Los Angeles, California,
known affectionately as the ‘City of Angels’, ranks as the nation’s second
largest city in population. The 2000
Census reported more than 3.69 million residents within the city, while the
entire metropolitan area is home to more than 17.5 million. In general, when
people refer to ‘L.A.’, they are referring to the greater
metropolitan area.
Los Angeles, CA projects a
dynamic presence from its position as the seat of L.A.
County and as a significant source of culture and entertainment for the
world. Aerospace, agriculture, entertainment, international trade,
manufacturing, petroleum and tourism are the primary sectors that drive L.A.’s
burgeoning economy to success. KB
Home, Northrop
Grumman and Occidental
Petroleum are major Fortune
500 companies that call L.A. home. Additional companies that operate their
headquarters in Los Angeles include Herbalife,
Fox Sports Net, Paramount
Pictures, Sunkist and Twentieth
Century Fox.
Home to individuals from more than 140 countries, L.A. remains a cosmopolitan
city, which is reflected in the city’s massive array of architecture, cuisine
and cultural sites. Concentrated groups of ethnic people often develop into
their own little cities, such as Chinatown,
Little
Armenia, Little
Ethiopia, Little
Tokyo and Thai
Town. This rich cultural atmosphere inspires some of the most unique and
exquisite dining experiences imaginable. Also contributing to the fine array of
foods are several celebrity chefs, such as Wolfgang
Puck.
Los Angeles, California boasts an unrivaled shopping scene. Popular shopping
venues include the Beverly
Center, the Hollywood
and Highland Complex, Melrose
Avenue and Rodeo
Drive in Beverly
Hills, CA. Exciting nighttime hotspots and clubs such as the Viper
Room are found throughout Los Angeles. Other well-known nighttime
destinations include sites in Downtown
L.A., Hollywood,
Silver
Lake and West
Hollywood, which is home to the renowned Sunset
Strip.
As the entertainment center of the region, Los Angeles, CA takes part in
numerous art, film, music and television industries. L.A. is home to such
institutions as the L.A. County
Museum of Art, the Getty
Center, the Natural History
Museum of Los Angeles, the Walt
Disney Concert Hall and the Kodak
Theater, which plays host to the prestigious Academy
Awards. Popular destinations providing entertainment to visitors includes La
Brea Tar Pits, Los Angeles
Zoo, Universal
Studios Hollywood and the spectacular beaches
in Malibu, Santa Monica and Venice, California. Los Angeles, CA hosted the
Olympic Games in 1932
and 1984
and is the home of sporting teams such as the Clippers,
Dodgers, Kings,
Lakers and Sparks.
The astounding academic scene in L.A. includes a multitude of choices for
higher learning. Public facilities include California
State University Los Angeles, California
State University Northridge and UCLA.
Private institutions include Loyola
Marymount University, Mount
St. Mary’s College, Occidental
College, Otis College of Art
and Design, Pepperdine
University, Southwestern
University and the University
of Southern California. There also several campuses of the Los
Angeles City College system available in various parts of greater Los
Angeles, CA.
Los Angeles, California
lures people from all corners of the world with its balmy Mediterranean climate,
exotic landscapes and high-energy lifestyle. The melting-pot style communities
that make up L.A. afford its visitors a well-balanced cultural experience and a
familiar place to call home.