California is known for celebrating its rich history along with its vast differences, from its diverse geography to its variances in climate. These stats and symbols are just a sample of the Golden State’s distinct characteristics.
California has an immense variety of geography across all 12 regions.
The state population was estimated at 38,965,193 in July 2023 – approximately 12 per cent of the United States’ total population – according to the US Census Bureau.
The populations in California’s six largest cities are as follows:
California has a Mediterranean-type climate characterised by general sun and warmth with rain mainly in the winter. Climate does vary greatly based on distance from the ocean and elevation.
There are five main climate zones:
Rainfall varies from 80 inches in Del Norte County (North Coast) to as low as 3 inches in Imperial County (Desert).
California’s official state symbols are as follows:
California’s official animal, the California grizzly bear, strides majestically across the state flag. Unfortunately, the flag is the only place you’ll find this fear-inspiring creature, which is classified as a subspecies of brown bears, Ursus arctos californicus, as it had been hunted to extinction by the early 1920s. Some environmental groups have proposed reintroducing grizzlies to California.
The California quail (Lophortyx californica) has been the state bird since 1931. Distinguishable by its jaunty, comma-shaped head plume, this handsome bird scurries along the ground in groups known as coveys, taking flight only long enough to escape trouble. California quails are fairly common and can be found in brushy, thicketed areas and – being a popular game bird – on the occasional restaurant menu.
California’s state colours are blue and gold: blue represents the brilliant sky, and gold is an ode to the precious metal that first drew the world’s attention to California. The colour combination was first used by the University of California, Berkeley, in 1875, while blue and gold ribbons had begun to adorn official state documents by 1913. Blue and gold were officially adopted as California’s colours in 1951.
West Coast Swing was designated the official state dance in 1988. A descendent of the Lindy Hop and Jitterbug, it developed during the swing era of the 1930s and 1940s and was originally known as Western Swing. This durably popular partner dance has been adapted to suit everything from rockabilly to disco.
Since 1947, the state fish has officially been the California golden trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss aguabonita). A subspecies of rainbow trout native to California, this colourful fish has extended its range from its original home in the waters around the Kern River to lakes and streams in the High Sierra. Threatened by non-native trout and land-use issues, the golden trout is listed as a State Species of Special Concern.
The original version of California’s state flag, with its iconic bear and five-pointed star, was first hoisted in Sonoma's town plaza in June 1846. A band of rebels, attempting to seize control of the territory from Mexico to create the California Republic, brazenly raised the flag across from the Mexican army barracks. The hastily created banner featured a bear drawn so poorly it was mistaken for a pig, but the flag only flew for a short time before it was lowered by invading US troops who replaced it with the Stars and Stripes. The Bear Flag was adopted as the state flag in 1911.
The bones of sabre-toothed cats (Smilodon californicus) – large felines with serious overbites – were declared the state fossil in 1973. Brandishing permanently exposed, eight-inch canines, sabre-toothed cats roamed across California during the late Pleistocene era, about 10,000 years ago. Numerous bones of this big cat have been discovered at the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles.
The Dogface Butterfly (Zerene eurydice) was made the official state insect in 1972 – although entomologists had proposed it as the state insect as early as 1929. The ‘dogface’ name comes from the poodle-like wing pattern on the male of the species. The butterfly is endemic to California, found only between north-central California and Baja California, between the Sierra Nevada and Coast Ranges.
Reaching a length of up to 50 feet and weighing up to 40 tons, the grey whale (Eschrichtius robustus) is one of the planet’s most magnificent creatures. Each year the whales undertake one of the longest migrations in the animal kingdom, travelling about 10,000 miles from the Arctic to breeding lagoons in Mexico and back again. A good portion of the journey takes place along the California coastline, which led to the grey whale being named state marine mammal in 1975.
Eureka — Greek for 'I have found it!' — has adorned the Great Seal of the State of California since 1849 and was made the official state motto in 1963. Legend has it that Greek inventor and mathematician Archimedes, while getting into a bath, figured out a method of determining the purity of gold, sending him running naked through the streets and exclaiming 'eureka!' Early Californians' use of the word was most probably in honour of the state’s gold rush.
With a history so intertwined with the discovery of gold in 1848, it’s no wonder that California’s official nickname is the Golden State, adopted in 1968. It also refers to the California golden poppy (Eschscholzia californica), the state’s official flower, which grows wild in colourful abundance across the state.
The desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) makes perfect sense as California’s state reptile: It’s pretty laid-back, moving along at a languid pace of about .2 mph; it has a mostly vegetarian diet and is great at water conservation, storing the extra H2O it needs in its bladder. With high-domed shells and elephant-like legs, desert tortoises grow to about 15 inches long and have a lifespan of up to 80 years. Listed as a threatened species, their welfare has been a key factor in the passage of ground-breaking legislation to protect fragile desert habitats.
Since 1965, California’s state rock has been serpentine (which is actually more correctly known as serpentinite). It’s a shiny, greenish-coloured rock found all over the state and has been used throughout history as an architectural element, as a gemstone and in sculpting. In California, it has also been associated with the location of gold deposits. Fun fact: There was an attempt to remove serpentine as the state rock because it contains asbestos. The measure failed because the rock is NOT harmful in any way — unless you throw it at someone.
If you were expecting 'California, Here I Come' as the official state song, you may be disappointed. It’s actually 'I Love You, California', a song virtually unknown to any Californian. It was written by F. B. Silverwood and Abraham Frankenstein and became the theme song for the 1915 expositions held in San Francisco and San Diego. It became the official state song in 1988.
Sample lyric:
Where the snow crowned Golden Sierras
Keep their watch o'er the valleys bloom,
It is there I would be in our land by the sea,
every breeze bearing rich perfume.
It is here nature gives of her rarest.
It is Home Sweet Home to me
and I know when I die I shall breathe my last sigh for my sunny California.
The entirety of California’s iconic coastline serves as the capital of “Surfin’ U.S.A.,” where mavericks have been riding waves for over a century. What started as a publicity stunt to promote the Redondo-Los Angeles Railway quickly expanded into a skilled sport, and local enthusiasts lay claim to dozens of famed breaks up and down the coast. The most cutting-edge innovations in surfing continue to emerge from California, including the modern wetsuit from legendary Santa Cruz local Jack O’Neill. Much of the Golden State’s iconic laid-back lifestyle and adventurous attitude can be traced to the forefront of surf culture.
Forming living cathedrals of awe-inspiring beauty, rare California redwoods are the easy choice as state tree. There are two species of redwoods, the coastal redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) and the giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum), each of which grows to mind-blowing proportions. One of the tallest known coastal redwoods soars to about 380 feet, while the giant sequoia known as General Sherman is taller than a 25-storey building with a base circumference of more than 100 feet, making it the biggest tree by volume on the planet.
