first capital of California after it gained statehood in 1850. After over 150 years as an agricultural center, increased demand for housing from soldiers and other veterans returning from World War II and starting families, as well as aggressive expansion during the 1950s and 1960s led to San Jose being a bedroom community for Silicon Valley in the 1970s, which attracted more businesses to the city. By the 1990s, San Jose's central location within the booming technology industry in the area earned the city the nickname as the Captial of Silicon Valley.

On April 3, 1979, the city council adopted San José as the spelling of the city name on the city seal and official stationery; however, the name is still more commonly spelled without the diacritical mark. The official name of the city is The City of San José.

Miguel Pulido

Orange County

  - Total

27 mi²

Santa Ana is the largest city and the county seat of Orange County, California. It lies approximately 10 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean, on the largely seasonal Santa Ana River. The Santa Ana Freeway (Interstate 5) runs through the city, and the Costa Mesa Freeway (55 Freeway) and Garden Grove Freeway (22 Freeway) travel along its edges. It is today best-known for its enormous Mexican American population, now comprising over 75% of what was once a virtually all-white city. It has the highest percentage of Latinos, even more than El Paso, among the 50 largest cities in America. The Current OMB metropolitan designation for Santa Ana and the Orange County Area is “Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA.”

Founded in 1869 by Kentuckian William H. Spurgeon on land purchased from the Yorba family, Santa Ana was incorporated as a city in 1886 with a population of 2000 and in 1889 became the seat of the newly formed Orange County.

One of Santa Ana's most notable businesses is the Rickenbacker musical instrument company, whose electric guitars and bass guitars earned fame in the hands of rock and roll legends such as: John Lennon, George Harrison and Paul McCartney of The Beatles; Roger McGuinn of The Byrds; Pete Townshend of The Who; Tom Petty; Geddy Lee of Rush; Chris Squire of Yes; and Peter Buck of R.E.M. Santa Ana is also the home of the First American Corporation and Ingram Micro.

Santa Ana is also the location of the original Glenn L. Martin aviation company, which later merged with the Lockheed Corporation to form the largest aircraft and weapons manufacturing corporation on the planet, Lockheed Martin.

Santa Clarita is the fourth largest city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2005 California Department of Finance estimate, the city population was 167,954. It is located about 35 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, and occupies most of the Santa Clarita Valley. It is a notable example of a U.S. edge city or boomburb. The FBI rates it as the sixth safest city in the United States with at least 100,000 inhabitants. (Nearby Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks, in Ventura County, traditionally alternate between the first and second spots on the list.)

Santa Clarita was incorporated in 1987 as the union of several previously existing communities, including Saugus, Valencia, Canyon Country, Newhall, and portions of Castaic. Its principal boundaries are the Golden State and Antelope Valley freeways; their merger in Newhall Pass at the city's southernmost point gives Santa Clarita its distinctive triangular appearance on the map. Unlike many other hybrid cities' districts, communities in Santa Clarita retain a considerable degree of autonomy, to the extent that some of them--Valencia, most notably--are often mistaken for completely separate cities.

Santa Clarita's most notable attractions are the Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park on the western edge of the city, and the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), located in Valencia.

As the city is hemmed in by mountains on all sides (the Tehachapis on the north, the San Gabriels on the east, and the Santa Susanas on the south and west) and is primarily reliant on the automobile for transportation, it suffers from chronic smog. It is also prone to wildfires, as demonstrated by the destruction of large undeveloped areas around the city during blazes in 2003 and 2004.

 - City proper (2005 est.)
 - Density (average)

279,800
579.0/km²

Latitude:
Longitude:

37°58' N
121°18' W

Stockton is a city in California and the seat of San Joaquin County (the 5th largest agricultural county in the United States). According to 2005 estimates by the California Department of Finance, Stockton has a population of 279,800 and is the 13th largest city in California. Stockton is also the fourth largest inland city in California, behind Fresno, Sacramento, and Bakersfield.

Stockton was founded in 1849 and incorporated on July 23, 1850. The area now known as Weber Point is the same spot where Captain Charles Maria Weber built the first permanent residence in the San Joaquin Valley after acquiring 49,000 acres through a Spanish land grant. Soon, he established this spot as a stop for 49ers on their way to the Sierra Nevada. It didn't take long for this stop to grow and flourish.

Encompassing Interstate 5, State Route 99 and State Route 4, Stockton is strategically located about 60 miles east of the San Francisco Bay Area and 45 miles south of Sacramento, the capital of California. Stockton is surrounded by the rich and fertile lands of the California Central Valley and is home to the largest inland seaport in California. In and around Stockton are thousands of waterways, canals, and rivers that comprise the California Delta.

In the past decade, Stockton and the nearby communities of Tracy and Manteca have experienced a population boom. This is largely due to thousands of people settling in the area to escape the relatively high cost of living of the San Francisco Bay Area. This influx of new residents, however, resulted in a sharp increase in the cost of living of Stockton, although it is still significantly lower than any Bay Area city of comparable size.

In the midst of a massive, city-wide redevelopment project (still in progress), Stockton was twice named an All-America City, in 1999 & 2004.

Sunnyvale (IPA: sʌniveil) is a city in Santa Clara County, California, United States. It is one of the major cities that make up the Silicon Valley. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 131,760.

The city is bordered by the San Francisco Bay to the north, Mountain View to the west, Santa Clara to the east, and Cupertino to the south. It lies along the historic El Camino Real and Highway 101.

Sunnyvale is headquarters to several high-tech companies such as Palm, Inc., AMD, Network Appliance, Sandisk, Yahoo!, and Ariba, Inc. Honeywell and Lockheed Martin also have offices in Sunnyvale. Sunnyvale is also the home to Onizuka Air Force Station (commonly called "the blue cube"), the only active military base in the San Francisco Bay Area. The base —which is named after Ellison Onizuka—is the United States armed forces primary artificial satellite control facility.

Sunnyvale is one of the few U.S. cities to have a single unified Department of Public Safety where all personnel are trained as firefighters and police officers and can respond to emergencies in either capacity.

Sunnyvale (IPA: sʌniveil) is a city in Santa Clara County, California, United States. It is one of the major cities that make up the Silicon Valley. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 131,760.

The city is bordered by the San Francisco Bay to the north, Mountain View to the west, Santa Clara to the east, and Cupertino to the south. It lies along the historic El Camino Real and Highway 101.

Sunnyvale is headquarters to several high-tech companies such as Palm, Inc., AMD, Network Appliance, Sandisk, Yahoo!, and Ariba, Inc. Honeywell and Lockheed Martin also have offices in Sunnyvale. Sunnyvale is also the home to Onizuka Air Force Station (commonly called "the blue cube"), the only active military base in the San Francisco Bay Area. The base —which is named after Ellison Onizuka—is the United States armed forces primary artificial satellite control facility.

Sunnyvale is one of the few U.S. cities to have a single unified Department of Public Safety where all personnel are trained as firefighters and police officers and can respond to emergencies in either capacity.

Torrance is a city located in southwestern Los Angeles County, California.

The city is named after its founder, oilman Jared Sidney Torrance. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 137,946; a 2003 estimate puts the total population at 142,621 . Torrance is the 7th largest city in Los Angeles County.