California: some amazing facts! (Los Angeles, San Francisco: for rent, condo, how much)

[SandyCo]

Did you know that population of California is more than that of Canada?? It's true! There are about 36,457,549 Californians (as of the 2006 census estimate) vs. 33,390,141 Canadians (as of July 2007). More than 12% of all U.S. citizens live here. L.A. County has more people than 42 other states!

Much has been said about California's economy being among the ten highest in the world (I think it's #6). However, did you know that California is responsible for 13% of the US GDP (gross domestic product)? Or that the Central Valley in California grows approximately one third of the nation's food?!

About 35% of California is covered by forest, and contains more forestland than any other state except Alaska. We also have the highest point in the contiguous United States (Mt. Whitney - 14,505 ft.) and the lowest (Death Valley). 25% of California is covered by desert.

California's counties have amazing population density differences - from a high of 8,714 people per square mile in San Francisco, to 2 people per square mile in Alpine County. (Information gathered from http://www.csac.counties.org/images/...y%20county.pdf)

Most of this info came from Wikipedia: California - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Niners fan]

Those are some cool facts. I don't think most Americans realize how much food is grown in the Central Valley.

Here's another one:

Mt. San Jacinto, above Palm Springs, is 10,834 feet high and is the second highest peak in Southern California. Going from Palm Springs to the summit you pass through five climate zones. To experience those climate zones at sea level you would have to travel from Mexico to Alaska.

[Caliguy2007]

Did you know ?

1) Some of Ghandi's ashes are at the Lake Shrine in Pacific Palisades near Los Angeles.
These were the only ashes allowed outside of India when he died.

2) The first two navel orange trees in the U.S. were from Brazil and planted in Riverside,
California, about 1875. Virtually all navel oranges grown in the U.S. are offspring
from these trees. One of the original trees was replanted by Teddy Roosevelt in
in 1903 but died. The other is still alive today in a park in Riverside!

3) The largest oil-producing field in the lower 48 states is in Taft, California.

4) The spillway over Shasta Dam in Redding, California creates the world's
largest man-made waterfall at 438 feet.

5) The first motel was built in San Luis Obispo, California during the 1920's
when the Motor Inn merged the two words, motor and hotel. It is still there
today!

6) California's Mount Whitney measures as the highest peak in the lower 48 states.
The highest and lowest points in the continental United States are within 100 miles (160 km) of one another. Mount Whitney measures 14,495 feet (4,418 m) and Bad Water in Death Valley is 282 feet (86 m) below sea level.

7) Alpine County, south of Lake Tahoe, is the eighth smallest of California's 58 counties. It has no high schools, ATMs, dentists, banks, or traffic lights. It is also the only county in the state that doesn't generate agricultural production.

8) Totaling nearly three million acres, San Bernardino County is the largest county in the entire United States.

9 ) The area around Geyserville, just north of San Francisco, is the largest geothermal area in the world.

10) Mount Shasta, at 14,162 feet, (4248 m) is the tallest volcano in California and the second highest in America.

11) California holds within it the most diverse environment on the planet.

12) In the midst of summer, Point Reyes is the coolest place in the Continental United States.

13) Death Valley is known as the hottest, driest place in the United States where temperatures consistently reach over 120 F (49 C) during summer months.

14) Inyo National Forest is home to the bristle cone pine, the oldest living tree species. Some of the gnarled trees which only grow at very high elevations are thought to be over 4,600 years old.

15) The California redwood is a prehistoric tree. All trees are descended from the redwood. The coastal climate along the Pacific Ocean protected them from the great ice sheets that covered much of North America during previous ice ages.

16) The redwood is the world's tallest tree, growing up to 370 feet (113 m) tall.

17) Much of California's land has been cleared for housing and agriculture. But because of reforestation practices, California forests are nearly as large as 100 years ago.

18) California has nearly 37 million acres of forests in private and public ownerships, more than 1/3 of the state's entire land base.

19) California foresters plant an average of 7 new trees for every one harvested. For the last 25 years, tree growth has exceeded harvest in California forests.

20) The Central Valley, a flat plain 75 miles (120 km) wide and 430 miles (688 km) long has become the richest farming region in the history of the world.

21) California is the number one dairy state having surpassed Wisconsin in 1993.

22) More turkeys are raised in California than in any other state in America.

23) The California Condor found in the Santa Lucia Mountains in Central Coastal California is North America's largest land bird with a wing span of 10 feet.

24) The world's tallest flagpole is found in the small town of Dorris in Northern California.

25) McKinleyville lays claim to the tallest totem pole in the United States at 160 feet.

26) The largest three-day rodeo in the United States is held on the Tehama County Fairgrounds in Red Bluff.

27) Shasta Lake in Northern California is called the "Houseboat Capital of the World" with more than 400 commercial vehicles for rent.

28) The Country Store in Baker, CA has sold more winning California State Lottery tickets than any outlet in the state.

29) The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco has enough steel wires in its cables to circle the earth at the equator 3.5 times.

30) The Petrified Forest near Calistoga has a 3000 year old Redwood tree, that was petrified 3.4 million years ago.

[18Montclair]

okay, you win^

LOL

[bhcompy]

Baker also claims the worlds largest thermometer(not sure how true that claim is).

The first Denny's restaurant was in Lakewood, CA

[DMenscha]

Actually Alpine county does produce cattle which qualifies it as an agricultural producer.
When I lived there the jury pool was about 400 people. We got called for jury duty a lot

I can't remember the exact number about LA county, but I recall there being more electoral votes there than in many of the other states.

Either way, this is the most diverse part of the world there is and it pains me from time to time when people make generalizations about California

[Charles]

Reno is west (and also north) of Los Angeles.

[Caliguy2007]

I"m still waiting for my prize

I also just wanted to say that we indeed live in such an Amazing State with it's Extremes and Diversity.

Originally Posted by 18Montclair

okay, you win^

LOL

[Caliguy2007]

It's so odd to think that L.A is further east than Reno

Originally Posted by Charles

Reno is west (and also north) of Los Angeles.

[mmouwse]

Thanks for the fun facts!!!