The Spaniards gave the nameLas Californias to thepeninsula of Baja California (in modern-day Mexico). As Spanish explorers and settlers moved north and inland, the region known asCalifornia, orLas Californias, grew. Eventually it included lands north of the peninsula,Alta California, part of which became the present-day U.S. state of California.[23]
A 2017 state legislative document states, "Numerous theories exist as to the origin and meaning of the word 'California,'" and that all anyone knows is the name was added to a map by 1541 "presumably by a Spanish navigator."[24][25]
The name is most likely derived from the mythical island of California in the fictional story ofQueen Calafia, as recorded in a 1510 workThe Adventures of Esplandián byGarci Rodríguez de Montalvo.[26] Queen Calafia's kingdom was said to be a remote land rich in gold and pearls, inhabited by beautiful dark-skinned women who wore gold armor and lived likeAmazons, and bredgriffins for war.[26][27][28]
California was one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse areas inpre-Columbian North America.[29] Historians generally agree that there were at least 300,000 people living in California prior to European colonization.[30] TheIndigenous peoples of California included more than70 distinct ethnic groups, inhabiting environments ranging from mountains and deserts to islands and redwood forests.[31]
Living in these diverse geographic areas, the indigenous peoples developed complex forms of ecosystem management, includingforest gardening to ensure the regular availability of food andmedicinal plants.[32][33] This was a form ofsustainable agriculture.[34] To mitigate destructive large wildfires from ravaging the natural environment, indigenous peoples developed a practice ofcontrolled burning.[35] This practice was recognized for its benefits by the California government in 2022.[13]
These groups were also diverse in their political organization, with bands, tribes, villages, and, on the resource-rich coasts, largechiefdoms, such as theChumash,Pomo andSalinan. Trade, intermarriage, craft specialists, and military alliances fostered social and economic relationships between many groups. Although nations would sometimes war, most armed conflicts were between groups of men forvengeance. Acquiring territory was not usually the purpose of these small-scale battles.[36]
Men and women generally had differentroles in society. Women were often responsible for weaving, harvesting, processing, and preparing food, while men for hunting and other forms of physical labor. Most societies also had roles for people whom the Spanish referred to asjoyas,[37] who they saw as "men who dressed as women".[38]Joyas were responsible fordeath,burial, andmourning rituals, and they performed women's social roles.[38] Indigenous societies had terms such astwo-spirit to refer to them. The Chumash referred to them as'aqi.[38] The early Spanish settlers detested and sought to eliminate them.[39]
Juan Bautista de Anza led a similarly important expedition throughout California in 1775–76, which would extend deeper into the interior and north of California. The Anza expedition selected numerous sites for missions, presidios, and pueblos, which subsequently would be established by settlers.Gabriel Moraga, a member of the expedition, would also christen many of California's prominent rivers with their names in 1775–1776, such as theSacramento River and theSan Joaquin River. After the expedition, Gabriel's son,José Joaquín Moraga, would found the pueblo ofSan Jose in 1777, making it the first civilian-established city in California.
During this same period, sailors from theRussian Empire explored along the northern coast of California. In 1812, theRussian-American Company established a trading post and small fortification atFort Ross on theNorth Coast.[46][47] Fort Ross was primarily used to supplyRussia's Alaskan colonies with food supplies. The settlement did not meet much success, failing to attract settlers or establish long term trade viability, and was abandoned by 1841.
During theWar of Mexican Independence, Alta California was largely unaffected and uninvolved in the revolution,[48] though manyCalifornios supported independence fromSpain, which many believed had neglected California and limited its development.[49] Spain's trade monopoly on California had limited local trade prospects. Following Mexican independence, California ports were freely able to trade with foreign merchants. GovernorPablo Vicente de Solá presided over the transition fromSpanish colonial rule to independent Mexican rule.
In 1821, theMexican War of Independence gave theMexican Empire (which included California) independence from Spain. In 1822, the California's first legislature was formed, known as theDiputación de Alta California. TheCalifornia mission system, which controlled much of the best land in Alta California, wassecularized by 1834 and became the property of the Mexican government.[50] The governor granted many square leagues of land to others with political influence. These hugeranchos or cattle ranches emerged as the dominant institutions of Mexican California. The ranchos developed under ownership byCalifornios (Hispanics native of California) who traded cowhides and tallow with Boston merchants. Beef did not become a commodity until the 1849California Gold Rush.
From the 1820s, trappers and settlers from the U.S. and Canada began to arrive in Northern California. These new arrivals used theSiskiyou Trail,California Trail,Oregon Trail andOld Spanish Trail to cross the rugged mountains and harsh deserts in and surrounding California. The early government of the newly independent Mexico was highly unstable, and in a reflection of this, from 1831 onwards, California also experienced a series of armed disputes, both internal and with the central Mexican government.[51] During this tumultuous political periodJuan Bautista Alvarado was able to secure the governorship during 1836–1842.[52] The military action which first brought Alvarado to power had momentarily declared California to be an independent state, and had been aided byAnglo-American residents of California,[53] includingIsaac Graham.[54] In 1840, one hundred of those residents who did not have passports were arrested, leading to theGraham Affair, which was resolved in part with the intercession ofRoyal Navy officials.[53]
One of the largest ranchers in California wasJohn Marsh. After failing to obtain justice against squatters on his land from the Mexican courts, he determined that California should become part of the U.S. Marsh conducted a letter-writing campaign espousing the California climate, the soil, and other reasons to settle there, as well as the best route to follow, which became known as "Marsh's route". His letters were read, reread, passed around, and printed in newspapers throughout the country, and started the first wagon trains rolling to California.[55] After ushering in the period of organized emigration to California, Marsh became involved in a military battle between the much-hated Mexican general,Manuel Micheltorena and the California governor he had replaced, Juan Bautista Alvarado. At theBattle of Providencia near Los Angeles, he convinced each side that they had no reason to be fighting each other. As a result of Marsh's actions, they abandoned the fight, Micheltorena was defeated, and California-bornPio Pico was returned to the governorship. This paved the way to California's ultimate acquisition by the U.S.[56][57][58][59][60]
In 1846, a group of American settlers in and aroundSonoma rebelled against Mexican rule during theBear Flag Revolt. Afterward, rebels raised theBear Flag (featuring a bear, a star, a red stripe and the words "California Republic") at Sonoma. The Republic's only president wasWilliam B. Ide,[61] who played a pivotal role during the Bear Flag Revolt. This revolt by American settlers served as a prelude to the later American military invasion of California and was closely coordinated with nearby American military commanders.
The California Republic was short-lived;[62] the same year marked the outbreak of theMexican–American War (1846–1848).[63]
Following theTreaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (February 2, 1848) that ended the war, the westernmost portion of the annexed Mexican territory of Alta California soon became the American state of California, and the remainder of the old territory was then subdivided into the new American Territories of Arizona, Nevada,Colorado andUtah. The even more lightly populated and arid lower region of old Baja California remained as a part of Mexico. In 1846, the total settler population of the western part of the old Alta California had been estimated to be no more than 8,000, plus about 100,000 Native Americans, down from about 300,000 before Hispanic settlement in 1769.[66]
In 1848, only one week before the official American annexation of the area, gold was discovered in California, this being an event which was to forever alter both the state's demographics and its finances. Soon afterward, a massive influx of immigration into the area resulted, as prospectors and miners arrived by the thousands. The population burgeoned with U.S. citizens, Europeans, Middle Easterns, Chinese and other immigrants during the greatCalifornia gold rush. By the time of California's application for statehood in 1850, the settler population of California had multiplied to 100,000. By 1854, more than 300,000 settlers had come.[67] Between 1847 and 1870, the population of San Francisco increased from 500 to 150,000.[68]
The seat of government for California under Spanish and later Mexican rule had been located inMonterey from 1777 until 1845.[50] Pio Pico, the last Mexican governor of Alta California, had briefly moved the capital to Los Angeles in 1845. The U.S.consulate had also been located in Monterey, under consulThomas O. Larkin.
In 1849, a state Constitutional Convention was first held in Monterey. Among the first tasks of the convention was a decision on a location for the new state capital. The first full legislative sessions were held in San Jose (1850–1851). Subsequent locations includedVallejo (1852–1853), and nearbyBenicia (1853–1854); these locations eventually proved to be inadequate as well. The capital has been located inSacramento since 1854[69] with only a short break in 1862 when legislative sessions were held in San Francisco due toflooding in Sacramento. Once the state's Constitutional Convention had finalized its state constitution, it applied to the U.S. Congress foradmission to statehood. On September 9, 1850, as part of theCompromise of 1850, California became afree state and September9 astate holiday.
During theAmerican Civil War (1861–1865), California sent gold shipments eastward to Washingtonin support of the Union.[70] However, due to the existence of a large contingent of pro-South sympathizers within the state, the state was not able to muster any full military regiments to send eastwards to officially serve in the Union war effort. Still, several smaller military units within the Union army, such as the"California 100 Company", were unofficially associated with the state of California due to a majority of their members being from California.
At the time of California's admission into the Union, travel between California and the rest of the continental U.S. had been a time-consuming and dangerous feat. Nineteen years later, and seven years after it was greenlighted by President Lincoln, thefirst transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869. California was then reachable from the eastern States in a week's time.
Much of the state 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.
In the nineteenth century, a large number of migrants from China traveled to the state as part of theGold Rush or to seek work.[71] Even though the Chinese proved indispensable in building the transcontinental railroad from California to Utah, perceived job competition with the Chinese led to anti-Chinese riots in the state, and eventually the U.S. ended migration from China partially as a response to pressure from California with the 1882Chinese Exclusion Act.[72]
Between 1846 and 1873, U.S. government agents and private settlers perpetrated many massacres againstIndigenous Californians, known as theCalifornia genocide. At least 9,456 were killed with estimates as high as 100,000 deaths.[73]
Under earlier Spanish and Mexican rule, California's original native population had precipitously declined, above all, from Eurasian diseases to which theIndigenous people of California had not yet developed a natural immunity.[74] Under its new American administration, California's first governorPeter Hardeman Burnett instituted policies that have been described as a state-sanctioned policy of elimination of California's indigenous people.[75] Burnett announced in 1851 in his Second Annual Message to the Legislature: "That a war of extermination will continue to be waged between the races until the Indian race becomes extinct must be expected. While we cannot anticipate the result with but painful regret, the inevitable destiny of the race is beyond the power and wisdom of man to avert."[76]
As in other American states, indigenous peoples were forcibly removed from their lands by Americansettlers, like miners, ranchers, and farmers. Although California had entered the American union as a free state, the "loitering or orphaned Indians", werede facto enslaved by their new Anglo-American masters under the 1850Act for the Government and Protection of Indians.[77] One of thesede factoslave auctions was approved by theLos Angeles City Council and occurred for nearly twenty years.[78] There were many massacres in which hundreds of indigenous people were killed by settlers for their land.[79]
Between 1850 and 1860, the California state government paid around 1.5million dollars (some 250,000 of which was reimbursed by the federal government)[80] to hire militias with the stated purpose of protecting settlers, however these militias perpetrated numerous massacres of indigenous people.[79] Indigenous people were also forcibly moved to reservations and rancherias, which were often small and isolated and without enough natural resources or funding from the government to adequately sustain the populations living on them. As a result,settler colonialism was a calamity for indigenous people. Several scholars and Native American activists, including Benjamin Madley andEd Castillo, have described the actions of the California governmentas a genocide,[73] as well as the 40th governor of CaliforniaGavin Newsom.[81] Benjamin Madley estimates that from 1846 to 1873, between 9,492 and 16,092 indigenous people were killed, including between 1,680 and 3,741 killed by the U.S. Army.[73]
In the 20th century, thousands of Japanese people migrated to California. The state in 1913 passed theAlien Land Act, excluding Asian immigrants from owning land.[82] During World War II,Japanese Americans in California were interned in concentration camps;[83] in 2020, California apologized.[84]
Migration to California accelerated during the early 20th century with the completion of transcontinental highways like theRoute 66. From 1900 to 1965, the population grew from fewer than one million to the greatest in the Union. In 1940, theU.S. Census Bureau reported California's population as 6% Hispanic, 2.4% Asian, and 90% non-Hispanic white.[85]
Meanwhile, attracted to the mild Mediterranean climate, cheap land, and the state's variety of geography, filmmakers established thestudio system in Hollywood in the 1920s. California manufactured 9% of U.S. armaments producedduring World War II, ranking third behindNew York andMichigan.[86] California easily ranked first in production of military ships at drydock facilities in San Diego, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay Area.[87][88][89][90] Due to the hiring opportunities California offered during the conflict, the population multiplied from the immigration it received due to the work in its war factories, military bases, and training facilities.[91] After World War II, California's economy expanded due to strongaerospace anddefense industries,[92] whose size decreased following the end of theCold War.[92][93]Stanford University began encouraging faculty and graduates to stay instead of leaving the state, and develop a high-tech region, now known asSilicon Valley.[94] As a result of this, California is a world center of the entertainment and music industries, of technology, engineering, and the aerospace industry, and as the U.S. center of agricultural production.[95] Just before theDot Com Bust, California had the fifth-largest economy in the world.[96]
In the mid and late twentieth century, race-related incidents occurred. Tensions between police and African Americans, combined with unemployment and poverty in inner cities, led to riots, such as the 1992Rodney King riots.[97][98] California was the hub of theBlack Panther Party, known for arming African Americans to defend against racial injustice.[99][100] Mexican, Filipino, and other migrant farm workers rallied in the state aroundCesar Chavez for better pay in the 1960s and 70s.[101]
Housing prices in urban areas continued to increase; a modest home which in the 1960s cost $25,000 would cost half a million dollars or more in urban areas by 2005. More people commuted longer hours to afford a home in more rural areas while earning larger salaries in the urban areas. Speculators bought houses, expecting to make a huge profit in months, then rolling it over by buying more properties.Mortgage companies were compliant, as people assumed prices would keep rising. Thebubble burst in 2007–2008 as prices began to crash. Hundreds of billions in property values vanished and foreclosures soared, as financial institutions and investors were badly hurt.[106][107]
In the 21st century, droughts and frequent wildfires attributed to climate change have occurred.[108][109] From 2011 to 2017, apersistent drought was the worst in its recorded history.[110] The 2018 wildfire season was the state's deadliest and most destructive.[111]
One of the first confirmedCOVID-19 cases in the U.S. occurred in California on January 26, 2020.[112][113] Astate of emergency was declared in the state on March 4, 2020, and remained in effect until GovernorGavin Newsom ended it in February 2023.[114] A mandatory statewidestay-at-home order was issued on March 19, 2020, which was ended in January 2021.[115]
Covering an area of 163,696 sq mi (423,970 km2), California is thethird-largest state in the U.S. in area, afterAlaska andTexas.[123] California is one of the most geographically diverse states in the union and is often geographically bisected into two regions, Southern California, comprising the ten southernmost counties,[124][125] and Northern California, comprising the 48 northernmost counties.[126][127] It is bordered byOregon to the north,Nevada to the east and northeast,Arizona to the southeast, thePacific Ocean to the west and shares an international border with theMexican state ofBaja California to the south (with which it makes up part ofThe Californias region of North America, alongsideBaja California Sur).
The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta is a critical water supply hub for the state. Water is diverted from the delta and through an extensive network ofpumps and canals that traverse nearly the length of the state, to the Central Valley and the State Water Projects and other needs. Water from the Delta provides drinking water for nearly 23million people, almost two-thirds of the state's population as well as water for farmers on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley.
To the east of the Sierra Nevada areOwens Valley andMono Lake, an essentialmigratory bird habitat. In the western part of the state isClear Lake, the largest freshwater lake by area entirely in California. Although 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, includingPalisade Glacier, the southernmost glacier in the U.S.
TheTulare Lake was the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River. A remnant ofPleistocene-eraLake Corcoran, Tulare Lake dried up by the early 20th century after its tributary rivers were diverted for agricultural irrigation and municipal water uses.[128]
About 45% of the state's total surface area is covered by forests,[129] 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 theCalifornia White Mountains are the oldest in the world; an individualbristlecone pine is over 5,000 years old.[130][131]
In the south is a large inland salt lake, theSalton Sea. The south-central desert is called theMojave; to the northeast of the Mojave liesDeath Valley, which contains the lowest and hottest place in North America, theBadwater Basin at −279 feet (−85 m).[8] The horizontal distance from the bottom of Death Valley to the top of Mount Whitney is less than 90 miles (140 km). 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 theColorado River, from which the southern part of the state gets about half of its water.
Most of the state has aMediterranean climate. The coolCalifornia Current offshore often creates summerfog near the coast. Farther inland, there are colder winters and hotter summers. The maritime moderation results in the shoreline summertime temperatures of Los Angeles andSan Francisco being the coolest of all major metropolitan areas of the U.S. and uniquely cool compared to areas on the same latitude in the interior and on the east coast of the North American continent. Even theSan Diego shoreline bordering Mexico is cooler in summer than most areas in the contiguous U.S. Just a few miles inland, summer temperature extremes are significantly higher, with downtown Los Angeles being several degreeswarmer than at the coast. The samemicroclimate phenomenon is seen in theclimate of the Bay Area, where areas sheltered from the ocean experience significantly hotter summers and colder winters in contrast with nearby areas closer to the ocean.[133][134][135]
Northern parts of the state have more rain than the south. California's mountain ranges also influence the climate: some of the rainiest parts of the state are west-facing mountain slopes. Coastal northwestern California has atemperate 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 analpine climate with snow in winter and mild to moderate heat in summer.
California's mountains producerain shadows on the eastern side, creating extensivedeserts. The higher elevation deserts ofeastern California have hot summers and cold winters, while the low deserts east of the Southern California mountains have hot summers and nearly frostless mild winters.Death Valley, a desert with large expanses below sea level, is considered the hottest location in the world; the highest temperature in the world,[136][137] 134 °F (56.7 °C), was recorded there on July 10, 1913. The lowest temperature in California was −45 °F (−43 °C) on January 20, 1937, inBoca.[138]
The table below lists average temperatures for January and August in a selection of places throughout the state; some highly populated and some not. This includes the relatively cool summers of theHumboldt Bay region aroundEureka, the extreme heat ofDeath Valley, and the mountain climate ofMammoth in the Sierra Nevada.
Average temperatures and precipitation for selected communities in California[139]
California is one of the ecologically richest and most diverse parts of the world, and includes some of the most endangered ecological communities. California is part of theNearctic realm and spans a number of terrestrialecoregions.[145]
California's large number ofendemic species includesrelict species, which have died out elsewhere, such as the Catalina ironwood (Lyonothamnus floribundus). Many other endemics originated through differentiation oradaptive radiation, whereby multiple species develop from a common ancestor to take advantage of diverse ecological conditions such as the California lilac (Ceanothus).[citation needed] Many California endemics have become endangered, as urbanization, logging,overgrazing, and the introduction ofexotic species have encroached on their habitat.
Originally utilized byIndigenous peoples as a source of food and fiber for textiles, the western Joshua Tree (Yucca brevifolia) is a recognizable native plant of Californian deserts and protected under the State'sWestern Joshua Tree Conservation Act of 2023.[148][149][150]
California boasts several superlatives in its collection of flora: thelargest trees, thetallest trees, and theoldest trees. California's native grasses areperennial plants,[151] and there are close to hundred succulent species native to the state.[152] After European contact, these were generally replaced byinvasive species of European annual grasses; and, in modern times, California's hills turn a characteristic golden-brown in summer.[145]
Because California has the greatest diversity of climate and terrain, the state has six life zones which are the lowerSonoran 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.[153]
Plant life in the dry climate of the lower Sonoran zone contains a diversity of native cactus, mesquite, and paloverde. TheJoshua tree is found in the Mojave Desert. Flowering plants include the dwarf desert poppy and a variety ofasters.Fremont cottonwood andvalley 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 (Eschscholzia 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.[153]
Aquatic life in California thrives, from the state's mountain lakes and streams to the rocky Pacific coastline. Numerous trout species are found, among themrainbow,golden, andcutthroat. Migratory species of salmon are common as well. Deep-sea life forms includesea bass,yellowfin tuna,barracuda, and several types of whale. Native to the cliffs of northern California are seals, sea lions, and many types of shorebirds, including migratory species.[153]
The most prominent river system within California is formed by the Sacramento River andSan Joaquin River, which are fed mostly by snowmelt from the west slope of the Sierra Nevada, and respectively drain the north and south halves of the Central Valley. The two rivers join in theSacramento–San Joaquin River Delta, flowing into the Pacific Ocean throughSan Francisco Bay. Many major tributaries feed into the Sacramento–San Joaquin system, including thePit River,Feather River andTuolumne River.
TheKlamath andTrinity Rivers drain a large area in far northwestern California. TheEel River andSalinas River each drain portions of the California coast, north and south of San Francisco Bay, respectively. TheMojave River is the primary watercourse in the Mojave Desert, and theSanta Ana River drains much of theTransverse Ranges as it bisects Southern California. TheColorado River forms the state's southeast border with Arizona.
Most of California's major rivers are dammed as part of two massive water projects: theCentral Valley Project, providing water for agriculture in the Central Valley, and theCalifornia State Water Project diverting water from Northern to Southern California. The state's coasts, rivers, and other bodies of water are regulated by theCalifornia Coastal Commission.
California is traditionally separated intoNorthern California andSouthern California, divided by a straight border which runs across the state, separating the northern 48 counties from the southern 10 counties. Despite the persistence of the northern-southern divide, California is more precisely divided into many regions, multiple of which stretch across the northern-southern divide.
The state has 483incorporated cities and towns,[165] of which 461 are cities and 22 are towns. Under California law, the terms "city" and "town" are explicitly interchangeable; the name of an incorporatedmunicipality in the state can either be "City of (Name)" or "Town of (Name)".[166]
Sources: 1790–1990, 2000, 2010, 2020, 2024[173][174][175][176] Chart does not include indigenous population figures. Studies indicate that the Native American population in California in 1850 was close to 150,000 before declining to 15,000 by 1900.[177]
Presently, close to one out of every nine U.S. residents live in California.[178][179] According to the2020 U.S. census, the population of California was 39.54 million on April 1, 2020, a 6.13% increase since2010.[175] During that decade, the state's population grew more slowly than the rest of the nation, resulting in the loss of one seat on the U.S. House of Representatives, the first loss in its entire history.[178] The estimated state population in 2023 was 38.94 million.[179] For well over a century (1900–2020), California experienced steady population growth. Even while the rate of growth began to slow by the 1990s, some growth continued into the first two decades of the 21st century; California added an average of around 400,000 people per year to its population during the period 1940–2020.[180][181][182] Then in 2020, the state began to experience population declines continuing every year, attributable mostly to moves out of state but also due to decliningbirth rates,COVID-19 pandemic deaths, and less internal migration from other states to California.[178][183] According to the U.S. Census Bureau, between 2021 and 2022, 818,000 California residents moved out of state[184] with emigrants listing high cost of living,California housing shortage[185] rise of remote work,[186] high taxes, and a difficult business environment as the motivation.[citation needed] The net loss of population in California between July 2020 and July 2023 was 433,000.[178]
Starting in 2010, for the first time since theCalifornia Gold Rush, California-born residents made up the majority of the state's population.[191] Along with the rest of the U.S., California's immigration pattern has also shifted over the course of the late 2000s to early 2010s.[192] Immigration fromLatin American countries has dropped significantly with most immigrants now coming from Asia.[193] In total for 2011, there were 277,304 immigrants; 57% came from Asian countries versus 22% from Latin American countries.[193]Net immigration from Mexico, previously the most common country of origin for new immigrants, has dropped to zero / less than zero since more Mexican nationals are departing for their home country than immigrating.[192]
The state's population ofundocumented immigrants has been shrinking in recent years, due to increased enforcement and decreased job opportunities for lower-skilled workers.[194] The number of migrants arrested attempting to cross the Mexican border in the Southwest decreased from a high of 1.1million in 2005 to 367,000 in 2011.[195] Despite these recent trends,illegalaliens constituted an estimated 7.3% of the state's population, the third highest percentage of any state in thecountry,[196][note 4] totaling nearly 2.6million.[197] In particular, illegal immigrants tended to be concentrated inLos Angeles,Monterey,San Benito,Imperial, andNapa Counties—the latter four of which have significant agricultural industries that depend on manual labor.[198] More than half of illegal immigrants originate from Mexico.[197] The state of California and some California cities, includingLos Angeles,Oakland, andSan Francisco,[199] have adoptedsanctuary policies.[200]
Map of counties in California by racial and ethnic plurality, per the 2020 U.S. censusHispanic and Latino Californians make up the state's largest ethnic group. The map displays California's counties by percentage of Hispanics and Latinos in the2020 census:
50% or more
25–49%
15–24%
5–15%
Racial and ethnic composition as of the2020 census
By ethnicity, in 2018 the population was 60.7% non-Hispanic (of any race) and 39.3%Hispanic or Latino (of any race). Hispanics are the largest single ethnic group in California.[218]Non-Hispanic whites constituted 36.8% of the state's population.[218]Californios are theHispanic residents native to California, who make up theSpanish-speaking community that has existed in California since 1542, of varyingMexican American/Chicano,Criollo Spaniard, and Mestizo origin.[219] However, they make up only a small part of California's Hispanic population today, estimated at 500,000. California has the largest Mexican,Salvadoran, andGuatemalan populations in the U.S., together making up over 90% of the state's Latino population.[220]
As of 2011[update], 75.1% of California's population younger than age 1 were minorities, meaning they had at least one parent who was not non-Hispanic white (white Hispanics are counted as minorities).[224]
In terms of total numbers, California has the largest population of White Americans in the U.S., an estimated 22,200,000 residents including people identifying as white in combination with any other race. The state has the 5th largest population of African Americans in the U.S., an estimated 2,250,000 residents. California's Asian American population is estimated at 7.1million, constituting a third of the nation's total. California's Native American population of 504,000 is the most of any state, with 103,030 identifying as Non-Hispanic and belonging mostly to theIndigenous peoples of California.[225][226] Most of the state's Native American population identifies as Hispanic and belongs to Indigenous Mexican or Central American ethnic groups, including 185,200 identifying asMexican American Indian and 67,904 identifying asCentral American Indian.[227]
According to estimates from 2011, California has the largestminority population in the U.S. by numbers, making up 60% of the state population.[228] Over the past 25 years, the population ofnon-Hispanic whites has declined, whileHispanic andAsian populations have grown. Between 1970 and 2011, non-Hispanic whites declined from 80% of the state's population to 40%, whileHispanics grew from 32% in 2000 to 38% in 2011.[229] It is currently projected that Hispanics will rise to 49% of the population by 2060, primarily due to domestic births rather than immigration.[230] With the decline of immigration from Latin America, Asian Americans now constitute the fastest growing racial/ethnic group in California; this growth is primarily driven by immigration fromChina,India, and thePhilippines, respectively.[231]
The majority of California's immigrants were born in Latin America (49%) or Asia (41%). Most of California's immigrant population were born in Mexico (3.8 million), the Philippines (821,136), China (795,450), India (574,498), and Vietnam (525,455) and more than half (55%) of California's immigrants were naturalized US citizens in 2023 which has increased consistently since 1990, when only 31% of immigrants were naturalized.[232]
English serves as California'sde jure andde factoofficial language. According to the 2021American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, 56.08% (20,763,638) of California residents age5 and older spoke onlyEnglish at home, while 43.92% spoke another language at home. Some 60.35% of California residents who speak a language other than English at home are able to speak English "well" or "very well", with this figure varying significantly across the different linguistic groups.[233] Like most U.S. states (32 out of 50), California law enshrines English as itsofficial language, and has done so since the passage ofProposition 63 by California voters in 1986. Various government agencies do, and are often required to, furnish documents in the various languages needed to reach their intended audiences.[234][235][236]
Spanish is the most commonly spoken language in California behind English, spoken by 28.18% (10,434,308) of the state's population in 2021.[233] The Spanish language has been spoken in California since 1542 and is deeply intertwined with California's cultural landscape and history.[237][238][239] Spanish was the official administrative language of California through the Spanish and Mexican eras, until 1848. Following the U.S.Conquest of California and theTreaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, the U.S. federal government guaranteed the rights of Spanish-speaking Californians. The firstConstitution of California was written in both languages at theMonterey Constitutional Convention of 1849 and protected the rights of Spanish speakers to use their language in government proceedings and mandating that all government documents be published in both English and Spanish.[240]
Despite the initial recognition of Spanish by early American governments in California, the revised 1879 state constitution stripped the rights of Spanish speakers and the official status of Spanish.[241] The growth of theEnglish-only movement by the mid-20th century led to the passage of1986 California Proposition 63, which enshrined English as the only official language in California and ended Spanish as a language of instruction in public schools.[242]2016 California Proposition 58 reversed the prohibition onbilingual education, though there are still many barriers to the proliferation of Spanish bilingual education, including a shortage of teachers and lack of funding.[243][242][244] Thegovernment of California has since made efforts to promote Spanish language access and bilingual education,[245][246] as have private educational institutions in California.[247] Many businesses in California promote Spanish language skills for their employees, to better serve both California's Hispanic population and the largerSpanish-speaking world.[248][249]
California has historically been one of the most linguistically diverse areas in the world, with more than 70 indigenous languages derived from 64 root languages in six language families.[250][251] A survey conducted between 2007 and 2009 identified 23 different indigenous languages among California farmworkers.[252] All of California's indigenous languages areendangered, although there are now efforts towardlanguage revitalization.[note 6] California has the highest concentration nationwide ofChinese,Vietnamese andPunjabi speakers.
As a result of the state's increasing diversity and migration from other areas across the country and around the globe, linguists began noticing a noteworthy set of emerging characteristics of spokenAmerican English in California since the late 20th century. This variety, known asCalifornia English, has avowel shift and several other phonological processes that are different from varieties of American English used in other regions of the U.S.[253]
The largestreligious denominations by number of adherents as a percentage of California's population in 2014 were the Catholic Church with 28%, Evangelical Protestants with 20%, and Mainline Protestants with 10%. Together, all kinds of Protestants accounted for 32%. Those unaffiliated with any religion represented 27% of the population. The breakdown of other religions is 1% Muslim, 2% Hindu and 2% Buddhist.[255] This is a change from 2008, when the population identified their religion with the Catholic Church with 31%; Evangelical Protestants with 18%; and Mainline Protestants with 14%. In 2008, those unaffiliated with any religion represented 21% of the population. The breakdown of other religions in 2008 was 0.5% Muslim, 1% Hindu and 2% Buddhist.[256] TheAmerican Jewish Year Book placed the totalJewish population of California at about 1,194,190 in 2006.[257] According to theAssociation of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) the largest denominations by adherents in 2010 were theCatholic Church with 10,233,334;The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with 763,818; and theSouthern Baptist Convention with 489,953.[258]
California has a large Catholic population due to the large numbers of Mexicans and Central Americans living within its borders. California has twelve dioceses and two archdioceses, theArchdiocese of Los Angeles and theArchdiocese of San Francisco, the former being the largest archdiocese in the U.S.
APew Research Center survey revealed that California is somewhat less religious than the rest of the states: 62% of Californians say they are "absolutely certain" of their belief in God, while in the nation 71% say so. The survey also revealed 48% of Californians say religion is "very important", compared to 56% nationally.[260]
The culture of California is aWestern culture and has its modern roots inU.S. culture, but also, historically, manyHispanicCalifornio andMexican influences. As a border and coastal state, California culture has been greatly influenced by several large immigrant populations, especially those from Latin America and Asia.[261]
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, the building projects during theGreat Depression 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 asthe Beach Boys promoted the image of Californians as laid-back, tanned beach-goers.
Disney, headquartered inBurbank, is one of the world's largest media and entertainment companies.
Hollywood and the rest of the Los Angeles area is a major global center for entertainment, with theU.S. film industry's"Big Five" major film studios (Columbia,Disney,Paramount,Universal, andWarner Bros.) as well as many minor film studios being based in or around the area. Manyanimation studios are also headquartered in the state. The four major American television commercial broadcast networks (ABC,CBS,NBC, andFox) as well as other networks all have production facilities and offices in the state. All the four major commercial broadcast networks, plus the two major Spanish-language networks (Telemundo andUnivision) each have at least threeowned-and-operated TV stations in California, including at least one in Los Angeles and at least one in San Francisco.[note 7]
California has long had many respected collegiate sports programs. California is home to the oldest college bowl game, the annualRose Bowl, among others.
California has the most school students in the country, with over 6.2 million in the 2005–06 school year, giving California more students in school than 36 states have in total population and one of the highest projected enrollments in the country.[267]Publicsecondary education consists ofhigh 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 aunique constitutional amendment that requires a minimum annual funding level for grades K–12 andcommunity colleges that grows with the economy and student enrollment figures.[268]
In 2016, California's K–12 public school per-pupil spending was ranked 22nd in the nation ($11,500 per student vs. $11,800 for the U.S. average).[269]
For 2012, California's K–12 public schools ranked 48th in the number of employees per student, at 0.102 (the U.S. average was 0.137), while paying the 7th most per employee, $49,000 (the U.S. average was $39,000).[270][271][272]
The state'spublicresearch universitysystem is theUniversity of California (UC). As of fall 2011, the University of California had a combinedstudent body of 234,464 students.[274] There are ten UC campuses; nine are general campuses offering both undergraduate and graduate programs which culminate in the award of bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and doctorates; there is one specialized campus,UC San Francisco, which is entirely dedicated to graduate education inhealth care, and is home to theUCSF Medical Center, the highest-rankedhospital in California.[275] The system was originally intended to accept the top one-eighth of California high school students, but several of the campuses have become even more selective.[276][277][278] The UC system historically held exclusive authority to award the doctorate, but this has since changed and CSU now has limited statutory authorization to award a handful of types of doctoral degrees independently of UC.
TheCalifornia State University (CSU) system has almost 430,000 students. The CSU (which takes the definite article in its abbreviated form, while UC does not) was originally intended to accept the top one-third of California high school students, but several of the campuses have become much more selective.[278][279] The CSU was originally authorized to award only bachelor's and master's degrees, and could award the doctorate only as part of joint programs with UC or private universities. Since then, CSU has been granted the authority to independently award several doctoral degrees (in specific academic fields that do not intrude upon UC's traditional jurisdiction).
TheCalifornia Community Colleges system provides lower-division coursework culminating in the associate degree, as well as basic skills and workforce training culminating in various kinds of certificates. (Fifteen California community colleges now award four-year bachelor's degrees in disciplines which are in high demand in their geographical area.[280]) It is the largest network of higher education in the U.S., composed of 112 colleges serving a student population of over 2.6million.
As the largest and second-largest U.S. ports respectively, thePort of Los Angeles and thePort of Long Beach in Southern California collectively play a pivotal role in the global supply chain, together hauling in about 40% of all imports to the U.S. byTEU volume.[21] ThePort of Oakland andPort of Hueneme are the 10th and 26th largest seaports in the U.S., respectively, by number of TEUs handled.[288]
The five largest sectors of employment in California are trade, transportation, and utilities; government; professional and business services; education and health services; and leisure and hospitality. In output, the five largest sectors are financial services, followed by trade, transportation, and utilities; education and health services; government; and manufacturing.[289] California has anunemployment rate of 3.9% as of September 2022[update].[285]
California's economy is dependent on trade and international related commerce accounts for about one-quarter of the state's economy, and representing 7% of their GDP; California's biggest trade partner is Mexico. In 2008, California exported $144billion worth of goods, up from $134billion in 2007 and $127billion in 2006.[290] Vehicles, computers and electronic products are California's top exports, accounting for 42% of all the state's exports in 2008; over 50 car companies operate in California, such asTesla andMazda.[290]
Agriculture is an important sector in California's economy. According to theU.S. Department of Agriculture, in 2011, the three largest California agricultural products by value weremilk and cream, shelledalmonds, andgrapes.[20] Farming-related sales more than quadrupled over the past three decades, from $7.3billion in 1974 to nearly $31billion in 2004.[291] This increase has occurred despite a 15% 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.[291] In 2008, California's 81,500 farms and ranches generated $36.2billion products revenue.[292] In 2011, that number grew to $43.5billion products revenue.[292] The agriculture sector accounts for 2% of the state's GDP and employs around 3% of its total workforce.[293]
California is the most visited state in the country.[294]Disneyland inAnaheim is a major tourist destination, with 16.9 million annual visits in 2022.[295]
Using the supplemental poverty measure, California has apoverty rate of 23.5%, the highest of any state in the country.[298] However, using the official measure the poverty rate was only 13.3% as of 2017.[299] Many coastal cities include some of the wealthiest per-capita areas in the U.S. The high-technology sectors in Northern California, specificallySilicon Valley, inSanta Clara andSan Mateo counties, have emerged from the economic downturn caused by thedot-com bust.
In 2019, there were 1,042,027 millionaire households in the state, more than any other state in the nation.[300] In 2010, California residents were ranked first among the states with the best average credit score of 754.[301]
If California was an independent country, its gross domestic product (nominal) would rankfifth in the world (2022).[302]
State spending increased from $56billion in 1998 to $127billion in 2011.[304][305] California has the third highest per capita spending on welfare among the states, as well as the highest spending on welfare at $6.67billion.[306] In January 2011, California's total debt was at least $265billion.[307] On June 27, 2013, Governor Jerry Brown signed a balanced budget (no deficit) for the state, its first in decades; however, the state's debt remains at $132billion.[308][309]
With the passage ofProposition 30 in 2012 andProposition 55 in 2016, California now levies a 13.3% maximum marginalincome tax rate with tentax brackets, ranging from 1% at the bottom tax bracket of $0 annual individual income to 13.3% for annual individual income over $1,000,000 (though the top brackets are only temporary until Proposition 55 expires at the end of 2030). While Proposition 30 also enacted a minimumstate sales tax of 7.5%, this sales tax increase was not extended by Proposition 55 and reverted to a previous minimum state sales tax rate of 7.25% in 2017. Local governments can and do levy additional sales taxes in addition to this minimum rate.[310]
Allreal property is taxable annually. Property tax increases are capped at 2% annually or the rate of inflation (whichever is lower), perProposition 13.
Because it is the most populous state in the U.S., California is one of the country's largest users of energy. The state has extensive hydro-electric energy generation facilities, however, moving water is the single largest energy use in the state. Also, due to high energy rates, conservation mandates, mild weather in the largest population centers and strongenvironmental movement, itsper capita energy use is one of the smallest of any state in the U.S.[311] Due to the high electricity demand, California imports more electricity than any other state, primarily hydroelectric power from states in the Pacific Northwest (viaPath 15 andPath 66) and coal- and natural gas-fired production from the desert Southwest viaPath 46.[312]
As a result of the state's strong environmental movement, California has some of the most aggressiverenewable energy goals in the U.S. The Clean Energy, Jobs and Affordability Act of 2022 commits the state to running its operations on clean, renewable energy resources by 2035, and SB 1203 also requires the state to achieve net-zero operations for all agencies. Currently, severalsolar power plants such as theSolar Energy Generating Systems facility are located in theMojave Desert.California's wind farms includeAltamont Pass,San Gorgonio Pass, andTehachapi Pass. The Tehachapi area is also where theTehachapi Energy Storage Project is located.[313] Several dams across the state providehydro-electric power. It would be possible to convert the total supply to 100% renewable energy, including heating, cooling and mobility, by 2050.[314]
California's vast terrain is connected byan extensive system ofcontrolled-access highways ('freeways'),limited-access roads ('expressways'), andhighways. California is known for itscar culture, giving California's cities a reputation for severetraffic congestion. Construction and maintenance of state roads and statewide transportation planning are primarily the responsibility of theCalifornia 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 U.S.[319][320] TheReason 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.[321]
The state has been a pioneer in road construction. One of the state's more visible landmarks, theGolden Gate Bridge, was thelongest suspension bridge main span in the world at 4,200 feet (1,300 m) between 1937 (when it opened) and 1964. With its orange paint and panoramic views of the bay, this highway bridge is a popular tourist attraction and also accommodates pedestrians and bicyclists. TheSan Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge (often abbreviated the "Bay Bridge"), completed in 1936, transports about 280,000 vehicles per day on two-decks. Its two sections meet atYerba Buena Island through the world's largest diameter transportation bore tunnel, at 76 feet (23 m) wide by 58 feet (18 m) high.[322] TheArroyo Seco Parkway, connecting Los Angeles andPasadena, opened in 1940 as the first freeway in the Western U.S.[323] It was later extended south to theFour Level Interchange in downtown Los Angeles, regarded as the firststack interchange ever built.[324]
TheCalifornia Highway Patrol is the largest statewide police agency in the U.S. in employment with more than 10,000 employees. They are responsible for providing any police-sanctioned service to anyone on California's state-maintained highways and on state property.
TheCalifornia High-Speed Rail Authority was authorized in 1996 by the state legislature to plan aCalifornia High-Speed Rail system to put before the voters. The plan they devised,2008 California Proposition 1A, connecting all the major population centers in the state, was approved by the voters at the November 2008 general election.[327] The first phase of construction was begun in 2015, and the first segment 171 miles (275 km) long, is planned to be put into operation by the end of 2030. Planning and work on the rest of the system is continuing, with funding for completing it is an ongoing issue.[328] California's 2023 integrated passenger rail master plan includes a high speed rail system.[329]
Busses
Nearly all counties operatebus lines, and many cities operate their own city bus lines as well. Intercity bus travel is provided byGreyhound,Megabus, andAmtrak Thruway.
California's interconnected water system is the world's largest, managing over 40,000,000acre-feet (49 km3) of water per year, centered on six main systems of aqueducts and infrastructure projects.[330] Water use and conservation in California is a politically divisive issue, as the state experiences periodic droughts and has to balance the demands of its large agricultural and urban sectors, especially in the arid southern portion of the state. The state's widespread redistribution of water also invites the frequent scorn of environmentalists.
TheCalifornia Water Wars, a conflict between Los Angeles and the Owens Valley over water rights, is one of the most well-known examples of the struggle to secure adequate water supplies.[331] Former California GovernorArnold Schwarzenegger said:
We've been in crisis for quite some time because we're now 38million people and not anymore 18million people like we were in the late 60s. So it developed into a battle between environmentalists and farmers and between the south and the north and between rural and urban. And everyone has been fighting for the last four decades about water.[332]
The capital city of California isSacramento.[333] The state is organized into three branches of government: theexecutive branch consisting of thegovernor[334] and the other independently elected constitutional officers; thelegislative branch consisting of theAssembly andSenate;[335] and thejudicial branch consisting of theSupreme Court of California and lower courts.[336] The state also allowsballot propositions: direct participation of the electorate byinitiative,referendum,recall, andratification.[337] Before the passage ofProposition 14 in 2010, California allowed each political party to choose whether to have aclosed primary or a primary where only party members andindependents vote. After June 8, 2010, when Proposition 14 was approved, excepting only the U.S. president and county central committee offices,[338] all candidates in the primary elections are listed on the ballot with their preferred party affiliation, but they are not the official nominee of that party.[339] At the primary election, the two candidates with the top votes will advance to the general election regardless of party affiliation.[339] This is known as anonpartisan blanket primary. If at a special primary election, one candidate receives more than 50% of all the votes cast, they are elected to fill the vacancy and no special general election will be held.[339]
The many California state agencies that are under the governor's cabinet are grouped together to form cabinet-level entities that are referred to by government officials as "superagencies". Those departments that are directly under the other independently elected officers work separately from these superagencies.[341][342]
The California State Legislature consists of a 40-member Senate and 80-member Assembly.[343] Senators serve four-year terms and Assembly members two. Members of the Assembly are subject toterm limits of six terms, and members of the Senate are subject to term limits of three terms.
California's legal system is explicitly based upon Englishcommon law[344] but carries many features from Spanishcivil law, such ascommunity property. California's prison population grew from 25,000 in 1980 to over 170,000 in 2007.[345]Capital punishment is a legal form of punishment and the state has the largest "Death Row" population in the country (though Oklahoma and Texas are far more active in carrying out executions).[346][347] California has performed13 executions since 1976, with the last being in 2006.[348]
California's judiciary system is the largest in the U.S. with a total of 1,600 judges (the federal system has only about 840). At the apex is the seven-member Supreme Court of California, while theCalifornia Courts of Appeal serve as the primaryappellate courts and theCalifornia Superior Courts serve as the primarytrial courts.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.
The administration of the state's court system is controlled by theJudicial Council, composed of the chief justice of the California Supreme Court, 14 judicial officers, four representatives from theState Bar of California, and one member from each house of the state legislature.
In fiscal year 2020–2021, the state judiciary's 2,000 judicial officers and 18,000 judicial branch employees processed approximately 4.4 million cases.[349]
California has an extensive system of local government that manages public functions throughout the state. Like most states, California is divided intocounties, of which there are 58 (includingSan Francisco) covering the entire state. Most urbanized areas are incorporated ascities.School districts, which are independent of cities and counties, handle public education. Many other functions, such as fire protection and water supply, especially inunincorporated areas, are handled byspecial districts.
California is divided into58 counties. Per Article 11, Section 1, of theConstitution of California, they are the legal subdivisions of the state. The county government provides countywide services such aslaw enforcement,jails, elections and voter registration, vital records, property assessment and records, tax collection, public health, health care, social services, libraries, flood control, fire protection, animal control, agricultural regulations, building inspections, ambulance services, and education departments in charge of maintaining statewide standards.[350][351] In addition, the county serves as the local government for allunincorporated areas. Each county is governed by an electedboard of supervisors.[352]
Incorporated cities and towns in California are eithercharter or general-law municipalities.[166] General-law municipalities owe their existence to state law and are consequently governed by it; charter municipalities are governed by their own city or town charters. Municipalities incorporated in the 19th century tend to be charter municipalities. All ten of the state's most populous cities are charter cities. Most small cities have acouncil–manager form of government, where the elected city council appoints a city manager to supervise the operations of the city. Some larger cities have a directly elected mayor who oversees the city government. In many council-manager cities, the city council selects one of its members as a mayor, sometimes rotating through the council membership—but this type of mayoral position is primarily ceremonial. TheGovernment of San Francisco is the onlyconsolidated city-county in California, where both the city and county governments have been merged into one unified jurisdiction.
About 1,102school districts, independent of cities and counties, handle California'spublic education.[353] California school districts may be organized as elementary districts, high school districts, unified school districts combining elementary and high school grades, or community college districts.[353]
There are about 3,400special districts in California.[354] A special district, defined by California Government Code § 16271(d) as "any agency of the state for the local performance of governmental or proprietary functions within limited boundaries", provides a limited range of services within a defined geographic area. The geographic area of a special district can spread across multiple cities or counties, or could consist of only a portion of one. Most of California's special districts aresingle-purpose districts, and provide one service.
In August 2025 Governor Newsom secured legislative approval ofCalifornia Proposition 50. In November 2025 voters will vote on a state constitutional amendment that will allow redistricting of the California map. The goal is to switch five seats from Republican to Democratic control. It is a response to the decision of Texas to redistrict its Congressional. map to add five new Republican seats.[357][358][359]
In 2010,Los Angeles County was the largest origin of military recruits in the U.S. by county, with 1,437 individuals enlisting in the military.[361] However, as of 2002[update], Californians were relatively under-represented in the military as a proportion to its population.[362]
In 2000, California, had 2,569,340 veterans of U.S.military service.[363] As of 2010[update], there were 1,942,775 veterans living in California, of which 1,457,875 served during a period of armed conflict, and just over four thousand servedbefore World WarII (the largest population of this group of any state).[364]
California has an idiosyncratic political culture compared to the rest of the country, and is sometimes regarded as a trendsetter.[366] In socio-cultural mores and national politics, Californians are perceived as moreliberal than other Americans, especially those who live in the inland states. In the2016 U.S. presidential election, California had the third highest percentage of Democratic votes behind theDistrict of Columbia andHawaii.[367] In the2020 U.S. presidential election, it had the 6th highest behind D.C.,Vermont,Massachusetts,Maryland, and Hawaii. According to the Cook Political Report, California contains five of the 15 most Democratic congressional districts in the U.S.
The state's trend towards theDemocratic Party and away from theRepublican Party can be seen in state elections. From 1899 to 1939, California had exclusively Republican governors. Since 1990, California has generally elected Democratic candidates to federal, state and local offices, including current GovernorGavin Newsom; however, the state has elected Republican Governors, though many of its Republican Governors, such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, tend to be considered moderate Republicans and morecentrist than the national party.
Anti-war protesters and pro-military counterprotesters inBerkeley (2008)
The Democrats also hold a supermajority in both houses of the state legislature. There are 62 Democrats and 18 Republicans in the Assembly; and 32 Democrats and eight Republicans in the Senate.
From1952 through1988, California was a Republican-leaning state, as the party carried the state's electoral votes in nine of ten elections, with1964 as the sole exception. Southern California RepublicansRichard Nixon andRonald Reagan were both elected twice as the 37th and 40th U.S. Presidents, respectively. However, Democrats have won all of California's electoral votes for the last eight elections, starting in1992.
In the U.S. House, the Democrats held a 34–19 edge in the California delegation of the110th U.S. Congress in 2007. As the result ofgerrymandering, the districts in California were usually dominated by one or the other party, and few districts were considered competitive. In 2008, Californians passed Proposition 20 to empower a 14-member independent citizen commission to redraw districts for both local politicians and Congress. After the 2012 elections, when the new system took effect, Democrats gained four seats and held a 38–15 majority in the delegation. Following the2018 midterm House elections, Democrats won 46 out of 53 congressional house seats in California, leaving Republicans with seven.
In October 2022, out of the 26,876,800 people eligible to vote, 21,940,274 people were registered to vote.[373] Of the people registered, the three largest registered groups were Democrats (10,283,258), Republicans (5,232,094), andNo Party Preference (4,943,696).[373]
California retains thedeath penalty, though it has not been used since 2006.[374]
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^abKarlamangla, Soumya (November 4, 2021)."The Busiest Port in the U.S."The New York Times. RetrievedAugust 16, 2023.But despite its glitzy image, L.A. is home to the busiest port in the Western Hemisphere. It plays a major role in the global supply chain
^Klein, Barry T. Reference Encyclopedia of the American Indian. 7th ed. West Nyack, NY: Todd Publications, 1995
^Eargle, Dolan H. Jr. (2008).Native California guide: an introduction to the original peoples from earliest to modern times. Fred Dodsworth (Ed. 2008 ed.). San Francisco: Trees Co. Press.ISBN978-0-937401-11-8.OCLC212858363.Estimates of the Native population in 1776 range from 300,000 to one million.
^Blackburn, Thomas C. and Kat Anderson, ed. (1993).Before the Wilderness: Environmental Management by Native Californians. Menlo Park, California: Ballena Press.ISBN0-87919-126-0.
^Sutton, Mark Q. (2021). "A Broad Portrait of California Native Societies".An introduction to native North America (eBook) (6th ed.). New York.ISBN978-0-367-54046-3.OCLC1204267735.Though actual battles with numerous combatants were sometimes fought, most armed conflict concerned small groups of men bent on revenge. Acquiring territory was not usually the goal of warfare.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^Kroeber, Alfred Louis (1912).Phonetic Constituents of the Native Languages of California. University Press. p. 164.The institution of berdaches or women-men is one of frequent occurrence among the California natives... Among the coastal stocks south of San Francisco the custom flourished, and the individuals, termed 'joyas' by the Spanish...
^Preucel, Robert W.; Mrozowski, Stephen A., eds. (2010).Contemporary archaeology in theory: the new pragmatism (2nd ed.). Chichester, U.K.: Wiley-Blackwell.ISBN978-1-4051-5832-9.OCLC495597287.In 1775, Alta California Governor Pedro Fages observed that there were two to three joyas in each village, and that all Indians were consequently addicted to 'this abominable vice.'
^ab"Introduction".Early History of the California Coast. National Park Service. Archived fromthe original on August 23, 2007. RetrievedAugust 26, 2012.
^"1870 Fast Facts".United States Census Bureau.Archived from the original on March 5, 2019. RetrievedMarch 5, 2019.
^Wilson, Dotson; Ebbert, Brian S. (2006).California's Legislature(PDF) (2006 ed.). Sacramento: California State Assembly.OCLC70700867.Archived(PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022.
^abcMadley, Benjamin (2016).An American Genocide, The United States and the California Catastrophe, 1846–1873. Yale University Press. pp. 11, 351.ISBN978-0-300-18136-4.
^Risling Baldy, Cutcha (2018).We are dancing for you: native feminisms and the revitalization of women's coming-of-age ceremonies. Seattle. pp. 61–63.ISBN978-0-295-74345-5.OCLC1032289446.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^abBaumgardner, Frank H. (2005).Killing for Land in Early California: Indian Blood at Round Valley: Founding the Nome Cult Indian Farm. New York: Algora. p. 171.ISBN978-0-87586-803-5.OCLC693780699.
^Moller, Rosa Maria (May 2008)."Aerospace States' Incentives to Attract The Industry"(PDF).library.ca.gov. California Research Bureau. pp. 24–25. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on August 24, 2014. RetrievedJune 25, 2013. Kleinhenz, Robert A.; Ritter-Martinez, Kimberly; De Anda, Rafael; Avila, Elizabeth (August 2012)."The Aerospace Industry in Southern California"(PDF). laedc.org. p. 10. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on May 12, 2013. RetrievedJune 25, 2013.In 1987, California accounted for one in four aerospace jobs nationally, and in Los Angeles County, the share was one in ten. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, the Department of Defense (DOD) sharply curtailed procurement spending. In 1995, DOD spending fell below $50billion for the first time since 1982. Nowhere in the country were the changes in Pentagon outlays more apparent than in Southern California. Heikkila, Eric John; Pizarro, Rafael (January 1, 2002).Southern California and the World. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 18.ISBN978-0-275-97112-0. RetrievedJune 25, 2013. Flanigan, James (2009).Smile Southern California, You're the Center of the Universe: The Economy and People of a Global Region. Stanford University Press. p. 25.ISBN978-0-8047-5625-9. RetrievedJune 25, 2013.
^Davis, Clark; Igler, David (August 1, 2002).The Human Tradition in California. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 11.ISBN978-1-4616-4431-6. Treanor, Jill (July 17, 2001)."Pink slip season in Silicon Valley".The Guardian. United Kingdom. RetrievedApril 22, 2015.This micro-economy—the world's fifth largest economy in its own right—started to feel the pain of the new technology meltdown first.
^"Watts Rebellion (Los Angeles)".The Martin Luther King, Jr., Research and Education Institute. Stanford University. June 12, 2017. RetrievedFebruary 7, 2021.
^William Deverell, and Greg Hise, eds.Land of Sunshine: An Environmental History of Metropolitan Los Angeles (2005).
^James E. Krier, and Edmund Ursin,Pollution and Policy: A Case Essay on California and Federal Experience with Motor Vehicle Air Pollution, 1940–1975 (1978).
^"About DPSS". Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services. December 2005. Archived fromthe original on October 9, 2007. RetrievedDecember 26, 2009.
^Barrett, Beth (September 19, 2003)."Baby Slump in L.A. County".Los Angeles Daily News. Los Angeles Newspaper Group. pp. N4. Archived fromthe original on July 15, 2010. RetrievedDecember 26, 2009 – via redOrbit.
^Wesson, Herb (July 17, 2001)."AB 800 Assembly Bill—Bill Analysis". California State Assembly. p. 3. Archived fromthe original on November 23, 2010. RetrievedDecember 27, 2009.In 1986, California voters amended the state constitution to provide that the Legislature and officials of the State of California shall take all steps necessary to insure that the role of English as the common language of the State of California is preserved and enhanced. The Legislature shall make no law which diminishes or ignores the role of English as the common language of California.
^Hull, Dana (May 20, 2006). "English already is 'official' in California".San Jose Mercury News.
^"How many MLB teams are in California?".loscerritosnews.net. Hews Media Group,Cerritos Community News. June 14, 2021. RetrievedAugust 17, 2023.There are a total of five different MLB franchises that are currently located on the west coast, with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels, Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres and the San Francisco Giants.
^"Proposition 98 Primer".LAO.ca.gov. California Legislative Analyst's Office. February 2005. RetrievedJanuary 29, 2010.
^"Education Spending Per Student by State".Governing. June 1, 2018.Archived from the original on July 2, 2018. RetrievedJuly 18, 2018.NOTE: Adult education, community services and other nonelementary-secondary program expenditures are excluded.
^Gordon, Tracy; Iselin, John (January 1, 2017)."What Everyone Should Know about Their State's Budget".Urban Institute. RetrievedJuly 16, 2018.This chart includes two places, District of Columbia, and the U.S. average, so the number rankings rank 52 total entities; this needs to be understood when viewing these rankings.
^Gordon, Tracy; Iselin, John (January 1, 2017)."What Everyone Should Know about Their State's Budget"(PDF).Urban Institute. p. 7.Archived(PDF) from the original on February 2, 2017. RetrievedJuly 16, 2018.For state and local government spending, we rely primarily on the U.S. Census Bureau's Census of Governments Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances for fiscal year 2012, as revised and released on October 23, 2015.1 For state and local government employment and payroll, we draw from the U.S. Census Bureau's Census of Governments Government Employment and Payroll survey for full-time equivalent employees in March 2012.
^Woolfolk, John (January 15, 2018)."Why do Californians pay more state and local taxes than Texans?".San Jose Mercury News.Archived from the original on February 8, 2018. RetrievedJuly 16, 2018.California spending per resident on K-12 schools was about average among the states, but while teacher pay was among the highest, the state trailed others in teachers and support staff per student.
^Melody Gutierrez and Laura J. Nelson, "Love it or hate it? Poll shows how Californians feel about Newsom’s redistricting fight with Trump",Los Angeles Times, August 22, 2025,online.
^Laura J. Nelson et al. "State's voters to decide on new House districts: California lawmakers back a November special election to boost Democrats",Los Angeles Times, August 22, 2025.
^Laurel Rosenhall, "Newsom Signs California Redistricting Plan to Counter Texas Republicans",New York Times, August 21, 2025,online.
Hart, James D.A Companion to California (2nd ed. U of California Press, 1987), 610pp; excellent encyclopedic coverage of 3000 topics; not online.
Matthews, Glenna.The Golden State in the Civil War: Thomas Starr King, the Republican Party, and the Birth of Modern California. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2012.
Pitt, Leonard.Los Angeles A to Z: An Encyclopedia of the City and County. (University of California Press, 1997) 625 pp.; excellent encyclopedic coverage of 2000 topics; not online.
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