Official name	Anaheim
Settlement type	City
Image seal	City of Anaheim Seal.svg
Map caption	Location of within Orange County, California
Pushpin map	USA2
Pushpin map caption	Location in the United States
Coordinates region	US-CA
Subdivision type	Country
Subdivision name	United States
Subdivision type1	State
Subdivision name1	California
Subdivision type2	County
Subdivision name2	Orange
Leader title	Mayor
Leader name	Tom Tait
Leader title1	US Congress
Leader name1	Ed Royce (R)Gary Miller (R)Loretta Sanchez (D)
Leader title2	CA Senate
Leader name2	Bob Huff (R)Mimi Walters (R)Lou Correa (D)
Leader title3	CA Assembly
Leader name3	Curt Hagman (R)Jim Silva (R)Allan Mansoor (R)Jose Solorio (D)Jeff Miller (R)Chris Norby (R)
Established date
unit pref	US
area footnotes
area total sq mi	50.811
area land sq mi	49.835
area water sq mi	0.976
area total km2	131.600
area land km2	129.073
area water km2	2.527
area water percent	1.92
area note
Population as of	2010 Census
Population total	336265
Population rank	1st in Orange County10th in California54th in the United States
Population density km2	auto
Timezone	PST
Utc offset	-8
Timezone dst	PDT
Utc offset dst	-7
Elevation m	48
Elevation ft	157
Coordinates display	displayinline,title
Website	http://www.anaheim.net
Postal code type	ZIP codes
Postal code	92801-92809, 92812, 92814-92817, 92825, 92850, 92899
Area code	714
Blank name	FIPS code
Blank info	06-02000
Blank1 name	GNIS feature ID
Blank1 info	1652663
Footnotes	}}

Anaheim () is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 336,265, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States. The city anticipates that the population will surpass 400,000 by 2014 because of rapid development in its Platinum Triangle area as well as in Anaheim Hills. The Platinum Triangle is the fastest growing area in Orange County. Anaheim is the second largest city in Orange County in terms of land area (after Irvine), 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 of Anaheim, Honda Center and Anaheim Convention Center, the largest convention center on the West Coast. Its name is a blend of "Ana", after the nearby Santa Ana River, and "heim", a common German place name compound originally meaning "home".

Anaheim's city limits stretch from Cypress in the west to the Riverside County line in the east and encompass a diverse collection of neighborhoods and communities. Anaheim Hills is a master-planned community located in the city's eastern stretches that is home to many sports stars and executives. Downtown Anaheim has three mixed-use historic districts, the largest of which is the Anaheim Colony, and is home to the Anaheim White House restaurant, featured in a February 2010 article referring to Anaheim as "one of the top three places in America to find romance," along with Santa Ana and Long Beach. The Anaheim Resort, a commercial district, includes Disneyland and numerous hotels and retail complexes. The Platinum Triangle, a neo-urban redevelopment district surrounding Angel Stadium, is planned to be populated with mixed-use streets and high-rises. Finally, The Canyon is an industrial district north of the 91 and east of the Orange Freeway.

History

The city of Anaheim was founded in 1857 by grape farmers and wine makers from Franconia in Bavaria. The first such settler was Daniel Kraemer. The colony was situated on . thumb|left|Anaheim in 1879Settlers voted to call the community Annaheim, meaning ''Annahome'' or more longly "Home in the valley" in German. The name later was changed slightly, to Anaheim. To the Spanish-speaking neighbors, the settlement was known as Campo Alemán (Spanish for German Field). The grape industry was destroyed in the 1880s by an insect pest. Other crops – walnuts, lemons and, of course oranges – soon filled the void, fruits and vegetables having become viable cash crops when the Los Angeles – Orange County region was connected to the continental railroad network in 1886.

The famous Polish actress Helena Modjeska settled in Anaheim with her husband and various friends, among them Henryk Sienkiewicz, Julian Sypniewski and Łucjan Paprocki. While living in Anaheim, Helena Modjeska became good friends with Clementine Langenberger, the second wife of August Langenberger. Helena Street and Clementine Street are named after these two ladies, and the streets are located adjacent to each other as a symbol of the strong friendship which Helena Modjeska and Clementine Lagenberger shared. Modjeska Park in West Anaheim, is also named after Helena Modjeska.

In the 1920s, the Ku Klux Klan, at the height of its influence and popularity, decided to make Anaheim a "model" Klan city. In 1924, the Klan secretly managed to get four of its members elected to the five-member Board of Trustees. Nine of the ten members of the police force were also Klansmen. The four Klan trustees served for nearly a year, until they were publicly exposed, and voted out in a recall election in which 95% of the population participated.

During the first half of the 20th century, before Disneyland opened its doors to the public, Anaheim was a massive rural community inhabited by orange groves, and the landowners who farmed them. One of the landowners was a man by the name of Bennett Payne Baxter. He owned much land in northeast Anaheim that today is the location of Edison Park. He came up with many new ideas for irrigating orange groves and shared his ideas with other landowners. He was not only successful, he helped other landowners and businesspeople succeed as well. Ben Baxter and other landowners helped to make Anaheim a thriving rural community before Disneyland changed the city forever. Today, a street runs along Edison Park which is named Baxter Street. Also during this time, Rudolph Boysen served as Anaheim's first Park Superintendent from 1921 to 1950. Boysen created a hybrid berry which Walter Knott later named the boysenberry, after Rudy Boysen. Boysen Park in East Anaheim was also named after him.

The Disneyland theme park was constructed in Anaheim from July 16, 1954 to July 17, 1955, and opened to the public on July 18, 1955, and has since become Anaheim's largest tourist attraction. The location was formerly of orange and walnut trees, some of which remain inside Disneyland property. Hotels and motels began to spread and residential districts soon followed, with increasing property values. In 2001, Disney's California Adventure, since renamed Disney California Adventure in 2010, the most expansive project in the theme park's history, opened to the public.

In the late 20th century, Anaheim grew rapidly in population. Today, Anaheim has a diverse ethnic and racial composition.

During the large expansion of the Disneyland resort in the 1990s, the city of Anaheim then recognized itself as a resort epicenter, thus creating the Anaheim Resort. It includes the Disneyland Resort, the Anaheim Convention Center, the Honda Center--home of the NHL Anaheim Ducks (formerly known as the "Mighty Ducks"), and Angel Stadium, home to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The city has undergone a rigorous transformation in creating metropolitan beautification to attract tourism. In 2007, the city celebrated its sesquicentennial (150th anniversary) by opening the Anaheim Walk of Fame near the Harbor Boulevard entrance to the Disneyland Resort. The first star to be placed on the Anaheim Walk of Fame was Walt Disney, the man most responsible for making Anaheim the hugely popular tourist destination it is today.

Geography

Anaheim is located at . and is approximately south east of Downtown Los Angeles.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 50.8 square miles (131.6 km²). 49.8 square miles (129.1 km²) of it is land and 1.0 square miles (2.5 km²) of it (1.92%) is water.

The current federal Office of Management and Budget metropolitan designation for Anaheim and the Orange County Area is "Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA".

Cityscape

The city recognizes several districts, including the Anaheim Resort (the area surrounding Disneyland), The Canyon (an industrial area north of the Riverside Freeway and east of the Orange Freeway) and the Platinum Triangle (the area surrounding Angel Stadium). Anaheim Hills also maintains a distinct identity.

Communities and neighborhoods

Downtown Anaheim is located in the heart of the Colonial District. Downtown is the administrative heart of the city where you find City Hall, Anaheim West Tower, Anaheim Police Headquarters, the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce and the Main Library. Anaheim Ice (formerly Disney Ice), the Downtown Anaheim Farmer's Market and the Center Street Promenade are also located in Downtown Anaheim. In the Fall of 2007, The Muzeo, the newest major museum in Orange County, opened its doors for the first time and is located next to Anaheim West Tower. Pearson Park is also located in Downtown Anaheim, and is named after Charles Pearson, who was Mayor of Anaheim during the time Walt Disney opened Disneyland in Anaheim. One of the major attractions located in Pearson Park is the Pearson Park Amphitheater. In the Colonial District just west of Downtown Anaheim is the Mother Colony House, which was built by George Hanson, the Founder of Anaheim. Today, it is Anaheim's and Orange County's oldest museum still open to the public. The Stoffel House is a Victorian Mansion located next door to the Mother Colony House. Originally the Victorian Home was occupied by the Stoffel Family, early pioneer residents of Anaheim. Today, this historic home is the local headquarters for the American Red Cross.

Climate

Like many other South Coast cities, Anaheim maintains a Mediterranean climate, enjoying warm summers and cool winters.

Law and government

City government

Under its city charter, Anaheim operates under a council-manager government. Legislative authority is vested in a city council of five nonpartisan members, who hire a professional city manager to oversee day-to-day operations. The mayor serves as the presiding officer of the city council in a first among equals role. All council seats are elected at large. Voters elect the mayor and four other members of the city council to serve four-year staggered terms. Elections for two council seats are held in years divisible by four while elections for the mayor and the two other council seats are held during the intervening even-numbered years. Under the city's term limits, an individual may serve a maximum of two terms as a city council member and two terms as the mayor.

Mayor: Tom Tait (since 2010)

City Manager: Thomas J. Wood (since 2009)

City Council

*Lorri Galloway (since 2004)

*Harry Sidhu (since 2004)

*Gail Eastman (since 2010)

*Kris Murray (since 2010)

Emergency services

Fire protection is provided by the Anaheim Fire Department, Disneyland Resort has its own Fire Department, though it does rely on the Anaheim Fire Department for support, and for Paramedic Services. Law enforcement is provided by the Anaheim Police Department. Ambulance service is provided by Care Ambulance Service.

Anaheim Public Utilities

Anaheim Public Utilities is the only municipal owned water and electric utility in Orange County, providing residential and business customers with water and electric services. The utility is regulated and governed locally by the City Council. A Public Utilities Board, made up of Anaheim residents, advises the City Council on major utility issues.

Federal, state and county representation

In the United States House of Representatives, Anaheim is split among three Congressional districts:

40th, represented by Ed Royce (R) since 1993

42nd, represented by Gary Miller (R) since 1999

47th, represented by Loretta Sanchez (D) since 1997

In the California State Senate, Anaheim is split among three districts:

29th, represented by Bob Huff (R) since 2008

33rd, represented by Mimi Walters (R) since 2008

34th, represented by Lou Correa (D) since 2006

In the California State Assembly, Anaheim is split among six districts:

60th, represented by Curt Hagman (R) since 2008

67th, represented by Jim Silva (R) since 2006

68th, represented by Allan Mansoor (R) since 2010

69th, represented by Jose Solorio (D) since 2006

71st, represented by Jeff Miller (R) since 2008

72nd, represented by Chris Norby (R) since 2010

On the Orange County Board of Supervisors, Anaheim is divided between two districts, with Anaheim Hills lying in the 3rd District and the remainder of Anaheim lying in the 4th District:

3rd, represented by Bill Campbell since 2003

4th, represented by Shawn Nelson since 2010

Economy

Anaheim's largest and most important industry is tourism. Its Anaheim Convention Center is home to many national conferences, and The Walt Disney Company is the city's largest employer. Many hotels, especially in the city's Resort district, serve theme park tourists and conventiongoers.

The Anaheim Canyon business park makes up 63% of Anaheim's industrial space and is the largest industrial district in Orange County. Anaheim Canyon is also home to the second largest business park in Orange County. Anaheim Canyon houses 2,600 businesses, which employ over 50,000 workers.

Several notable companies have corporate offices and/or headquarters within Anaheim.

Anaheim Memorial Medical Center

AT&T;

Banco Popular, a bank based in Puerto Rico, has a North American headquarters in Anaheim.

CKE Restaurants, the parent company of the Carl's Jr., Hardee's, Green Burrito, and Red Burrito restaurant chains

Fisker Automotive

General Dynamics

Kaiser Foundation

L-3 Communications

Pacific Sunwear

Panasonic Sunny Delight

Targus, a computer peripheral manufacturer

Tenet Healthcare

Yogurtland

Zyxel, maker of routers, switches and other networking products

Top employers

According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

! #	! Employer	! # of Employees
1	Disneyland Resort	22,660
2		3,660
3	Northgate González Markets	1,900
4	Anaheim Memorial Medical Center	1,185
5	AT&T;	1,000
6	Honda Center	1,000
7		920
8		774
9		730
10	Alstyle Apparel	700

Crime

Anaheim ranks as one of the safest cities of its size in the nation. In 2003, Anaheim reported nine murders, 35% of the national average. Rape within the city is relatively low as well, but has been increasing, along with the national average. Robbery (410 reported incidents) and aggravated assault (824 incidents) rank among the highest violent crimes in the city, but robbery rates are still only half of the national average, and aggravated assaults are at 68% of the average. 1,971 burglaries were reported, as well as 6,708 thefts, 1,767 car thefts, and 654 car accidents. All three types of crime were below average. There were 43 cases of arson reported in 2003, 43% of the national average.

Despite the 1992 Los Angeles Riots reaching almost all of Los Angeles county, Anaheim, and other cities of Orange County, were spared from violence and the city was mostly calm.

Demographics

2010

The 2010 United States Census reported that Anaheim had a population of 336,265. The population density was 6,618.0 people per square mile (2,555.2/km²). The racial makeup of Anaheim was 177,237 (52.7%) White, 9,347 (2.8%) African American, 2,648 (0.8%) Native American, 49,857 (14.8%) Asian (4.4% Vietnamese, 3.6% Filipino, 2.0% Korean, 1.4% Chinese, 1.3% Indian, 0.6% Japanese, 0.2% Pakistani, 0.2% Cambodian, 0.2% Laotian, 0.1% Thai), 1,607 (0.5%) Pacific Islander, 80,705 (24.0%) from other races, and 14,864 (4.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 177,467 persons (52.8%); 46.0% of Anaheim's population is Mexican, 1.2% Salvadoran, 1.0% Guatemalan, 0.4% Puerto Rican, 0.4% Peruvian, 0.3% Cuban, 0.3% Colombian, 0.2% Honduran, 0.2% Nicaraguan, and 0.2% Argentinean.

The Census reported that 332,708 people (98.9% of the population) lived in households, 2,020 (0.6%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 1,537 (0.5%) were institutionalized.

There were 98,294 households, out of which 44,045 (44.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 52,518 (53.4%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 14,553 (14.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 7,223 (7.3%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 6,173 (6.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 733 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 17,448 households (17.8%) were made up of individuals and 6,396 (6.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.38. There were 74,294 families (75.6% of all households); the average family size was 3.79.

The population was spread out with 91,917 people (27.3%) under the age of 18, 36,506 people (10.9%) aged 18 to 24, 101,110 people (30.1%) aged 25 to 44, 75,510 people (22.5%) aged 45 to 64, and 31,222 people (9.3%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.4 years. For every 100 females there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.

There were 104,237 housing units at an average density of 2,051.5 per square mile (792.1/km²), of which 47,677 (48.5%) were owner-occupied, and 50,617 (51.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.2%. 160,843 people (47.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 171,865 people (51.1%) lived in rental housing units.

2000

As of the census of 2000, there were 328,014 people, 96,969 households, and 73,502 families residing in the city. The population density was 6,842.7 inhabitants per square mile (2,587.8/km²). There were 99,719 housing units at an average density of 2,037.5 per square mile (786.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 55% White, 3% Black or African American, 0.9% Native American, 12% Asian, 0.4% Pacific Islander, 24% from other races, and 5% from two or more races. 46% of the population were Hispanic or Latino.

Of Anaheim's 96,969 households, 43.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.3% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.2% were non-families. 18.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.34 and the average family size was 3.75.

In the city the population was spread out with 30.2% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 17.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 100.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.1 males.

The median income household income was $47,122, and the median family income was $49,969. Males had a median income of $33,870 versus $28,837 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,266. About 10.4% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.9% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.

As of Census 2010 the racial and ethnic composition of Anaheim was 27.47% Non-Hispanic white, 2.78% black, 0.79% Native American, 14.83% Asian, 0.48% Pacific Islander, 0.19% Non-Hispanic reporting some other race, 4.42% two or more races and 52.78% Hispanic or Latino.

Education

As of May 2006, Anaheim is served by eight public school districts:

Anaheim City School District

Anaheim Union High School District

Centralia School District

Magnolia School District

North Orange County Community College District

Orange Unified School District

Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District

Savanna School District

Furthermore, Anaheim is home to 84 public schools :

Elementary 46

Junior High 9

High School 14

Alternative Education 6

The City of Anaheim hosts one private university: Anaheim University.

Libraries

Anaheim has eight public library branches.

Transportation

In the western portion of the city (not including Anaheim Hills), the major surface streets run east to west, starting with the northernmost, Orangethorpe Avenue, La Palma Avenue, Lincoln Avenue, Ball Road and Katella Avenue. The major surface streets running north-south, starting with the westernmost, are Knott Avenue, Beach Boulevard (SR 39), Magnolia Avenue, Brookhurst Street, Euclid Street, Harbor Boulevard, Anaheim Boulevard and State College Boulevard.

The Santa Ana Freeway (I-5), the Orange Freeway (SR 57) and the Riverside Freeway (SR 91) all pass through Anaheim. The Costa Mesa Freeway (SR 55), and the Eastern Transportation Corridor (SR 241) also have short stretches within the city limits.

Anaheim is served by two major railroads, the Union Pacific Railroad and the BNSF Railway. In addition, the Anaheim Amtrak station, a major regional train station near Angel Stadium, serves both Amtrak and Metrolink rail lines, and the Anaheim Canyon Metrolink station serves Metrolink's IEOC Line.

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) provides bus service for Anaheim with local and county-wide routes, and both the OCTA and the Los Angeles County Metro offer routes connecting Anaheim to Los Angeles County. Also, the not-for-profit Anaheim Resort Transit (ART) provides local shuttle service in the Disneyland Resort area serving local hotels and both the California Adventure and Disneyland theme parks, and Disney GOALS, operates daily free bus service for low-income youth in the central Anaheim area.

Anaheim is equidistant from both John Wayne Airport located and Long Beach Airport (15 Miles), but is also accessible from nearby Los Angeles International (30 Miles), and Ontario (35 Miles), airports.

The city will also be the home to the ARTIC transportation center, which will connect bus, rail including the California High-Speed Rail Network and the proposed Anaheim Fixed-Guideway Transit Corridor.

Attractions

Adventure City

Anaheim GardenWalk, 440,000 s.f. of retail, dining and entertainment located in the Anaheim Resort

Anaheim Convention Center, Largest convention center on West Coast

Angel Stadium of Anaheim

Disneyland Resort

*Disneyland

*Disney California Adventure

*Downtown Disney

**ESPN Zone

**House of Blues

The Grove of Anaheim, formerly the Sun Theater, formerly Tinseltown Studios

Honda Center, formerly the "Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim"

Anaheim Ice, Public rink for 6,000+ skaters per week

American Sports Centers, Home of U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team

Anaheim Hills Golf Course

Dad Miller Golf Course

Oak Canyon Nature Center

MUZEO, Art Museum located in Downtown Anaheim

Anaheim/OC Walk of Stars

Sports teams

Current teams

NHL team: Anaheim Ducks – 2007 Stanley Cup Champions

MLB team: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – 2002 World Series Champions

PASL-Pro team: Anaheim Bolts

Defunct teams

NLL team: Anaheim Storm (Folded after 2004–2005 season because of low attendance)

NFL team: Los Angeles Rams played in Anaheim from 1980 through 1994 before moving to their current home of St. Louis.

World Football League team: The Southern California Sun played at Anaheim Stadium from 1974–1975.

Arena Football League team: Anaheim Piranhas played at the Arrowhead Pond from 1994 to 1997.

Roller Hockey International team: Anaheim Bullfrogs played in the RHI from 1993 to 1997 and 1999, winning the Murphy Cup Championship twice.

American Basketball Association team: Anaheim Amigos played at the Anaheim Convention Center during the 1967–68 Season, then moved to Los Angeles.

ABA2000 team: Southern California Surf played at the Anaheim Convention Center from 2001–2002.

NBADL team: Anaheim Arsenal played at the Anaheim Convention Center from 2006–2009. The team is moving to Springfield, Massachusetts and being renamed for the 2009–2010 season.

World Team Tennis: The Anaheim Oranges played in 1978.

Continental Indoor Soccer League Team: The Anaheim Splash, played from 1994 to 1997.

Court battle against the Angels

On January 3, 2005, Angels Baseball LP, the ownership group for the Anaheim Angels, announced that it would change the name of the club to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Arturo Moreno believed Team spokesmen pointed out that from its inception, the Angels had been granted territorial rights by Major League Baseball to the counties of Los Angeles, Ventura, Riverside, and San Bernardino in addition to Orange County. The new owner knew the name would help him market the team to the entire Southern California region rather than just Orange County. The "of Anaheim" was included in the official name to comply with a provision of the team's lease at Angel Stadium which requires that "Anaheim" be included in the team's name.

Mayor Curt Pringle and other city officials countered that the name change violated the spirit of the lease clause, even if it were in technical compliance. They argued that a name change was a major bargaining chip in negotiations between the city and Disney Baseball Enterprises, Inc., then the ownership group for the Angels. They further argued that the city would never have agreed to the new lease without the name change, because the new lease required that the city partially fund the stadium's renovation but provided very little revenue for the city. Anaheim sued Angels Baseball LP in Orange County Superior Court, and a jury trial was completed in early February 2006, resulting in a victory for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim franchise.

Anaheim appealed the court decision with the California Court of Appeal in May 2006. The case was tied up in the Appeals Court for over two years. In December 2008, the Appeals Court upheld the February 2006 Decision and ruled in favor of The Angels Organization. In January 2009, The Anaheim City Council voted not to appeal the court case any further, bringing an end to the four year legal dispute between the City of Anaheim and the Angels Organization.

Disney vs. SunCal vs. Anaheim

In March 2007 the Disney corporation filed a lawsuit against the City of Anaheim after the city approved a developer's plan to construct 1,500 homes in the Resort Area, a district surrounding the Disneyland Park. Disney claims that the city breached a contract signed between the city and Resort Area businesses in 1994 banning any housing to be constructed within the Resort Area thereby reserving all land in the district for tourism and commercial uses. By voting 3–2 to approve the housing development in April, the city of Anaheim thereby violated the terms of the contract.

In response, Disney, Mayor Curt Pringle, and Council member Harry Sidhu formed a coalition called 'Save Our Anaheim Resort' with the objective of overturning the zoning allowance thereby keeping the initial plan for the Resort Area intact. The highly successful group boasted support from several local politicians, many building trade unions, the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce, the Anaheim Police Department, and the Anaheim Fire Department, as well as 97% of all businesses within the Resort Area. The group collected 21,000 petitions, 9,000 more than needed, to overturn the council's decision to rezone the area with the option of either the council turning the decision over or the city hold an election to vote on the initiative.

In response, Council member Lorri Galloway, Council member Bob Hernandez, SunCal, and some local affordable housing advocates came together to form a group known as 'The Coalition to Protect and Defend Anaheim'. Their objective was to keep the rezoning approved by the council as legitimate, and stop the so-called "Disney Takeover".

At the August 21, 2007 city council meeting, the council voted 4–1 to place the zoning decision on the June 3, 2008 ballot (Ms. Galloway voted against). This referendum would have overturned the zoning change on the of land SunCal wanted to build on. On November 27, 2007 the City Council rescinded the decision on a 3–2 vote and cancelled the zoning change, thereby eliminating the need for the referendum.

The next day, August 22, 2007 had the Save Our Anaheim Resort group submit 31,348 signatures for verification for an Initiative that would require that any zoning change in the entire Anaheim Resort District for other than commercial and tourist related uses to be approved by the voters. This Initiative was placed on the June 3, 2008 ballot, and is separate from the referendum. On March 4, 2008, the city council revisited the Initiative and decided to adopt the measure outright by a 3–2 vote, saving about $250,000 in election costs, since the measure no longer needs to be on the ballot. In October 2007, SunCal defaulted on a payment for the property in question. SunCal has also pulled funding for this legal suit.

Then in November 2007, The Frank Family, owners of the Mobile Home Park land in dispute, filed a counter suit against SunCal for their failure to make the required payment in October 2007.

Notable people

Leo Fender - Fender Musical Instruments Joseph M. Acaba – NASA astronaut

Walid Azami - Fashion/Celebrity photographer and music video director

Rebecca Black - Singer who rose to fame after uploading a video to the popular video network Youtube, the song is called Friday

Amanda Babin – 4th-placer on Cycle 7 of America's Next Top Model Michelle Babin – 5th-placer on Cycle 7 of America's Next Top Model Angela Perez Baraquio, former Miss America (2001) Larry Beckett – poet and songwriter Moon Bloodgood – actress Rudolph Boysen – horticulturist who created the boysenberry Jeff Buckley – singer-songwriter and guitarist Tim Buckley – singer-songwriter, experimental vocalist, and musician Austin Butler – actor Rod Carew – former Major League Baseball player Carlos Cavazo – former guitarist for the heavy metal, glam metal and hard rock band Quiet Riot Milorad Čavić – Serbian swimmer Rosalind Chao – actress Lou Correa – politician and California State Legislator Don Davis – film score composer, conductor, and orchestrator Reuben Droughns – National Football League player Eden Espinosa – singer and stage actress Henry McFly - Creative Wrestlers Federation Pro-wrestler superstar Jim Fassel – head coach of the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League Jeff Feagles – Former National Football League player Daniel Fells – National Football League player Jim Fielder – bassist for rock group Blood, Sweat & Tears Jorge Flores – professional soccer player Lori Harrigan – Olympic softball player Bobby Hatfield – singer, one half of the musical duo the Righteous Brothers

Stephen Hillenburg – creator of Spongebob Squarepants

John Huarte – former National Football League player Tommy John – former Major League Baseball player Carl and Margaret Karcher – founders of the Carl's Jr. hamburger chain Frankie Kazarian – professional wrestler Samuel Kraemer – rancher, oilman, and businessman Thomas H. Kuchel – United States Senator and Republican Party whip Mark Langston – former Major League Baseball player

Crystal Lewis – Singer

Rob Liefeld – comic book writer, illustrator, and publisher Mike Lockwood – professional wrestler, best known as Crash Holly Chris Manderino – National Football League player

Alli Mauzey – Actress/Singer

Donnie Moore – former Major League Baseball player Marcus Mumford - Lead singer of Grammy-nominated folk band Mumford and Sons. Bill Murphy – Major League Baseball player Naomi Nari Nam – figure skater Connie Needham – actress Augie Nieto – entrepreneur and founder of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis charity Augie's Quest Brian Noble – former National Football League player No Doubt – Grammy Award-winning rock group Chuck Norris- actor Curt Pringle – politician, Mayor of Anaheim, and Speaker of the California State Assembly Alyson Reed – dancer and actress Linda Sánchez – U.S. Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez – U.S. Congresswoman Steve Scarsone – former Major League Baseball player John F. Seymour – United States Senator and Mayor of Anaheim Dana Schoenfield – 1972 Olympic Games Silver Medalist in Swimming

Teemu Selänne – National Hockey League player

Harry Sidhu – politician and Anaheim City Councilman Steve Soto – punk musician and bassist for Agent Orange and The Adolescents Stacey Q – synthpop and dance-pop singer, dancer, and actress Gwen Stefani – singer, songwriter, fashion designer, and frontwoman of the rock band No Doubt Tairrie B – former rapper and later alternative metal frontwoman for Tura Satana and My Ruin Kenneth Michael Trentadue Lisa Tucker – singer and finalist on the fifth season of American Idol Milo Ventimiglia – actor

Jennifer Warnes, Oscar-winning singer of "I Had The Time Of My Life" from Dirty Dancing.

Tiger Woods, professional golfer.

Jaret Wright – former Major League Baseball player

Reuben Droughns - NFL Super Bowl Champion Anaheim High School

Sister cities

Chuncheon, South Korea Mito, Japan Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain Orlando, Florida (although Walt Disney World is actually located in the city of Lake Buena Vista, FL)

See also

Anaheim Island

History of California

List of people from California

List of California public officials charged with crimes, Anaheim

References

External links

City of Anaheim, California – Official Home Page

City of Anaheim, California – Chamber of Commerce

Anaheim Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau

Welcome to Downtown Anaheim

Anaheim Sister Cities

John Wayne—Orange County International Airport

Movies filmed in Anaheim

Category:Populated places in California with Hispanic majority populations Category:Cities in Orange County, California Category:Populated places on the Santa Ana River Category:Populated places established in 1857 Category:Cities in Southern California Category:Incorporated cities and towns in California

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name	California
fullname	State of California
flag	Flag of California.svg
flaglink	Flag
seal	Seal of California.svg
former	California Republic
map	Map of USA CA.svg
nickname	The Golden State
demonym	Californian
motto	Eureka
mottoenglish	I have found it
capital	Sacramento
borderingstates	Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Baja California
officiallang	English
languages	English (Only) 57.6%Spanish 28.2%
largestcity	Los Angeles
largestmetro	Greater Los Angeles Area
largestcounty	San Bernardino
governor	Jerry Brown (D)
lieutenant governor	Gavin Newsom (D)
legislature	California State Legislature
upperhouse	California State Senate
lowerhouse	California State Assembly
senators	Dianne Feinstein (D)Barbara Boxer (D)
Representative	34 Democrats, 19 Republicans
postalabbreviation	CA
tradabbreviation	Calif.
arearank	3rd
totalarea	423,970
totalareaus	163,696
landarea	403 932
landareaus	155,959
waterarea	20,047
waterareaus	7,737
pcwater	4.7
pcforest	35
pcdesert	25
poprank	1st
2000oldpop	33,871,648
2000pop	37,253,956
2004pop(est)	35,893,799
2003pop	35,484,453
2005pop(est)	36,132,147
densityrank	11th
2000density	90.49
2000densityus	234.4
medianhouseholdincome	US$61,021
incomerank	9th
admittanceorder	31st
admittancedate	September 9, 1850
timezone	Pacific: UTC-8/-7
area code	209 213 310 323 408 415 510 530 559 562 619 626 650 661 707 714 760 805 818 831 858 909 916 925 949
latitude	32° 32′ N to 42° N
longitude	114° 8′ W to 124° 26′ W
width	400
widthus	250
length	1,240
lengthus	770
highestpoint	Mount Whitney
highestelev	4,418
highestelevus	14,494
meanelev	884
meanelevus	2,900
lowestpoint	Death Valley
lowestelev	-86
lowestelevus	-282
isocode	US-CA
electoralvotes	55
website	ca.gov/ }}

boxwidth	25em
name	California
flag	Flag of California.svg
seal	Seal of California.svg
nickname	The Golden State
motto	Eureka
capital	Sacramento
mammal	California grizzly bear (State Animal)
marine mammal	Gray Whale
beverage	Wine
bird	California Quail
colors	Blue & Gold
dance	West Coast Swing
fish	Golden Trout
flower	California Poppy
folkdance	Square dance
fossil	Sabre-toothed cat
rock	Serpentinite
gemstone	Benitoite
grass	Purple Needlegrass
insect	California Dogface Butterfly
marine fish	Garibaldi
mineral	Native Gold
quarter	California quarter, reverse side, 2005.jpg
quarterreleasedate	2005
reptile	Desert Tortoise
tree	California Redwood
wildflower	California Poppy
staterock	Serpentine
song	"I Love You, California"
soil	San Joaquin
tartan	California State Tartan
route marker	California 1.svg }}

California (pronounced ) is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area (after Alaska and Texas). It is home to the nation's second- and sixth-largest census statistical areas (Los Angeles Metropolitan Area and San Francisco Bay Area), and eight of the nation's fifty most populated cities (Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno, Sacramento, Long Beach and Oakland). The capital city is Sacramento.

California's diverse geography ranges from the Pacific Coast in the west, to the Sierra Nevada mountains in the east—from the Redwood–Douglas-fir forests of the northwest, to the Mojave Desert areas in the southeast. The center of the state is dominated by Central Valley, a major agricultural area. California contains both the highest and lowest points in the contiguous United States (Mount Whitney and Death Valley), and has the third-longest coastline of all states (after Alaska and Florida). Earthquakes are a common occurrence due to the state's location along the Pacific Ring of Fire: about 37,000 are recorded annually.

The name ''California'' once referred to a large area of North America claimed by Spain that included much of modern-day Southwestern United States and the Baja California peninsula. Beginning in the late 18th century, the area known as Alta California, comprising the California territory north of the Baja Peninsula, was colonized by the Spanish Empire as part of New Spain. In 1821, Alta California became a part of Mexico following its successful war for independence. Shortly after the beginning of the Mexican-American War in 1846, a group of American settlers in Sonoma declared an independent California Republic in Alta California. Though its existence was short-lived, its flag became the precursor for California's current state flag. American victory in the war led to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, in which Mexico ceded Alta California to the United States. Western areas of Alta California became the state of California, which was admitted as the 31st state on September 9, 1850.

The California Gold Rush beginning in 1848 led to dramatic social and demographic change, with large scale immigration from the U.S. and abroad and an accompanying economic boom. Key developments in the early 20th century included the emergence of Los Angeles as the center of the American entertainment industry, and the growth of a large, state-wide tourism sector. The late 20th century saw the development of the technology and information sectors, punctuated by the growth of Silicon Valley. In addition to California's prosperous agricultural industry, other important contributors to its economy include aerospace, education, and manufacturing. If California were a country, it would be the eighth-largest economy in the world and the 35th most populous nation. At least half of the fresh fruit produced in the United States are cultivated in California, and it also leads in the production of vegatables.

Etymology

The word ''California'' originally referred to the entire region composed of what is today the U.S. state of California, plus all or parts of Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and Wyoming, and the Baja California peninsula of Mexico.

The name ''California'' is most commonly believed to have derived from a fictional paradise peopled by Black Amazons and ruled by Queen Calafia. The story of Calafia is recorded in a 1510 work ''The Exploits of Esplandian'', written as a sequel to ''Amadis de Gaula'' by Spanish adventure writer Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo. The kingdom of Queen Calafia, according to Montalvo, was said to be a remote land inhabited by griffins and other strange beasts, and rich in gold.

:

Know ye that at the right hand of the Indies there is an island called California, very close to that part of the Terrestrial Paradise, which was inhabited by black women without a single man among them, and they lived in the manner of Amazons. They were robust of body with strong passionate hearts and great virtue. The island itself is one of the wildest in the world on account of the bold and craggy rocks.

The name ''California'' is the fifth-oldest surviving European place-name in the U.S. and was applied to what is now the southern tip of Baja California peninsula as the ''island of California'' by a Spanish expedition led by Diego de Becerra and Fortún Ximénez, who landed there in 1533 at the behest of Hernán Cortés.|group="note"}}

Geography

California adjoins the Pacific Ocean to the west, Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and the Mexican state of Baja California to the south. With an area of , it is the third-largest state in the United States in size, after Alaska and Texas. If it were a country, California would be the 59th-largest in the world in area.

In the middle of the state lies the California Central 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. The Central Valley is California's agricultural heartland and grows approximately one-third of the nation's food.

Divided in two by the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, the northern portion, the Sacramento Valley serves as the watershed of the Sacramento River, while the southern portion, the San Joaquin Valley is the watershed for the San Joaquin River; both areas derive their names from the rivers that transit them. With dredging, the Sacramento and the San Joaquin Rivers have remained sufficiently deep that several inland cities are seaports.

The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta serves as a critical water supply hub for the state. Water is routed through an extensive network of canals and pumps out of the delta, that traverse nearly the length of the state, including the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project. Water from the Delta provides drinking water for nearly 23 million people, almost two-thirds of the state's population, and provides water to farmers on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley. The Channel Islands are located off the southern coast.

The Sierra Nevada (Spanish for "snowy range") includes the highest peak in the contiguous forty-eight states, Mount Whitney, at 14,505 ft (4,421 m). The range embraces Yosemite Valley, famous for its glacially carved domes, and Sequoia National Park, home to the giant sequoia trees, the largest living organisms on Earth, and the deep freshwater lake, Lake Tahoe, the largest lake in the state by volume.

To the east of the Sierra Nevada are Owens Valley and Mono Lake, an essential migratory bird habitat. In the western part of the state is Clear Lake, the largest freshwater lake by area entirely in California. Though Lake Tahoe is larger, it is divided by the California/Nevada border. The Sierra Nevada falls to Arctic temperatures in winter and has several dozen small glaciers, including Palisade Glacier, the southernmost glacier in the United States.

About 45 percent of the state's total surface area is covered by forests, and California's diversity of pine species is unmatched by any other state. California contains more forestland than any other state except Alaska. Many of the trees in the California White Mountains are the oldest in the world; one Bristlecone pine has an age of 4,700 years.

In the south is a large inland 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, Badwater Basin. The horizontal distance from the lowest point of Death Valley to the peak of Mount Whitney is less than . Indeed, almost all of southeastern California is arid, hot desert, with routine extreme high temperatures during the summer. The southeastern border of California with Arizona is entirely formed by the Colorado River, from which the southern part of the state gets about half of its water.

Along the California coast are several major metropolitan areas, including Greater Los Angeles Area, the San Francisco Bay Area, and the San Diego metropolitan area.

As part of the Ring of Fire, California is subject to tsunamis, floods, droughts, Santa Ana winds, wildfires, landslides on steep terrain, and has several volcanoes. It sees numerous earthquakes due to several faults, in particular the San Andreas Fault.

Climate

California's climate varies from Mediterranean to subarctic.

Much of the state has a Mediterranean climate, with cool, rainy winters and dry summers. The cool California Current offshore often creates summer fog near the coast. Further inland, one encounters colder winters and hotter summers.

Northern parts of the state average higher annual rainfall than the south. California's mountain ranges influence the climate as well: some of the rainiest parts of the state are west-facing mountain slopes. Northwestern California has a temperate climate, and the Central Valley has a Mediterranean climate but with greater temperature extremes than the coast. The high mountains, including the Sierra Nevada, have a mountain climate with snow in winter and mild to moderate heat in summer.

The east side of California's mountains produce a rain shadow, creating expansive deserts. The higher elevation deserts of eastern California see hot summers and cold winters, while the low deserts east of the southern California mountains experience hot summers and nearly frostless mild winters. Death Valley, a desert with large expanses below sea level, is considered the hottest location in North America; the highest temperature in the Western Hemisphere, , was recorded there on July 10, 1913.

Ecology

California is one of the richest and most diverse parts of the world, and includes some of the most endangered ecological communities. California is part of the Nearctic ecozone and spans a number of terrestrial ecoregions. California's large number of endemic species includes relict species, which have died out elsewhere, such as 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 such as the California lilac (''Ceanothus''). Many California endemics have become endangered, as urbanization, logging, overgrazing, and the introduction of exotic species have encroached on their habitat.

Flora and fauna

California boasts several superlatives in its collection of flora: the largest trees, the tallest trees, and the oldest trees. California's native grasses are perennial plants. After European contact, these were generally replaced by invasive species of European annual grasses; and, in modern times, California's hills turn a characteristic golden-brown in summer.

Because California has the greatest diversity of climate and terrain, the state has six life zones which are the lower Sonoran (desert); upper Sonoran (foothill regions and some coastal lands), transition (coastal areas and moist northeastern counties); and the Canadian, Hudsonian, and Arctic Zones, comprising the state's highest elevations.

Plant life in the dry climate of the lower Sonoran zone contains a diversity of native cactus, mesquite, and paloverde. The Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia) is found in the Mojave Desert. Flowering plants include the dwarf desert poppy and a variety of asters. Fremont cottonwood and valley oak thrive in the Central Valley. The upper Sonoran zone includes the chaparral belt, characterized by forests of small shrubs, stunted trees, and herbaceous plants. Nemophila, mint, phacelia, viola, and the California poppy (Eschscholtzia californica)- the state flower- also flourish in this zone, along with the lupine, more species of which occur here than anywhere else in the world.

The high elevations of the Canadian zone allow the Jeffrey Pine, red fir, and Lodgepole Pine to thrive. Brushy areas are abundant with dwarf manzanita and ceanothus; the unique Sierra puffball is also found here. Right below the timeberline, in the Hudsonian zone, the whitebark, foxtail, and silver pines grow. At about 10,500 ft (3,200 m), begins the Arctic zone, a treeless region whose flora include a number of wildflowers, including Sierra primrose, yellow columbine, alpine buttercup, and alpine shooting star.

Common plants that have been introduced to the state include the eucalyptus, acacia, pepper tree, geranium, and Scotch broom. The species that are federally classified as endangered are the Contra Costa wallflower, Antioch Dunes evening primrose, Solano Grass, San Clemente Island larkspur, salt marsh bird's beak, McDonald's rock-cress, and Santa Barbara Island Liveforever. As of December 1997, eight-five plant species were listed as threatened or endangered.

In the transition zone, there are Colombian Black-tailed Deer, black bears, gray foxes, cougars, bobcats, and Roosevelt elk. Reptiles such as the garter snakes and rattlesnakes inhabit the zone. In addition, amphibians such as the water puppy and redwood salamander are common too. Birds such as the kingfisher, chickadee, towhee, and hummingbird thrive here as well.

The Canadian zone mammals include the Mountain Weasel, Snowshoe Hare, Sierra chickadee, and several species of chipmunks. Conspicuous birds include the blue-fronted jay, Sierra hermit thrush, water ouzel, and Townsend solitaire. As one ascends into the Hudsonian zone, birds become scarcer. While the Sierra rosy finch is the only bird native to the high Arctic region, other bird species such as the hummingbird and Clark's Nutcracker. Principal mammals found in this region include the Sierra coney, White-tailed Jackrabbit, and the Bighorn Sheep. As of April 2003, the Bighorn Sheep was listed as endangered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The fauna found throughout several zones are the mule deer, coyote, mountain lion, Northern Flicker, and several species of hawk and sparrow. Also, as of the same year, 178 species of California plants were listed either as endangered or threatened on this federal list.. Sebastián Vizcaíno explored and mapped the coast of California in 1602 for New Spain.

Spanish missionaries began setting up 21 California Missions along the coast of what became known as Alta California (Upper California), together with small towns and ''presidios''. In 1821 the Mexican War of Independence gave Mexico (including California) independence from Spain; for the next 25 years, Alta California remained a remote northern province of the nation of Mexico. Cattle ranches, or ''ranchos'', emerged as the dominant institutions of Mexican California. After Mexican independence from Spain, the chain of missions became the property of the Mexican government and were secularized by 1832. The ranchos developed under ownership by Californios (Spanish-speaking Californians) who had received land grants, and traded cowhides and tallow with Boston merchants.

Beginning in the 1820s, trappers and settlers from the U.S. and Canada began to arrive in Northern California, harbingers of the great changes that would later sweep the Mexican territory. These new arrivals used the Siskiyou Trail, California Trail, Oregon Trail and Old Spanish Trail to cross the rugged mountains and harsh deserts surrounding California. In this period, Imperial Russia explored the California coast and established a trading post at Fort Ross.

In 1846 settlers rebelled against Mexican rule during the Bear Flag Revolt. Afterwards, rebels raised the Bear Flag (featuring a bear, a star, a red stripe and the words "California Republic") at Sonoma. The Republic's first and only president was William B. Ide, who played a pivotal role during the Bear Flag Revolt. His term lasted 22 days and concluded when California was occupied by U.S. forces during the Mexican-American War.

The California Republic was short lived. The same year marked the outbreak of the Mexican-American War (1846–1848). When Commodore John D. Sloat of the United States Navy sailed into Monterey Bay and began the military occupation of California by the United States, Northern California capitulated in less than a month to the U.S. forces. After a series of defensive battles in Southern California, including The Siege of Los Angeles, the Battle of Dominguez Rancho, the Battle of San Pasqual, the Battle of Rio San Gabriel and the Battle of La Mesa, the Treaty of Cahuenga was signed by the Californios on January 13, 1847, securing American control in California. Following the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo that ended the war, the region was divided between Mexico and the U.S.; the western territory of Alta California, was to become the U.S. state of California, and Arizona, Nevada, Colorado and Utah became U.S. Territories, while the lower region of California, the Baja Peninsula, remained in the possession of Mexico. In 1848 the non-native population of California was estimated to be no more than 15,000. But after gold was discovered, the population burgeoned with U.S. citizens, Europeans and other immigrants during the great California Gold Rush. By 1854 over 300,000 settlers had come. On September 9, 1850, as part of the Compromise of 1850, California was admitted to the United States undivided as a free state, denying the expansion of slavery to the Pacific Coast.

The seat of government for California under Spanish and later Mexican rule was located at Monterey from 1777 until 1835, when Mexican authorities abandoned California, leaving their missions and military forts behind. In 1849 the Constitutional Convention was first held there. Among the duties was the task of determining the location for the new state capital. The first legislative sessions were held in San Jose (1850–1851). Subsequent locations included Vallejo (1852–1853), and nearby Benicia (1853–1854); these locations eventually proved to be inadequate as well. The capital has been located in Sacramento since 1854 with only a short break in 1861 when legislative sessions were held in San Francisco due to flooding in Sacramento.

Travel between California and the central and eastern parts of the U.S. was time consuming and dangerous. A more direct connection came in 1869 with the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad through Donner Pass in the Sierra Nevada mountains. After this rail link was established, hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizens came west, where new Californians were discovering that land in the state, if irrigated during the dry summer months, was extremely well suited to fruit cultivation and agriculture in general. Vast expanses of wheat, other cereal crops, vegetable crops, cotton, and nut and fruit trees were grown (including oranges in Southern California), and the foundation was laid for the state's prodigious agricultural production in the Central Valley and elsewhere.

Migration to California accelerated during the early-20th century with the completion of major transcontinental highways like the Lincoln Highway and Route 66. In the period from 1900 to 1965, the population grew from fewer than one million to become the most populous state in the Union. In order to meet the population's needs, major engineering feats like the California and Los Angeles Aqueducts; the Oroville and Shasta Dams; and the Bay and Golden Gate Bridges were built across the state. The state government also adopted the California Master Plan for Higher Education in 1960 to develop a highly efficient system of public education.

Meanwhile, attracted to the mild Mediterranean climate, cheap land, and the state's wide variety of geography, filmmakers established the studio system in Hollywood in the 1920s. A couple of decades later, Stanford University and its Dean of Engineering Frederick Terman began encouraging faculty and graduates to stay in California instead of leaving the state, and develop a high-tech region in the area now known as Silicon Valley. As a result of these efforts, California is currently regarded as a world center of the entertainment and music industries, of technology and engineering businesses, and as the U.S. center of agricultural production.

Demographics

Population

California's population was counted by the US Census Bureau at 37,253,956 for the 2010 census, making it the most populous state. Between 2000 and 2009, there was a natural increase of 3,090,016 (5,058,440 births minus 2,179,958 deaths). During this time period, international migration produced a net increase of 1,816,633 people while domestic migration produced a net decrease of 1,509,708, resulting in a net in-migration of 306,925 people. The State of California's own statistics show a population of 38,292,687 for January 1, 2009.

California is the second-most-populous sub-national entity in the Western Hemisphere and the Americas, with a population second to that of State of São Paulo, Brazil. California's population is greater than that of all but 34 countries of the world. Also, Los Angeles County has held the title of most populous U.S. county for decades, and it alone is more populous than 42 U.S. states. In addition, California is home to eight of the 50 most populous cities in the United States: Los Angeles (2nd), San Diego (8th), San Jose (10th), San Francisco (13th), Fresno (34th), Sacramento (35th), Long Beach (36th), and Oakland (47th). The center of population of California is located in the town of Buttonwillow, Kern County.. |group="note"}}

In 2010, illegal aliens constituted an estimated 7.3 percent of the population, the third highest percentage of any state in the country, totaling nearly 2.6 million. More than half originate from Mexico.

Starting in the year 2010, for the first time since the California Gold Rush, California-born residents make up the majority of the state's population.

Racial and ancestral makeup

Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:

57.6% White (40.1% Non-Hispanic White)

13.0% Asian (3.4% Chinese, 3.2% Filipino, 1.6% Vietnamese, 1.4% Indian, 1.2% Korean, 0.7% Japanese, 0.2% Hmong, 0.2% Cambodian, 0.2% Laotian, 0.1% Thai, 0.1% Pakistani)

6.2% Black or African American

1.0% Native American

4.9% Multiracial (1.3% White and "Some Other Race", 1.2% White and Asian, 0.6% White and Native American, 0.5% White and Black, 1.3% Other)

0.4% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (0.1% Samoan, 0.1% Guamanian or Chamorro, 0.1% Native Hawaiian, 0.2% "Other Pacific Islander")

37.6% are Hispanic or Latino (of any race) (30.7% Mexican, 1.5% Salvadoran, 0.9% Guatemalan, 0.5% Puerto Rican, 0.3% Nicaraguan, 0.2% Honduran, 0.2% Cuban, 0.2% Colombian, 0.2% Peruvian)

With regard to demographics, California has the largest population of White Americans in the U.S., an estimated 22,189,514 residents, although most demographic surveys do not measure actual genetic ancestry. The state has the fifth-largest population of African Americans in the U.S., an estimated 2,250,630 residents. California's Asian American population is estimated at 4.4 million, approximately one-third of the nation's 13.1 million Asian Americans. California's Native American population of 285,162 is the most of any state.

According to estimates from 2008, California has the largest minority population in the United States by numbers, making up 57% of the state population. In 2000, Hispanics comprised 32% of the population; that number grew to 37% in 2008. Non-Hispanic whites decreased from 80% of the state's population in 1970 to 42% in 2008.

Approximately 27% of California's public school students in the 2009–10 school year identified themselves as white, and almost 50.4% of the state's students identified themselves as Hispanic or Latino. While the population of minorities accounts for 102 million of 301 million U.S. residents, 20% of the national total live in California.

Armed forces

In California, as of 2002, the US Department of Defense had

123,948 active-duty military personnel

*7,932 US Army personnel

*96,047 US Navy (including 20,000+US Marines)

*19,969 Air Force

58,076 DOD civilian personnel

In California, as of 2000 there were 2,569,340 veterans of US military service: 504,010 served in World War II, 301,034 in the Korean War, 754,682 during the Vietnam War, and 278,003 during 1990–2000 (including the Persian Gulf War).

California's military forces consist of the Army and Air National Guard, the naval and state military reserve (militia), and the California Cadet Corps.

Languages

As of 2005, 57.6% of California residents age five and older spoke English as a first language at home, while 28.2% spoke Spanish. In addition to English and Spanish, 2.0% spoke Filipino, 1.6% spoke Chinese (which included Cantonese [0.6%] and Mandarin [0.4%]), 1.4% spoke Vietnamese, and 1.1% spoke Korean as their mother tongue. In total, 42.4% of the population spoke languages other than English. California was historically one of the most linguistically diverse areas in the world, and is home to more than 70 indigenous languages derived from 64 root languages in 6 language families. About half of the indigenous languages are no longer spoken, and all of California's living indigenous languages are endangered. There are some efforts toward language revitalization, such as for the Karuk language. The official language of California has been English since the passage of Proposition 63 in 1986. However, many state, city, and local government agencies still continue to print official public documents in numerous languages. For example, the California Department of Motor Vehicles offers the written exam for the standard C Class driver's license in 31 languages along with English, and the audio exam in 11 languages.

Culture

The culture of California is a Western culture and most clearly has its modern roots in the culture of the United States, but also, historically, many Hispanic influences. As a border and coastal state, Californian culture has been greatly influenced by several large immigrant populations, especially those from Latin America.

California has long been a subject of interest in the public mind and has often been promoted by its boosters as a kind of paradise. In the early 20th Century, fueled by the efforts of state and local boosters, many Americans saw the Golden State as an ideal resort destination, sunny and dry all year round with easy access to the ocean and mountains. In the 1960s, popular music groups such as The Beach Boys promoted the image of Californians as laid-back, tanned beach-goers.

In terms of socio-cultural mores and national politics, Californians are perceived as more liberal than other Americans, especially those who live in the inland states. In some ways, California is the quintessential Blue State-- accepting of alternative lifestyles, not uniformly religious, and preoccupied with environmental issues.

The gold rush of the 1850s is still seen as a symbol of California's economic style, which tends to generate technology, social, entertainment, and economic fads and booms and related busts.

Religion

The largest religious denominations by number of adherents as a percentage of California's population in 2008 were the Catholic Church with 31 percent; Evangelical Protestants with 18 percent; and Mainline Protestants with 14 percent. Those unaffiliated with any religion represented 21 percent of the population.

The first priests to come to California were Roman Catholic missionaries from Spain. Roman Catholics founded 21 missions along the California coast, as well as the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco. California continues to have a large Roman Catholic population due to the large numbers of Mexicans and Central Americans living within its borders. California has twelve dioceses and two archdioceses, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the Archdiocese of San Francisco, the former being the largest archdiocese in the United States.

A Pew Research Center survey revealed that California is somewhat less religious than the rest of the US: 62 percent of Californians say they are "absolutely certain" of the belief in God, while in the nation 71 percent say so. The survey also revealed 48 percent of Californians say religion is "very important," compared to 56 percent nationally.

Economy

thumb|350px|Were California an independent country, its gross domestic product would be ranked [[Comparison between U.S. states and countries by GDP (PPP)|between eighth and eleventh in the world.]]

As of 2007, the gross state product (GSP) is about $1.812 trillion, the largest in the United States. California is responsible for 13 percent of the United States gross domestic product (GDP). As of 2006, California's GDP is larger than all but eight countries in the world (all but eleven countries by Purchasing Power Parity).

In terms of jobs, the five largest sectors in California are trade, transportation, and utilities; government; professional and business services; education and health services; and leisure and hospitality. In terms of output, the five largest sectors are financial services, followed by trade, transportation, and utilities; education and health services; government; and manufacturing.

California currently has the 5th highest unemployment rate in the nation at 12.5% as of January 2010 and had continued to rise, up significantly from 5.9% in 2007.

California's economy is very dependent on trade and international related commerce accounts for approximately one-quarter of the state’s economy. In 2008, California exported $144 billion worth of goods, up from $134 billion in 2007 and $127 billion in 2006. Computers and electronic products are California's top export, accounting for 42 percent of all the state's exports in 2008.

Agriculture is an important sector in California's economy. Farming-related sales more than quadrupled over the past three decades, from $7.3 billion in 1974 to nearly $31 billion in 2004. This increase has occurred despite a 15 percent decline in acreage devoted to farming during the period, and water supply suffering from chronic instability. Factors contributing to the growth in sales-per-acre include more intensive use of active farmlands and technological improvements in crop production. In 2008, California's 81,500 farms and ranches generated $36.2 billion products revenue.

Per capita GDP in 2007 was $38,956, ranking eleventh in the nation. Per capita income varies widely by geographic region and profession. The Central Valley is the most impoverished, with migrant farm workers making less than minimum wage. Recently, the San Joaquin Valley was characterized as one of the most economically depressed regions in the U.S., on par with the region of Appalachia. Many coastal cities include some of the wealthiest per-capita areas in the U.S. The high-technology sectors in Northern California, specifically Silicon Valley, in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, have emerged from the economic downturn caused by the dot-com bust.

In 2010, there were more than 663,000 millionaires in the state, more than any other state in the nation.

State finances

California levies a 9.3 percent maximum variable rate income tax, with six tax brackets, collecting about $40 billion per year (representing approximately 51% of General Fund revenue and 40% of tax revenue overall in FY2007). California has a state sales tax of 8.25%, which can total up to 10.75% with local sales tax included. All real property is taxable annually, the tax based on the property's fair market value at the time of purchase or completion of new construction. Property tax increases are capped at 2% per year (see Proposition 13).

However, California is facing a $26.3 billion budget deficit for the 2009–2010 budget year. While the legislative bodies appeared to address the problem in 2008 with the three-month delayed passage of a budget they in fact only postponed the deficit to 2009 and due to the late 2008 decline in the economy and the credit crisis the problem became urgent in November 2008.

One potential problem is that a substantial portion of the state's income comes from income taxes on a small proportion of wealthy citizens. For example, it is estimated that in 2004 the richest 3% of state taxpayers (those with tax returns showing over 200K USD yearly income) paid approximately 60% of state income taxes. The taxable income of this population is highly dependent upon capital gains, which has been severely impacted by the stock market declines of this period. The governor has proposed a combination of extensive program cuts and tax increases to address this problem, but owing to longstanding problems in the legislature these proposals are likely to be difficult to pass as legislation.

State spending increased from $56 billion in 1998 to $131 billion in 2008, and the state was facing a budget deficit of $40 billion in 2008. California is facing another budget gap for 2010, with $72 billion in debt.

In 2009 the California economic crisis became severe as the state faced insolvency. In June 2009 Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said "Our wallet is empty, our bank is closed and our credit is dried up." He called for massive budget cuts of $24 billion, about of the state's budget. Due to the high electricity demand, California imports more electricity than any other state, primarily hydroelectric power from states in the Pacific Northwest (via Path 15 and Path 66) and coal- and natural gas-fired production from the desert Southwest via Path 46.

As a result of the state's strong environmental movement, California has the some of the most aggressive renewable energy goals in the United States, with a target for California to obtain a third of its electricity from renewables by 2020. Currently, several solar power plants such as the Solar Energy Generating Systems facility are located in the Mojave Desert. California's wind farms include Altamont Pass, San Gorgonio Pass, and Tehachapi Pass. And a number of dams across the state also provide hydro-electric power.

The state’s crude oil and natural gas deposits are located in the Central Valley and along the coast, including the large Midway-Sunset Oil Field. Natural gas-fired power plants typically account for more than one-half of State electricity generation.

California is also home to two major nuclear power plants: Diablo Canyon and San Onofre. However, voters banned the approval of new nuclear power plants since the late 1970s because of concerns over radioactive waste disposal. In addition, several cities such as Oakland, Berkeley and Davis have declared themselves as nuclear-free zones.

Transportation

California's vast terrain is connected by an extensive system of controlled-access highways ('freeways'), limited-access roads ('expressways'), and highways. California is known for its car culture, giving California's cities a reputation for severe traffic congestion. Construction and maintenance of state roads and statewide transportation planning are primarily the responsibility of the California Department of Transportation, nicknamed "Caltrans". The rapidly growing population of the state is straining all of its transportation networks, and California has some of the worst roads in the United States. The Reason Foundation's 19th Annual Report on the Performance of State Highway Systems ranked California's highways the third-worst of any state, with Alaska second, and Rhode Island first.

One of the state's more visible landmarks, the Golden Gate Bridge was completed in 1937. With its orange paint and panoramic views of the bay, this highway bridge is a popular tourist attraction and also accommodates pedestrians and bicyclists. It is simultaneously designated as U.S. Route 101, which is part of the El Camino Real (Spanish for Royal Road or King's Highway), and State Route 1, also known as the Pacific Coast Highway. Another of the seven bridges in the San Francisco Bay Area is the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge (often abbreviated the "Bay Bridge"), completed in 1936. This bridge transports approximately 280,000 vehicles per day on two-decks, with its two sections meeting at Yerba Buena Island.

Los Angeles International Airport and San Francisco International Airport are major hubs for trans-Pacific and transcontinental traffic. There are about a dozen important commercial airports and many more general aviation airports throughout the state.

California also has several important seaports. The giant seaport complex formed by the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach in Southern California is the largest in the country and responsible for handling about a fourth of all container cargo traffic in the United States. The Port of Oakland, fourth largest in the nation, handles trade from the Pacific Rim and delivers most of the ocean containers passing through Northern California to the entire USA.

The California Highway Patrol is the largest statewide police agency in the United States in terms of employment with over 10,000 employees, and perhaps the most legendary, especially because they have been featured in their own sitcom, CHiPs. They are responsible for providing any police-sanctioned service to anyone on California's state maintained highways and on state property.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles is by far the largest in North America. By the end of 2009, the California DMV had 26,555,006 driver's licenses and ID cards on file. In 2010, there were 1.17 million new vehicle registrations in force.

Intercity rail travel is provided by Amtrak California, which manages the three busiest intercity rail lines in the U.S. outside the Northeast Corridor, all of which are funded by Caltrans. This service is becoming increasingly popular over flying and ridership is continuing to set records, especially on the LAX-SFO route. Integrated subway and light rail networks are found in Los Angeles (Metro Rail) and San Francisco (MUNI Metro). Light rail systems are also found in San Jose (VTA), San Diego (San Diego Trolley), Sacramento (RT Light Rail), and Northern San Diego County (Sprinter). Furthermore, commuter rail networks serve the San Francisco Bay Area (ACE, BART, Caltrain), Greater Los Angeles (Metrolink), and San Diego County (Coaster).

The California High-Speed Rail Authority was created in 1996 by the state to implement an extensive 700 mile (1127 km) rail system. Construction was approved by the voters during the November 2008 general election, a $9.95 billion state bond will go toward its construction. Nearly all counties operate bus lines, and many cities operate their own bus lines as well. Intercity bus travel is provided by Greyhound and Amtrak Thruway Coach.

In March 2011, California ranked as a top BEST state in the American State Litter Scorecard for overall effectiveness and quality of its public space cleanliness—-primarily roadway litter—from state and related debris removal efforts.

Government and politics

State government

California is governed as a republic, with three branches of government — the executive branch consisting of the Governor and the other independently elected constitutional officers; the legislative branch consisting of the Assembly and Senate; and the judicial branch consisting of the Supreme Court of California and lower courts. The state also allows direct participation of the electorate by initiative, referendum, recall, and ratification. California allows each political party to choose whether to have a closed primary or a primary where only party members and independents vote. The state's capital is Sacramento.

The Governor of California and the other state constitutional officers serve four-year terms and may be re-elected only once. The California State Legislature consists of a 40-member Senate and 80-member Assembly. Senators serve four-year terms and Assembly members two. Members of the Assembly are subject to term limits of three terms, and members of the Senate are subject to term limits of two terms.

California's legal system is explicitly based upon English common law (as is the case with all other states except Louisiana) but carries a few features from Spanish civil law, such as community property. Capital punishment is a legal form of punishment and the state has the largest "Death Row" population in the country (though Texas is far more active in carrying out executions). California's "Death Row" is in San Quentin State Prison situated north of San Francisco in Marin County. Executions in California are currently on hold indefinitely as human rights issues are addressed. California's prison population grew from 25,000 in 1980 to over 170,000 in 2007.

California's judiciary is the largest in the United States (with a total of 1,600 judges, while the federal system has only about 840). It is supervised by the seven Justices of the Supreme Court of California. Justices of the Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal are appointed by the Governor, but are subject to retention by the electorate every 12 years.

Politics

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California has an idiosyncratic political culture compared to the rest of the country, and is sometimes regarded as a trendsetter. It was the second state to recall their state governor, the second state to legalize abortion, and the only state to ban marriage for gay couples twice by voters (including Proposition 8 in 2008). Voters also passed Proposition 71 in 2004 to fund stem cell research, and Proposition 14 in 2010 to completely change the state's primary election process. California has also experienced disputes over water rights; and a tax revolt, culminating with the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978, limiting state property taxes.

What has been consistent in the last few decades is that California politics has trended towards the Democratic Party and away from the Republican Party. From 1899 to 1939, California had Republican governors. Once very conservative, having elected Republicans until 1958, California is now a reliable liberal, Democratic state. Since 1990, California has generally elected Democratic candidates to federal, state and local offices, including current Governor Jerry Brown; however, the state has elected Republican Governors, though many of its Republican Governors, such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, tend to be considered "Moderate Republicans" and more centrist than the national party.

The Democrats also hold a majority in both houses of the state legislature. There are currently 52 Democrats and 27 Republicans in the Assembly; and 25 Democrats and 15 Republicans in the Senate.

The trend towards the Democratic Party is most obvious in presidential elections; the Democratic Party candidate has won California's electoral votes in the last five elections. Additionally, both the state's current Democratic U.S. Senators, Dianne Feinstein, a native and former mayor of San Francisco, and Barbara Boxer, a former congresswoman from Marin County, have held onto their seats since they were first elected in 1992.

In the U.S. House, the Democrats have held a 34–19 edge since the seating of the 110th United States Congress in 2007. As the result of gerrymandering, the districts in California are usually dominated by one or the other party with very few districts that could be considered competitive.

In general, Democratic strength is centered in coastal regions of Los Angeles County and the San Francisco Bay Area. Republican strength is still greatest in eastern parts of the state. Orange County also remains mostly Republican. One study ranked Berkeley, Oakland, Inglewood and San Francisco in the top 10 most liberal American cities; and Bakersfield and Orange in the top 10 most conservative cities.

Cities, towns and counties

:''For lists of cities, towns, and counties in California, see List of California counties, List of largest California cities by population, List of incorporated cities and towns in California, List of California urban areas, and California locations by per capita income.''

The state's local government is divided into 58 counties and 482 incorporated cities and towns; of which 460 are cities and 22 are towns. Under California law, the terms "city" and "town" are explicitly interchangeable; the name of an incorporated municipality in the state can either be "City of (Name)" or "Town of (Name)".

Sacramento became California's first incorporated city on February 27, 1850. San Jose, San Diego and Benicia tied for California's second incorporated city, each receiving incorporation on March 27, 1850. Jurupa Valley became the state's most recent and 482nd incorporated municipality on July 1, 2011.

The majority of these cities and towns are within one of five metropolitan areas. Sixty-eight percent of California's population lives in its three largest metropolitan areas, Greater Los Angeles Area, the San Francisco Bay Area, and the Riverside-San Bernardino Area. Although smaller, the other two large population centers are the San Diego and Greater Sacramento metro areas.

The state recognizes two kinds of cities: charter and general law. General law cities owe their existence to state law and are consequentially governed by it; charter cities are governed by their own city charters. Cities incorporated in the 19th century tend to be charter cities. All ten of the state's most populous cities are charter cities.

Education

Public 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. California's public educational system is supported by a unique constitutional amendment that requires a minimum annual funding level for grades K-12 and community colleges that grows with the economy and student enrollment figures.

California had over 6.2 million school students in the 2005–06 school year. Funding and staffing levels in California schools lag behind other states. In expenditure per pupil, California ranked 29th (of the 50 states and the District of Columbia) in 2005–06. In teaching staff expenditure per pupil, California ranked 49th of 51. In overall teacher-pupil ratio, California was also 49th, with 21 students per teacher. Only Arizona and Utah were lower.

A 2007 study concluded that California's public school system was "broken".

California's public postsecondary education offers a unique three tiered system:

The research university system in the state is the University of California (UC), a public university system. There are ten general UC campuses, and a number of specialized campuses in the UC system.

The California State University (CSU) system has almost 450,000 students, making it the largest university system in the United States. It is intended to accept the top one-third of high school students. The 23 CSU schools are primarily intended for undergraduate education. The California Community Colleges System provides lower division coursework as well as basic skills and workforce training. It is the largest network of higher education in the US, composed of 110 colleges serving a student population of over 2.9 million.

California is also home to such notable private universities as Stanford University, the University of Southern California, the California Institute of Technology, and the Claremont Colleges. California has hundreds of other private colleges and universities, including many religious and special-purpose institutions.

Sports

California hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics at Squaw Valley Ski Resort, the 1932 and 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, as well as the 1994 FIFA World Cup. The NFL Super Bowl has been hosted in California 11 times at four different stadiums.

California has nineteen major professional sports league franchises, far more than any other state. The San Francisco Bay Area has seven major league teams spread in three cities, San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose. While the Greater Los Angeles Area is home to ten major league franchises, it is also the largest metropolitan area not to have a team from the National Football League. San Diego has two major league teams, and Sacramento has one.

Home to some of the most prominent universities in the United States, California has long had many respected collegiate sports programs. California is home to the oldest college bowl game, the annual Rose Bowl, among others.

California has also long been a hub for motorsports and auto racing. The city of Long Beach holds an event every year in the month of April, which is host to IndyCar Series racing through the streets of downtown. Long Beach has hosted Formula One events there in the past, and also currently hosts an event on the American Le Mans Series schedule. Auto Club Speedway is a speedway in Fontana, and currently hosts one to two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races a year, and used to host CART Indycar races. Infineon Raceway in Sonoma is a multi-purpose facility, featuring a road course and a drag strip. The road course is home to a NASCAR event, an IndyCar event, and used to host an International Motor Sports Association sports car event. The drag strip hosts a yearly NHRA event. Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is a roadcourse that currently hosts an ALMS event, and formerly hosted CART events. The Auto Club Raceway at Pomona has hosted NHRA drag racing for over 50 years.

Below is a list of major sports teams in California:

! Club	! Sport	! League
Oakland Raiders	American football	National Football League
San Diego Chargers	American football	National Football League
San Francisco 49ers	American football	National Football League
Sacramento Mountain Lions	American football
Los Angeles Dodgers	Baseball	Major League Baseball
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim	Baseball	Major League Baseball
Oakland Athletics	Baseball	Major League Baseball
San Diego Padres	Baseball	Major League Baseball
San Francisco Giants	Baseball	Major League Baseball
Golden State Warriors	Basketball	National Basketball Association
Los Angeles Clippers	Basketball	National Basketball Association
Los Angeles Lakers	Basketball	National Basketball Association
Sacramento Kings	Basketball	National Basketball Association
Anaheim Ducks	Ice hockey	National Hockey League
Los Angeles Kings	Ice hockey	National Hockey League
San Jose Sharks	Ice hockey	National Hockey League
		Major League Soccer
Los Angeles Galaxy	Soccer	Major League Soccer
San Jose Earthquakes	Soccer	Major League Soccer
Los Angeles Sparks	Basketball	Women's National Basketball Association
California Cougars	Soccer	Professional Arena Soccer League
FC Gold Pride	Soccer	Women's Professional Soccer
San Jose SaberCats	American football	Arena Football League

See also

List of National Register of Historic Places in California

List of people from California

List of places in California

Pacific Ocean

U.S. state

Notes

References

Further reading

External links

State of California

1973 documentary featuring aerial views of the California coastline from Mt. Shasta to Los Angeles

Time-Lapse Tilt-Shift Portrait of California by Ryan and Sheri Killackey

Category:Former Spanish colonies Category:States and territories established in 1850 Category:States of the United States Category:West Coast of the United States

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