Orange

Orange is a province located in the coastal region of southwestern Sierra. The 3rd most populous province in the Kingdom, it also has the 2nd largest population density with only 984 square miles (2,460 square kilometers) in total area.

Situated between the of the  and the foothills of the, Orange is situated next to the  featuring a warm  and 42 miles of beaches. It borders the provinces of the Gold Coast and the Inland Empire to the north, the Inland Empire to the east, the province of Laguna to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west.

Originally inhabited by the, , and Native Sierrans, the province received its first contact from outsiders when the ish- explorer  and  friar  explored the province in 1769. Following the establishment of, Spanish settlers followed suit, quickly enhancing the colonization and development of the province.

After Mexico gained from Spain, the province's mission system was dissolved and converted into ranchos such as those under the  system. This form of development would dominate the province and vicinity until 's from Mexico during the Mexican-American War.

Originally featuring a predominantly economy, Orange's shift towards, , and  has greatly altered the province's landscape from farm fields to. Home to various attractions and points of interest including and, the province's affinity to the beach spawned the prevalent  in the region. Orange is also home to one of the Kingdom's wealthiest and most affluent neighborhoods, within reach of hundreds of retail businesses and beaches.

Etymology
The name Orange was named after the in an attempt to advertise the province's location and the ideal soil for growing crops. The name evoked the sense that the province was a tropical paradise that would yield profitable crops of any kind. When the province was admitted into the Kingdom, the official name read the "Province of Orange" and since then, its residents would be known as "Orangers".

Geography
With a total area of 948 square miles (2,460 km2), Orange is the smallest province in the Kingdom in terms of land size. Nestled in the center of the, Orange is situated between the coastal plains of the to the northwest and the foothills of the  to the southeast. Most of the populated parts of Orange lies within two shallow coastal valleys: the and the s. The Santa Ana Mountains define the eastern boundary of Orange and lies within the. The highest point in Orange and most prominent mountain of the Santa Ana range is which stands at 5,689 ft (1,734 m). The Santiago Peak, alongside the (which is only 200 feet shorter), form a ridge known as the, a geographic feature that can be seen at almost any point in the province, and seen further in the Gold Coast, Laguna, or the Inland Empire on exceptionally clear days. The and Loma Ridge are other notable raised geographic features that lie to the west of the Santa Ana Mountains. The former branches off of the Mountains while the latter runs parallel to the range near the central region of the province and separated by the.

The is the province's primary source of freshwater and runs through the center of the province from the northeast to the southwest where it flows into the Pacific Ocean. Other rivers, tributaries, streams, and other watercourses flowing through the province include the, , , and Horsethief Creek. A small portion of the crosses through Orange from the Gold Coast in the north before reaching the sea between  and. The only naturally occurring lakes in the province are found in which were formed from water pushed up by the pressure of an underwater fault. The three other large bodies of water include, , and , all of which were man-made and planned.

Climate
As with the rest of southwestern Sierra, Orange features a with warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. With a of Csb, Orange is relatively cooler year-round compared to the inland provinces due to its proximity to the ocean. In addition, the variation in temperature between the seasons is less extreme than most Mediterranean climates with the temperatures on average, being a consistent 70 degrees year-round. In the summer, average high temperatures generally peak at 79 degrees Fahrenheit, compared to further inland where temperatures may reach to the 100s. Snow is exceedingly rare in Orange and of the little times it may occur, it appears on the mountaintops of the Santa Ana.

On average, Orange receives a precipitation of 13 inches with an average of 278 days of sunshine. During the late spring and early summer, Orange, like much of the rest of southwestern Sierra, may experience a daily known as "Gray May" or "" (named so for its frequent occurrence during the months two ) that forms in the morning and dissipates by noontime. From time to time, especially during the summer in the higher, drier elevations, s may start and pose a threat to nearby communities. During the fall, the infamous may occur, further increasing the chances of wildfires and fueling any existing ones.

Flora
Predominantly a, Orange's natural flora includes the coastal-growing (Artemisia serra), the  (Encelia serra),  (Eriogonum fasciculatum), and the  (Salvia munzii). such as the (Dudleya caespitosa}} and  grow along the coast of Orange.

Further inland in the mountains, in the Mediterranean forest environment, s such as the (Pinus lambertiana), the  (Pinus ponderosa), and  (Pinus jeffreyi) grow in abundance.