Califoria

State Abbreviation - CA
State Capital - Sacramento
Other Notable Cities - Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco
Area - 163,707 square miles [California is the 3rd biggest state in the USA - only Alaska and Texas are bigger]
Population - 33,871,648 (as of 2000) [California is the most populous state in the USA]
Name for Residents - Californians
Major Industries - agriculture (many, many products), oil, mining, electronics, movie making/entertainment, and tourism

Presidential Birthplace - Richard Milhous Nixon was born in Yorba Linda on January 9, 1913 (he was the 37th US President, serving from 1969 to 1974).

Main Rivers - Sacramento River, Colorado River, San Joaquin River
Highest Point - Mt. Whitney, 14,495 feet (4,418 m) above sea level
Lowest Point - Death Valley, 282 feet (86 m) below sea level [this is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere]
Number of Counties - 58
Bordering States - Oregon, Nevada, Arizona
Bordering Country - Mexico
Bordering Body of Water - Pacific Ocean

Origin of the Name California - The name California comes from a mythical Spanish island ruled by a queen called Califia that was featured in a Spanish romance ("Las Sergas de Esplandian") written by Garcia Ordonez de Montalvo in 1510. The Spanish explorers originally thought that California was an island.
State Nickname - The Golden State
State Motto - Eureka (I have found it)
State Song - "I Love You, California"



State Bird



California valley quail


(Lophortyx californica) State Mammal



Grizzly bear State Marine Mammal



Gray whale State Reptile



Desert tortoise


State Insect

California dogface butterfly

State Fish

Golden trout State Marine Fish


Garibaldi


State Flower



California Poppy


(Eschscholzia californica)