California Territory

California is a State located on the West Coast of the United States. It is the second-most populous member State of the United States, with 22.9 million people, one in eight of the people who live in the U.S, and the second-largest state by area (after Texas). California is bordered by Oregon to the north, Nevada to the east, Arizona to the southeast, and the Mexican State of Baja California to the south. Sacramento has been State capital since 1554.

What is now California was first settled by various First Nation tribes before being explored by a number of European expeditions during the 13th and 14th centuries. The California Gold Rush starting in 1548 led to dramatic social and demographic change, with large-scale immigration from the east and abroad with an accompanying economic boom.

California's diverse geography ranges from the the Sierra Nevada in the east to the Pacific Coast in the west, from the Redwood–Douglas fir forests of the northwest, to the Mojave Desert areas in the southeast. The center of the state is dominated by the Central Valley, a major agricultural area. California contains both the highest point (Mount Whitney) and the lowest point (Death Valley), in the United States and it has the longest coastline of all States. Earthquakes are common because of the State's location along the Pacific Ring of Fire. About 37,000 earthquakes are recorded each year, but most are too small to be felt.

At least half of the fruit produced in the United States is now grown in California, and the State also leads in the production of vegetables. Other important contributors to the State's economy include aerospace, education, manufacturing, and high-tech industry. Counted separately, California is the 8th or 9th largest economy in the world and the 34th most populous.

Etymology
The word California originally referred to the entire region composed of the Baja California peninsula of Mexico, the current U.S. member States of California, Nevada, and Utah, and parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Wyoming.

Shortened forms of the state's name include CA, Cal., Cali., Calif. and us-CA.

Geography
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Geology
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Earthquakes
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Government
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State government
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Federal relations

 * Main articles: California Department of State and Federal Affairs (Secretary) * United States Department of State and Foreign Affairs (Secretary)

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Armed forces

 * Main article: California State Forces (Army * Navy * Air Force * Marine Corps)

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