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Learn about the history, geography, wildlife, and natural resources of the Golden State. Discover fun facts about California's climate, landmarks, crops, and movies.
- Jamie Kiffel-Alcheh
- 3 min
- California Is Home to The World’S Largest Tree
- Death Valley Is The World’S Hottest & Driest National Park
- The Famous Windows XP Wallpaper Was Photographed in California
- California Is The Avocado Capital of The World
- California Is Home to Roughly 1/8th of The Us Population
- California Has Several Nicknames
- The only Operating Cable Cars in The Us Are in San Francisco
- California Has The Country’S Largest Amphitheater
- California Was Once A Country
- California Is Home to The Highest and Lowest Points in Mainland Us
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Have you ever wanted to see the world’s largest tree? You’ll want to visit a sequoia tree titled General Sherman if you do. This massive specimen lives in the Sequoia National Park of Tulare County in California. General Sherman stands at around 274.9 feet tall and 36.5 feet across. Not only is it massive, but it’s super old–botanists estimate this...
Death Valley is the hottest place on earth. In 1913, it reached a record of 134 degrees Fahrenheit, the highest recorded temperature in the planet’s history! This desert is exceptionally dry, too. It receives no more than 2 inches of rain per year on average. Despite its extreme conditions, this national park is home to plenty of wildlife. Rattlesn...
If you’ve ever used a Windows XP computer, you’ve probably seen the famous wallpaper titled “Bliss.” But did you know the scenery in this image is in Sonoma County? A photographer named Charles O’Rear took this photo back in 1996. Years later, many people still use this beautiful image as their computer wallpapers. Want to know another fun fact? Th...
San Diego exports roughly 90% of America’s avocados. So no matter where you are in the country, there’s a good chance the avocados on your counter came from the Golden State. If you visit California during April, you may get to experience the annual Fallbrook Avocado Festivalin San Diego. It’s a great event for families who are fond of this tasty a...
Did you know that California has the highest population out of all 50 states? It’s home to over 39 million people, which is roughly 1/8th of all American citizens. This state’s population wasn’t always this impressive, however. Back in 1920, California had just over three million citizens. This means its population has increased 1300% over the past...
California is a state with a rich history, so it’s earned quite a few nicknames over the years. The most common nickname you’ll hear for California is “The Golden State.” It comes from the Gold Rush of the 1800s. The name also refers to their state flower–the California poppy–which has beautiful golden petals! For the same reason, some might also c...
Have you ever wanted to ride in a cable car? San Franciscois where you’ll want to go! These vintage vehicles are the perfect way to get a view of the city. Today, San Francisco is the only place with currently-operating cable cars in the US. So if you stop by San Francisco sometime soon, you should make sure to try them out, as you likely won’t get...
The Glen Helen Amphitheater, located in San Bernardino, California, is the biggest in the US. It can hold up to 65,000 people! Glen Helen has held several iconic music festivals since it opened in 1993. If you’d like to experience one of their shows, you’ll want to visit between March and November–it closes up for the season in December.
Before California joined the US in 1850, this state was a country of its own, the California Republic. In June 1846, a small group of about 30 American settlers rebelled against the Mexican government in what became known as the Bear Flag Revolt, named after the rebellion’s grizzly-bear flag. Though they were successful, California’s time as an ind...
The highest point in the US is at the very peak of Mount Whitney, at 14,505 feet tall! This mountain is on the eastern half of California in Sequoia National Park. The lowest point in the US is in Badwater Basin, which lies in Death Valley National Park. The deepest part of this basin is 282 feet below sea level.
Learn about California's history, geography, culture, and attractions with these fun facts for kids. From the world's largest tree to the internet's birthplace, discover the diversity and wonder of the Golden State.
- California is a state in the United States of America.
- California is the western region of the United States.
- California became a U.S. state on Monday, September 9th, 1850.
- California was the 31st state to join the United States.
- California is the most populous state of the USA and the country's third largest. The state on the West Coast of the United States is about a quarter of the size of the country's largest state Alaska.
- California is located in the Western United States and borders neighbouring country Mexico.
- California’s capital is called Sacramento. The state capital is located about 145 km/ 90 miles to the northeast of San Francisco, the commercial center of the state.
- The Pacific Ocean borders the state of California which has the third longest coastline of all US states with 1,350 km/ 840 miles.
- The Avocado Capital of the World is in California. Did you know that California is home to the “avocado capital of the world”? Yes! It’s true! The city of Fallbrook, CA is known for its incredible avocado groves.
- California is known as the Golden State. In 1968, California officially became nicknamed the Golden State. Why? Well, there are a few reasons. California was a prime spot for gold discovery back in 1848.
- The world’s largest living tree grows in California. In the Sequoia National Park, lives General Sherman, the largest living tree in the world! Standing tall at approximately 275 feet with a circumference of 102 feet, it is one mighty tree!
- The lowest and highest points of continental America are in California. In California, you can find both the lowest point and the highest point in America’s mainland.
Fun Fact! Four of California’s state symbols have “golden” in their names—the flower (California golden poppy), nickname (Golden State), freshwater fish (California golden trout), and mushroom (California golden chanterelle).
Feb 9, 2024 · California is a state in the Western United States. California borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, the Mexican state of Baja California to the south; and has a coastline along the Pacific Ocean to the west.
