California

California

California is located on the West Coast of the United States. It is the most populous state and also the third largest (after Alaska and Texas). California is bordered by Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, Mexico to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. The capital city is Sacramento.  In California, there is a varied and beautiful landscape that includes mountains, valleys, and waterfalls. The state shares the Sierra Nevada, a mountain range named after the highest mountain range in Spain, with the state of Nevada. One can also see Mount Whitney, the highest mountain peak in the United States outside of Alaska. And in Redwood National Park, one can see the world's tallest tree, at about 370 feet. In addition to its places of great heights, California also shares Death Valley, the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere, with Nevada.   Earthquakes are a common occurrence due to the state's location along the Pacific Ring of Fire.

The California Gold Rush beginning in 1848 led to dramatic change, with large scale immigration from the U.S. and abroad and an accompanying economic boom. Significant developments in the early 20th century included the appearance of Los Angeles as the center of the American entertainment industry, and the growth of a large, state-wide tourism sector. The late 20th century saw the development of the technology and information sectors. In addition to California's prosperous agricultural industry, other important contributors to its economy include aerospace, education, and manufacturing. At least half of the fresh fruit produced in the United States are cultivated in California, and it also leads in the production of vegetables.

California has it all! That’s why so many non-California residents and international students want to study there. The University of Southern California enrolls more international students each year than any other university in the entire United States! Because of this, living in California means experiencing and embracing new and novel languages, foods, cultures, peoples, ideas, celebrations, and activities on a daily basis! Finally, when it comes to higher education, the well-organized California network of colleges and universities carries an excellent reputation for providing quality education. That means students studying in California can look forward to acknowledgment of the quality and prestige of their diplomas upon graduation, both nationally and internationally. California universities that are consistently top-ranking in the United States include Stanford University, University of California-Berkeley, California Institute of Technology, University of California-Los Angeles, University of California-San Diego, University of California-Davis, University of California-Irvine, University of California-Santa Barbara, University of California-Riverside, University of California-Santa Cruz, and University of California-San Francisco.

List of colleges and universities in California

Official California Web Site

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