Local time--:--:--Sacramento ·

U.S. States / West · Card 005

California

California is a U.S. state in the West. Its capital is Sacramento.

Find California

● State capital · Gold highlights California.
Map: Natural Earth. Neighboring states use postal abbreviations.

At a glance

Capital: Sacramento
Postal abbreviation: CA
Population: 39,355,309July 1, 2025 · Census estimate
Total area: 423,967 km²163,695 square miles · land and water
Statehood: September 9, 1850State number 31
Currency: U.S. dollar (USD)

Sources: Census · population · Census · area

California in context

Gold shows California. The dot marks Sacramento.

Alaska and Hawaii are shown in separate insets at different scales.

Geography & flag

Location

Neighboring states: Arizona, Nevada, Oregon.

Landscape & places

Yosemite is known for granite cliffs, waterfalls, mountain meadows and giant sequoias in the Sierra Nevada.

Land and water

The total area includes 403,466 km² of land and 20,501 km² of water, according to Census area measurements.

State flag

A grizzly bear, a red star and the words California Republic above a red stripe.

Sources: Census · geographic reference · Census · area measurements · National Park Service · Yosemite

History & statehood

California became part of the United States after the Mexican-American War in 1848. It entered the Union in 1850 without first becoming an organized U.S. territory. Its history also includes the displacement of Indigenous peoples and the wartime incarceration of Japanese Americans, commemorated at Manzanar and Tule Lake.

1848
Mexico ceded California to the United States
September 9, 1850
Statehood · State number 31

Sources: Congressional Research Service · statehood · U.S. Census Bureau · historical geography · National Park Service

Economy

Main activities

In 2025, professional and business services was the largest of the broad industry groups compared here by current-dollar output. Other major groups included real estate and rental and leasing, information, and government and government enterprises.

Total economic output was $4,250.8 billion in current dollars in 2025.

Largest industry groups · 2025

Professional and business services: 14.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing: 14.1%
Information: 11.3%
Government and government enterprises: 10.8%

Share of total current-dollar GDP. These figures measure output, not employment.

Sources: BEA · annual GDP by state, SAGDP2

Population & economic trends

Population, 2020–2025

Millions of people

39.362025 · millions of people

July 1 resident population estimates, using the Census Bureau’s Vintage 2025 series.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau

View data table

Population: source values
Year	People
2020	39,527,808
2021	39,152,927
2022	39,125,347
2023	39,181,667
2024	39,364,774
2025	39,355,309

Real GDP, 2010–2025

Billions of chained 2017 dollars

3,388.902025 · billions of chained 2017 dollars

Real GDP measures economic output adjusted for inflation. The chart uses BEA’s chained 2017 dollars.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis

View data table

Real GDP: source values
Year	Millions of chained 2017 dollars
2010	2,153,852.8
2011	2,192,887.2
2012	2,255,437.3
2013	2,340,335.3
2014	2,428,675.7
2015	2,545,979.5
2016	2,623,711.7
2017	2,740,550.3
2018	2,850,970.3
2019	2,969,609.0
2020	2,930,654.6
2021	3,151,112.5
2022	3,147,211.4
2023	3,204,016.4
2024	3,306,928.6
2025	3,388,904.8

Government

California has three branches of state government. The governor leads the executive branch. A Senate and Assembly form the legislature, which passes state laws and budgets. State courts interpret and apply the law.

Sources: USAGov · California

Knowledge check

Three questions about California.

QUESTION 1 OF 3

What is the capital of California?

Sources & notes

Prepared 27 September 2026. Population: Census Bureau Vintage 2025, July 1 estimates for 2020–2025. Real GDP: BEA annual state accounts, SAGDP9, millions of chained 2017 dollars; industry shares: SAGDP2, current dollars. Data downloaded 27 September 2026. Area measurements include land and water.

Sources: Census · population estimates · BEA · state GDP · Census · area measurements · Natural Earth · map data

The capital clock shows current local time. Statistical figures are dated estimates and may be revised.