California is the largest of the western coast states in America. It reaches inland to the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It is so long that the weather patterns in the north are very different to those in the south. In the north it is more like British weather, while in the south it is more like Mediterranean weather.

For thousands of years the lands were lived in by Native American tribes. Then their world was changed by the arrival of the Spanish, who took over the land. Then the Mexicans rebelled from Spain and took over California for themselves.

In the Middle of the 19th century a war broke out between the United States and Mexico which was won by the Americans and they then took over California.

Soon after, gold and silver were discovered in the mountains, leading to a great influx of new people. Then oil was found near Los Angeles, bringing in even more people. At the same time, settlers were moving in to the farming lands. From then on, California just grew and grew. Its sunny, warm weather attracted more people, and it became a place where many new ideas were developed including, for example, computers.

The capital of California is Sacramento, and the largest cities are Los Angeles and San Francisco.

California is famed for its landscape beauty.