Citizendia
Your Ad Here

This article is about the region of Southern California. For the university, see University of Southern California. The University of Southern California (commonly referred to as USC, SC, Southern California, and incorrectly For the urban complex straddling the United States-Mexico border, see Bajalta California. Bajalta California is the urban complex straddling the Mexico–United States border at the Pacific Ocean.
Downtown Los Angeles skyline
Downtown Los Angeles skyline
Many major companies are headquartered in Southern California, particularly Los Angeles.
Many major companies are headquartered in Southern California, particularly Los Angeles. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West

Southern California or (So Cal) is defined as the southern portion of the U. S. state of California. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Its population centers on the cities of Los Angeles, San Diego, San Bernardino, and Riverside. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Riverside is the County seat of Riverside County, California, United States. Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, behind only the BosWash Region in the Northeastern United States. Northeastern_United_States#The_Northeast_as_a_megalopolis BosWash (also referred to as BoWash, BosNYwash, the Northeast Corridor, the The Northeast is a region of the United States. As defined by the U

There is no official definition for the northern boundary of Southern California, however, most definitions in use include all the land south of the Tehachapi Mountains, located about 70 miles (113 km) north of Los Angeles. The Tehachapi Mountains (təˈhætʃəˌpi are a short transverse range in southern California in the United States, running SW-NE connecting

On the west of Southern California lies the Pacific Ocean; to the south is the international border between the United States and Mexico; to the east are the Mojave and Colorado Deserts and the Colorado River at the state's border with Arizona and Nevada. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. For the indigenous American tribe see Mohave. The Mojave Desert (moʊˈhɑːvi or /məˈhɑːvi/ ( Hayikwiir Mat'aar in Mojave The Colorado Desert is a part of the larger Sonoran Desert in the southeastern part of the U The Colorado River (' Aha Kwahwat in Mojave) is a River in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately The State of Arizona ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America.

Contents

Significance

Within its boundaries is a major world city, Los Angeles, and three of the country's largest metropolitan areas. The question of which are the World's largest cities is a complex one to which there is no single correct answer simply because there are many different ways of defining a "city" [1]

Downtown San Diego
Downtown San Diego

Its counties of Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, San Bernardino, and Riverside are in the top 15 most populous counties in the United States. Los Angeles County is a county in California and is by far the most populous county in the United States. Orange County is a county in Southern California, United States. San Diego County is a County located on the Pacific Ocean in the far southwest of the U San Bernardino County is a county in the US state of California. Riverside County is a County located in the southeastern part of the U The region is also home to Los Angeles International Airport, the third-busiest airport in the United States by passenger volume,[2] and the 2nd by international passenger volume,[3] Van Nuys Airport, the world's busiest general aviation airport, Ontario International Airport, John Wayne International Airport, San Diego International Airport, and LA/Palmdale Regional Airport . Los Angeles International Airport is the primary Airport serving Los Angeles, California, the second-most populated metropolitan area of Van Nuys Airport is a public Airport located in Van Nuys in the San Fernando Valley section of the city limits of Los Angeles, California General aviation (abbr GA) is one of two categories of Civil aviation. LA/Ontario International Airport, (formerly Ontario International Airport is a public Airport located two miles (3 km east of the Central business district John Wayne Airport is an Airport in an unincorporated area in Orange County California, with its mailing address in Santa Ana, hence the IATA code San Diego International Airport, also known as Lindbergh Field, is a public Airport located three miles (five km) northwest of the Central business LA/Palmdale Regional Airport, also '''United States Air Force Plant 42''', is an airport in the city of Palmdale in Los Angeles County, Southern California is also home to the Port of Los Angeles, the United States' busiest commercial port, and the adjacent Port of Long Beach. History The south-facing San Pedro Bay was originally a shallow Mudflat, too soft to support a Wharf. The Port of Long Beach, also known as Long Beach’s Harbor Department, is the 2nd busiest Seaport in the United States Also of note in the region is the freeway system, which is the world's busiest. The Freeways of Southern California, along with beaches palm trees and movie studios are one of the major trademarks of this region Six of the seven lines of the commuter rail system, Metrolink, run out of Downtown Los Angeles, connecting Los Angeles, Ventura, San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, and San Diego counties with the other line connecting San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange counties directly, the nation's first suburb-to-suburb commuter rail line. Commuter rail, regional rail or suburban rail is a Passenger rail transport service between a city center and outer suburbs and Commuter towns Downtown Los Angeles is the Central business district of Los Angeles, California, United States, located close to the geographic center Ventura County is a county in the southern part of the US state of California ( Southern California)

Part of downtown San Bernardino
Part of downtown San Bernardino

The Tech Coast is a moniker that has gained use as a descriptor for the region's diversified technology and industrial base as well as its multitude of prestigious and world-renowned research universities and other public and private institutions. Amongst these include five University of California campuses (Los Angeles (UCLA), Irvine, Riverside, Santa Barbara, and San Diego (UCSD) campuses), 12 California State University campuses (Bakersfield, Channel Islands, Dominguez Hills, Fullerton, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona), Northridge (CSUN), San Bernardino, San Diego (SDSU), San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly), and San Marcos campuses), as well as private institutions such as Caltech, the University of Southern California, Pepperdine University, Loyola Marymount University, the Claremont Colleges and the University of San Diego (USD). The University of California ( UC) is a Public university system in the state of California. The University of California Los Angeles (generally known as UCLA) is a public research university located in Westwood Los Angeles, California, United The University of California Irvine is a public Coeducational Research university situated in Irvine, California. The University of California Riverside, commonly known as UCR or UC Riverside, is a public Research university and one of the 10 general The University of California Santa Barbara ( UCSB) is a selective research-oriented public university located on the Pacific Ocean in Santa Barbara County California The University of California San Diego (popularly known as UC San Diego or UCSD) is a public Research university in San Diego, California History Today's California State University system is the direct descendant of the California State Normal School (now San José State University) a California State University Bakersfield (often abbreviated CSUB or shortened to CSU Bakersfield or Cal State Bakersfield) is a Public university California State University Channel Islands ( CSUCI) is a University located in Camarillo California, in California's Ventura County. "To educate is to give vision to the blind speech to the voiceless empowerment to the disenfranchised California State University Fullerton, commonly known as CSUF, CSU Fullerton, or Cal State Fullerton, is currently the largest California State California State University Long Beach (also known as Cal State Long Beach, Long Beach State, CSU Long Beach, CSULB, LBSU California State University Los Angeles (also known as Cal State L The California State Polytechnic University Pomona, also officially Cal Poly Pomona, is a public, nationally-ranked coeducational university and one of the California State University Northridge (also known as CSUN, Cal State Northridge) is a public university in the San Fernando Valley, within the city limits California State University San Bernardino is a state-funded university in San Bernardino California, part of the California State University System History Established on March 13 1897 San Diego State University first began as the San Diego Normal School intended to educate local future female elementary school teachers California Polytechnic State University, also officially recognized as Cal Poly, is a nationally ranked Public university located in San Luis Obispo California State University San Marcos (also CSUSM or Cal State San Marcos) is a campus of the California State University (CSU system located in The California Institute of Technology (commonly referred to as Caltech) is a private, Coeducational research university located in Pasadena The University of Southern California (commonly referred to as USC, SC, Southern California, and incorrectly Pepperdine University is a private University of higher learning affiliated with the Churches of Christ. Loyola Marymount University (LMU is a comprehensive co-educational private Roman Catholic Jesuit university in Los Angeles California, United States The Claremont Colleges are a consortium of five undergraduate and two graduate schools of higher education located in Claremont, California. The University of San Diego is a Roman Catholic University in San Diego, California.

The famous Hollywood sign in Los Angeles, a symbol of the city's world famous entertainment culture.
The famous Hollywood sign in Los Angeles, a symbol of the city's world famous entertainment culture. The Hollywood Sign is a famous Landmark in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles California, spelling out the name of the area in high white letters

Southern California is also the entertainment (motion picture, television, and recorded music) capital of the world and is home to Hollywood, the center of the motion picture industry. United States cinema has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century Television is one of the major major mass media of the United States. The music of the United States reflects the country's multi-ethnic population through a diverse array of styles Headquartered in Southern California are The Walt Disney Company (which also owns ABC), Sony Pictures, Universal, MGM, Paramount Pictures (parent company of Dreamworks), 20th Century Fox and Warner Brothers, and as well as Univision, Activision, and THQ. The American Broadcasting Company ( ABC) is an American Television network. Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc ( SPE) is the television and Film production/distribution unit of Japanese Media conglomerate Sony Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American motion picture production and Distribution company, based in Hollywood California. DreamWorks LLC, also known as DreamWorks Pictures, DreamWorks SKG, or DreamWorks Studios, is a major American Film studio Warner Bros Entertainment Inc (or Warner Bros, Warner Bros Pictures) is one of the world's largest producers of Film and Univision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States and Puerto Rico. Activision Inc is an American Video game developer and publisher. THQ Inc ( Toy Headquarters) is a global American developer and publisher of Video games. Southern California is also home to the world's largest adult entertainment industry, located primarily in the San Fernando Valley. Pornography or porn is the explicit depiction of Sexual subject matter with the sole intention of sexually exciting the viewer The San Fernando Valley or The Valley is an urbanized Valley located in the north-western section of the city of Los Angeles California, United States More than 85% of adult film and video production in North America takes place in the area.

Besides the entertainment industry, Southern California is also home to a large surf and skateboard culture. Companies such as Volcom, Quiksilver, O'Neill clothing division, Lost Enterprises, Sector 9[4], RVCA, Body Glove and Surfline[5] are all headquartered here. } Volcom is a clothing manufacturer It is based in Costa Mesa CA founded in 1991 as Stone Boardwear Inc For other uses see Quicksilver. Quiksilver Inc ( based in Huntington Beach California, is one of the world's largest manufacturers O'Neill is a surfwear and equipment brand that was started in San Francisco California, but soon moved down the coast to Santa Cruz. RVCA • (pronounced /rukə/) of Costa Mesa California[http //www Body Glove is a major surf/skateboard/watersports brand started in the United States by Dive-N-surf Inc Professional skateboarder Tony Hawk, professional surfers Rob Machado, Tim Curran, Bobby Martinez, Pat O'Connell, Dane Reynolds, and Chris Ward, and professional snowboarder Shaun White live in Southern California. Anthony Frank Hawk (born May 12, 1968) is an American professional Skateboarder He is credited with being the first recorded skater to land the Robert Edward Machado (better known simply as Rob Machado) (b Bobby Martinez (born May 26, 1982) is a professional Surfer from Santa Barbara California. Shaun Roger White (born September 3, 1986 in Carlsbad, California) is an American athlete Some of the world's legendary surf spots are here as well, including Trestles, Rincon, The Wedge, Huntington Beach, and Malibu, and it is second only to the island of Oahu in terms of famous surf breaks. Trestles is a collection of surf spots at San Onofre State Beach in San Diego County, California. Rincon (Spanish "angle" or "corner") is a surf spot located at the Ventura and Santa Barbara County line in The Wedge is a world-famous bodyboarding surfing & bodysurfing spot located at the extreme south end of the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach California. Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California, United States. Malibu is an incorporated city in western Los Angeles County, California, United States. Oahu (usually Oahu outside Hawaiian and Hawaiian English) known as ''"The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Brand name skate parks including the Vans Skate Park in Orange, the Etnies Park in Lake Forest, and the YMCA Skate Park in Encinitas are in Southern California. Some of the world's biggest extreme sports events including the X Games[6], Boost Mobile Pro[7], and the US Open of Surfing[8] are all in Southern California. The X Games is an annual event with a focus on extreme action sports The World Surfing Champion is a title awarded annually to the best competition surfer for the year today based on points earned for placings at events on the Association of Surfing

Southern California is home to many successful sports franchises and sports networks such as Fox Sports Net. The Fox Sports Regional Networks, or simply Fox Sports Net (FSN are a collection of cable TV Regional sports networks owned and operated by News Teams that are located in the region include the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA, Los Angeles Riptide, and San Diego Chargers. The Los Angeles Lakers are a National Basketball Association (NBA team based in Los Angeles, California. The Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball team based in Los Angeles California, USA The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California. The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego California since their founding in 1969 The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles California. The Anaheim Ducks are a professional Ice hockey team based in Anaheim California, USA. Los Angeles Galaxy (aka LA Galaxy) is an American soccer club based in Los Angeles California. Club Deportivo Chivas USA (short form CD Chivas USA or Chivas USA) is a professional soccer club based in Carson, California, United States The Los Angeles Riptide is a Lacrosse team based in Carson, California. The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego California. Southern California also hosts a number of popular NCAA sports programs, such as the UCLA Bruins, the USC Trojans, and the SDSU Aztecs. The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California Los Angeles (UCLA The phrase "USC Trojans" also refers to the University of Southern California student body in general The San Diego State Aztecs are the collegiate athletics and sports teams for San Diego State University (SDSU.

With inhabitants from all over the world, Southern California has always been at the forefront of popular culture as well as a pioneer of several subcultures, including the hippie movement, and various musical movements such as skate punk, hardcore punk, and West Coast Rap with its gangster/"g-funk" style. Skate punk is a sub-genre of Punk rock which was named because of its popularity among skateboarders, and the fact that many members of skate punk bands Hardcore punk (now usually referred to as simply hardcore) is a subgenre of Punk rock that originated in North America in the late 1970s West Coast hip hop is a style of Hip hop music that originated in California in the early 1980s The Los Angeles area in particular has always been one of the most important areas for entertainment, the arts, architecture, and food, all of which reflects the broad influence Los Angeles has on the world's culture.

Northern boundary

Southern California counties
Southern California counties
Tehachapi Mountains
Tehachapi Mountains

The region's northern boundary is subject to a broader degree of interpretation than those of the West, East, and South. The most commonly used physical boundary between "Southern California" and the rest of the state is the Tehachapi Range, located about 70 miles (113 km) north of Los Angeles, and the Transverse Ranges[9] in Santa Barbara County west to Point Conception. The Tehachapi Mountains (təˈhætʃəˌpi are a short transverse range in southern California in the United States, running SW-NE connecting The Transverse Ranges (or more accurately the Los Angeles Ranges) are a group of mountain ranges of southern California, one of the various North American Santa Barbara County is a County located on the Pacific coast of the southern portion of the U Point Conception extends into the Pacific Ocean in southwestern Santa Barbara County California. Seven counties (listed in descending order of population) are included: Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, Ventura, and Imperial, as well as the southern part of Santa Barbara. Los Angeles County is a county in California and is by far the most populous county in the United States. San Diego County is a County located on the Pacific Ocean in the far southwest of the U Orange County is a county in Southern California, United States. San Bernardino County is a county in the US state of California. Riverside County is a County located in the southeastern part of the U Ventura County is a county in the southern part of the US state of California ( Southern California) Imperial County is a County located in the Imperial Valley, in the far southeast of the U Santa Barbara County is a County located on the Pacific coast of the southern portion of the U

A more inclusive definition coinciding neatly with county lines uses the sixth standard parallel south[10] of Mount Diablo (144 miles south of Mt. In the United States Public Land Survey System, a baseline is the principal east-west line that divides Survey townships between north and south Mount Diablo is a mountain in Contra Costa County California in the San Francisco Bay Area, located south of the town of Clayton and northeast of Diablo at 35°47′28″N) which forms the northern borders of San Luis Obispo, Kern, and San Bernardino counties as the boundary. San Luis Obispo County is a county located along the Pacific Ocean in the Central Coast of the U Kern County is a County located in the southern Central Valley of the U San Bernardino County is a county in the US state of California. The rest of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Kern County, California are included as well for a total of ten counties. Santa Barbara County is a County located on the Pacific coast of the southern portion of the U San Luis Obispo County is a county located along the Pacific Ocean in the Central Coast of the U Kern County is a County located in the southern Central Valley of the U

County Population (Jan 2007 estimate) Land Area (mi²) Density (per mi²)
San Bernardino County 2,028,013 20,105 100. San Bernardino County is a county in the US state of California. 9
Los Angeles County 10,331,939 4,061 2,544. Los Angeles County is a county in California and is by far the most populous county in the United States. 2
Ventura County 825,512 1,846 447. Ventura County is a county in the southern part of the US state of California ( Southern California) 2
San Diego County 3,098,269 4,200 737. San Diego County is a County located on the Pacific Ocean in the far southwest of the U 7
Riverside County 2,031,625 7,207 281. Riverside County is a County located in the southeastern part of the U 9
Orange County 3,098,121 789 3,926. Orange County is a county in Southern California, United States. 6
Imperial County 172,672 4,175 41. Imperial County is a County located in the Imperial Valley, in the far southeast of the U 36
Southern California 21,586,151 42,383 509
City Population (2007 estimate)
Santa Barbara 89,456
Goleta, Santa Barbara County 30,169
Carpinteria, Santa Barbara County 14,123
Summerland CDP, Santa Barbara County 1,545 (2000 Census)
Isla Vista CDP, Santa Barbara County 18,344 (2000 Census)
Mission Canyon CDP, Santa Barbara County 2,610 (2000 Census)
Toro Canyon CDP, Santa Barbara County 1,697 (2000 Census)
Hope Ranch, Santa Barbara County 2,200 (2000 Census)
Southern Coast of Santa Barbara County 170,144
Kern County 801,648
SoCal boundary disputed 971,792

Source : http://www.dof.ca.gov/HTML/DEMOGRAP/ReportsPapers/Estimates/E1/documents/e-1press.pdf

Urban landscape

Southern California is in part a heavily developed urban environment, along with vast arid areas that have been left undeveloped. Santa Barbara is a city in Santa Barbara County California, United States. Carpinteria is a small oceanside city located in the southeastern extremity of Santa Barbara County California, east of Santa Barbara and northwest of Ventura Summerland is a Census-designated place (CDP in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Isla Vista is an Unincorporated community in Santa Barbara County California, United States. Mission Canyon is a Census-designated place and an unincorporated suburb of Santa Barbara California, in Santa Barbara County, United States Toro Canyon is a Census-designated place (CDP in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Hope Ranch is an unincorporated suburb of Santa Barbara California, located in Santa Barbara County. Santa Barbara County is a County located on the Pacific coast of the southern portion of the U Kern County is a County located in the southern Central Valley of the U It is the second-largest urbanized region in the United States, second only to the Washington, D.C./Philadelphia/New York/Boston megalopolis (BosWash). Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə The City of New York Northeastern_United_States#The_Northeast_as_a_megalopolis BosWash (also referred to as BoWash, BosNYwash, the Northeast Corridor, the Whereas the BosWash cities are dense, with major downtown populations and significant rail and transit systems, much of SoCal is famous for its large, spread-out, suburban communities and use of automobiles and highways. The dominant areas are Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Riverside, and San Bernardino, each of which is the center of its respective metropolitan area, which are in turn composed of numerous other cities and communities. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Orange County is a county in Southern California, United States. Riverside is the County seat of Riverside County, California, United States.

Traveling south on Interstate 5, the main gap to continued urbanization is Camp Pendleton. Route description Southern California See also San Diego Freeway, Santa Ana Freeway, Golden State Freeway Interstate 5 starts Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and serves as its prime amphibious training base The communities along Interstate 15 and Interstate 215 are so inter-related that Temecula has as much connection with San Diego County as it does with the Inland Empire. In the US state of California, Interstate 15 is a major north-south route through the San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Diego Interstate 215 (I-215 in California is a long north-south Interstate Highway in the " Inland Empire " region of Southern California Temecula is a city in southwestern Riverside County, California, United States. The Inland Empire is a region mainly located in the Riverside and San Bernardino counties of Southern California and generally encompasses the To the east, the United States Census Bureau considers the San Bernardino and Riverside County areas, Riverside-San Bernardino Area as a separate metropolitan area from Los Angeles County. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census The Inland Empire is a region mainly located in the Riverside and San Bernardino counties of Southern California and generally encompasses the A metropolitan area is a large population center consisting of a large Metropolis and its adjacent zone of influence or of more than one closely adjoining neighboring central While many commute to L. A. and Orange Counties, there are some differences in development, as most of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties were developed in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Downtown Los Angeles skyline seen on an average hazy June day, from the Santa Ana Freeway. At 1,018 feet (310 m), 73 floors, The U.S. Bank Tower stands as the West Coast's tallest since 1989.
The Downtown Los Angeles skyline seen on an average hazy June day, from the Santa Ana Freeway. Downtown Los Angeles is the Central business district of Los Angeles, California, United States, located close to the geographic center The Santa Ana Freeway is one of the principal Freeways in Southern California, connecting Los Angeles, California and its southeastern suburbs At 1,018 feet (310 m), 73 floors, The U.S. Bank Tower stands as the West Coast's tallest since 1989. The US Bank Tower, formerly the Library Tower and First Interstate World Center, is a Skyscraper located at 633 West Fifth Street in downtown The " West Coast " " Western Seaboard " or " Pacific Seaboard " are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the Western United States

Regions

Major cities (over 200,000 inhabitants)

San Bernardino in the winter, with snow covering the upper parts of the San Bernardino Mountains in the distance
San Bernardino in the winter, with snow covering the upper parts of the San Bernardino Mountains in the distance

All population information is from the 2005 estimate of the State of California. The San Bernardino Mountains ( Huwaaly Kwasakyav in Mojave) are a short transverse Mountain range northeast of Los Angeles in

Principal cities (over 100,000 inhabitants)

Ventura City Hall in Old Town Ventura
Ventura City Hall in Old Town Ventura
Downtown Santa Monica
Downtown Santa Monica

Counties

South of the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains
North of the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains

Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura are also counties in the Central Coast. Imperial County is a County located in the Imperial Valley, in the far southeast of the U San Diego County is a County located on the Pacific Ocean in the far southwest of the U Riverside County is a County located in the southeastern part of the U Ventura County is a county in the southern part of the US state of California ( Southern California) Orange County is a county in Southern California, United States. Los Angeles County is a county in California and is by far the most populous county in the United States. San Bernardino County is a county in the US state of California. Los Angeles County is a county in California and is by far the most populous county in the United States. The Antelope Valley in California, United States is located in northern Los Angeles County and the southeastern portion of Kern County Santa Clarita can refer to Santa Clarita California Santa Clarita Valley San Bernardino County is a county in the US state of California. For the indigenous American tribe see Mohave. The Mojave Desert (moʊˈhɑːvi or /məˈhɑːvi/ ( Hayikwiir Mat'aar in Mojave Santa Barbara County is a County located on the Pacific coast of the southern portion of the U San Luis Obispo County is a county located along the Pacific Ocean in the Central Coast of the U Kern County is a County located in the southern Central Valley of the U Santa Barbara County is a County located on the Pacific coast of the southern portion of the U San Luis Obispo (sænˈluːɪs əˈbɪspoʊ Spanish for St Louis the Bishop) is a city in California, located roughly midway between San Francisco Ventura County is a county in the southern part of the US state of California ( Southern California) The Central Coast is an area of California, United States, roughly spanning the area between the Monterey Bay and Point Conception.

ZIP Codes

See Southern California Zip Codes

Geographical regions

Marriott Hotel in downtown San Diego
Marriott Hotel in downtown San Diego

Southern California is also divided into the Coastal Region (Orange County, Los Angeles County, San Diego County, Santa Barbara County, and Ventura County) and the larger, more sparsely populated, desert Inland Empire (San Bernardino County, Riverside County, and Imperial County). Southern California has 647 zip codes in its seven counties This page contains lists of each county's zip codes ordered by Population. The Inland Empire is a region mainly located in the Riverside and San Bernardino counties of Southern California and generally encompasses the The division between the Coastal Regions and the Inland Empire winds along the backs of the coastal mountain ranges such as the Santa Ana Mountains. A related geographical term is cismontane Southern California, which refers to the portion of California on the coastal side of the Transverse and Peninsular mountain ranges. The Transverse Ranges (or more accurately the Los Angeles Ranges) are a group of mountain ranges of southern California, one of the various North American The Peninsular Ranges (also called the Lower California province are a group of mountain ranges which stretch 1500 km (900 miles from southern California The term "Southern California" often refers to this region specifically, as opposed to largely desert areas comprising the rest of the southern portion of the state, which are referred to as transmontane Southern California.

Geographic features

View from La Jolla Cove in San Diego
View from La Jolla Cove in San Diego
Summits in the eastern San Gabriel Mountains, Angeles National Forest, San Bernardino County
Summits in the eastern San Gabriel Mountains, Angeles National Forest, San Bernardino County
Coachella Valley Preserve in the Colorado Desert in Riverside County
Coachella Valley Preserve in the Colorado Desert in Riverside County
Sunset in Huntington Beach
Sunset in Huntington Beach

Transportation

One of the large LAX signs that greet visitors to LAX. This sign is at the Century Boulevard entrance to Los Angeles International Airport
One of the large LAX signs that greet visitors to LAX. The San Gabriel Mountains are located in northern Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County California, USA. The Angeles National Forest (ANF was established on July 1 1908, incorporating the first San Bernardino National Forest and parts of Santa Barbara Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California, United States. The Antelope Valley in California, United States is located in northern Los Angeles County and the southeastern portion of Kern County The Ballona Wetlands are located in Southern California, USA south of Marina del Rey and east of Playa del Rey. Big Bear Lake is a Reservoir in the San Bernardino Mountains in San Bernardino County, California, USA. At an elevation of 1277 meters (4190 ft the Cajon Pass (kəˈhoʊn is a moderate-elevation Mountain pass between the San Bernardino Mountains and the The Channel Islands of California are a chain of eight islands located in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California along the Santa Barbara Channel The Coachella Valley ( pronounced /koʊəˈtʃɛlə/ in English) is a large stretch of land in Southern California that is populated by close to a million The Colorado River (' Aha Kwahwat in Mojave) is a River in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately The Conejo Valley is a region spanning both southeastern Ventura County and northwestern Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States The Cucamonga Valley is a Region between the Los Angeles and San Bernardino areas in San Bernardino County and Riverside County, The Imperial Valley is a region of southeastern California ( USA) located in part between the Colorado River and the Salton Sea, which The In-Ko-Pah Mountains are located near the US border with Mexico in southern California, west of the Jacumba Mountains. The Inland Empire is a region mainly located in the Riverside and San Bernardino counties of Southern California and generally encompasses the The Jacumba Mountains are located in southern California near the U The beach at La Jolla Cove is located at 1100 Coast Boulevard in La Jolla, California. The Laguna Mountains are a section of the Peninsular Ranges in eastern San Diego County. Lake Arrowhead is an Unincorporated community in San Bernardino County, California, USA. Lake Casitas is a Lake in Ventura County California. It was formed by Casitas Dam on Coyote Creek, two miles (3 km before it joins the Ventura River Castaic Lake is a Lake on Castaic Creek formed by Castaic Dam, in northwestern Los Angeles County California, near the town of Castaic Lake Piru is a Lake located in Los Padres National Forest in Ventura County, California, and was created by the construction in 1955 of the Santa The Lakeview Mountains are a range of low mountains encompassing approximately of land in western Riverside County, Southern California, at the northern end of the The Los Angeles Basin is the coastal Sediment -filled plain located between the peninsular and transverse ranges in southern California in The Los Angeles River is a creek flowing through Los Angeles County California, from Canoga Park in the west end of the San Fernando Valley The Low Desert is a name for the Southern California portion of the Sonoran Desert to distinguish it from the adjacent Mojave Desert or High Desert For the indigenous American tribe see Mohave. The Mojave Desert (moʊˈhɑːvi or /məˈhɑːvi/ ( Hayikwiir Mat'aar in Mojave The Orange Coast is the string of cities and neighborhoods fronting the Pacific Coast in Orange County California. The Oxnard Plain is a large Coastal plain in southwest Ventura County California bounded by the Santa Monica Mountains, the Santa Susana Mountains Palomar Mountain is a mountain in the Palomar Mountain Range in northern San Diego County California, United States. Palos Verdes is a name often used to refer to a group of rich people on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in southwestern Los Angeles County in California. The Peninsular Ranges (also called the Lower California province are a group of mountain ranges which stretch 1500 km (900 miles from southern California Point Mugu (məˈɡuː California is an Unincorporated area and geographical Promontory on the Pacific coast in Ventura County, The Pomona Valley, located between the San Gabriel Valley and San Bernardino Valley in the Inland Empire region of Southern California, straddles Puente Hills is a chain of Hills in an unincorporated area in eastern Los Angeles County, California. Pyramid Lake is also a Lake formed by Pyramid Dam on Piru Creek, near Castaic California. The Rio Hondo (translation Deep River is a tributary of the Los Angeles River in Los Angeles County California, approximately long Saddleback Valley is located in South Orange County, California and is home to the cities of Mission Viejo, Ladera Ranch Rancho Santa Margarita The Salton Sea is an inland Saline lake, occupying the lowest elevations of the Salton Sink, part of the larger Colorado Desert in Southern The San Andreas Fault is a geologic Transform fault that runs a length of roughly 800 miles (1300 km through California in the United States. The San Bernardino Mountains ( Huwaaly Kwasakyav in Mojave) are a short transverse Mountain range northeast of Los Angeles in The San Bernardino Valley centered approximately at 34°04' N 117°17 'W lies at the south base of the Transverse Ranges. The San Diego River is a River in San Diego County California. The San Fernando Valley or The Valley is an urbanized Valley located in the north-western section of the city of Los Angeles California, United States The San Gabriel Mountains are located in northern Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County California, USA. The San Gabriel Valley is one of the principal valleys of southern California. The San Jacinto Mountains (' Avii Hanupach in Mojave) are a short Mountain range east of Los Angeles in southern California in San Pedro Bay is an inlet on the Pacific Ocean coast of southern California, United States. The Santa Ana Mountains are a short peninsular Mountain range along the coast of Southern California in the United States. The Santa Ana River begins in San Bernardino County California, in the San Bernardino National Forest. The Santa Ana Valley is located in Orange County California and is bisected by the Santa Ana River. Santa Catalina Island, often called Catalina Island, or just Catalina, is a rocky Island off the coast of the U The Santa Clara River is a River, approximately 116 mi (186 km long in southern California in the United States. The Santa Clara River Valley, also known as the Heritage Valley, is a rural region of eastern Ventura County California and northwest Los Angeles County California The Santa Clarita Valley is the valley of the Santa Clara River in Southern California. The Santa Margarita River is a short Intermittent river on the Pacific coast of southern California in the United States, approximately 50 mi Santa Monica Bay is an arm of the Pacific Ocean in southern California, United States. The Santa Monica Mountains are a low transverse range in southern California in the United States. The Santa Susana Mountains are a transverse range of mountains in southern California, north of the city of Los Angeles, in the United States The Sonoran Desert (sometimes called the Gila Desert after the Gila River or the Low Desert in opposition to the higher Mojave Desert) is The Tijuana River ( Río Tijuana) is an Intermittent river, 120 mi (195 km long on the Pacific coast of northern Baja California in Mexico The Ventura River is a River in Ventura County California. The river forms at the confluence of Matilija Creek and North Fork Matilija Creek 15 miles Victor Valley is a region of Southern California north of the San Bernardino Mountains in the Mojave Desert. This sign is at the Century Boulevard entrance to Los Angeles International Airport

Airports

For major airlines and commercial air carriers

Central business districts

Downtown San Bernardino Hotel, know as The Clarion Hotel
Downtown San Bernardino Hotel, know as The Clarion Hotel

The following are central business districts in Southern California:

Transport

Freeways

Main article: Southern California freeways

Interstate Highways

U.S. Highway system

California State Routes

Note: highway segments with names listed in italics are surface streets and not freeways. June Hill Robertson McCarroll ( June 30 1867 — March 30 1954) was a Nurse (later a Physician) with the Southern Pacific In the US state of California, Interstate 10, the major east-west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States, runs east from In the US state of California, Interstate 15 is a major north-south route through the San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Diego In the US state of California, Interstate 15 is a major north-south route through the San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Diego In the US state of California, Interstate 15 is a major north-south route through the San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Diego State Route 71 (SR 71 is the Chino Valley Freeway, formerly the Corona Expressway and before then the Temescal Freeway, a freeway/highway of about 15 miles In the US state of California, Interstate 15 is a major north-south route through the San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Diego In the US state of California, Interstate 15 is a major north-south route through the San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Diego In the US state of California, Interstate 15 is a major north-south route through the San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Diego Interstate 105 (abbreviated I-105, and colloquially referred to as The 105 or the one-oh-five) is an interstate highway in southern Interstate 105 (abbreviated I-105, and colloquially referred to as The 105 or the one-oh-five) is an interstate highway in southern Route 210, marked partially as Interstate 210 (I-210 and as State Route 210 (SR 210 and named the Foothill Freeway, is a State highway in In the US state of California, Interstate 15 is a major north-south route through the San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Diego The San Bernardino Freeway is the name of an approximately 60-mile (95 km long segment of Interstate 10 (I-10 in Southern California between the cities of Los State Route 60 is a State highway in the US state of California. In the US state of California, Interstate 15 is a major north-south route through the San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Diego Interstate 215 (I-215 in California is a long north-south Interstate Highway in the " Inland Empire " region of Southern California Interstate 605 (I-605 - also referred to as "The 605" is a major north-south interstate Freeway of about 27 miles (43 km in length located in the Interstate 605 (I-605 - also referred to as "The 605" is a major north-south interstate Freeway of about 27 miles (43 km in length located in the Interstate 710 (I-710 - also referred to as "The 710" is a major north-south interstate Freeway running for 23 miles (37 km through Los Angeles County Interstate 710 (I-710 - also referred to as "The 710" is a major north-south interstate Freeway running for 23 miles (37 km through Los Angeles County Interstate 805 (I-805 - also referred to as "The 805" is a bypass Interstate highway running through the San Diego metropolitan area Interstate 805 (I-805 - also referred to as "The 805" is a bypass Interstate highway running through the San Diego metropolitan area State Route 905 is a State highway in San Diego California that connects Interstate 5 and Interstate 805 in San Ysidro to the The system of United States Numbered Highways (often called U The Ventura Freeway is a Freeway in southern California running from Ventura to Pasadena. The Hollywood Freeway is one of the principal Freeways of Los Angeles California (the boundaries of which it does not leave and one of the busiest in the United The Santa Ana Freeway is one of the principal Freeways in Southern California, connecting Los Angeles, California and its southeastern suburbs El Camino Real ( Spanish for The Royal Road or The King's Highway) was the name of a series of pre-automobile Highways linking the various In the US state of California, US Route 101 (also known as Highway 101, The 101, or simply 101) is one of the last remaining and This is a list of State highways in the US state of California that have existed since the 1964 renumbering.

Major public transit organizations

Metrolink commuter lines

Main article: Metrolink (Southern California)

Communication

Telephone area codes

Map of major Southern California area codes
Map of major Southern California area codes

Sports teams

Team Sport League Venue
Los Angeles Avengers Arena football Arena Football League Staples Center
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Baseball American League (Major League Baseball) Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Los Angeles Dodgers National League (Major League Baseball) Dodger Stadium
San Diego Padres PETCO Park
Los Angeles Clippers Basketball National Basketball Association Staples Center
Los Angeles Lakers
San Diego Chargers Football National Football League Qualcomm Stadium
Anaheim Ducks Ice Hockey National Hockey League Honda Center
Los Angeles Kings Staples Center
Chivas USA Soccer Major League Soccer The Home Depot Center
Los Angeles Galaxy

See also

References

  1. ^ The three metropolitan areas are: 1) Los Angeles–Long Beach–Santa Ana(the second largest in the US), 2) Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario (also know as the Inland Empire) and 3) San Diego–Carlsbad–San Marcos - see: United States metropolitan areas
  2. ^ World's busiest airports by passenger traffic
  3. ^ Busiest airports in the United States by international passenger traffic
  4. ^ Sector 9 Incorporated - San Diego, CA
  5. ^ Surfline - Huntington Beach, CA
  6. ^ X Games Take a Turn for the Better - Los Angeles Times
  7. ^ Construction Stirs Debate on Effects on ‘Perfect Wave’ - New York Times
  8. ^ US Open of Surfing
  9. ^ California's Coastal Mountains
  10. ^ Revisions to the California State Implementation Plan, San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District
  11. ^ Love in a Cool Climate : Condé Nast Traveler on Concierge.com

External links


Area code 805 is a California telephone Area code. Area code 805 includes most or all of the California counties of San Luis Obispo, Santa Ventura County is a county in the southern part of the US state of California ( Southern California) Santa Barbara County is a County located on the Pacific coast of the southern portion of the U San Luis Obispo County is a county located along the Pacific Ocean in the Central Coast of the U Area code 818 is a California Telephone area code consisting largely of the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles California. The San Fernando Valley or The Valley is an urbanized Valley located in the north-western section of the city of Los Angeles California, United States Glendale ( is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. North American area code 858 is located in San Diego County California and covers the inner northern suburbs of San Diego California and the northern half Clairemont is a Suburban neighborhood in northern San Diego. Clairemont is one of the most populous neighborhoods in San Diego La Jolla (ləˈhɔɪə "luh-HOY-uh") is a wealthy Seaside resort community of up to 42808 residents within the city of San Diego, California Mira Mesa is a large suburb that is part of the city of San Diego California. Rancho Bernardo is a planned community of the city of San Diego California, located in San Diego County Poway (ˈpaʊeɪ is a city in San Diego County, California, United States. North American Area code 909 is a California Telephone Area code which was split from Area code 714 on November 14, Los Angeles County is a county in California and is by far the most populous county in the United States. The Inland Empire is a region mainly located in the Riverside and San Bernardino counties of Southern California and generally encompasses the San Bernardino County is a county in the US state of California. Pomona is the 5th largest city in Los Angeles County (after Los Angeles, Long Beach, Glendale, and Santa Clarita) Area code 949 is an Area code in California that is contained mostly within the southern areas of Orange County. Orange County is a county in Southern California, United States. Irvine ( is an incorporated city in Orange County California, United States Laguna Niguel is a city located in southern Orange County, California. This article is about a city in Orange County California For other meanings see San Clemente (disambiguation. North American area code 951 is a California Telephone Area code which covers western Riverside County and was split off from the The Inland Empire is a region mainly located in the Riverside and San Bernardino counties of Southern California and generally encompasses the Riverside County is a County located in the southeastern part of the U Riverside is the County seat of Riverside County, California, United States. Temecula is a city in southwestern Riverside County, California, United States. Murrieta is a city in southwestern Riverside County, California, United States. The Los Angeles Avengers is an Arena Football League (AFL team based in Los Angeles California and they began play as a 2000 expansion team This article discusses indoor variations of American football for indoor versions of association football (soccer see Futsal and Indoor soccer and for the The Arena Football League (AFL was founded in 1987 as an American football indoor league. Staples Center is a multi-purpose sports Arena in Downtown Los Angeles California adjacent to the L The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California. Baseball is a Bat-and-ball Sport played between two teams of nine players each The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League ( AL) is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in Angel Stadium of Anaheim (originally Anaheim Stadium and later Edison International Field of Anaheim) is a modern-style ballpark located The Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball team based in Los Angeles California, USA The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the National League ( NL) is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball Dodger Stadium is a large outdoor ballpark in Los Angeles California at Chávez Ravine. The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego California since their founding in 1969 PETCO Park is an open-air Stadium in downtown San Diego, California. Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m Staples Center is a multi-purpose sports Arena in Downtown Los Angeles California adjacent to the L The Los Angeles Lakers are a National Basketball Association (NBA team based in Los Angeles, California. The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego California. American football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, is a competitive Team sport known for mixing strategy with The National Football League ( NFL) is the largest professional American football league. Qualcomm Stadium (aka " The Q " " The Murph " formerly known as San Diego Stadium and Jack Murphy Stadium The Anaheim Ducks are a professional Ice hockey team based in Anaheim California, USA. Ice hockey, often referred to simply as hockey, is a team Sport played on Ice. The National Hockey League ( NHL) is a professional Ice hockey league composed of 30 teams in North America Honda Center, previously known as the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim and colloquially called the The Pond, is an indoor arena in Anaheim California The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles California. Staples Center is a multi-purpose sports Arena in Downtown Los Angeles California adjacent to the L Club Deportivo Chivas USA (short form CD Chivas USA or Chivas USA) is a professional soccer club based in Carson, California, United States Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Major League Soccer ( MLS) is the top-flight professional Soccer league in the United States and Canada with 14 teams 13 in the U The Home Depot Center is a multiple-use sports complex located on the campus of California State University Dominguez Hills in Carson California. Los Angeles Galaxy (aka LA Galaxy) is an American soccer club based in Los Angeles California. The Greater Los Angeles Area, or the Southland, (not to be confused with the Los Angeles Metro Area which includes only Los Angeles and The human history of the west coast of North America is believed to stretch back to the arrival of the earliest people over the Bering Strait, or alternately along a now-submerged Northern California is the northern portion of the US state of California. San Angeles is a futuristic concept geographic region of Southern California, United States, typically configured by commentators and films to include from Santa The Greater Los Angeles Area, or the Southland, (not to be confused with the Los Angeles Metro Area which includes only Los Angeles and The Inland Empire is a region mainly located in the Riverside and San Bernardino counties of Southern California and generally encompasses the Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas|Table of United States Core Based Statistical AreasIn the United States, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB has produced The thirty world's busiest airports by passenger traffic are measured by number of total passengers (data provided by Airports Council International) The busiest airports in the United States by international passenger traffic from the years 1990 1995 2000 and 2005 from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics at the U
© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
 Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic