California is the most populous state of the United States. One out of every eight United States residents lives in California. The state's four largest cities are Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose and San Francisco. California covers 163,707 square miles and has a population of 35,116,033 people. California's capital is Sacramento.

California was admitted to the Union in 1850, after the end of the Mexican-American War in 1846, as the 31st state. California's economy is broken into two categories; agriculture and industry. Vegetables, fruits and nuts, dairy products, cattle, nursery stock, grapes provide for the agricultural side. While electronic components and equipment, aerospace, film production, food processing, petroleum, computers and computer software, tourism provide for the industrial side.

In 1925 a giant sequoia located in California's Kings Canyon National Park was named the nation's national Christmas tree. The tree is over 300 feet in height. California's Mount Whitney measures as the highest peak in the lower 48 states. Its most famous climb is Mount Whitney Trail to the 14,495 feet summit. Wilderness permits are required.

The Hollywood Bowl is the world's largest outdoor amphitheater. The first motion picture theater opened in Los Angeles on April 2, 1902. It is estimated there are approximately 500,000 detectable seismic tremors in California annually.

The state motto is Eureka!, a Greek word translated "I have found it!" The motto was adopted in 1849 and alludes to the discovery of gold in the Sierra Nevada. California is known variously as The Land of Milk and Honey, The El Dorado State, The Golden State, and The Grape State. The highest and lowest points in the continental United States are within 100 miles of one another. Mount Whitney measures 14,495 feet and Bad Water in Death Valley is 282 feet below sea level.

California has many great places to live.