Gold Coast

The Gold Coast is a province located on the southwestern coast of the Kingdom of Sierra. The most populous province in the Kingdom with over 11 million people, the province is the 18th largest province by area. Its seat of government, the city of Los Angeles, is also the national capital of the Kingdom and the largest city in the country. It borders Kings to the north, the Inland Empire to the east, Orange to the south, and the to the west. The Gold Coast also includes two offshore islands, and Santa Catalina.

Originally inhabited by the tribe and other Native Sierrans, the land of what is now known as the Gold Coast had its first contact with Europeans in 1542 by  and  in 1602. Claimed by, the Gold Coast was eventually inhabited by Spaniard civilians and soldiers following a successful 1771 expedition led by friar. By 1777, several cities including future capital Los Angeles was established, affirming Spanish control of the land.

Following the of Mexico, the Gold Coast became part of the Mexican territory of, remaining so until the Mexican-American War. The war saw the eruption of the and the formation of the, the entity that would eventually evolve into the present-day Kingdom of Sierra. The attracted many foreigners to immigrate to Sierra, and many began settling in the Gold Coast where cities such as Los Angeles were rapidly expanding. Following the decision for the national government to relocate from San Francisco City to Los Angeles, the Gold Coast experienced massive demographic and social change, as well as a booming economy. Continued development of the urban regions have led to the high status the province has in contemporary times.

Much of the Gold Coast, and consequently its population, lies within in the central, , or. The and  (both part of the ) separates the main basin from the northern regions of the province, which features the  and the. Several, smaller mountain ranges are scattered throughout the province's northern, western, and southwestern regions, including the. The, , , and are the province's principal rivers, and all flow into the.

The Gold Coast accounts for nearly 30% of the nation's entire GDP and has the largest economy in the country. Home to, the Gold Coast is renowned for its entertainment industries in film, music, television, and publishing. The Gold Coast is also the home to various major conglomerates and corporations and the Los Angeles Stock Exchange, one of the world's most prolific s in the world. Other important contributors to the Gold Coast's economy includes aerospace, medicine, law, and manufacturing.

Etymology
The name, the Gold Coast originally only referred to the coasts further south in what is now known as Pacífico Norte, a Sierran territory. The name was used to describe the waters and surrounding lands by the Spaniards who were in search for gold.

During the, people around the world flocked to northern Sierra where gold was found in large amounts. The Gold Coast, then known as Los Angeles (based on its largest settlement), which was over 500 miles south of the main gold sites, began advertising itself as the "Gold Coast" in order to attract would-be prospectors to settle there instead. Although the Gold Coast did not have gold, its weather conditions, fertile soil, and proximity to the ocean were deemed adequate for farming and commerce. Following the formation of the Kingdom of Sierra, the former Californian state of Los Angeles was reorganized and renamed as the province of the "Gold Coast". Eventually, the Gold Coast's rise to prosperity gave vindication to the name, and the name came to be understood as a reflection of the province's economic successes.

Common abbreviations for the Gold Coast include GC, KS-GC, Gol., and GoCo. Residents and citizens from the Gold Coast are officially referred to as "Gold Coasters" and colloquially as "Gold Coasties", "Coasters", "Goldies", or "Gocoastians".

Geography
With a total of 4,751 square miles (12,310 km2), 4,058 square miles (10,510 km2) of the Gold Coast is land while 693 square miles (1,790 km2; 14.6% of the total area) is water, making the province the 18th largest province by total area in the country. The province is divided into two distinct geographical regions: the to the south, and several mountain ranges and valleys including  (the latter which marks the westernmost point of the )   to the north. The two regions are separated by the west-to-east running and  which are both part of the larger. The natural geographic barrier between the basin and the drier valleys lie the. Other prominent mountain ranges include the, the , and , all of which are in the northeastern region of the province. As with the rest of the western coastal regions of Sierra and the continental American coastlines along the in general, the Gold Coast lies within the, subjecting the province to frequent s which may sometimes lead to s (the latter which is rare). Although the does not run through the Gold Coast, the province is nonetheless subjected to its activity. Smaller faults that run near or branch off the San Andreas Fault such as the, however, do lie within the Gold Coast, and has at times been the cause of notably strong earthquakes. The Gold Coast's unique mountainous geography contributes to the smog and pollution that covers the Gold Coast and neighboring provinces. The steep mountains and the Pacific Ocean also contribute to the notorious and wildfires that occur seasonally.

Climate
Most of the Gold Coast features a - ( Csb on the coast and Csa inland). The Los Angeles Basin region is characterized by warm or hot summers and mild, cool winters. The weather is generally cooler year-round near the coast. Precipitation generally occurs during the winter and spring with occasional, sporadic s during the summertime. Overall, the province annually receives only 35 days of rain with the rest of the days mostly sunny. There are extreme variations in temperature throughout the province. Along the coast, temperatures are generally cooler while inland, mountainous regions are warmer. is exceptionally rare in the valleys but occur more often on the mountains during the winter months of and. Like the rest of the coastal southwestern Sierra region, the province is subject to local weather phenomena from to the notorious. Northern Gold Coast is considerably drier than southern Gold Coast due to its warm semi-arid steppe climate (Köppen climate classification BSh). With fewer rainfall and higher temperatures during the spring and summer, the climate differences between the two regions are noticeably different although not drastic.

Ecology
The coastal plains and the are classified as  ecoregions and further specified as having a  environment. Much of the southern low-lying regions of the Gold Coast are part of the ecoregion. In the mountains, the area features a  ecoregion instead.

Flora
A province predominantly with a chaparral environment, the Gold Coast is home to the Artemisia serra, Salvia mellifera , Salvia apiana , Eriogonum fasciculatum , and Rhus integrifolia. Grass,, and such as  are also found naturally throughout the province.

Fauna
The Gold Coast is home to a variety of animal species both terrestrial and marine. Dozens of species of s are endemic to the Gold Coast, including the. Other species of reptiles include the, a native species distributed over all parts of the province. Birds present in the province include the, the , and the. There are also several species of insects and spiders including the and the. Terrestrial mammals include the, the , the , the , and the. In the coasts, s, s, and s, as well as several species of  live off the coast of the Gold Coast.

Pre-Sierran era
The earliest known date of human presence in what is now the Gold Coast is 8000 BC. By 3000 BC, the people, originally from the, settled permanently in the region following an extended  in their homeland. Other notable tribes in the area included the who lived in present-day northern Gold Coast and the, and the  who lived along the coasts of northwest Gold Coast. A society, the natives traded extensively with neighboring tribes and utilized the nearby waters extensively for fishing and exploration. By the time the Spanish first arrived to the Gold Coast in 1542, 5,000 to 10,000 Tongva were living in the Gold Coast.

and were the first Europeans to land on the Gold Coast (1542 and 1602 respectively). Although the former declared the Gold Coast and surrounding areas to be Spanish territory, there were no further European development in the area until the arrival of the Franciscan friar, in 1771. Establishing the, the mission was among the first of the 21 sites Serra and his expedition established throughout Sierra. In 1777, the governor of  toured the Spanish territory with the responsibility of selecting sites and establishing civil towns (pueblos) to accommodate Spanish military posts (presidios). Among the pueblos de Neve established included future Gold Coast capital city, Los Angeles. The first Spanish settlers (44 in all; 22 adults and 22 children) to arrive to new town of Los Angeles became known as the (the "townspeople"). The Gold Coast remained under Spanish rule until the for Mexico was accomplished in 1821. Following Mexican control, the Gold Coast saw an increase number of civilian residents, economic growth, and urban development. Various communities sprung throughout the province and thousands of acres of land were converted into farmland or es. A semi- state, the Mexican government dismantled the Spanish mission system and sold them to the public. Former s and s were also released to the public in a similar manner. With expendable land, the government sold large acreages of unclaimed land to citizens at cheap prices using a relatively rudimentary system. Like the rest of Sierra, then known as, many Mexican citizens began forming their own distinct identity as.

Throughout Mexican California, more immigrants from the United States began settling in, often without the permission of the Mexican government. Living on the land as citizens required one to accept the teachings of and the knowledge of the. Many Americans who were and spoke primarily, were either unaware of the law or indifferent to it. While the Mexican government attempted to deport Americans who failed to uphold these two requirements, the English-speaking American communities continued to grow, including the Gold Coast. In Los Angeles, Anglo settlers began establishing local organizations to boost their political standing, causing further agitation of local Mexican officers.

Eventually, the outbreak of the led to a revolt in Alta California that first began in the norhern Californian town of  and spread to all regions including the Gold Coast. The was declared shortly thereafter and secured its independence following the end of the war through the signage of the.

With the creation of the California Republic, the Gold Coast was officially organized into the State of Los Angeles, a name reflective of the Gold Coast's largest city and capital. Following the discovery of gold in northern California, international interest in California heightened, elevating the Gold Coast's chances towards further development despite it being over 500 miles south of the region. Advertising its future name, the Gold Coast for its weather and land, Los Angeles presented itself as a "" of economic prosperity and sustainability. Los Angeles attracted thousands of Americans, Mexicans, Europeans, and Asians seeking economic opportunities and new lives.

Sierran era
After ten years of independence, the Californian government found itself struggling to assert its sovereignty. The lack of a strong, central government backed with a weak, inefficient police force, led to calls for a stronger, newer government. In 1858, after the formation of the California Constitution Convention, a new constitution was drafted and ratified, effectively creating the Kingdom of Sierra. The former state of Los Angeles was simultaneously admitted into the Kingdom along with 21 other provinces as the "Gold Coast" on November 28, 1858.



Initially, San Francisco City of the San Francisco province was designated as the Kingdom's capital. As it was the capital of the former republic, the government continued to maintain operations there. However, Los Angeles' faster growth and development as well as optimal space led the government to relocate its seat from the northern city to the Gold Coast. This decision bolstered the province's growth as the government allocated more resources and finances to improve the province's standing. From a population little under 25,000 in 1858 to 1.2 million by the end of the 1870s, the province experienced extraordinary economic boom and demographic expansion.

As Los Angeles continued grow, so did the surrounding regions within the province including, , , and. Continued immigration from Asia created heavily Asian-concentrated communities in, , and. Similarly, predominantly Hispanic towns and neighborhoods such as and, reflected the apparent socio-ethnic segregation phenomenon occurring in the province.

As Sierra expanded, new government projects and urban development helped accelerate population growth in the Gold Coast. The construction and completion of the Royal Interprovincial Freeway System drastically improved transportation and allowed the rise of more around Los Angeles. Meanwhile, the Gold Coast began to establish itself as the international leader in the entertainment industry as filmmakers and entertainers arrived to.

Continued investment in the province coupled with innovation and positive population growth, the Gold Coast continued to rise through the 20th century to the economic heavyweight it has become in contemporary times. Among the wealthiest provinces in the Kingdom, the Gold Coast nonetheless has the highest income inequality as it continues to suffer (best evidenced through Los Angeles' ) and aging public education system. The government of the Gold Coast has, under various governorships including present Prime Minister Steven Hong undertaken the task to improve life for lower income Gold Coasters.

Demographics
The Sierra Royal Bureau of Census estimates that the population of the Gold Coast in May 2015 is 12,188,005. In the 2010 census, 11,383,987 people were counted as citizens of the Gold Coast. With most of its population growth stemming from continued immigration from regions such as and, some of the Gold Coast's more established populations have since the early 1990s, began moving out of the province, mostly to the Inland Empire, Clark, or Orange.

The Gold Coast has been the Kingdom's most populous province since 1878, home to 3 of the 20 largest cities in Sierra: Los Angeles (1st), Long Beach (10th), and Pasadena (19th).

Racial and ancestral makeup

 * 34% (3,870,555)
 * 23% (2,618,317)
 * 17% / (1,935,278)
 * 12% (1,366,078)
 * 8% Mixed of any races (910,720)
 * 6% Other races inc. Native Sierran and Hawaiian (683,039)

The Gold Coast has the highest concentration of black Sierrans, the second highest concentration of Hispanics and Asians, as well as the second largest non-Hispanic white population.

Culture
The culture of the Gold Coast has held a strong role in the national culture, responsible for many contemporary values and customs held nationwide. A predominantly Western culture, the Gold Coast holds heavy Asian and Hispanic influence, especially the former. Due to its proximity to the coast and the border, the Gold Coast has attracted hundreds of diverse groups and populations who have contributed to the province's culture.

Public perception of the Gold Coast as idyllic, innovative, and an ideal tourist destination has all largely been in part to the province's relatively liberal culture, geography, climate, and economy.

Religion
The largest religious denomination by number of adherents in the Gold Coast by percentage in 2010 was the with 31%. The next largest denominations included Evangelical of any church at 21% and Mainline Protestants of any church at 19%. The largest Protestant churches include the Evangelicals,, , and. Those unaffiliated with any religion or faith were 17% of the population. Adherents of any of the churches represented 3% of the total population. Those part of any other Christian denominations such as accounted for 4% of the population.

2% of the Gold Coast are, 1% , and 0.5%. The remaining 0.5% included, adherents of the , , and other religions.

Languages
The official languages of the province include the nine languages recognized nationally (,, , , , , , , and Serran) and two additional languages recognized at the provincial level ( and ).

Approximately 57% of the population (6,488,872) spoke English as their at home while the rest did not. About 28% (3,187,516) spoke the second most commonly spoken language, Spanish. The Gold Coast has the highest concentration in the country of Arabic, Armenian, Korean, Japanese, and Thai speakers; second highest concentration of Chinese,, , Spanish, and Vietnamese speakers; and third largest concentration of Tagalog speakers.

Economy
The economy of the Gold Coast is the largest in the country in terms of GDP and is largely driven by international trade, banking and finance, entertainment, technology, tourism, and apparel. The province is also the largest manufacturing center in the country and is home to one of the world's busiest ports: the and. As of 2015, the Gold Coast's (GRP) is about $1.089 trillion, or about 21% of Sierra's $5.177 trillion  (GDP). If the Gold Coast were its own country, its GDP would make it the 20th largest in the world by GDP, larger than, the , and.

The five largest sectors in the Gold Coast are trade, professional and business utilities, government, education and health services, and financial services. With an economy largely dependent on the, the province nonetheless has had a traditional manufacturing base that continues to thrive in contemporary times. The Gold Coast is the second top producer in the country in and the top producer in, , and.

Energy
The Gold Coast has the highest demand for electricity and is the largest user of the utility in the entire kingdom. While the province is home to two plants, several dozen s, and an extensive power grid system, a significant amount of energy is imported from other provinces through  or solar sources. and also play an important role in the province's energy usage. Because of the province's large driving population, the demand for is the highest in the country, with domestic  output accounting for nearly 40% of the national population.

Freeways
The Gold Coast is renowned for its extensive freeway systems, with over 15 major highways spanning across the province, connecting several major cities to out-of-provincial metropolitan areas. Notorious for frequent and, renovation and improvement of the Gold Coast's roads are among the top priorities of the provincial government. The Gold Coast Department of Transportation manages the province's provincial routes as well as the highways part of the national Interprovincial Highway System that run through the province. As of 2015, there are three controlled-access s in the province as well as several paid lanes that contribute to provincial revenue. The Gold Coast Highway Patrol services all highways with police-related law enforcement and assistance.

Rail
The Gold Coast's public rail and transit system is provided by Sierrail under the management and supervision of the Gold Coast Provincial Department of Transportation. The primary line in the province is  while an integrated  and  system is provided by.

Airports
The (LAX) is the primary  to service the province and the. One of the world's busiest airports, LAX is operated by the, an agency owned by the City of Los Angeles. Other airports in the province include (VNY) in, the  (LGB) in , the  (BUR) in , the  (AVA) in ,  (HHR) in , and the  (OXR) in.

Several airports also service the province. These include the (CPM) in, the  (EMT) in , the  (POC) in , the  (WHP) in , the  (SMO) in , the  (TOA) in , and the  (AVF) in.

Gold Coast residents are also serviced two other major airports which are located outside the provincial limits: the (RION) and the  (QAA) with the former based in the province of the Inland Empire and the latter based in the province of Orange.

Seaports
The province's two principal seaports, the and the  is the largest and most complex port in  and is the world's third largest port by shipping volume. In addition, the Port of Los Angeles is the largest cruise center in the country, servicing over a million passengers annually. also link the to the mainland at.

Water
Water, an important and hotly contested resource, is the source of ongoing political tension. As with most of the country, the province is subjected to periodic s and water shortages, making water use and conservation a critical issue for the province. The Gold Coast receives most of its water from the from northern Sierra and the  System from eastern Sierra.

Government and politics
A province of Sierra, the Gold Coast features a government led by an elected, alongside its own legislature, courts, constitution, and laws within the context of the Sierran federal system and subject to the Crown. The capital city, Los Angeles, is also the capital of the entire Kingdom itself, although the two systems have distinct and separate institutions/buildings.

The Governor of the Gold Coast, heads the executive branch, and serves a term of 4 years. Other executive posts include the Lieutenant Governor, the Attorney General, Secretary of State, Province Treasurer, Province Controller, Province Ombudsman, and Province Superintendent of Education.

The Gold Coast Provincial Legislature is with the Senate as the  and the General Assembly as the. Senators are elected every four years while assemblyman every two years.

The Gold Coast's legal system is based on English and elements of the Spanish. The highest court in the province is the Supreme Court, which has oversight over all cases pertaining to the provincial constitutional law and cases originating in the province. Each county in the province is headed by a Superior Court and a Courts of Appeal. is a legal form of punishment and two methods are allowed: and. The latter however, has not been in use since 1961.

With respect to the Sierran federal system and the Monarch, all laws of the Gold Coast may not contradict the Constitution. In addition, federal law where it applies, supersedes provincial laws in theory, although in practice, federal laws may be ignored in place of Gold Coast law. All provincial officials including the Governor swear allegiance to the Monarch.

Education
Education, an issue relegated from the federal government to the provinces, is overseen by the Gold Coast Department of Education. Home to over 50 institutions, among these include the  (UGCLA) and the  (USS). The main public university systems in the province is the Gold Coast branches of the University of Sierra (University of the Gold Coast) and the Sierra National University (Gold Coast Provincial) systems.

Nearly 700,000 students between the ages of 5 and 18 are enrolled in the Gold Coast's public school system which features four s and over 200 schools. Another 30,000 are enrolled in a private, religious, or online school. Some 15,000 are independently tutored or.

Sports
The Gold Coast is home to eight major professional sports teams, all located in Los Angeles. The following listed below are as follows:

Aside from professional sports, the Gold Coast is home to well-established and reputable collegiate sports teams, including the and the. The annual held in  is the nation's most important collegiate football event.

The Gold Coast receives the distinction as the only province in the country to have hosted an : twice in and. Both of the events were held in Los Angeles.