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California's capital, Sacramento, is located in the Central Valley . Prior to European colonization, California was one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse areas in pre-Columbian North America. European exploration in the 16th and 17th centuries led to the colonization by the Spanish Empire.
History of California. The history of California can be divided into the Native American period (about 10,000 years ago until 1542), the European exploration period (1542–1769), the Spanish colonial period (1769–1821), the Mexican period (1821–1848), and United States statehood (September 9, 1850–present).
It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and the Mexico to the south. With 39 million residents across an area of 163,696 square miles (423,970 km 2 ), it is the most populous U.S. state, the third-largest by area, and most populated subnational entity in North America.
Covering an area of 163,696 sq mi (423,970 km 2 ), California is among the most geographically diverse states. The Sierra Nevada, the fertile farmlands of the Central Valley, and the arid Mojave Desert of the south are some of the geographic features of this U.S. state.
Demographics of California. Population pyramid of California in 2019. Population. 38,940,231 (2023) [1] California is the most populated U.S. state, with an estimated population of 38.9 million as of 2023. [1] It has people from a wide variety of ethnic, racial, national, and religious backgrounds.
Of the 58 counties in California, 14 are governed under a charter. They are Alameda, Butte, El Dorado, Fresno, Los Angeles, Orange, Placer, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Tehama. Nine counties in California are named for saints, tied with Louisiana for the largest number.
The government of California is the governmental structure of the U.S. state of California as established by the California Constitution. California uses the separation of powers system to structure its government.
California is the most populous and the third most extensive of the 50 states of the United States of America. California is home to Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and Sacramento, respectively the 2nd, 6th, 17th, and 23rd most populous metropolitan areas of the United States.
Multiple theories regarding the origin of the name California, as well as the root language of the term, have been proposed, [1] but most historians believe the name likely originated from a 16th-century novel, Las sergas de Esplandián.
Sacramento is the fastest-growing major city in California, owing to its status as a notable political center on the West Coast and as a major educational hub, home of California State University, Sacramento and UC Davis.