About San Francisco, California

With a population of about 4.2 million people, the San Francisco metropolitan area is the twelfth largest city in the United States. San Francisco is located on San Francisco Bay on the northern California coast.
About San Francisco, California

San Francisco Information

City code SFO
Country United States
State California
Population 4.2 Million
Pop. density 6,700 / km2
Land area 600 km2
Elevation 16 m
Currency Dollar (USD)
Annual GDP US$ 298 Bn
Languages English
Spanish
Latitude 37.46° N
Longitude 122.26° W

San Francisco's modern history began was settled by the Spanish in the late 1700's. The city got a major boost during the California Gold Rush starting in 1849. A major earthquake hit the city in 1906 that led to a huge fire that burned much of the city to the ground. It was quickly rebuilt and has prospered for over a century since then.

The economy in San Francisco proper is tightly tied to tourism, but across the wider region technology and other industries florish. Tourism brings more 16 million visitors to the San Francisco area each year. The city also has a strong financial sector and serves as a focal point for trade and international business with Asia and the Pacific Rim.

Silicon Valley and San Jose, which lie to the south of the city, are major international technology centers. Silicon Valley has become known worldwide for innovation and growing new companies.

San Francisco has a cool moderate climate year round. Summer daily high temperatures are normally in the mid- to high-60's (°F). Winter daily high temperatures are normally in the mid-50's (°F). The city has abundant sunshine with 260 days of sun per year and get only about 52 cm of precipitation per year.

San Francisco has an exceptional number of scenic attractions and landmarks. The most well know attractions include the Golden Gate Bridge, the Presidio, Lombard Street, Alcatraz, and Fisherman's Wharf. Many of the city's neighborhoods, such as Chinatown and Haight Ashbury, are very entertaining and walkable tourist destinations. The city has great shopping and lots of outstanding restaurants as well as interesting museums and cultural attractions.

San Francisco is a very multi-cultural city that includes many Asians, Hispanics from many countries, African Americans, and many other groups. About 45% of the population is white / caucasian and about 33% are Asian. Hispanics of any race make up about 14% of the population. English is the most widely spoken language with Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, and other languages also commonly spoken within ethnic communities.

The main airport serving San Francisco is San Francisco International Airport (SFO).

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