California



For alternative meanings, see California (disambiguation)
California is a state located in the western United States, bordering the Pacific Ocean. The most populous and third largest state in the U.S., California is both physically and demographically diverse. The state's official nickname is "The Golden State" (referring to the California gold rush), and its U.S. Postal abbreviation is CA.
Southern California is highly populated, while the larger northern California is less densely populated. The vast majority of the population lives within 50 miles (80 km) of the Pacific Ocean.
The name comes from Las sergas de Espladián (Adventures of Spladian), a 16th century novel, by Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo, where there is an island paradise called California.
State of California
Flag of California Seal of California
State nickname: The Golden State

Other U.S. States
Capital Sacramento
Largest City Los Angeles
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water
 - % water 		Ranked 3rd
410,000 km²
404,298 km²
20,047 km²
4.72%
Population
 - Total (2000)
 - Density 		Ranked 1st
33,871,648
83/km²
Admittance into Union
 - Order
 - Date
31st
September 9, 1850
Time zone Pacific: UTC-8/-7
Latitude
Longitude 		32°30'N to 42°N
114°8'W to 124°24'W
Width
Length
Elevation
 - Highest
 - Mean
 - Lowest 		402.5 km
1,240 km
 
4,418 meters
884 meters
86 meters below sea level
ISO 3166-2: US-CA