Southern California

This article is about the south of the U.S. state of California. For the peninsula in western Mexico, see Baja California peninsula. For the university in Los Angeles, see University of Southern California. For the Mexican state of the Sudcalifornianos, see Baja California Sur.

"SoCal" and "Socal" redirect here. For other uses, see SoCal (disambiguation).

Southern California
Megaregion of the U.S.
Skyline of Southern California
Southern California Images top from bottom, left to right: San Diego Skyline, Downtown Los Angeles, Village of La Jolla, Santa Monica Pier, Surfer at Black's Beach, Hollywood Sign, Disneyland, Hermosa Beach Pier Southern California Images top from bottom, left to right: San Diego Skyline, Downtown Los Angeles, Village of La Jolla, Santa Monica Pier, Surfer at Black's Beach, Hollywood Sign, Disneyland, Hermosa Beach Pier
Country	United States of America
State	California
Largest city	Los Angeles
Population  (2010)	22,680,010

Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area, the Inland Empire, and Greater San Diego. The region stretches along the coast from about Santa Barbara to the United States and Mexico border, and from the Pacific Ocean inland to the Nevada and Arizona borders. The heavily built-up urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura, through the Greater Los Angeles Area, to San Diego. Southern California is a major economic center for the state of California and the United States.

Southern California's population encompasses eight metropolitan, or MSA, areas: Los Angeles County and Orange County together make up the Los Angeles metropolitan area; the Inland Empire consists of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties; the San Diego metropolitan area; the Bakersfield metropolitan area; the Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura metro area; the Santa Barbara metro area; the San Luis Obispo metropolitan area; and the El Centro area. Out of these, three are heavy populated areas; the Los Angeles area with over 12 million inhabitants, the Riverside-San Bernardino area with over 4 million inhabitants, and the San Diego area with over 3 million inhabitants. For CSA metropolitan purposes, the five counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura are all combined to make up the Greater Los Angeles Area with over 17.5 million people. With over 22 million people, Southern California contains roughly 60% of California's population.

To the east of southern California are the Colorado Desert and the Colorado River at the border with the state of Arizona, and the Mojave Desert at the border with the state of Nevada. To the south lies the international border with Mexico, and to the west lies the Pacific Ocean. With combined surface area of 56,512 sq mi, southern California alone is bigger than England.

Significance

File:Sdmarina.JPG

San Diego Marina district

File:Venice, California Beach.jpg

Sunset in Venice, a district in Los Angeles

Within southern California are two major cities, Los Angeles and San Diego, as well as three of the country's largest metropolitan areas. With a population of 3,792,621, Los Angeles is the most populous city in California and the second most populous in the United States. Just to the south and with a population of 1,307,402 is San Diego, the second most populous city in the state and the eighth most populous in the nation.

Its counties of Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, San Bernardino, and Riverside are in the top 15 most populous counties in the United States and all five are the top 5 most populous counties in California. The region is also home to Los Angeles International Airport, the second-busiest airport in the United States by passenger volume (see World's busiest airports by passenger traffic) and the third by international passenger volume (see Busiest airports in the United States by international passenger traffic); San Diego International Airport the busiest single runway airport in the world; Van Nuys Airport, the world's busiest general aviation airport; major commercial airports at Orange County, Ontario, Burbank and Long Beach; and numerous smaller commercial and general aviation airports. Southern California is also home to the Port of Los Angeles, the United States' busiest commercial port, the adjacent Port of Long Beach, the United States' second busiest container port, and the Port of San Diego. Also of note in the region is the freeway system, which is the world's busiest. Six of the seven lines of the commuter rail system, Metrolink, run out of Downtown Los Angeles, connecting Los Angeles, Ventura, San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, and San Diego counties with the other line connecting San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange counties directly.

File:Ucsbuniversitycenterandstorketower.jpg

University of California, Santa Barbara

The Tech Coast is a moniker that has gained use as a descriptor for the region's diversified technology and industrial base as well as its multitude of prestigious and world-renowned research universities and other public and private institutions. Amongst these include 5 University of California campuses (Irvine, Los Angeles, Riverside, Santa Barbara, and San Diego); 12 California State University campuses (Bakersfield, Channel Islands, Dominguez Hills, Fullerton, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Northridge, Pomona, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Marcos, and San Luis Obispo); as well as private institutions such as the California Institute of Technology, Chapman University, Claremont Consortium of Colleges, Loma Linda University, Loyola Marymount University, Occidental College, Pepperdine University, University of San Diego, and the University of Southern California.

File:Universal Studios Hollywood 2007.jpg

Universal Studios at Hollywood

Southern California is also the entertainment (motion picture, television, and recorded music) capital of the world^{[citation needed]} and is home to Hollywood, a district in Los Angeles and a name associated with the motion picture industry. Headquartered in southern California are The Walt Disney Company (which also owns ABC), Sony Pictures, Universal, MGM, Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox, and Warner Brothers.

Besides the entertainment industry, southern California is also home to a large home grown surf and skateboard culture. Companies such as Volcom, Quiksilver, O'Neill clothing division, No Fear, Sector 9, RVCA, Body Glove and Surfline are all headquartered in southern California. Professional skateboarder Tony Hawk, professional surfers Rob Machado, Tim Curran, Bobby Martinez, Pat O'Connell, Dane Reynolds, and Chris Ward, and professional snowboarder Shaun White live in southern California. Some of the world's legendary surf spots are in southern California as well, including Trestles, Rincon, The Wedge, Huntington Beach, and Malibu, and it is second only to the island of Oahu in terms of famous surf breaks. Some of the world's biggest extreme sports events including the X Games, Boost Mobile Pro, and the U.S. Open of Surfing are all in southern California. Southern California is also important to the world of yachting. The annual Transpacific Yacht Race, or "Transpac", from Los Angeles to Hawaii, is one of yachting's premier events. The San Diego Yacht Club held the America's Cup, the most prestigious prize in yachting, from 1988 to 1995 and hosted three America's Cup races during that time.

Southern California is home to many sports franchises and sports networks such as Fox Sports Net. Professional teams that are located in the region include the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA, and San Diego Chargers. Southern California also is home to a number of popular NCAA sports programs, such as the UCLA Bruins, the USC Trojans, and the San Diego State Aztecs.

Southern California is culturally diverse, and well known worldwide. Many tourists frequent South Coast for its popular beaches, and the eastern desert for its dramatic open spaces.

Northern boundary of southern California

File:Southern California.png

California counties below the sixth standard parallel

File:Andaz WestHollywood2.JPG

The famous Andaz West Hollywood Hotel on the Sunset Strip

"Southern California" is not a formal geographic designation and definitions of what constitutes southern California vary. Geographically, California's north-south midway point lies at exactly 37° 9' 58.23" latitude, around 11 miles south of San Jose;^{[citation needed]} however this does not coincide with popular use of the term. When the state is divided into two areas (northern and southern California) the term "southern California" usually refers to the ten southern-most counties of the state. This definition coincides neatly with the county lines at 35° 47′ 28″ north latitude, which form the northern borders of San Luis Obispo, Kern, and San Bernardino counties. Another definition for southern California uses Point Conception and the Tehachapi Mountains as the northern boundary.

Though there is no official definition for the northern boundary of southern California, such a division has existed from the time when Mexico ruled California and political disputes raged between the Californios of Monterey in the upper part and Los Angeles and the lower part of Alta California. Following the acquisition of California by the United States, the division continued as part of the attempt by several pro-slavery politicians to arrange the division of Alta California at 36 degrees, 30 minutes, the line of the Missouri Compromise. Instead, the passing of the Compromise of 1850 enabled California to be admitted to the Union as a free state, preventing southern California from becoming its own separate slave state.

Subsequently, Californios (dissatisfied with inequitable taxes and land laws) and pro-slavery Southerners in the lightly populated "Cow Counties" of southern California attempted three times in the 1850s to achieve a separate statehood or territorial status separate from Northern California. The last attempt, the Pico Act of 1859, was passed by the California State Legislature, and signed by the State governor John B. Weller. It was approved overwhelmingly by nearly 75% of voters in the proposed Territory of Colorado. This territory was to include all the counties up to the then much larger Tulare County (that included what is now Kings County and most of Kern, and part of Inyo Counties) and San Luis Obispo County. The proposal was sent to Washington, D.C. with a strong advocate in Senator Milton Latham. However the secession crisis following the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 led to the proposal never coming to a vote.

In 1900, the Los Angeles Times defined southern California as including "the seven counties of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Ventura and Santa Barbara." In 1999, the Times added a newer county—Imperial—to that list.

The state is most commonly divided and promoted by its regional tourism groups as consisting of northern, central, and southern California regions. The two AAA Auto Clubs of the state, the California State Automobile Association and the Automobile Club of Southern California, choose to simplify matters by dividing the state along the lines where their jurisdictions for membership apply, as either northern or southern California, in contrast to the three-region point of view. Another influence is the geographical phrase "South of the Tehachapis", which would split the southern region off at the crest of that transverse range, but in that definition, the desert portions of north Los Angeles County and eastern Kern and San Bernardino Counties would be included in the southern California region, due to their remoteness from the central valley, and interior desert landscape.

Population, Land Area & Population Density (07-01-2008 est.)

County Ref.	Population	Land mi²	Land km²	Pop. /mi²	Pop. /km²
Los Angeles County	&00000000098620490000009,862,049	4,060.87	10,517.61	2,428.56	937.67
San Diego County	&00000000030953130000003,095,313	4,199.89	10,877.67	714.56	275.89
Orange County	&00000000030107590000003,010,759	789.40	2,044.54	3,813.98	1,472.59
Riverside County	&00000000021005160000002,100,516	7,207.37	18,667.00	291.44	112.53
San Bernardino County	&00000000020153550000002,015,355	20,052.50	51,935.74	100.50	38.80
Kern County	&0000000000800458000000800,458	8,140.96	21,084.99	98.32	37.96
Ventura County	&0000000000797740000000797,740	1,845.30	4,779.31	432.31	166.92
Santa Barbara County	&0000000000405396000000405,396	2,737.01	7,088.82	148.12	57.19
San Luis Obispo County	&0000000000265297000000265,297	3,304.32	8,558.15	80.29	31.00
Imperial County	&0000000000163972000000163,972	4,174.73	10,812.50	39.28	15.17
Southern California	&000000002242261400000022,422,614	56,512.35	146,366.31	396.77	153.19
California	&000000003675666600000036,756,666	155,959.34	403,932.84	235.68	91.00

Urban landscape

Southern California consists of a heavily developed urban environment, home to some of the largest urban areas in the state, along with vast areas that have been left undeveloped. It is the second-largest urbanized region in the United States, second only to the Washington/Philadelphia/New York/Boston Northeastern Megalopolis. Whereas these cities are dense, with major downtown populations and significant rail and transit systems, much of southern California is famous for its large, spread-out, suburban communities and use of automobiles and highways. The dominant areas are Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, and Riverside-San Bernardino, each of which is the center of its respective metropolitan area, composed of numerous smaller cities and communities. The urban area is also host to an international metropolitan region in the form of San Diego–Tijuana, created by the urban area spilling over into Baja California.

Traveling south on Interstate 5, the main gap to continued urbanization is Camp Pendleton. The communities along Interstate 15 and Interstate 215 are so inter-related that Temecula and Murrieta have as much connection with San Diego metropolitan area as they do with the Inland Empire. To the east, the United States Census Bureau considers the San Bernardino and Riverside County areas, Riverside-San Bernardino area as a separate metropolitan area from Los Angeles County. While many commute to L.A. and Orange Counties, there are some differences in development, as most of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties (the non-desert portions) were developed in the 1980s and 1990s. Newly developed exurbs formed in the Antelope Valley north of Los Angeles, the Victor Valley and the Coachella Valley with the Imperial Valley. Also population growth was high in the Bakersfield-Kern County, Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo areas.

The Downtown Los Angeles skyline seen at sunset on an October day. At 1,018 feet (310 m), 73 floors, The U.S. Bank Tower stands as the West Coast's tallest since 1989.

The Downtown Los Angeles skyline seen at sunset on an October day. At 1,018 feet (310 m), 73 floors, The U.S. Bank Tower stands as the West Coast's tallest since 1989.

Natural landscape

File:Proctorvalleylake.jpg

Proctor Valley in Chula Vista

Main article: Geography of Southern California

Southern California consists of one of the more varied collections of geologic, topographic, and natural ecosystem landscapes in a diversity outnumbering other major regions in the state and country. The region spans from Pacific Ocean islands, shorelines, beaches, and coastal plains, through the Transverse and Peninsular Ranges with their peaks, into the large and small interior valleys, to the vast deserts of California.

Introductory categories include:

• Category: Beaches of Southern California
• Category: Mountain ranges of Southern California
• Category: Rivers of Southern California
• Category: Deserts of California
• Category: Parks in Southern California

Geography

File:Channelislandsca.jpg

Satellite view of cismontane Southern California

Southern California is also divided into:

• the Coastal Region. densely populated with more affluence than inland areas. This region includes the coastal interior valleys west of the coastal mountains with all of Orange County and portions of: San Diego County, Los Angeles County, Ventura County, Santa Barbara County, and San Luis Obispo County
  • A related floristic province term is the Cismontane Region on the coastal side of the Transverse and Peninsular mountain ranges, with the term "southern California" popularly referring to this more populated and visited zone.
• the Desert Region, larger and sparsely populated, with portions of: Kern County, Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County, Imperial County, and San Diego County. The division between the Coastal Regions and the Inland Empire/Imperial Valley winds along the backs of the coastal mountain ranges such as the Santa Ana Mountains.
  • A related floristic province term is the Transmontane Region on the rain shadow side of the same Mountain Ranges, with the term "southern California" including this zone geographically and when distinguishing all the 'southland' from Northern California.

Geographic features

File:LaJolla California.JPG

View from La Jolla Cove in San Diego.

File:Telegraph Cucamonga and Ontario Peaks.jpg

Peaks in the eastern San Gabriel Mountains, Angeles National Forest, San Bernardino County.

File:Yucca Valley San Bernardino.jpg

Yucca Valley after a winter storm in the Morongo Basin.

File:Sunset pier.jpg

Ocean Beach Sunset in San Diego.

• Angeles National Forest (Los Angeles, San Bernardino, & Ventura Counties)
• Antelope Hills (Kern County)
• Antelope Valley (Los Angeles and Kern Counties)
• Arroyo Seco (Los Angeles County)
• Bacon Hills (Kern County)
• Baldwin Hills (Los Angeles County)
• Ballona Wetlands (Los Angeles County)
• Big Bear Lake (San Bernardino County)
• Bissell Hills (Kern County)
• Black Hills (Kern County)
• Bolsa Chica Estuary (Orange County)
• Buena Vista Hills (Kern County)
• Buena Vista Lake (Kern County)
• Cajon Pass (San Bernardino County)
• Calico Mountains (San Bernardino County)
• Channel Islands (Santa Barbara, Ventura & Los Angeles Counties)
• Chino Hills (Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside & San Bernardino Counties)
• Coachella Valley (Riverside County)
• Colorado Desert (San Bernardino, Riverside, Imperial, and San Diego Counties)
• Colorado River (San Bernardino, Riverside & Imperial Counties, Baja California & Sonora)
• Conejo Valley (Ventura County)
• Cucamonga Valley (San Bernardino County)
• Cuyamaca Mountains (San Diego County)
• Death Valley (San Bernardino and Inyo Counties)
• Diablo Range (Kern County)
• Elk Hills (Kern County)
• Elkhorn Hills (San Luis Obispo County)
• El Paso Mountains (Kern County)
• Greenhorn Mountains (Kern County)
• High Desert = Mojave Desert (Los Angeles, Kern, Inyo, & San Bernardino Counties)
• Horned Toad Hills (Kern County)
• Imperial Valley (Imperial County)
• Irish Hills (San Luis Obispo County)
• In-Ko-Pah Mountains (San Diego County)
• Inland Empire (Riverside, San Bernardino Counties)
• Jacumba Mountains (San Diego County)
• Jawbone Canyon (Kern County)
• Kern River (Kern County)
• La Jolla Cove (San Diego County)
• Laguna Mountains (San Diego County)
• Lake Arrowhead (San Bernardino County)
• Lake Casitas (Ventura County)
• Lake Castaic (Los Angeles County)
• Lake Elsinore (Riverside County)
• Lake Isabella (Kern County)
• Lake Piru (Ventura County)
• Lakeview Mountains (Riverside County)
• Lake Webb (Kern County)
• Little San Bernardino Mountains (Riverside & San Bernardino Counties)
• Little Signal Hills (Kern County)
• Los Angeles Basin (Los Angeles County)
• Los Angeles River (Los Angeles County)
• Los Padres National Forest (Kern, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, & Ventura Counties)
• Lost Hills (Kern County)
• Low Desert = Colorado Desert—Sonoran Desert (Imperial, San Diego, Riverside & San Bernardino Counties)
• Mojave Desert (Los Angeles, Kern & San Bernardino Counties)
• Mojave River (San Bernardino County)
• New River (Imperial County, Mexicali Municipality)
• Nine Sisters (San Luis Obispo County)
• Ojai Valley (Ventura County)
• Orange Coast (Orange County)
• Oxnard Plain (Ventura County)
• Palomar Mountain (San Diego County)
• Palo Verde Valley (Riverside and Imperial Counties)
• Palos Verdes Peninsula (Los Angeles County)
• Panamint Range (Inyo County)
• Peninsular Ranges (San Diego, Riverside, & Orange Counties)
• Pleito Hills (Kern County)
• Point Loma (San Diego County)
• Point Mugu (Ventura County)
• Point of Rocks (Kern County)
• Pomona Valley (Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties)
• Providence Mountains (San Bernardino County)
• Puente Hills (Los Angeles County)
• Pyramid Lake (Los Angeles County)
• Rand Mountains (Kern County)
• Rio Hondo (Los Angeles County)
• Rosamond Hills (Kern County)
• Saddleback Valley (Orange County)
• Salton Sea (Imperial & Riverside Counties)
• San Andreas Fault (All Counties)
• San Bernardino Mountains (San Bernardino County)
• San Bernardino National Forest (Riverside and San Bernardino Counties)
• San Bernardino Valley (San Bernardino County)
• San Diego Bay (San Diego County)
• San Diego River (San Diego County)
• San Emigdio Mountains (Los Angeles, Ventura, & Kern Counties)
• San Fernando Valley (Los Angeles County)
• San Gabriel Mountains (Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties)
• San Gabriel River (Los Angeles County)
• San Gabriel Valley (Los Angeles County)
• San Jacinto Mountains (Riverside County)
• San Jacinto River (Riverside County)
• San Joaquin Valley (Kern County)
• San Luis Rey River (San Diego County)
• San Pedro Bay (Los Angeles County)
• San Rafael Mountains (Santa Barbara County)
• Santa Ana Mountains (Orange & Riverside Counties)
• Santa Ana River (San Bernardino, Los Angeles & Orange County)
• Santa Ana Valley (Orange County)
• Catalina Island (Los Angeles County)
• Santa Clara River (Ventura County)
• Santa Clara River Valley (Ventura County)
• Santa Clarita Valley (Los Angeles County)
• Santa Margarita River (Riverside, Orange & San Diego Counties)
• Santa Monica Bay (Los Angeles County)
• Santa Monica Mountains (Los Angeles & Ventura Counties)
• Santa Rosa Mountains (Riverside, Orange & San Diego Counties)
• Santa Susana Mountains (Los Angeles & Ventura Counties)
• Santa Ynez Mountains (Santa Barbara County)
• Santa Ynez Valley (Santa Barbara County)
• Scodie Mountains (Kern County)
• Sequoia National Forest (Kern County)
• Shale Hills (Kern County)
• Sierra Nevada (Kern County)
• Sierra Pelona Mountains (Los Angeles and Kern Counties)
• Simi Hills (Los Angeles & Ventura Counties)
• Simi Valley (Ventura County)
• Sonoran Desert (San Bernardino, Riverside, Imperial, San Diego Counties, Arizona, Baja California Peninsula and Sonora, Mexico)
• Sweetwater River (San Diego County)
• Tehachapi Mountains (Kern and Los Angeles Counties)
• Tejon Hills (Kern County)
• Telephone Hills (Kern County)
• Temblor Range (Kern and San Luis Obispo Counties)
• Tijuana River (San Diego County)
• Topatopa Mountains (Ventura County)
• Turtle Mountains (San Bernardino County)
• Ventura River (Ventura County)
• Victor Valley (San Bernardino County)

Geology

Earthquakes

File:5 3 Earthquake in Southern California.jpg

On August 26, 2012, southern California and western Arizona experienced a 5.3 magnitude earthquake, and another one at 5.5. This map is the intensity of the 5.3 throughout southern California and Arizona.

Each year, the southern California area has about 10,000 earthquakes. Nearly all of them are so small that they are not felt. Only several hundred are greater than magnitude 3.0, and only about 15–20 are greater than magnitude 4.0.

In 2012 an earthquake occurred on August 26, 2012, which was a swarm of over 200 events, two which had magnitudes of 5.3 and 5.5.The San Andreas Fault puts the area at high risk, which can produce a magnitude 8.0+ earthquake.

Regions

Divisions

File:Salton Sea Reflection.jpg

Salton Sea in the Coachella Valley.

File:Oceansidepier.jpg

The Oceanside Pier on the San Diego County coast.

Southern California is divided culturally, politically, and economically into distinctive regions, each containing its own culture and atmosphere anchored usually by a city with both national and sometimes global recognition which are often the hub of economic activity for its respective region and being home to many tourist destinations. Each region is further divided into many culturally distinct areas, but as a whole combine to create the southern California atmosphere.

• Coastal southern California
  • southern Central Coast
    • Southern Portion of Santa Barbara County
  • Ventura County
    • Oxnard Plain
  • Los Angeles Basin
  • Orange County
  • San Diego County
• Inland Southern California
  • Imperial Valley
  • Inland Empire
    • San Bernardino County
      • High Desert (Section)*
      • Morongo Basin*
      • San Bernardino Valley
    • Riverside County
      • Coachella Valley*
      • Low Desert (Section)*
• Deserts of California
  • High Desert*
    • Antelope Valley
    • Morongo Basin*
    • eastern Kern County
  • Low Desert*
    • Coachella Valley*
    • Lower Colorado River Valley
    • Imperial County
      • Imperial Valley
    • Palo Verde Valley

*Part of multiple regions

Populace

File:Downtown San Bernardino.jpg

Downtown San Bernardino

As of the 2010 United States Census, southern California has a population of 22,680,010. Despite a reputation for high growth rates, southern California's rate grew less than the state average of 10.0% in the 2000s as California's growth became concentrated in the northern part of the state due to a stronger, tech-oriented economy in the Bay Area and an emerging Greater Sacramento region.

Southern California consists of one Combined Statistical Area, eight Metropolitan Statistical Areas, one international metropolitan area and multiple metropolitan divisions. The region is home to two extended metropolitan areas that exceed five million in population. These are the Greater Los Angeles Area at 17,786,419, and San Diego–Tijuana at 5,105,768. Of these metropolitan areas, the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana metropolitan area, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area, and Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura metropolitan area comprise Greater Los Angeles; while the El Centro metropolitan area and San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos metropolitan area comprise the Southern Border Region. North of Greater Los Angeles are the Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Bakersfield metropolitan areas.

Cities

See also: Largest cities in Southern California

Los Angeles (at 3.7 million people) and San Diego (at 1.3 million people) are the two largest cities in Southern California as well as all of California. In Southern California there are also twelve cities over the 200 thousand marker, and 34 cities over one hundred thousand in population.

Many of Southern California's most developed cities lie along the coast. Housing in coastal areas can sometimes reach over a million dollars.

Counties

• Imperial
• Kern
• Los Angeles
• Orange
• Riverside
• San Bernardino
• San Diego
• San Luis Obispo
• Santa Barbara
• Ventura

Economy

Industries

Southern California's economy is diverse and one of the largest in the United States. It is dominated and heavily dependent upon abundance of petroleum, as opposed to other regions where automobiles not nearly as dominant, the vast majority of transport runs on this fuel. Southern California is famous for tourism and "Hollywood" (film, television and music). Other industries include software, automotive, ports, finance, tourism, biomedical, and regional logistics. The region was a leader in the housing bubble 2001-2007, and has been heavily impacted by the housing crash.

Since the 1920s, motion pictures, petroleum and aircraft manufacturing have been major industries. In one of the richest agricultural regions in the U.S., cattle and citrus were major industries until farmlands was turned into suburbs. Although military spending cutbacks have had an impact, aerospace continues to be a major factor.

Major central business districts

File:Taco Bell Headquarters Irvine.jpg

Irvine Taco Bell Headquarters

Southern California is home to many major business districts. Central business districts (CBD) include Downtown Los Angeles, Downtown San Diego, Downtown San Bernardino, South Coast Metro and Downtown Riverside.

Within the Los Angeles Area are the major business districts of Downtown Burbank, Downtown Santa Monica, Downtown Glendale and Downtown Long Beach. Los Angeles itself has many business districts including the Downtown Los Angeles central business district as well as those lining the Wilshire Boulevard Miracle Mile including Century City, Westwood and Warner Center in the San Fernando Valley.

Orange County is a rapidly developing business center that includes Downtown Santa Ana, the South Coast Metro and Newport Center districts; as well as the Irvine business centers of The Irvine Spectrum, West Irvine, and international corporations headquartered at the University of California, Irvine. West Irvine includes the Irvine Tech Center and Jamboree Business Parks.

Downtown San Diego is the central business district of San Diego, though the city is filled with business districts. These include Carmel Valley, Del Mar Heights, Mission Valley, Rancho Bernardo, Sorrento Mesa, and University City. Most of these districts are located in Northern San Diego and some within North County regions.

The Riverside-San Bernardino area maintains the business districts of Downtown Riverside and Downtown San Bernardino.

Theme parks and waterparks

File:Sleepingbeautycastle50.jpg

Disneyland in Anaheim.

Los Angeles

• Universal Studios Hollywood
• Six Flags Magic Mountain
• Six Flags Hurricane Harbor
• Raging Waters San Dimas
• Pacific Park

Orange County

• Disneyland
• Disney California Adventure
• Knott's Berry Farm
• Knott's Soak City USA

Riverside & San Bernardino

• Castle Park
• Knott's Soak City
• Pharaoh's Adventure Park
• Scandia

San Diego

• Legoland California
• SeaWorld San Diego
• Belmont Park
• Knott's Soak City
• Legoland Waterpark

Vinyard-Winery AVA districts

California wine AVA-American Viticultural Areas in Southern California:

South Coast AVA Cucamonga Valley AVA Malibu-Newton Canyon AVA Ramona Valley AVA Saddle Rock-Malibu AVA Temecula Valley AVA Leona Valley AVA

Central Coast AVA Arroyo Grande Valley AVA Edna Valley AVA San Pasqual Valley AVA Santa Maria Valley AVA Santa Ynez Valley AVA Sta. Rita Hills AVA York Mountain AVA

Transportation

File:Lax sign.jpg

One of the large LAX signs that greet visitors to LAX. This sign is at the Century Boulevard entrance to Los Angeles International Airport

See: Category: Transportation in Southern California

Airports

The following airports currently have regularly scheduled commercial service:

• Los Angeles International Airport
• San Diego International Airport
• John Wayne Airport (Orange County)
• LA/Ontario International Airport
• Bob Hope Airport (Burbank)
• Long Beach Airport
• Palm Springs International Airport
• Meadows Field (Bakersfield)
• McClellan-Palomar Airport (Carlsbad)
• Santa Maria Public Airport
• Oxnard Airport
• Imperial County Airport

Freeways and highways

Main articles: Southern California freeways and Category:Southern California freeways

File:I-10m 215 Interchange traffic, San Bernardino, CA.jpg

I-10, 215 Interchange traffic, downtown San Bernardino.

California State Routes

Sign	Freeways and State Route
File:California 1.svg	Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) Lincoln Boulevard Sepulveda Boulevard Oxnard Boulevard Coast Highway Camino las Ramblas	State Route 1
File:California 2.svg	Angeles Crest Highway Glendale Freeway Santa Monica Boulevard Alvarado Street Glendale Boulevard	State Route 2
File:California 14.svg	Antelope Valley Freeway	State Route 14
File:California 18.svg	Waterman Avenue	State Route 18
File:California 19.svg	Rosemead Boulevard Lakewood Boulevard	State Route 19
File:California 22.svg	Seventh Street Garden Grove Freeway	State Route 22
File:California 23.svg	Decker Road Decker Canyon Road Mulholland Highway Westlake Boulevard	State Route 23
File:California 27.svg	Topanga Canyon Boulevard	State Route 27
File:California 33.svg	Ojai Freeway	State Route 33
File:California 38.svg		State Route 38
File:California 39.svg	San Gabriel Canyon Road Azusa Avenue Whittier Boulevard Beach Boulevard	State Route 39
File:California 42.svg	Manchester Ave Manchester Boulevard Firestone Boulevard	State Route 42
File:California 47.svg	Terminal Island Freeway Seaside Avenue Vincent Thomas Bridge	State Route 47
File:California 52.svg	Soledad Freeway	State Route 52
File:California 54.svg	South Bay Freeway Filipino-American Highway	State Route 54
File:California 55.svg	Costa Mesa Freeway Newport Boulevard	State Route 55
File:California 56.svg	Ted Williams Freeway	State Route 56
File:California 57.svg	Orange Freeway	State Route 57
File:California 60.svg	Pomona Freeway Moreno Valley Freeway	State Route 60
File:California 66.svg	Foothill Boulevard E Street	State Route 66
File:California 67.svg	Julian Road San Vicente Freeway	State Route 67
File:California 71.svg	Corona Expressway Chino Valley Freeway	State Route 71
File:California 72.svg	Whittier Boulevard	State Route 72
File:California 73.svg	San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor (toll road)	State Route 73
File:California 74.svg	Ortega Highway Pines to Palms Highway	State Route 74
File:California 75.svg	San Diego-Coronado Bridge Silver Strand Boulevard	State Route 75
File:California 76.svg	Mission Avenue Pala Road Cuyamaca Highway	State Route 76
File:California 78.svg	Vista Freeway San Pasqual Valley Road	State Route 78
File:California 79.svg	Winchester Road Temecula Parkway Firefighter Steven Rucker Memorial Highway	State Route 79
File:California 83.svg	Euclid Avenue	State Route 83
File:California 86.svg	Indio Boulevard	State Route 86
File:California 90.svg	Marina Freeway Imperial Highway Richard Nixon Freeway	State Route 90
File:California 91.svg	Artesia Boulevard Gardena Freeway Artesia Freeway Riverside Freeway	State Route 91
File:California 94.svg	Martin Luther King Jr. Freeway Campo Road	State Route 94
File:California 107.svg	Hawthorne Boulevard	State Route 107
File:California 110.svg	Pasadena Freeway	State Route 110
File:California 111.svg	Grapefruit Boulevard	State Route 111
File:California 118.svg	Ronald Reagan Freeway	State Route 118
File:California 125.svg	La Mesa Freeway	State Route 125
File:California 126.svg	Santa Paula Freeway	State Route 126
File:California 133.svg	Eastern Transportation Corridor (toll road) Laguna Canyon Road	State Route 133
File:California 134.svg	Ventura Freeway	State Route 134
File:California 138.svg		State Route 138
File:California 142.svg	Carbon Canyon Road Chino Hills Parkway	State Route 142
File:California 163.svg	Cabrillo Freeway	State Route 163
File:California 170.svg	Hollywood Freeway Highland Avenue	State Route 170
File:California 195.svg	Pierce Street	State Route 195
File:California 209.svg	Catalina Boulevard Canon Street Rosecrans Street	State Route 209
File:California 210.svg	Foothill Freeway	State Route 210
File:California 213.svg	Western Avenue	State Route 213
File:California 241.svg	Foothill Eastern Transportation Corridor (toll road)	State Route 241
File:California 259.svg	State Route 259 Freeway	State Route 259
File:California 274.svg	Balboa Avenue	State Route 274
File:California 282.svg	3rd/4th Street	State Route 282
File:California 371.svg	Cahuilla Road	State Route 371
File:California 905.svg	Otay Mesa Freeway Otay Mesa Road	State Route 905
Note: highway segments with names listed in italics are surface streets and not freeways.

Interstate Highways

Sign	Freeways and Interstate
File:I-5 (CA).svg	Golden State Freeway Santa Ana Freeway San Diego Freeway Montgomery Freeway	Interstate 5
File:I-8 (CA).svg	Ocean Beach Freeway Mission Valley Freeway	Interstate 8
File:I-10 (CA).svg	Santa Monica (Rosa Parks) Freeway Golden State Freeway San Bernardino Freeway Indio (Dr. June McCarroll) Freeway Blythe Freeway	Interstate 10
File:I-15 (CA).svg	Mojave Freeway Barstow Freeway Ontario Freeway Corona Freeway Temecula Valley Freeway Escondido Freeway	Interstate 15
File:I-105 (CA).svg	Century (Glenn Anderson) Freeway	Interstate 105
File:I-110 (CA).svg	Harbor Freeway	Interstate 110
File:I-210 (CA).svg	Foothill Freeway	Interstate 210
File:I-215 (CA).svg	Barstow Freeway San Bernardino Freeway Moreno Valley Freeway Escondido Freeway	Interstate 215
File:I-405 (CA).svg	San Diego Freeway	Interstate 405
File:I-605 (CA).svg	San Gabriel River Freeway	Interstate 605
File:I-710 (CA).svg	Long Beach Freeway	Interstate 710
File:I-805 (CA).svg	Jacob Dekema Freeway	Interstate 805
File:I-905 (CA).svg	Future Interstate 905	Interstate 905

U.S. Highway system

Sign	Freeways and US Route
File:US 6 (CA).svg		U.S. Route 6
File:US 95 (CA).svg		U.S. Route 95
File:US 101 (CA).svg	Ventura Freeway Hollywood Freeway Santa Ana Freeway El Camino Real	U.S. Route 101
File:US 395 (CA).svg		U.S. Route 395

Public transportation

See: Category: Public transportation in Southern California

• Metrolink
• Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
• San Diego trolley and San Diego County MTS
• Orange County Transportation Authority
• Omnitrans (southwestern San Bernardino County)
• Golden Empire Transit (Bakersfield)
• Santa Barbara MTD
• San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority
• Gold Coast Transit (Ventura County)
• North County Transit District (northern San Diego County)
• San Diego Coaster (Oceanside to San Diego)
• Big Blue Bus (Santa Monica)
• Riverside Transit Agency (western Riverside County)

Communication

File:Los Angeles area codes.png

Map of some major area codes in Greater Los Angeles

Telephone area codes

• 213 – Downtown Los Angeles
• 323 – Doughnut-shaped area surrounding downtown, including Hollywood, Mid-Wilshire, East Los Angeles and South Los Angeles
• 310 – West Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Inglewood, South Bay and Catalina Island
• 424 – Overlay with 310
• 442 – Overlay with 760
• 562 – Long Beach and the Gateway Cities
• 619 – San Diego including downtown, East County San Diego and the South Bay
• 626 – Pasadena, San Gabriel Valley and Covina Valley
• 657 – Overlay with 714
• 661 – Bakersfield, Santa Clarita, Antelope Valley and California City
• 714 – Santa Ana, Anaheim, Huntington Beach and northern Orange County
• 760 – Oceanside, Escondido, Palm Springs, El Centro, Victorville, Barstow, Ridgecrest, Hesperia, Apple Valley, Blythe, Adelanto and Indio
• 805 – Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo Counties
• 818 – San Fernando Valley, Glendale and Burbank.
• 858 – Northern San Diego (including La Jolla) and its suburbs (including Del Mar and Poway)
• 909 – Southwestern San Bernardino County, eastern Los Angeles County, and very small portions of northwestern Riverside County
• 949 – Southern Orange County (Irvine, Newport Beach, Laguna Niguel & San Clemente)
• 951 – Riverside, Temecula and western Riverside County

Colleges and universities

Main article: List of colleges and universities in Southern California

Parks and recreation areas

Main Category: Parks in Southern California

• Numerous parks provide recreation and open-space, some locations include:

National Park Service Channel Islands National Park Death Valley National Park Joshua Tree National Park Mojave National Preserve Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area Major State Parks – including: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Cuyamaca Rancho State Park Chino Hills State Park Fort Tejon State Historic Park Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area Mount San Jacinto State Park Malibu Creek State Park Red Rock Canyon State Park (California) Topanga State Park

Major State Historic Parks – including: California Citrus State Historic Park El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park La Purísima Mission State Historic Park Los Encinos State Historic Park Old Town San Diego State Historic Park Rancho Los Encinos Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park Tule Elk State Natural Reserve Watts Towers Will Rogers State Historic Park Numerous wilderness areas, nature reserves, wildlife preserves, and open-space areas provide wilderness preservation – see also: Main: Category: Protected areas of the Southern California area

Sports teams

See also: Freeway Series, Honda SuperClasico, Lakers–Clippers rivalry, Sports in California#Northern California–Southern California rivalry, History of the National Football League in Los Angeles, and UCLA–USC rivalry

Team	Sport	League	Venue
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim	Baseball	American League (Major League Baseball)	Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Los Angeles Dodgers		National League (Major League Baseball)	Dodger Stadium
San Diego Padres			PETCO Park
Los Angeles Clippers	Basketball	National Basketball Association	Staples Center
Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Sparks	Women's basketball	Women's National Basketball Association	Staples Center
San Diego Chargers	Football	National Football League	Qualcomm Stadium
Anaheim Ducks	Ice hockey	National Hockey League	Honda Center
Los Angeles Kings			Staples Center
Chivas USA	Soccer	Major League Soccer	The Home Depot Center
Los Angeles Galaxy

See also

• Category: History of Southern California
  • Category: California ranchos – Southern California Counties categories
• Category: Public transportation in Southern California
• Geography of Southern California
• Largest cities in Southern California
• Southern California Association of Governments
• South Coast
• California megapolitan areas
• Conurbation
• Megaregions of the United States
• Megalopolis (city type)
• San Angeles
• Other California regions
  • Northern California
  • Eastern California
  • Central Valley (California)

References

External links

• Historical Society of Southern California
• Cities in Southern California