Los Angeles, California
From ArticleWorld
Los Angeles, California is the second largest city in the United States and is home to a vibrant culture of people.
History
The area of Los Angeles was once occupied by Native American tribes such as the Tongva and Chumash. In 1542, Spanish explorers found the area.
The Battle of Rio San Gabriel in 1847 resulted in the California area being taken by the United States, whose people infiltrated the region because of the Gold Rush. Los Angeles was formally established on April 4, 1850.
In 1876, the Southern Pacific Railroad was complete and connected the area to the rest of the United States.
In 1892, oil was first discovered in the Los Angeles area.
In the 1920s, Los Angeles became the center of the film industry.
Los Angeles hosted the Olympic Games twice, once in 1932 and again in 1984.
Population and geography
The City of Los Angeles is home to 3.69 million people according to the 2000 U.S. census. The metropolitan area, commonly called the Greater Los Angeles area, is home to more than 17.5 million people as of 2005.
Geographically, Los Angeles boasts 465 square miles of land, more than New York City or Chicago.
The highest point in Los Angeles is Sister Elsie Peak at 5,080 feet in the San Fernando Valley.
The city is located near the San Andreas Fault and is prone to earthquakes.
The weather is subtropical with a Mediterranean climate. Winters are mild getting only into the lower 50s. Summers are dry and hot, averaging 85 degrees and 66 degrees respectively. The metropolitan area near the Pacific Ocean is cooler. The area receives only about 15 inches of precipitation a year, which contributes to its famous smog problem.
Los Angeles today
The mayor of Los Angeles is Antonio Villaraigosa, a democrat.
Los Angeles is home to people from 140 different countries and more than 200 different languages are spoken within the city limits.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), Los Angeles Public Library, and the Los Angeles Unified School District are among some of the largest government-funded organizations in the world.
Los Angeles has an expansive freeway system, another contributor to the smog, with 99 million miles of freeway (160 million kilometers).
The city’s economy relays upon entertainment, tourism, agriculture, and manufacturing. International trade is also vital to the city – the port between Los Angles and Long Beach is the most important in North America.
Twentieth Century Fox, Univision, Gibson, Hastings, Paramount Pictures, and Sunkist are just some of the great amount of companies with their headquarters located in Los Angeles.