California

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Western state of the USA, bordered to the south by the Mexican state of Baja California, to the east by Arizona and Nevada, to the north by Oregon, and to the west by the Pacific Ocean; area 403,932 sq km/155,959 sq mi; population (2000 est) 33,871,600; capital Sacramento. Its nicknames refer to the gold that led to the California gold rush of 1849–56, and to the state's sunshine, orange groves, vineyards, and abundant resources. Geographically the state is diverse, with features including the Sierra Nevada mountains, desert areas, and a fertile central plains region. The San Andreas Fault extends from northwest California southward, causing tremors and occasional earthquakes from San Francisco to the southeast part of the state. The state's economy is the largest in the USA, and very significant to the country as whole. California is a leader in both agriculture, producing fruit, vegetables, cotton, beef cattle, and fish; and manufacturing, concentrated on engineering and technology. Silicon Valley is known for its electronics industries, while Hollywood is the centre of the US film industry. Tourism, the property market, and mining, including petroleum and boron, are also important to the state's economy. The largest city is Los Angeles (LA); other major cities are San Diego, San Francisco, San José, and Fresno. California is the most populous state of the USA, with over a quarter of the population being Hispanic American. Formerly a Spanish and Mexican territory, California passed to the USA following the Mexican War (1846–48). California was admitted to the Union in 1850 as the 31st US state and is governed under a constitution dating from 1879.

Red and white are the traditional colours of South East Asia. The blue canton recalls the British Empire and represents unity. Yellow is the colour of the Sultans of Malaysia. Effective date: 16 September 1963. >>