California
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 California facts

• It is also the third most extensive by area
• Los Angeles, in southern California, is the state's most populous city and the country's second largest after New York City
• California also includes the nation's most populous county, Los Angeles County, and the largest county by area, San Bernardino County
• Geographically located in the western part of the United States, California is bordered by the other United States states of Oregon to the north, Nevada to the east, and Arizona to the southeast
• California shares an international border with the Mexican state of Baja California to the south and the Pacific Ocean is on the state's western coastline
• The state capital is Sacramento, which is located in the northern part of the state
• A majority of California's cities are located in either the San Francisco Bay Area or the Sacramento metropolitan area in northern California; or the Los Angeles area, the Riverside-San Bernardino-Inland Empire, or the San Diego metropolitan area in Southern California
• What is now California was first settled by various Native American tribes before being explored by a number of European expeditions during the 16th and 17th centuries
• It was then claimed by the Spanish Empire as part of Alta California in the larger territory of New Spain
• Alta California became a part of Mexico in 1821 following its successful war for independence, but was ceded to the United States in 1848 after the Mexican–American War