The origin of California’s name takes us back over 500 years to a Spanish romance novel. Written around 1510, The Adventures of Esplandián described “California” as a fictional island paradise east of the Indies, ruled by a queen named Calafia. When Spanish explorers under Hernán Cortés encountered an island off the coast of western Mexico — rumored to be ruled by Amazon women — the name felt like a perfect fit. With the Pacific Ocean believed to be far smaller than it actually is, the island seemed to match the novel’s geography exactly. By the time explorers realized it was actually a peninsula, the name California had already taken hold. That landmass became the Baja California Peninsula, and as Spanish settlement pushed north and inland, the region known as California only grew larger.
Before European contact, California was one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse places in all of pre-Columbian North America. Historians estimate at least 300,000 people called it home, spread across more than 70 distinct ethnic groups inhabiting everything from mountains and deserts to islands and towering redwood forests. Spanish colonization began in earnest during the 16th and 17th centuries, and the region passed to Mexico in 1821 following its successful war for independence. After the Mexican-American War, California was ceded to the United States in 1848 and admitted as the 31st state just two years later in 1850.
Today, California is home to nearly 40 million people across 163,696 square miles — making it the largest state by population and the third-largest by area. Close to one in every nine Americans lives there. Los Angeles, the state’s most populous city, ranks second in the nation in population.
The California economy is in a class of its own. With a GDP of approximately $4.3 trillion, it is the largest state economy in the country, and if it were an independent nation, it would rank as the fourth-largest economy in the world — ahead of Japan and just behind Germany, as of 2025. Agriculture plays a major role in that output. More than 400 commodity crops are grown across the state, including a significant share of the nation’s fruits, vegetables, and nuts. California produces roughly 80% of the world’s almonds, and leads the U.S. in avocados, dates, figs, grapes, and lemons, among others. The state also produces about 90% of all wine made in the United States.
Few places on Earth pack in as much geographic variety as California. It is home to Mt. Whitney, the highest point in the contiguous United States, and Death Valley, the lowest. Within its borders you’ll also find the tallest trees on Earth (coastal redwoods), the largest trees by volume (giant sequoias), and the oldest living trees (bristlecone pines).
On the sports front, California stands alone. With 18 major professional sports league franchises, it has more than any other state. It is also the only U.S. state to have hosted both the Summer and Winter Olympics, and Los Angeles will welcome the Summer Games again in 2028 — the fourth time California will have hosted the Olympics. The state didn’t just host sports; it helped create them. Surfing, snowboarding, and skateboarding were invented in California, while volleyball, beach soccer, and skiing were popularized there.
California has also been a remarkable engine of innovation. The microprocessor, the Apple computer, and the foundational protocols of the internet all trace their origins to the state. So do WD-40, Popsicles, wetsuits, fortune cookies, and Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing. From Silicon Valley to the Central Valley, California continues to shape the way the world eats, thinks, moves, and connects.