California

California is a state in the United States, located along the Pacific Ocean and is bordered by Oregon, Nevada, Arizona and Mexico.

Even during the pre-Columbian era, California had an extremely diverse population, with at least 70 different Native American groups residing within its present-day borders. This diversity has continued over the centuries, as it was colonized first by Spain, later possessed by an independent Mexico, and experienced a brief period of independence before it was finally wrested into United States control in 1847. During this time, Canadian, Russian, and other traders all settled within the region. California was officially granted statehood on September 9, 1850. Population of the state still remained relatively low, however, until gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill in 1848.

The ensuing "Gold Rush" exponentially increased the population of the state in a very short time; from 1850 to 1860 the population grew by 310%. The state was relatively unaffected by the Civil War due to the complexity of transport between California and the eastern United States. With the completion of the first cross-country railroad, however, this remoteness vanished, and California began to ship its bounty to the nation. With the irrigation of Central California farm land and the discovery of oil, California secured pride of place in the economic pantheon among United States. The diversity of landscapes within a limited radius led to the rise of Los Angeles as the center of movie-making.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_California

California is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest (after Alaska and Texas). Its gross domestic product (GPD) is larger than any other state. If it were an independent nation, it would be the 34th largest by population in the world, and have the seventh largest GDP.

Northern and central California are known for agriculture, which includes mainly wine in Napa and Sonoma. The San Francisco Bay area for technology, and Los Angeles for the entertainment industry. The whole state fares quite well on tourism, as for every interest, there is an attraction in California.

The state is awaiting the election of a new governor on November 2, 2010. The swine flu scare has almost waned into a memory as of 2009 and the economy, like the rest of the U.S. is very poor and has been since late 2008. The unemployment rate is over twelve percent since December 2009, and is expected to remain in the double digits through 2010. Many businesses are leaving the state due to the economic crisis and have been since early 2009. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1154/is_n7_v81/ai_14008456/ California still attracts a large number of tourists every year. http://www.visitcalifornia.com/Industry/Research/CaliforniaStatisticsTrends/default.htm

• • Mahalo's Guide To Los Angeles Vacation
  • Mahalo's Guide To San Francisco Vacation
  • Mahalo's Guide To Santa Barbara Vacation
  • Mahalo's Guide To San Diego Vacation
  • Mahalo's Guide To Napa Valley Vacation
  • Mahalo's Guide To Sonoma County Vacation
  • Mahalo's Guide To Disneyland Vacation
• Official Vacation Guide: VisitCalifornia.com
• Wikitravel: California Travel Guide