The City of Angels: where the sun always shines, the beaches beckon, and dreams of stardom and fame are made. Over 13 million people live in the metropolitan Los Angeles area, with nearly four million living in the city itself. Los Angeles is a popular tourist destination and one of the most famous cities in the world. Let's find out a little more about it!
Great beaches are one of the best things about Los Angeles. Courtesy of california-tour.com
History
The area where Los Angeles stands was originally populated by the Chumash and Tongva aboriginal groups, who, with the arrival of Europeans, were later either forced to relocate or assimilate. Many aboriginal people also died as a result of the introduction of European diseases. In 1542, Spanish explorers landed on the continent and claimed the region for Spain. The City of Los Angeles was officially founded in 1781, and became part of Mexico in 1821. After the Mexican American War, in 1848, Los Angeles and the rest of California became part of the United States. In fact, Los Angeles was incorporated as a city before California was even granted statehood!
The last person to know the traditional Chumash language died in 1965.Courtesy of ourmothertongues.org
Fun Facts
- Why is Los Angeles the centre of the film industry? When movies started being made, Thomas Edison, who lived in New Jersey, held nearly all the patents for movie-making equipment such as cameras. Filmmaking hopefuls went West in order to escape the competition!
- The Hollywood sign actually originally said Hollywoodland, and was meant to advertise a real estate venture.
- Los Angeles is home to people from more than 140 countries, and well over 200 languages are spoken by its residents!
- In Los Angeles, there are more cars than people! Most people drive in the city, and it is one of the most traffic-congested in the country.
- In the city, it's actually illegal to lick a toad!
- The Getty Museum in Los Angeles brings in goats to do yard work; the animals graze on the grass and bushes and keep everything looking neat and tidy!
- The Los Angeles metropolitan area is so big that it boasts six different area codes! That's more than any other city in the US.
- Every year southern California has up to 10,000 earthquakes! Don't worry, though, most of them are so small no one can even feel them.
Who knew there was more to the Hollywood sign?Courtesy of Cedric Letsch
Los Angeles really is a fascinating place; even beyond the lure of the film industry, the city has a lot to offer in terms of art, culture, and a range of diverse experiences. It would be a great place to take a little vacation as the cold weather starts coming on, but even if you can't visit the city, there's a lot you can learn about it.
Have Your Say!
Have you ever been to Los Angeles? What did you think of the city?
