Shasta

Shasta is the northwesternmost province of Sierra, located along the western coast of North America on the. Composed of 7 counties, Shasta is home to 984,221 people spread over 27,607 square miles, making it the 14th most populous and 3rd largest province of Sierra. The capital of Shasta is Apfelhain, which is the principal city of the Apfelhain-Mondsichelhafen metropolitan area, while the largest city is. Admitted into the Kingdom on November 28, 1858, it is the 9th province in order of admission to Sierra. It is the only second-level administrative region to have as one of its official languages.

Shasta borders Rainier to the north, Washumko to the east, Plumas to the south, and the Pacific to the west. It is officially a part of the Sierran Pacific Northwest region, although it is sometimes considered an extended part of the Styxie due to historical and political connections. During the Sierran Civil War, Shasta formed an integral part of the self-declared Second California Republic. Its heavily German-influenced culture, progressive politics, and relative geographical separation from most of Sierra has made the province particularly unique amongst the Kingdom.

Shasta is an environmentally and geographically diverse province typical of the northern fringes of Sierra which can be divided into two unique geographic areas. The eastern portion of the province possesses the southernmost edges of the and is covered by both s and fields of short grasses on top of hilly highlands and in mountain valleys. The western portion of the province in mainly covered in hills and highlands and is almost completely made up of dense forests. The world-renowned s of Sierra, which draw tens of thousands of visitors every year, are located on Shasta's Pacific coast.

Prior to European discovery and exploration of Sierra, Shasta was mainly inhabited by a diverse group of Amerindians that included the, the , the , and the. The natives' way of life was left undisturbed for about a century longer than their southern counterparts further down in present-day Plumas. The first recorded European presence in Shasta was an accidental landing by a Spanish crew, who were part of the, near in 1775. By the 19th century, the Russians had begun colonization of northern Sierra through the establishment of active seafaring and sea lion hunting along Shasta's coast. Small parties of New Hollander colonists also explored parts of southern Shasta in their expansion northward, averting Spanish detection. Although Shasta was nominally claimed by New Spain and later, its successor Mexico, it did not see any significant development or attention until California gained independence as a republic in 1848. Shasta's population grew exponentially during and after the, and was a top destination for German-speaking Americans traveling along the. It was initially administered as part of the larger state of Plumas, but it eventually gained provincehood in 1877 under Sierra following a partition passed by Parliament.

Shasta was occupied by the self-declared California Republic during the Sierran Civil War, before pro-government forces regained control over the area shortly before the war's end in 1877. During Sierra's economic boom during the late 19th-century, Shasta experienced the rise in boom towns as thousands of immigrants came for the province's budding mining and lumber industries. The development of the transcontinental railroad system and telegraph network substantially boosted the province's unprecedented population growth in the region, which saw the population approaching well over 100,000 by 1900. During and between both world wars, Shasta's manufacturing industries became a crucial component to the province's continued growth. It was also at the forefront of the Sierran Cultural Revolution, home to a disproportionately high percentage of Sierran Hapas. Deeply involved in progressive politics, the Hapas allied with the province's majority German-speaking population, who were predominantly liberal-minded. In the present-day, Shasta remains the most socially liberal province in the Kingdom, being the first to have legalized same-sex marriage and recreational marijuana in 2002 and 2004 respectively, and among the first to adopt reforms working towards socialized medicine and education. It has also been a hotspot for far-left extremism and eco-terrorism, which was especially problematic during the 1970s and 1980s, when the province faced arson-related attacks, hostage crises, and bombings.

Etymology
The name Shasta traces its origins back to the, an indigenous Amerindian tribe found in northern Shasta and southern Oregon in Rainier. The Shasta originally inhabited the and numbered as much as 2,000 individuals prior to contact with the Europeans. This origin has been anachronistically applied to the name. The province however, was actually named after (which was named after the Shasta tribe), the highest mountain in the province and the fifth highest in Sierra. , a leader of a brigade, is widely credited with giving the mountain the name (originally as Sasty or Sastise, in honor of the previously mentioned Amerindian tribe). However, Ogden was referring to the nearby, which was several miles due north of Mount Shasta. The name Shasta formally transferred from Mount McLoughlin to Mount Shasta in 1841 when the dispatched an expedition team in Upper California. A party of researchers, under the command of traveled from, Oregon towards  along the , where they made sight and note of Mount Shasta. The mountain's notability and prominence eventually loaned its name to refer the entire previously unexplored region of northern California. When Shasta became a province in Sierra, it was officially named the Province of Shasta. Its German spelling is Schasta.

Nicknames
The official provincial nickname is "The Redwood Province", which appears on its vehicle registration plates, government websites, welcome signs, and tourism advertisements. The nickname is a reference to its famous, which are uniquely endemic to the coastal forests of northern Sierra and southern Rainier. The redwood is also the province's official tree. The , also known as the giant redwood, are found along the western slopes of, and have been a symbol of endearment and pride for the province. The nickname was formally chosen by the Shasta Provincial Legislature on September 9, 1956. Presiding governor Richard D. Calhoun remarked, "The beautiful redwood is a remarkable, striking creation of God. One cannot help but only stand in awe and amazement at the domineering majesty when one looks up at one of them."

The "Free Love Province" is the second most common nickname for Shasta, with it first emerging during the 1970s from residents and non-residents to describe the province's general attitudes towards sexuality and relationships. The province has been long noted for its gay-friendly and progressive politics. It was at the forefront of the early LGBT rights movement in Sierra and voters embraced the principles of. Hippie communities and love communes were common in Shasta during the Sexual Revolution, and some of Sierra's first gay pride parades were held in the province. It became the second province after San Francisco in 2004 in making same-sex marriages legal. It is home to some of Anglo-America's largest LGBTQ+ communities and is also home to a significant subculture of BDSM enthusiasts.

Other nicknames for the province include "The Outdoorsman's Province", "The Forested Province", "The German Province", "The Pioneer Province", and "The Indian Province".

Its official provincial motto is  Salus Populi Suprema Est Lex, which in means "The welfare of the people is the supreme law".

Geography
Shasta is the northwesternmost province in Sierra. It borders the Rainian state of to the north, which follows a generally straight path that runs west-to-east. To the east is Washumko, with the border between the two provinces following the. To the south is Plumas, which roughly follows the. The forms the western boundary of Shasta. With an area of 27,607 square mile (71,501 km$2$), Shasta is larger than and, while it is smaller than. It is the 6th largest province in Sierra. Shasta's highest point is, at 14,179 ft (4,322 m), and its lowest point is the sea level of the Pacific Ocean at the Shasta coast. Shasta's two largest rivers are the and the, which both flow east-to-west, with the former emptying into the Pacific Ocean and the latter flowing into the  and.

It is a Pacific Northwest province and is generally considered a part of the Styxie. It has been historically associated with republicanism because it became a constituent state of the breakaway Second California Republic during the Sierran Civil War and was home to a large voting bloc of Democratic-Republican voters, including German farmers.

Topography and terrain
Topographically, Shasta's terrain is rugged and mountainous. Its landscape has one of the largest areas of undisturbed or minimally exploited natural areas in Sierra. For instance, the features over 2.2 million square acres of federally protected land. Western Shasta is dominated by the and the, which extends into Southern Rainier. Nearly two-thirds of Shasta's population lives to the west of the Klamath Mountains, while the mountains themselves are sparsely populated due to its highly variable topography. The highest peak in the Klamath Mountains is at 9,025 feet (2,751 m). The and Klamath River are the two major sources of water found in this section of the province. The transnational in Shasta divides the province in half and includes the province's tallest peak,. , at 10,457 ft (3,187 m), forms the southern terminus of the mountain range near the Shasta–Plumas border. The mountains are part of the and include both volcanically active and dormant peaks. Like much of the Cascades, the mountains' peaks are usually snowcapped year-round. Its supply of snow is replenished during the fall and winter due to strong prevailing originating from the Pacific that allow for substantial precipitation along its western slopes due to. The region has an abundance of ravines, canyons, rivers, and lakes pocketing the range. Southern Central Shasta includes the northernmost section of, which is known as the. The from the Klamath Mountains feeds the valley's flat and fertile soil with a steady stream of melted snow, which leads further south into Central Sierra.

Eastern Shasta is dominated by the, a relatively flat about 4,000 to 6,000 feet above sea level. The plateau is cushioned between the Sierra Nevada to the west and the to the east (which straddles the northeastern corner of the province). Small portions of the are also in eastern Shasta. The southeastern portion of Shasta, including the Adams' Panhandle, contains, , and virtually all of their watershed. The Adams' Panhandle includes the Great Basin areas east of the Sierra Nevada and west of the Shasta–Washumko border, running along the Long Valley Creek River for the majority of its length.

Climate
Shasta has a (: Csb), which is further divided into three subtypes based on location and altitude. Coastal Shasta experiences significantly cooler and more uniform temperatures due to an known as. Further inland, areas west of the Sierra Nevada experiences a with drier and hotter summers seen prevalent through western Sierra. Higher altitudes receive substantially more precipitation, cool summers, and mild winters known as the. These areas are heavily influenced by the nearby hot-summer Mediterranean areas and the Pacific Ocean, and have wintertime temperatures just low enough to allow snowfall. The highest altitudes have an.

The Sierra Nevada has a profound effect on precipitation and climate in Shasta. As a result of its geography, it is the one of the wettest places in all of Sierra and its watershed is the largest source of water for the country. It casts a large that leaves Eastern Shasta drier and lower in humidity year-round when compared to Western Shasta. The transmontane, inland sections of Eastern Shasta experience a hybrid climate of Mediterranean and. Although the region is generally semi-arid and experiences warm to hot summers, freezing temperatures have been observed in every month of the year, and cool nights can occur during even the hottest summer days.

Flora and fauna
Shasta supports a highly diverse assortment of wildlife and plants, some of which are only endemic to the region. Around 60 percent of the province is forested, mostly west of the Cascades, with 40 percent of this land protected as federal or provincial land. The province is divided into several s, each formed through a combination of local geography, altitude, and climate. Large forests of coniferous and redwood trees can be found along the western slopes of the mountain range. Common tree species includes the, , , , , , , and many species of. Other trees include the and, which are unique to the province and neighboring areas. Over two million acres of can be found in the northwestern corner of the province. Shasta's forest floors support an array of flowering plants, mosses, grasses, and fungi such as swordferns, tulips, tiger lilies, barrenworts, and huckleberries.

Terrestrial mammals native to Shasta include the, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and. Historical species that once inhabited Shasta include the  and. These two species were once common throughout the province, but were hunted for sport and fur during the California Gold Rush. The last known grizzly in Shasta was recorded in 1921, several years before its population in all of Sierra was completely decimated. Recently, there has been interest in reintroducing a small population of grizzly bears in the province.

Shasta's wide range in geography supports various ecoregions, which are able to sustain a variety of avian species including s, s, s, s, s, s, and other birds. Shasta is also home to hundreds of species of aquatic life including, , s, es, s, , , and. There are also dozens of amphibian and reptilian species known to inhabit the province, including several species of s.

Shasta has several provincial parks and five national parks. Among them include, , , , , , and. There are a total of 45 federally and provincially protected areas in Shasta, totaling some 2.5 million square acres of forests, grasslands, wetlands, lakes, caves, beaches, and mountains.

Pre-Sierran period
The original inhabitants of Shasta was a significant Amerindian population that included, , , , , and tribes. The culturally and linguistically diverse groups lived in Shasta for thousands of years. Since European exploration and settlement was limited to south of modern-day Plumas during the Spanish and Mexican colonial periods, Shasta's indigenous populations largely eluded outside contact until the mid-19th century. Nonetheless, Shasta was a de jure territory of Spain and later Mexico, the former of which claimed the area for itself and the latter which later inherited the claims. Few land grants and ranchos were established by the Mexican government, including, though mostly for Anglo-American and European settlers. There were limited excursions to Shasta by the New Hollander colonists and Russians who settled nearby. Tribal contact with outsiders increased substantially in the years preceding the Mexican-American War and the. After California gained its independence, Shasta was incorporated as a part of the state of Plumas, which later reorganized as the province of Plumas when California transitioned into Sierra in 1858. Anglo-American exploration of Shasta was first conducted by American explorer John C. Frémont (future Sierran prime minister). Frémont entered modern-day Shasta through Modoc County in 1846 from Plumas.

Interaction between Shasta's indigenous peoples and Anglo-American newcomers shifted from cautious curiosity to open, widespread hostilities. The Sierran-Indian Wars, which started during the Gold Rush, continued for decades until its conclusion in the 1880s. The war consisted of constant raids organized by both sides against each others' settlements, and skirmishes that erupted over accidental encounters or misunderstandings. After the Compact of Indian Friendship was signed in 1887, Shasta's tribes were one of the first Amerindian groups to benefit from the reservation system, with the federal government allocated over 6,000 square miles (mostly in Eastern Shasta) for such groups in the province alone.

Settlement of the region was much slower compared to its neighbors to the south. Shasta remained largely rural and uninhabited during the 19th century. Development was limited and focused near mining sites and forested areas, which provided employment to miners, loggers, and fur trappers. Agricultural work began in the Sacramento Valley, though was generally in nature. Despite its sluggish development, the province proved to be an ideal location for Anglo-American emigrants from the Midwest and American Northeast. Located near the, groups of Germans and Scandinavians had the choice between settling in Rainier further north, or Shasta and the rest of Sierra. Those who came did so by traveling along the, before following the Applegate–Lassen Cutoff, and then moving along the Lassen path. This path was particularly treacherous and difficult to navigate, and was generally avoided by most travelers. The first major Anglo-American settlement in Shasta that was based off of the Oregon Trail migratory waves was in the city of.

Early provincehood
After the conclusion of the Sierran Civil War, Parliament granted provincial status to Shasta as part of a concessionary deal with the Republicans for greater representation in the Senate. More than half of Plumas was partitioned in order to create Shasta, although much of this territory was never substantially inhabited by Plumas' Dutch-speaking citizens. Shasta was administered by moderate Democratic-Republican loyalists who took control over the new provincial government in the 1877 provisional elections. The city of Redding was chosen as the province's first capital and seat of government, and was the location where the Shasta Provincial Legislature convened for the first time.

Initially, Shasta's post-war population consisted mainly of migrants from Plumas and other provinces from the Styxie, as well as spillover migrants from Rainier. The local economy was limited to agriculture, mining, and forestry, though its rugged terrain and geographic isolation made it difficult for large-scale community planning. Small communities also formed along the coasts where residents took up fishing and trade to make a living. As Sierra's population and economy grew however, Shasta became an attractive region for Anglo-American immigrants, particularly those from German and Scandinavian communities from Teutonica and the United Commonwealth. After the completion of the and  reached the province in 1862, the population of Shasta accelerated at even faster pace and the federal government provided major financial grants to support the province's steady stream of growth.

Shasta preserved the tradition of granting large parcels of land to buyers at very low prices, which encouraged settlement and commercial farming in the region, which was confined within the Sacramento Valley and the coasts. Geographic separation by the Klamath Mountains and Cascades made it difficult for the government in Redding to communicate with its citizens along the coast. This barrier would lead to two divergent cultures and economies. The capital finally moved to Apfelhain, along the coast, in 1924, as the province's population had disproportionately concentrated near the coast, away from the sparsely populated interior. The decision, which was made by the Legislature, was meant with mixed reactions, particularly in the former capital, Redding, and provoked some calls for splitting the province into two halves instead.

During the 1880s, Sierra and Rainier had a protracted dispute over their mutual borders along the Shasta–Oregon line. Over the course of a decade, the two countries engaged in low-intensity border skirmishes as both nations fought over a narrow strip of overlapped claims. In 1883, Lord Superintendent Noah Corbyn rose a militia of 200 men to defend Sierra's claims over. Corbyn's militia trespassed the Rainian side of the valley on numerous occasions, ransacking the town of before Rainier sent its own troops. The two sides fought for two weeks, and resulted in 31 deaths, before Corbyn ordered the militia to retreat. The incident provoked heightened tensions between Sierra and Rainier, before Parliament issued a formal injunction against the Lord Superintendent's actions, condemning the unilateral attack. King Smith I formally dismissed Lord Superintendent Corbyn thereafter.

20th century
Shasta became the first province in the Kingdom to extend to women, doing so in 1899 following a successful decade-long women's suffragist campaign in the sparsely populated region. The decision inspired other provinces to follow suit, including Plumas and San Joaquin, which joined Shasta in the years to come. Debbie Beaton was the first woman to ever serve in the Sierran House of Commons, representing Shasta's 3rd parliamentary district from 1902 to 1906 as a Democratic-Republican. Beaton was a Progressive politician and voted in favor of Revolution-friendly measures during Prime Minister Robert Landon's incumbency. Beaton's decisions were highly unpopular among local Shasta residents, particularly among conservative Democratic-Republicans, who felt alienated by her pro-revolution politics. She was singled out primarily due to being Shasta's only female legislator at the time, despite several of her other peers voting similarly to her. The Shasta Provincial Legislature passed a measure in 1905 to ban direct immigration from East Asia to Shasta, which Shasta's federal representatives, including Beaton, protested vehemently against. German-speaking trade unions rallied against ousting Beaton and her allies, and successfully campaigned conservative favorite John Headey as Beaton's challenge in the 1906 primaries. Headey won and joined ranks with the Parliament Democratic-Republicans' nativist wing.

Demographics
The Sierra Royal Bureau of Census officially recorded a population of 984,221 during the 2010 census. In 2016, the Bureau estimated that the population of Shasta surpassed the 1 million mark and reached 1,172,901, indicating a population increase of 188,680 or 19.7%. This includes a of 98,766 since the year 2010 (that is 144,197 births minus 45,431 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 33,539 into the province. Immigration from outside the Kingdom of Sierra resulted in a net increase of 56,375, and migration within the country resulted in a net decrease of 20,101. According to the 2010 census, of the people residing in Shasta, 80.4% were born in Shasta, 11.1% were born in another Sierran PSA or territory, 0.2% were born abroad to Sierran parent(s), and 8.3% were foreign-born. Over 95 percent of Shasta's native-born residents had parents or grandparents who were foreign-born. The was located near  in Turner County, in 2016, following a northwestern-oriented trend observed since 1880.

There were 117 municipalities in Shasta, of which 15 were cities, 48 were towns, 19 were townships, 10 were villages, and 25 were home-rule municipalities. The largest municipality and city in Shasta in 2010 was, with a population of 98,181. The smallest municipality is Birchville, with an official census population of 22.

Race, ancestry, and language
According to the Sierra Royal Bureau of Census, the 2010 racial makeup of the Province of Shasta was as follows according to self-identification.

Although the largest European ancestry group in Shasta is German, communities of Irish, Jacobite, and Scandinavian descent are prevalent throughout Eastern Shasta. Populations of Dutch ancestry are also common along the southwestern portion of Shasta, near the border of Plumas. The city of Redding historically had a significant number of Scots-Irish and English descent, many of whom arrived through the Oregon Trail. Coastal communities also supported Slavic communities, mostly of Russian descent, stemming back from Russia's early colonial endeavors along the Pacific Northwest Coast. In the late 19th-century and early 20th-century, Italians from the northern provinces arrived to Shasta, where they developed Shasta's local viniculture and wine industry.

Shasta's Hispanic population is mainly concentrated in the Eureka metropolitan area in southwest central Shasta. Some are descendants of s who dispersed from the Styxie region following the end of the Mexican-American War. Others arrived later during the Interwar Period in search of jobs as fishermen, shipbuilders, and farm workers.

Asians represent the second largest racial group in Shasta, and have had an established presence in the province as early as the Gold Rush days during the 1850s. The Chinese, the Japanese, and later the Hans came to the area as miners and later railroad workers. They were initially viewed with hostility and resistance from the white population, forcing many Asians to form their own enclaves or villages throughout the province. Many early travelers were men who came alone, and thus often intermarried with people of other races. This caused significant controversy with Shasta having one of the strictest and harshest anti-miscegenation laws in the country before the federal government struck it down in 1905. The Asian population grew exponentially during the Sierran Cultural Revolution and major relaxations to immigration laws, allowing entire families to come to settle the province. Shasta's modern Asian communities are generally concentrated along the Pacific coast, in the Eureka and Apfelhain metropolitan areas. Hans are the largest Asian ancestry group in Shasta, totaling near 45,000.

Amerindians are concentrated in Eastern Shasta and constitute the majority in three of the seven counties. As of 2017, there are a total of 23 reservations in the province, with the total area of Indian reservations constituting about one-fifth of the province's total area. Shasta was the first province in the Kingdom to provide reservations for its indigenous tribes.

According to the Royal Bureau of Census' National Population Statistics Survey in 2016, the largest groups in the province were German (56.4%), Irish (10.8%), Jacobite (8.7%), Dutch (7.9%), English (6.4%), Norwegian (5.5%), Italian (4.3%), and French (3.0%).

Taxation
In Shasta, there are ten s used to calculate provincial, ranging from 1% to 10%. There are six income brackets for es which range from 2% to 9.66%, and four brackets for taxes on and  (4% to 11%). Shasta has one of the lowest sales tax in the country, at only 4.45%. At the provincial level, a 0.5% on all properties on top of local property taxes, which may range from 0.1% to 2% depending on the market value of the property on a given date as determined by the local county assessor.

Constitution
The Constitution of the Province of Shasta is one of the world's longest constitutions, totaling 221,381 words. The current constitution was adopted on June 11, 1921, and is the sixth iteration of the province's constitutions. It enshrines the framework of Shasta's government, enumerates the basic rights afforded unto its citizens, and includes the province's 498 amendments and addenda, the latter of which is responsible for the constitution's immense length. Nearly 80 percent of the amendments deal with matters pertaining to a specific county or township. In addition, like most PSAs in the Kingdom, Shasta's citizens have the ability to make amendments to the constitution via s and. In 2017, Shasta voters had 12 proposals on the ballot, of which 7 passed. The province's longstanding tradition of participatory democracy is responsible for the large cumulative growth of Shasta's constitution. In addition, statutory elections on constitutional conventions are held every 5 years, asking voters if the province is in need of constitutional reform or revisions. Since 1991, calls for a constitutional convention have been rejected.

Executive
The Lord Superintendent of Shasta, Sir Walter Williams, is the Queen's in the Province of Shasta. The Lord Superintendent is also the nominal and primarily performs duties which are ceremonial in nature. During the Lord Superintendent's absence, the Queen-in-Council may appoint another representative to fill in the vacancy. By convention, this has normally been the Chief Justice of the Shasta Supreme Court or the Speaker of the Provincial Legislature.

Like most provincial governments in Sierra, the position of the Governor of Shasta is the and is elected independently and separately from the Provincial Legislature. Although the governor ultimately derives their authority from the Lord Superintendent, the governor is the de facto chief executive of the province. Shasta operates under a clear, which allows the governor to focus purely on executive action and contest in direct, popular elections, in contrast to the parliamentary system found at the federal level. The current governor is Kaitlyn Gans, a Green, who assumed office on December 16, 2014.

The governor is also assisted by the lieutenant governor, who is elected on the same ticket. Shasta is one of the few provinces which does not provide or maintain an official residence for the governor. During the governor's tenure, they may continue residing in their personal residence, although temporary housing arrangements within the capital of Apfelhain can be made upon request. Shasta law requires that at least one-fourth of this residency assistance be paid by the governor out-of-pocket. The governor has several responsibilities, including but not limited to, exercising the Lord Superintendent's prerogative powers, overseeing the executive government, enforcing the law, participating in the Executive Council, leading the province's National Guard, preparing an annual budget, suggesting legislation to the Legislature, appointing executive officials and civil servants, and coordinating emergency or disaster relief services during times of distress.

Other elected executive positions include the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the Comptroller, the Treasurer, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction. All elected officials hold a term of four years, with no constitutional term limits, though by convention, governors and lieutenant governors generally serve no more than two consecutive terms.

Legislative
Shasta has operated with a legislature since 1978 following a voter-initiated amendment that abolished the original bicameral legislature. The Shasta Provincial Legislature is composed of 40 seats, all of whom are elected every two years in October. Since the first unicameral legislature convened, it has been dominated by the Progressive coalition-parties (the Democratic-Republicans, Greens, and Social Democrats. Each law passed by the Legislature must receive the assent of the Lord Superintendent, though by convention, this has come to mean whenever the bill has shown clear support by a . The legislature is empowered to create and pass legislation that targets the entire province or selected communities. The Speaker is the leader of the legislature and is charged with presiding over all official sessions on the legislative floor.

Judicial
The Supreme Court of Shasta is the highest court of law in Shasta and is composed of five judges, four of whom are elected directly by the people every five years. The chief justice is appointed by the Lord Superintendent, on the advice of the Governor, and serves for five years. The Supreme Court does not have over most case matters and instead, can only hear cases being appealed from the lower courts. Shasta has two courts of appeal, one for western Shasta and the other for eastern Shasta. Both courts of appeal are composed of seven judges, who are all elected by the general populace on five year terms. Each of the seven counties have their own local superior courts, which have original jurisdiction over nearly all cases within the county. Cases which have been settled by the Supreme Court of Shasta can be appealed to the federal courts of appeal and ultimately, the Supreme Court of Sierra.

List of counties
In terms of total area, the largest county is Evergreen County at 3,208 square miles (8,303.68 km$2$) while the smallest county is Moonlight County at 1,230 square miles (3,185.69 km$2$). The most populous county is Heidi County with a 2010 Census population of 431,101, while the least populous county is Sturgeon County with 20,666.