20 Amazing California Facts: From Tech Giants to Iconic Landmarks

California is a beautiful, big place, and it is unique in that it has everything from big cities to national parks.

California, also called the Golden State, became the 31^st US after the land of Mexico was acquired by the United States.

Most of this state’s population growth is attributed to the migration from the Dust Bowl and the Gold Rush. With so much to explore, there are a lot of interesting facts that you want to know about this state. 

So, let us discuss some interesting facts about this state called California.

California is the third-largest state

This state covers a total area of 163,695 square miles. It covers about 155,779 square miles of land. It falls behind the two other states, which are the largest, Alaska, with 665,384 square miles, and the second largest one, with 268,596 square mile area, is the state of Texas.

Also, California is home to almost 40 million residents, which is around one-eighth of the population of the U.S. and even more than the entire population of Canada.

The name of this state comes from a novel

The book of 1510, “Las Sergas de Esplandian,” written by Garci Rodriguezis about warriors living on the island known as California. This book was very popular among the Spanish explorers, so they named the land they explored after the island of this novel.

California has the most major league sports

In the state of California, there are 21 professional sports teams. There are four NBA teams, five MLB teams, Three NHL teams, three NFL teams, three MLS teams, two NWSL teams, and even one WNBA team. 

The sixth largest city: The state capital of Sacramento

Sacramento has a population of about 525,041 people, which is much less in number than the biggest cities in the state. Five cities are larger by population than the state capital, called Sacramento, which are San Diego, Los Angeles, San Jose, San Francisco, and Fresno.

Moreover, San Bernardino Country is the biggest country with a land of 20,160 square miles. This country, though not the most populated, is larger than Switzerland and has a population of more than two million.

California has hosted the Summer and Winter Olympics

California is the only state in the U.S. that has held both games. The Summer Olympics of 1932 were held in Los Angeles, and again they hosted the games in the year 1984. also, the Winter Olympics of 1960 were held in Squaw Valley in California. Also, Los Angeles is set to become the host of the 2028 Summer Olympics.

The largest tree by volume is here

There is a giant sequoia tree in the famous Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. This tree is known as the General Sherman Tree, which is around 274 feet tall and has a circumference of about 102 feet.

Though this tree is not the tallest, it is definitely the widest. Moreover, if you calculate the volume of this tree, you will know that it is the largest known tree in the globe.

California has more US National Parks than any other state

In this state, California, there are nine national parks, which is one more than Alaska. California has the highest number of parks, while Alaska is the second name on this list.

Some of the famous national parks in California include Joshua Tree National Park, Channel Islands National Park, Pinnacles National Park, and much more.

The most famous one, called Yosemite, is a globally recognized landmark. The park stands out for its lush valley surrounded by mountains and the famous Yosemite Falls, which is almost 2425 feet tall.

Disneyland Anaheim was the first Disney Park to open

On 1955 July 17, Disneyland in Anaheim opened, and Walt Disney supervised the construction and design of the park. This park is the only Disneyland park that Walt Disney helped create. Walt Disney was actually inspired to construct it when Disney lovers wished to visit the movie studios.

The largest economy in the U.S. 

The high economic production comes from different areas and industries, including entertainment, technology, and agriculture.

In 2022, California enjoyed a gross GDP or gross domestic product of more than $3 trillion, which made up almost 15% of the entire GDP of the United States.

Some of the most famous items that came from this state, California, are Nicotine Patches, Barbie, and the Hula Hoop. Some others include the Orange Julius, the Shirley Temple drink, and the WD-40 spray.

The tallest tree in the world is here

Even taller than General Sherman is the tree known as the Hyperion, which is a 380-foot-tall Redwood tree. This tree is located in Redwood National Park and is also famous as the tallest tree in the world.

The Hyperion is a well-known landmark in California, and the national park that is located within, called Redwood National Park, is equally famous for its trails and hikes through lush forest.

However, the life of Hyperion is at risk because of all the tourism in the forest that surrounds it.

The official animal of California: The grizzly bear

Though no wild grizzly bears live in this state, this bear is still the official animal of California. This animal used to be a vital part of the state’s wildlife, with more bears than anywhere else in the U.S.

However, after the Gold Rush, they were all hunted down. The last one of these bears was killed in 1922.

The cable cars in San Francisco that date back to the 1870s

The cable cars were one of the biggest inventions in the history of transportation. These cars were designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1964, and today they still run as one of the most popular attractions in the hilly city of San Francisco.

The Mojave Desert: The smallest desert in North America

The Mojave Desert covers almost 25000 square miles in Nevada, California, Utah, and Arizona. It is the smallest desert on the continent but the largest one in California.

Also, the Kings Canyon National Park has the largest groove of well-known sequoia trees in the globe. This grove is located in the Redwood Canyon Park section.

The other vital part of this park is Grant Grove, where you will find the largest tree in the world, General Grant.

The technology headquarters of the world: Silicon Valley

The area is in San Jose, and also the surrounding area is south of San Francisco Bay. This area is home to many of the famous and biggest tech companies globally, such as Google, Apple, Intel, Netflix, Meta, and Oracle.

The name given to this area in the 1970s derives from the silicon chips used in a lot of technology.

California is more than 170 years old

In 1850, California became the 31^st state in the United States. However, the United States acquired the in 1848, from Mexico, so it is sometimes considered two years older.

Also, the State Water Project of California runs over 705 miles through the state. This project covers more than two-thirds of the state.

It runs from Oroville in the Central Valley south to the Southern part of California near Los Angeles. It brings clean water to businesses, people, and also farms in the state.

In California, many famous foods were created

Some of the famous foods made in this state, California, include California Rolls, the Egg McMuffin, and Cobb Salad. The popular French Dip Sandwich was made in Los Angeles.

Moreover, California has some of the highest living costs. It is one of the top three states with the highest costs of living, after Hawaii and Washington, DC.

The average cost of living in this state is $46,636 per year. That number includes health care, housing, gas, food, energy, and other personal expenses.

The population of California is more than 39 million people

In this state, California, two cities have millions of people living in them. Those are San Diego with a population of 1.3 million, and the other in Los Angeles, with a population of 3.8 million. Los Angeles county has 9.9 million people.

In contrast, San Diego County has a population of 3.3 million, making them the largest Country. Also, the third largest in Orange County, with a population of 3.1 million.

“Eureka”: The state slogan of California

“Eureka” is a Greek word meaning “I found it.” Miners often used it during the Gold Rush. This term was previously coined by Archimedes, who found out how to determine the purity of gold, and hence, it was fitting to use it during the Gold Ruch. 

In 1849, this word was added to the state seal. Then in 1963, it became the official motto of the state.

California produces the most almonds

California produces different types of nuts, such as pistachios, walnuts, and pecans, but almond id the most popular among them. Eight out of ten almonds consumed around the globe are grown in California.

A close second is walnuts, as California produces almost 99% of the commercial walnuts in the United States and even 75% of the world.

Moreover, 90% of the avocados grown in the United States grow in California. In 2021, this state produces 135,500 tons of avocados, while the other two famous producers of avocados are Hawaii and Florida.

Death Valley: It has the lowest point in North America

Part of the Death Valley, the Badwater Basin is the lowest point in the park, as it is located almost 282 feet below sea level.

At this point in the valley, the ground is covered in a salt layer that looks like snow. This salt build-up comes from rainwater after it leaves behind the salt when it evaporates.

So, California is one of the most famous states in the United States that has its own history, culture, important projects, strong agriculture, famous places, and many more.

At the end of this article, we learned 20 interesting facts that offer us a clear picture of this state, California. You can see our website if you want to know some additional facts.