Los Angeles

Los Angeles, often called LA, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of California. It is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Southern California. With around 3.88 million residents, it is the second-most populous city in the United States, after New York City.

Originally home to the indigenous Tongva people, Los Angeles was founded in 1781. It grew quickly after oil was discovered in the 1890s and expanded further with the building of the Los Angeles Aqueduct in 1913. Today, Los Angeles is famous for its film and television industry, busy ports, and diverse culture. The city has a large economy and has hosted the Summer Olympics in the past, and will host again in the future.

Toponymy

See also: Etymology of place names in Los Angeles County, California

On September 4, 1781, a group of settlers called "Los Pobladores" founded a town they named El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles, meaning 'The Town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels'. The exact original name is not fully agreed upon.

Over time, the way people say the city’s name in English has changed. In the early days, many said it with a softer sound, but later trends brought different ways to say it, especially to make it sound more Spanish. Today, the most common way to say it in the United States follows a pronunciation set by government rules in 1934. In the United Kingdom, people often say the name in yet another way, influenced by how Greek words sound.

History

Main article: History of Los Angeles

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Los Angeles.

For a topical guide, see Outline of the history of Los Angeles.

The area now known as Los Angeles has been home to people for thousands of years. The Tongva people, also called the Gabrieleño, lived in the Los Angeles Basin and San Fernando Valley. Their village Yaanga became the site where Spanish settlers later established the town of Los Angeles.

In 1542, Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo claimed the region for Spain. In 1771, Junípero Serra helped build the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel. In 1781, settlers founded El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles, which grew from a small town into a major city.

Los Angeles grew quickly in the 20th century. Railroads arrived in the late 1800s, and oil was discovered in 1892. By 1900, the city's population was over 102,000. The Los Angeles Aqueduct, finished in 1913, brought water to support more growth.

During World War II, Los Angeles became a key center for making aircraft and ships. After the war, the city spread outward, and many new neighborhoods developed.

Los Angeles has hosted the Summer Olympics twice—once in 1932 and again in 1984. The city will host the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games, marking the third time Los Angeles has held the Olympics.

Geography

See also: Los Angeles Basin and San Fernando Valley

Topography

The city of Los Angeles covers a total area of 502.7 square miles (1,302 km²), with 468.7 square miles (1,214 km²) of land and 34.0 square miles (88 km²) of water. It stretches 44 miles (71 km) from north to south and 29 miles (47 km) from east to west.

Los Angeles features both flat and hilly areas. The highest point in the city is Mount Lukens at 5,074 ft (1,547 m), located in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. The eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains runs from Downtown to the Pacific Ocean. Other hilly regions include the Mt. Washington area, Boyle Heights, the Crenshaw district around the Baldwin Hills, and the San Pedro district.

Vegetation

Los Angeles is rich in native plants due to its diverse habitats, including beaches, wetlands, and mountains. Common plant communities are coastal sage scrub, chaparral shrubland, and riparian woodland. Native plants include the California poppy, matilija poppy, toyon, and Coast Live Oak.

The official tree of Los Angeles is the Coral Tree, the official flower is the Bird of Paradise, and the official plant is toyon.

Fauna

The city has an urban population of bobcats. Bats, coyotes, raccoons, opossums, skunks, snakes, and squirrels are also commonly found. Mountain lions and mule deer can sometimes be spotted in Southern California.

Geology

Los Angeles is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire and experiences earthquakes due to its position on the San Andreas Fault. The fault system causes about 10,000 earthquakes annually in Southern California, though most are too small to be felt. Major earthquakes in the past include the 1933 Long Beach, 1971 San Fernando, 1987 Whittier Narrows, and 1994 Northridge events.

Cityscape

Main article: List of districts and neighborhoods in Los Angeles

See also: List of tallest buildings in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is divided into many districts and neighborhoods, some of which were once separate cities. The city's street patterns mostly follow a grid plan, but rugged terrain creates different grids in each valley. Major streets are very long, with Sepulveda Boulevard being 43 miles (69 km) long.

Los Angeles is known for its low-rise buildings, with skyscrapers mainly found in areas like downtown, Warner Center, Century City, Koreatown, Miracle Mile, Hollywood, and Westwood. Downtown Los Angeles has many tall buildings, including the Wilshire Grand Center.

Climate

Main article: Climate of Los Angeles

Los Angeles has a semi-arid climate with dry summers and mild winters. Daytime temperatures are usually temperate year-round, averaging around 68 °F (20 °C) in winter. Autumn can be very hot, while spring is cooler and wetter. The city receives about 35 days of measurable rain each year.

Temperatures rarely exceed 90 °F (32 °C) on the coast but can be much warmer inland. The coastal area often experiences "June Gloom," with morning clouds or fog that clears by afternoon. Snowfall and freezing temperatures are rare in the city basin but can occur in the mountains.

Environmental issues

Further information: Pollution in California § Los Angeles air pollution

Los Angeles struggles with air pollution due to its geography, heavy car use, and port activity. The city is prone to smog, especially from May to October. Efforts to reduce pollution include promoting low-emission vehicles, electric and hybrid cars, and improving mass transit. While smog levels have improved, the city still faces challenges with air quality.

Los Angeles is also home to many active oil wells located very close to homes and schools.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Los Angeles

Los Angeles is a big city with lots of different people. In 2020, about 3.9 million people lived there. The city is very busy, with about 8,300 people living in each square mile. Many families live in Los Angeles, but some people rent their homes instead of owning them.

People in Los Angeles speak over 200 different languages! Most people grew up speaking something other than English at home. The city has many different groups of people from around the world. For example, many people come from Mexico, the Philippines, Korea, and many other places. You can find neighborhoods like Chinatown, Koreatown, and Little Tokyo where people share their cultures and languages.

Los Angeles also has many different religions. Most people practice Christianity, but there are also Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and many other faiths represented in the city. Because of its diverse population, Los Angeles is a place where many cultures and traditions come together.

Economy

See also: Los Angeles County, California § Economy

Los Angeles has a big and busy economy! It is known for international trade, making movies, TV shows, video games, and music. Other important jobs come from aerospace, technology, oil, fashion, and tourism. Even though many businesses moved away after the COVID-19 pandemic, people are working hard to make the downtown area a fun place to visit.

Los Angeles is also a major manufacturing city and has busy ports that help trade with countries around the Pacific Rim. The city is home to big companies like AECOM, CBRE Group, and Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co, plus many others that make things like pizza, animation, and insurance. Even with challenges, Los Angeles remains an important place for business and jobs.

Arts and culture

Main article: Culture of Los Angeles

Los Angeles is known as a creative hub, with many artists, writers, and performers calling the city home. Its culture is deeply influenced by Mexican traditions, reflecting California’s history as part of Mexico and the Spanish Empire. The city is famous for its colorful murals and unique architecture, including styles like Spanish Colonial Revival and Art Deco.

Important landmarks include the Hollywood Sign, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and Griffith Observatory. Los Angeles is a center for movies, television, and music, hosting events like the Academy Awards. The city has many museums, such as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Getty Center, as well as numerous libraries and a rich variety of international cuisines, from Mexican tacos to Asian dishes.

Sports

Main article: Sports in Los Angeles

See also: Soccer in Los Angeles and History of the National Football League in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is home to many top-level sports teams. These include the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels in baseball, the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers in football, and teams in basketball, hockey, and soccer such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Kings, and Los Angeles Galaxy.

The city has hosted the Summer Olympic Games three times and will host them again in the future. Los Angeles also has many famous sports venues like Dodger Stadium and Crypto.com Arena.

Government

Main article: Government of Los Angeles

Further information: List of elected officials in Los Angeles

See also: Government of Los Angeles County

Los Angeles is a special kind of city called a charter city. It has a mayor and a city council that help make decisions for the city. The current mayor is Karen Bass. There are fifteen areas in the city, each with its own group of representatives called a city council district.

The city also has important groups like the police department, the fire department, and the public library. These groups help keep the city safe, provide emergency services, and offer resources for everyone to use. There are also special groups called neighborhood councils that help represent the people living in different parts of the city. These councils make their own rules and choose their own leaders.

Crime

Main article: Crime in Los Angeles

See also: List of criminal gangs in Los Angeles

Los Angeles has seen changes in crime rates over the years. In 1992, there were many murders, but crime dropped a lot in the 1990s and late 2000s. By 2009, the city reached a 50-year low in homicides. However, there was a rise in murders in 2021 before numbers went down again by 2024.

Historically, organized crime groups like the Dragna crime family and Mickey Cohen were strong during the Prohibition era. Today, many gangs are active in the city, including well-known groups such as the Crips and Bloods, along with Latino gangs like the Sureños and Mara Salvatrucha.

Education

Los Angeles has many colleges and universities. Inside the city, there are three public universities: California State University, Los Angeles, California State University, Northridge, and University of California, Los Angeles. There are also many private colleges, such as the American Film Institute Conservatory and the University of Southern California.

The city also has nine community colleges, including Los Angeles City College and Los Angeles Valley College. The Los Angeles Unified School District runs most of the city's public schools.

Media

Main article: Media in Los Angeles

See also: List of television shows set in Los Angeles, List of films set in Los Angeles, and List of Los Angeles television stations

Los Angeles is a big hub for media and entertainment. It is the second-largest place in the U.S. for TV and radio broadcasts, with many stations serving the area. The city has important newspapers like the Los Angeles Times and La Opinión, as well as papers for different communities such as The Korea Times and The World Journal.

Major TV networks such as ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, and The CW have offices and studios in Los Angeles. The city also has many smaller newspapers, magazines, and online guides that cover local arts, culture, and news.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Main article: Transportation in Los Angeles

Freeways

Main article: Southern California freeways

Los Angeles and its surrounding areas have many freeways and highways. These roads can get very busy, especially during rush hour. Even with all the traffic, people in Los Angeles usually spend less time traveling to work compared to big cities like New York.

Important highways connect Los Angeles to other places. For example, I-5 goes south to San Diego and the Mexican border, and north to Sacramento, Portland, and Seattle. I-10 runs east and west across the United States, and US 101 leads to the California Central Coast and San Francisco.

Public transit

Los Angeles has many buses and trains to help people get around. The Los Angeles Metro runs most of the bus services, including special fast bus lines called the G and J lines. The Metro also operates subways and light rail trains. As of 2025, the light rail system is the busiest in the United States.

Los Angeles is also a center for commuter rail service called Metrolink and for Amtrak inter-city trains. All these trains meet at Union Station, a big train station opened in 1939.

Airports

Main article: List of airports in the Los Angeles area

See also: Los Angeles International Airport in popular culture

The main airport in Los Angeles is Los Angeles International Airport, often called LAX. There are also other airports nearby, like Ontario International Airport, Hollywood Burbank Airport, Long Beach Airport, and John Wayne Airport in Orange County.

Seaports

The Port of Los Angeles is a major hub for ships and trade. Together with the nearby Port of Long Beach, it is one of the busiest ports in the world. The port has many bridges and even offers ferry rides to islands like Santa Catalina Island.

Notable people

Main listing: List of people from Los Angeles

Los Angeles has been home to many famous people across different fields such as entertainment, sports, and business. The city’s rich cultural scene has attracted artists, actors, musicians, and innovators who have made significant contributions to various industries worldwide.

Sister cities

Los Angeles has 25 sister cities around the world, joined in different years. Some of these cities include Eilat in Israel, Nagoya in Japan, and Bordeaux in France, among many others.

The city also has several "friendship cities," such as Łódź in Poland and Melbourne in Australia. These partnerships help build cultural and economic ties between the cities.