State bird
California quail
Sources: Designation & background
Local timeSacramento ·
U.S. States / West · Card 005
California
The Golden State
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.
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
- Region
- West
Sources: Census · population · Census · area
California in context
Gold shows California. The dot marks Sacramento.
State symbols & traditions
State song
I Love You, California
Sources: Designation & background
Geography & flag
01
Location
Neighboring states: Arizona, Nevada, Oregon.
02
Landscape & places
Yosemite is known for granite cliffs, waterfalls, mountain meadows and giant sequoias in the Sierra Nevada.
03
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.
-
Mexico ceded California to the United States
-
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 people39.362025 · millions of people
July 1 resident population estimates, using the Census Bureau’s Vintage 2025 series.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau
View data table
| 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 dollars3,388.902025 · 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
| 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 |
Representation
- Electoral votes
- 542024 & 2028 elections
- Voting U.S. House seats
- 522020 Census allocation
- U.S. Senate seats
- 2
Electoral votes equal the state’s U.S. House seats plus its two U.S. Senate seats. These allocations apply to the 2024 and 2028 presidential elections.
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.