California
- Just the Facts
- Encyclopedias & Almanacs
- State Links
- Did You Know
- State's Famous People
| Abbreviation | CA Source: United States Postal Service - Abbreviations |
|---|---|
| Capital | Sacramento |
| Population | 37,253,956 Source: Resident Population Data - 2010 Census |
| Governor | Jerry Brown (Democrat, to January 2015) |
| Entered the Union | September 9, 1850 as the 31st state |
| Motto | Eureka (I Have Found It) |
| Nicknames | The Golden State |
| Flower | Golden Poppy |
| Bird | California Valley Quail |
| Song | "I Love You, California" |
| Professional Sports Teams | Anaheim Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants (Baseball); Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Sacramento Kings (Men's Basketball); Los Angeles Sparks (Women's Basketball); Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers (Football); Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks (Hockey); Club Deportivo Chivas USA (in L.A.), LA Galaxy, San Jose Earthquakes (Soccer) (sports listing policy) |
| Origin of Name | From the name of a fictional earthly paradise in a book called Las Sergas de Esplanidian, written by Garcia Ordonez de Montalvo around 1500 |
| Historical Sites | Sutter's Mill, where gold was first discovered in California in 1848 |
| Points of Interest | Disneyland (Walt Disney's original theme park), the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco Bay, Hollywood, Sequoia National Park |
| Bordering States | California borders Oregon, Nevada, and Arizona. California also borders Mexico. |
| Flag |  |
Follow these links to read articles about California from Encyclopedias and Almanacs:
Official State Links
- Welcome to California: The Official State Site
http://www.ca.gov/
This is the official website for the State of California. - California State Library
http://www.library.ca.gov/
Here is the homepage for the California State Library. - California Historical Society
http://www.californiahistoricalsociety.org/
Here is the homepage for the California State Historical Society. - California Museum
http://www.californiamuseum.org/
Here is the homepage for the California Museum. - California Archives & Museum
http://www.ss.ca.gov/archives/archives.htm
Here is the homepage for the California State Archives. - California State Parks
http://www.parks.ca.gov/
Here is the homepage for California State Parks. - California: Find Yourself Here
http://www.visitcalifornia.com/
Here is the official state travel and tourism website for California. - California Kids Pages
http://www.ca.gov/HomeFamily/JustForKids.html
Here's a list of kids sites dedicated to supporting the youth of California, gathered by the California state government.
Other State Links
- 50states.com: California
http://www.50states.com/californ.htm
The site provides a wealth of information about California. It includes everything from the highest point to county profile to climate. - Things To Do in California
http://www.thingstodo.com/states/CA/index.htm
ThingsToDo.com is an online guide to information about California's entertainment, recreation, and travel, and includes the state's interesting facts, famous people, and special events. - Roadside America: California Attractions
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/map/ca.html
Roadside America describes itself as an online guide to offbeat attractions. This site offers reviews of "weird sites along the highway" in California. - California State Historical Landmarks
http://donaldlaird.com/landmarks/
There are over 1100 California State Historical Landmarks, and this resource attempts to describe each of them. The site has been named a Recommended Site by "The History Channel". - FedStats: MapStat: United States: California
http://www.fedstats.gov/qf/states/06000.html
Fast access to statistics from more than 100 federal agencies on "economic and population trends, crime, education, health care, aviation safety, energy use, farm production and moreCalifornia.
- More people live in California than in any other state!
- More immigrants settle in California than in any other state. In 1990, they made up more than 30 percent of all immigrants to the U.S. Most immigrants settling in California come from Asian-Pacific countries such as Japan and China.
- Death Valley, in southern California, is the lowest point in the U.S. It's 282 feet below sea level. The highest point in the contiguous 48 states (which don't include Alaska and Hawaii) is also in California: Mt. Whitney, which is 14,491 feet above sea level.
- Other natural wonders in California include Lassen Peak, one of two active volcanoes in the U.S. outside of Alaska and Hawaii; the majestic sequoia trees of the Sequoia National Park, which can grow as tall as 300 feet and can live as long as 3,500 years; and California's widely varying climate, which ranges from desert heat in the south to the chill of snow-capped mountain peaks in the north.
- California became a major U.S. attraction long before Hollywood or Disneyland existed, when gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill in 1848. This began the Gold Rush, which brought many people from all over the U.S. hoping to find gold and make their fortunes in California.
Some Famous People from this State
- Shirley Temple Black, 1930s child actress and now U.S. ambassador to the United Nations
- Julia Child, chef
- Joe DiMaggio, baseball player
- Robert Frost, former poet laureate of the U.S.
- Jack London, author of many novels about the vast Western frontiers, such as Call of the Wild
- Marilyn Monroe, actress
- John Muir, naturalist and founder of the Sierra Club
- Presidents from California with links to ipl2's POTUS (Presidents of the United States) page:
- Richard M. Nixon, 37th President of the U.S.
- Robert Redford, actor
- Sally K. Ride, astronaut and first American woman in space