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California is a land of contrasts. You can find the highest mountain (Mount Whitney - 4,418 metres) only some miles away from the lowest point on the western hemisphere in Death Valley (-86 metres). The hottest recorded temperature in the USA (56,7°C) was there as well. But it\'s only hot in the South of California. The North of this state is cool, the middle has got a mild climate (San Francisco). There are lots of National Parks in this state like Yosemite or Redwood Forest. The largest living tree you can find in Sequoia National Park (General Sherman 86 m tall). The oldest living thing, a pine in Inyo National Forest, is over 4,600 years old.
In California you can find the world\'s most fertile valley (cotton, sugar beets, barley, wheat, rice, fruit, grapes, vegetables). The biggest problems of California are water and the air pollution in the big cities. In 1906 there was a big earthquake in San Francisco, in 1989 59 people died in a major disaster. Lots of people are afraid of another big one today.
California became a US territory in 1847. On January 24th, 1848 gold was discovered at Sutter\'s Mill, starting the Californian Gold Rush and bringing settlers to the state in large numbers. In 1849, thousands of 49ers braved danger and death, for riches. On 9th September 1850 California became a member of the Union. California was hard hit by the Great Depression. However, San Francisco\'s great bridges were opened in 1936-1937. In 1845 the United Nations was founded at San Francisco. By 1963, California could claim to be the nation\'s most populous state. Los Angeles hosted the Olympic Games of 1984. Today California is famous for its computer and film industry (Silicon Valley, Hollywood)
capital
Sacramento
nickname
Golden State
land area
155,973 square miles
population
33,145,121
cities
Los Angeles 3,597,566
San Diego 1,220,666
San Francisco 745,774
motto
Eureka (I have found it.)
number of counties
58
state symbols
flower (golden poppy)
tree (California redwoods)
bird (California valley quail)
animal (California grizzly bear)
fish (California golden trout)
stone (serpentine)
colours (blue and gold)
song \"I Love You California\"
legal driving age
18
marriage age without parental consent
18
death penalty
yes, by lethal gas
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