California Info
California was the 31st state in the USA; it was admitted on September 9, 1850.
State Abbreviation - CA
State Capital - Sacramento
Other Notable Cities - Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco
Area - 163,707 square miles [California is the 3rd biggest state in the USA - only Alaska and Texas are bigger]
Population - 38,965,193 (as of 2024) – California is the 1st most populous state in the USA
Name for Residents - Californians
Major Industries - agriculture (many, many products), oil, mining, electronics, movie making/entertainment, and tourism
Presidential Birthplace - Richard Milhous Nixon was born in Yorba Linda on January 9, 1913 (he was the 37th US President, serving from 1969 to 1974).
Main Rivers - Sacramento River, Colorado River, San Joaquin River
Highest Point - Mt. Whitney, 14,495 feet (4,418 m) above sea level
Lowest Point - Death Valley, 282 feet (86 m) below sea level [this is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere]
Number of Counties - 58
Bordering States - Oregon, Nevada, Arizona
Bordering Country - Mexico
Bordering Body of Water - Pacific Ocean
Origin of the Name California - The name California comes from a mythical Spanish island ruled by a queen called Califia that was featured in a Spanish romance (“Las Sergas de Esplandian”) written by Garcia Ordonez de Montalvo in 1510. The Spanish explorers originally thought that California was an island.
State Nickname - The Golden State
State Motto - Eureka (I have found it)
State Song - “I Love You, California”
California State Symbols and Emblems
State Flag - The official state flag of California, called the Bear Flag, was first used on June 14, 1846, but was not officially adopted until 1911. It was designed by William Todd. The flag pictures a grizzly bear and a star. The first Californian flag was quickly made by a group of American settlers who had just captured the town of Sonoma (from Mexico) and needed a flag to replace the Mexican banner. |
Animal Symbols
State Bird - California valley quail (Lophortyx californica) |
State Reptile - Desert tortoise |
State Marine Fish - Garibaldi |
State Mammal - Grizzly bear |
State Insect - California dogface butterfly |
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State Marine Mammal - Gray whale |
State Fish - Golden trout |
Plant Symbols
State Flower - California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica) |
State Tree - Redwood - Coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) and Giant redwood (S. gigantea) The redwood is the tallest tree, growing up to 370 feet (113 m) tall and living for over a thousand years. One redwood in California is 2,200 years old. The roots of this giant conifer are shallow, but spread sideways up to 250 feet (75 meters) from the trunk. The bark is deeply-furrowed, fibrous, thick [up to about 1 foot (30.5 cm) thick] and lacks resin. There are many species of redwood.  |
State Grass - Purple Needlegrass (Nassella pulchra) |
Earth Symbols
State Fossil - Smilodon fatalis (sabertooth tiger) |
State Mineral - Gold |
| State Rock - Serpentinite | State Gem - Benitoite |
Label California State Map Printout.
California State Map/Quiz Printout.
Outline Map California, USA: A collection of geography pages, printouts, and activities for students.
Dot to Dot Mystery Map. Connect the dots to draw the borders of a mystery US state. Then use a globe or atlas to figure out which state you have drawn. Answer: This is a map of California.
California Flag Printout.
Flag of California: Color the flag of California.
US State/US President/3-Syllables Venn diagram: A printout on classifying words using a Venn diagram. Words: Adams, Alabama, California, Everglades, Florida, Kentucky, Lincoln, Madison, Obama, Seattle, Washington, Wyoming.
US State Find Eight Related Words. For a US state, write eight words related to the state, then use each word in a sentence - for early readers.
On this ‘US State Graphic Organizer’, write the name of a US state, draw a map, and answer questions about it.
US State Report Diagram Printout: This chart is used to write a short US state report, including a hand-drawn map and flag, capital city, area, population, etc.
US State Report Diagram Printout: Thiss chart is used to write a short US state report, including a hand-drawn map and flag, capital city, area, population, etc.
US State, A Printable Book. Print out US State early reader book.
Find Your State Label Me! Printout.
Where I Live in the USA Label Me! Printout.
Write Ten Things About Your State - A short answer printable worksheet. Write ten things about your state (plus one thing you would like to change).
US State Wheel : This 2-page print-out makes a wheel about a single US state; the student fills out the information on the wheel. It consists of a base page together with a wheel that spins around. After putting the wheel together, the student follows the instructions on the front wheel and fills out the 12 sections of the wheel with information about the state. When you spin the wheel, facts about the US State appear, including: Biggest Cities, Capital, Flag, Bodies of Water, Postal Abbreviation, State Bird, Population (rank), Area (rank), Residents Called, Bordered by, Major Industries, and Entered Union (order).
A US State-Find a Related Word for Each Letter: Write a word or phrase for each letter of the alphabet that is related to a US state. Think of cities, famous people from the state, bodies of water, mountains, landmarks, and other features. Find words for as many letters as you can.
A collection of geography pages, printouts, and activities for students - all about the census.
Census Read and Answer Worksheet Page to Print Read and Answer Worksheet
US State Facts, Map and State Symbols
Other Links
| Order and Dates of Statehood | State Extremes and Records | Guidelines for Writing a Report on a State |
| State Population Figures | US Postal Codes | US Geography |
| State Area Figures | US Postal Codes Matching |