STATE OF CALIFORNIA

The State extends from the border with Mexico along the Pacific coast for nearly 900 miles. Its terrain includes cliff-lined beaches, redwood forests, the Sierra Nevada mountain range, the farmlands of California’s Central Valley, and the Mojave Desert.

Governor: Gavin Newsom (Democratic Party)
State Capital: Sacramento
Founded: September 9, 1850
Population: 39,538,223 inhabitants, (2020 United States Census)
Area: 423,970 km², and is the most populous state in the US.

If California were an independent nation, it would be the fifth largest economy in the world, with a gross domestic product (GDP) of around $3.20 trillion (2021 data), which represents 12.0% of the United States GDP, which amounts to a total of 20.5 billion dollars; In addition, it would be the 37th most populated state in the world.

The main economic activities of the state are agriculture, leisure, technology, electric energy and tourism.

Some of the most important economic cities in the world are located in California, such as Los Ángeles (entertainment, leisure), the Central Valley (agriculture), Silicon Valley (computer science and high technology) and the Napa Valley (wine). Although it only accounts for 1.5% of the state’s economy, California’s agricultural industry is the highest producing of any U.S. state.

The state of California is divided into 58 counties. Counties have their own elections, collection of property taxes, maintenance of records such as property deeds, and local courts within their territory, as well as law enforcement (through the sheriffs of each county and their assistants) in areas that are not incorporated into cities.

California produces at least 99 percent of several specialty crops including almonds (number one export), artichokes, dates, figs, kiwis, olives, peaches, persimmons, pistachios, plums, raisins, cloves and walnuts. . Its main products are alfalfa, strawberry, cotton, stone, red tomato, onion and vine.

80% of all vineyards in the US are grown in California, with some 250,000 hectares producing wine grapes. The vineyards are located from the Pacific coast to the foot of the Sierra Nevada, in the Napa Valley and Sonoma County.