Porciúncula

Los Angeles, formally known as the Special City-District of Los Angeles, and commonly referred to by its initials, L.A., is both the national capital of the Kingdom of Sierra and the provincial capital of the Gold Coast. With over 8 million residents, Los Angeles is Sierra's most populous city and boasts one of the most multicultural areas in the world. With a land area of 503 square miles, Los Angeles is located along the southwestern coastlines of Sierra.

Founded in September 4, 1781 by the Spanish governor,, the city became part of following the  and later the  following the signing of the  in 1848. Los Angeles became part of the Kingdom of Sierra following the Californian adoption of the Constitution of 1858 and later the Kingdom's capital in 1862. Following an agreement between the provincial government of the Gold Coast and the federal government and a constitutional modification, Los Angeles became the seat of power for both entities with federally-specific designated areas exempt from local jurisdiction.

Los Angeles is considered one of the world's leading and the economic center of southern Sierra. Boasting the third largest metropolitan economy in the world after and, it is home to the Los Angeles Stock Exchange and over 40 of the  listed companies. Along with business, Los Angeles leads the world in culture, education, entertainment, international trade, medicine, science, shopping, sports, and technology. In addition, Los Angeles has hosted the and. The Hollywood district is eponymous to cinema, television, and music and has been regarded as the "Entertainment Capital of the World". The city's infrastructure has underwent several periods of massive renovation and technological improvement over the course of its 200 plus years of existence. With one of the world's most famous and extensive system of and roads, Los Angeles will feature the world's first  system by 2020.

All three branches of the Sierran federal government including the Parliament, monarchy, prime minister, and the Supreme Court are all located in the downtown district. Los Angeles hosts over 160 embassies as well as the headquarters of several international organizations including the League of Nations. Dually functioning as the national capital and the provincial capital of the Gold Coast, all three branches of the subservient province including the Province Legislature, governor, and Provincial Supreme Court are located in the city.

Etymology
The name Los Angeles literally translates into "The Angels" in the. The name originated from a journal entry made by Spanish Captain Fernando Rivera y Moncado who was exploring the Los Angeles area with Father, a priest. The captain's expedition team came across the and called it a "beautiful river from the northwest" located at "34 degrees 10 minutes." The river was named Nuestra Señora de los Angeles de la Porciúncula (Spanish: Our Lady of the Angels at the [Little Portion]) in light of the Perdono, a Franciscan feast. According to tradition, (who is also the  of the city and the Kingdom),  gave the saint a small chapel. Later on, the chapel decayed and was in need of repair. Within this chapel, a wall with a mural contained images of the  surrounded by heavenly angels. Following the establishment of the Los Angeles settlement, the name Los Angeles came to be associated with both the river originally named and the town itself.

History
The first known instance of settlement in Los Angeles has been as early as 8000 BC. By 3000 BC, the people migrated from the  to the Los Angeles area after suffering an extended drought from their homeland. By the time the Spanish arrived to the region, as much as 5,000 natives lived in the Los Angeles Basin. Since the Spanish arrived, the Tongva have been identified by their Spanish names: the Gabrielinos and Fernandeños, which were based on the Spanish they were associated with.

and were the first Europeans to reach and explore the lands of Los Angeles in 1542 and 1602. Although the former declared Los Angeles and the rest of southwestern Sierra to be Spanish territory, there were no further European intrusions of 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 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").

Following from Mexico, economic activity flourished in Los Angeles as more and more civilians moved into the city. No longer subjected to the rule of a king, the locals had a newly instilled sense of democratic fellowship and fraternity among each other. As agriculture and cattle ranching endeavors expanded, the city's political culture matured. Local utilities and irrigation projects commenced to meet the increasing demands of the growing population. Through an act of the Mexican Congress in 1833, all former Spanish missions were secularized and open for sale to the public.

Following the outbreak of the and growing tensions within the Californian region, Los Angeles was captured by rebelling Californios. The local Mexican authorities were deposed and administration fell into the hands of trusted advisers loyal to the Californian cause. Pushing out any chances of Mexican capture, was signed to signify the termination of hostilities within the region. After the conclusion of the war and the signing of the, Los Angeles became officially part of the now-independent. During the ten years of Californian administration, Los Angeles underwent legal and property reforms including re-surveying the land under Californian terms. New city planning projects and designs were put into place with the first acts being the change of street names from Spanish to English.

After the creation of the Kingdom of Sierra, Los Angeles was advertised as a haven for Spanish-speaking citizens and poor Anglo-American settlers seeking for job opportunities. Ideal weather conditions, proximity to the coast, and fertile soil were all selling points to prospective inhabitants. The city quickly grew from a population of 10,000 to a million by the 1870s, a growth that spurred following the decision to move Sierra's government seat from San Francisco City to Los Angeles. With more public sector jobs available in the Los Angeles area and policymakers now in the region, investors and businessmen took advantage of the new, favorable economic conditions the city offered.

The city was linked with its first in 1863, connecting Los Angeles with  which in turn, connected San Francisco City. Los Angeles continued to experience rapid development as the Sierran government sought to make the city a "worthy and enviable" capital. In 1874, the Port of Los Angeles was moved further south from its original site near, away from the city limits, prompting lawmakers to expand the borders by incorporating what is now known as the city of.

With the discovery of in the vicinity, the city became an increasingly attractive site for immigrants from the United States, Mexico, Europe, and Asia. More railroads were established connecting neighborhoods and the city to feeder cities and farming areas were converted into housing tracts in an effort to accommodate the exploding demographics.

In 1901, the Gold Coast parliament passed a law granting Los Angeles status, and act superseded by the national parliament which confirmed the province's decision. The move would allow the city to exercise more autonomy in relation to the rest of the province and to introduce policies that would only affect the capital. Increased federal spending gave rise to improved government facilities and monuments. With private economic activity flourishing, the national government found it necessary to refurbish its aging buildings. The Parliament Building was renovated and had additional annexes installed; the Supreme Court building received significant changes to its internal layout; and the company constructed and sold the  to the government for the purpose of housing the prime minister.

Los Angeles experienced yet another spur of economic growth during the 1920s. The district of became the ideal center for  filming and acting. Originally a city established in 1903, in 1919, the city merged into Los Angeles, propelling the capital towards exponential growth. Between the 1920s and 1930s, the city of Los Angeles annexed several unincorporated communities and towns, putting the city to a total area of 450 square miles in 1932.

During both world wars, the economy of Los Angeles benefited greatly from its factories and manufacturing centers. While the city's economy was bustling, was on the rise with the arrival of criminal syndicates from abroad including the. Fears of corruption within local law enforcement forced Parliament to establish a rigorous investigative inquiry on officers and administration in the 1940s. Balancing accusations of corruption and, the office of Los Angeles Police Department chief was reshuffled eight times due to ineffective leadership and corruption charges.

Real estate development became the primary powerhouse in the city's powerhouse following World War II. The (LAX) and several other airports were established in 1949 to reflect the modernization of the city. In 1950s, the foundation of Los Angeles' prolific freeway system was laid near the. Rapid urbanization and sprawl led to chronic in the 1970s which forced the city to pass some of the nation's strictest air quality regulations to combat the problem.

By the 1990s, Los Angeles became an established economic center for companies, jobs, and industry. The cost of life increased considerably and for the first time in a century, population growth dipped below 5% as more people began moving out to the s and other towns.

Geography

 * See also:, , , and Gold Coast

Cityscape


Nearly all 503 square miles of the city is formally divided into nine different (,, , , the , , , and the -) including over 80 distinct neighborhoods and districts. A small strip of land around is not directly controlled by the ward and instead, by the city government itself.

Landmarks
Significant landmarks throughout the city include the Occidental Palace, the Parliament Building, the, the , the , , the , the and , the , the , the , the , the , the , the , and the Los Angeles Stock Exchange Center.

Topography
The city's topography is varied with parts of it flat and others hilly. The highest point in the city is 5,074 ft (1,547 m) at in the. The eastern end of the defines much of the city's northern limits and separates the region from the San Fernando Valley.

A significant portion of the city including the downtown area is located within the, a plain surrounded by coastal and inland mountain ranges. The, the city's main , starts in the near the , flows southward through the city and exits through its mouth outside the city limits at the  in.

Geology
Los Angeles and the surrounding region are subject to frequent due to Sierra's location along the. The most prominent affecting the city's earthquake activity is the, which divides the  and  and sprawls across the Sierran nation, passing San Francisco City. The fault itself however, does not run through city limits although minor faults do exist within the city proper.

The most recent major earthquake to have hit the city was the 1994, measuring 6.7 on the. Nearly 60 were killed and thousands more were injured and damages totaled to $20 billion. Earthquakes have shaped the city and region's politics from building codes to budget disputes in an effort to mitigate the costs incurred by such destructive earthquakes. Currently, scientists and meteorologists project that the city and vicinity is at risk of a "". Parts of the city, particularly the lower-lying coastal regions are at risk of s in the event of an earthquake.

Climate
Los Angeles has a - ( Csb on the coast and Csa inland). The city and surrounding region is characterized by warm or hot summers and mild, cool winters. Precipitation generally occurs during the winter and spring. Overall, the city annually receives only 35 days of rain with the rest of the days mostly sunny. There are extreme variations in temperature throughout the city. Along the coast, temperatures are generally cooler while inland, mountainous regions are warmer. is exceptionally rare except in the mountains where most occur during the winter months of and. Like the rest of the region, the city is subject to local weather phenomena from to the notorious.

Demographics
The most populous city in Sierra, in 2010, the Sierra Royal Bureau of Census officially counted 8,393,021 people living in Los Angeles. Over 75% of citizens living in the Gold Coast province lives in Los Angeles. The population density was 16,685.92 people per square mile (6446.253/km²). The age distribution was 2,098,255 (25%) under 18; 923,232 from 18 to 24 (11%); 2,685,766 (32%) from 25 to 44; 1,930,395 from 45 to 64; and 755,371 (9%) 65 or older. For every 100 females, there were 99.2 males and for every 100 females above the age of 18, there were 97.6 males.

Race and ethnicity
Boasting one of the world's most multicultural communities, Los Angeles is home to over 140 different nationalities and 200 different languages. There are various and neighborhoods throughout the city including, , , , , , and Little Turkey.

According to the Census, 4,297,226 (51.2%) were white, 1,619,853 (19.3%) were Asians, 730,192 (8.7%) were African Sierrans, 50,358 (0.6%) were Native Sierrans or, 8,393 (0.1%) were Pacific Islanders, and 1,686,997 (20.1%) were of another race or multiracial. 3,105,417 people (37%) regardless of race identified themselves as Hispanic or Latino.

Mexicans made up the largest ethnicity in the city at 33% of the total population. The historic, original population of the city, Mexicans have played an important part over the city's history and growth. Other groups include (1.8%), Salvadorians (0.8%), Guatemalans (0.6%), and Peruvians (0.5%). The heaviest concentration of Latinos and Hispanics live in the Eastside and South Los Angeles wards.

Los Angeles' Asian community is among the largest in the entire country with many of its ethnic groups with established communities and political structures. 4.2% of the city are Filipino, 3.1% are Koreans, 2.7% are Chinese, 2.5% are Lannese, 2.4% are Vietnamese (from both North and South Vietnam), 2.3% are Indian, 1.2% are Bangladeshi, 1.2% are Japanese, and 1.1% are Akitian. The rest of the Asian population include peoples from, , and Sri Lanka.

The city is also home to significant number of people of Middle Eastern descent including Arabs, Armenians, Lebanese, Kurds, Persians, and Turkish. They are among the fastest growing ethnic groups in the city and have been known as the "new" immigrants in recent years.

African Sierrans live predominantly in the ward near neighboring cities such as  which are also home to large African Sierran populations. The majority of blacks arrived in Los Angeles between the 1940s and 60s from the. In recent years, traditionally black communities have been replaced by Hispanic and Latino people as well as Asian communities. Newer black immigrants and university students from the, , and have settled in the more affluent districts such as.

Crime
Los Angeles has suffered a long history of crime that was especially prevalent during the late 20th century. Since the 2000s, crime has declined significantly although areas of the city (particularly in the southern and eastern areas) remain violent and dominated by local gangs. Historically, American gangs such as the dominated the criminal underworld scene in Los Angeles during the 1940s and 50s but came to be replaced by Hispanic and black gangs. The, , , and are prominent ethnic-based gangs that were formed in Los Angeles. In 2012, an estimated 89,000 Los Angeleans were affiliated with a gang or criminal syndicate.

Religion
Compared to national averages, Los Angeles has a larger percentage of with 27% accounting for religious faith in the city. This higher concentration of Catholics can be attributed to the city's higher incidence of Hispanic and Latino populations who have traditionally been Catholic. The has the largest membership of Catholics in the the northern North American region.

remains the largest form of Christianity practiced with about 65% of Los Angeles population part of one of the 600 distinct denominations and churches represented city-wide. The largest denominations are, , , and. There are a significant amount of es and living in the city as well. The latter's second is based in the city. There are also 30 churches city-wide that are independent and nondenominational.

Over 500,000 Jews live in Los Angeles although over half of them are or practice a different faith. Of the Jewish religious communities represented,, , , and are all present in the city.

Reflecting demographic changes,, , , , , , , the , and are now also represented in the city. Los Angeles is also home to the controversial which has had legal challenges with the national government over tax exemption status.

Economy


Los Angeles is a for international business, commerce, and entertainment. In 2012, Los Angeles placed third behind and  on the Global Economic Power Index, published by . It is a leading center for international trade, entertainment (including movies, television, music, and video games), apparel and fashion, manufacturing, technology, tourism, banking, real estate, advertising, telecommunications and healthcare. The and  are relied on heavily to exert the city's trading power. The Port of Long Beach is the 's busiest seaport with an annual cargo tonnage of 93.8 million metric tons shipped in and out of the port.

Over 40 of the listed companies are based in Los Angeles including, , OP Entertainment, , Overstars, Kranh's, the , and. Many other companies are also represented with over 2,500 different corporations based or founded in the city.

Other important sectors include the public government, and technology,  institutions and organizations, and universities.

Bunker Hill
Los Angeles' financial sector is the headquarters for Sierra's financial industry and is known by its name,  (a reference to the geographical formation found in the downtown area). Many large financial companies have either headquarters or major regional offices in Los Angeles. Downtown Los Angeles is Sierra's largest central business district and one of the largest in the world. The Los Angeles Stock Exchange is the third largest in the world, after the and.

Culture
Known as the "Creative Capital of the World", Los Angeles has the highest concentration and population of artists, writers, singers, filmmakers, actors, dancers, and musicians living in the world.

Home to Hollywood, Los Angeles is recognized globally as the undisputed leader in the motion picture industry. The prestigious (Oscars) are held annually in Los Angeles along with several other film events. The, one of the world's oldest and most reputed filming schools, is based in Los Angeles. The music and recording industry is also prevalent in Los Angeles with the majority of pop, rock, hip hop, and rap music produced and distributed by the various companies established in the city.

Performing arts are also strong in Los Angeles. Notable organizations and groups include the world-renowned,, the , the Pacific Philharmonic & Symphony, the , the , and the National Ballet of Sierra.

There are over 500 museums and art galleries in Los Angeles earning it first in most museums in a city per capita. Notable sites include the National Archives of Sierra,, the , the , and the.

Media
Los Angeles is home to Sierra's four largest television broadcasting companies: Eagle Broadcasting Company, 16ON, Media Corporation, and the Royal Broadcasting Service. Many cable broadcasting and independent television networks are also based in or around Los Angeles. The major English-language daily newspaper in the city is the ' although there are other newspapers that cater to specific language groups including ' (Spanish), ' (Chinese), ' (Korean), and the  (Vietnamese).

Other newspapers and journals circulated frequently in the city include the ', Newstar, the ', and .

Government and politics
Los Angeles operates as with special-district and  status. Its current charter was adopted on June 8, 2007 and is the fifth revision since the city received charter status in 1901. The elected government is composed of the Los Angeles City Council and the Mayor of Los Angeles who operate under the. The city is divided and organized into nine wards, each headed by a Ward member who is a part of the city council. There are also two officials who represent the city as a whole in the council. The city has many departments and appointed officials which overlap with the provincial and national governments including the (LAPD),  (LAFD), and  (LAPL). Some entities at the provincial or national level have conterminous jurisdiction with the city government. Because it is a consolidated city-county, Los Angeles also has a Board of Supervisors composed of five elected officials and its own water, fire, and electricity districts.

As the capital city, Los Angeles is responsible for hosting the embassies of foreign countries and states in Sierra. Nearly every country that Sierra recognizes is represented in Los Angeles with the majority of them within the downtown area (prominently along the North Spring Street). In addition, Los Angeles is home to the headquarters of several organizations including the League of Nations and Trans-Pacific Allied Community.

Federal and provincial representation
The city of Los Angeles is split between fourteen districts for the Gold Coast Province Assembly, nine districts for the Gold Coast Senate, and ten parliamentary districts for the Parliament House of Commons. The senators for the province of the Gold Coast represent Los Angeles in the Parliament Senate.

Education


There are four public universities within city limits: the (UGCLA),  (Goldprov LA),  (Goldprov Northridge), and King Smith University.

Private higher education institutions include the, , (FIDM), , and the Gold Coast Polytechnic.

The community college system consists of eight campuses and is managed by the Los Angeles City Colleges, a branch of the Gold Coast Department of Education. The city is divided into two s: the (LAUSD) and the  (LVUSD). Together, both districts operate 162 schools at the elementary, middle, and high school level and 15 additional schools for adults, the blind, and the deaf. The is directly administered by the Los Angeles municipal government.

There are a number of private schools and educational facilities. The majority of these are managed by religious institutions although there are also institutions held by corporate or commercial owners. Notable schools include the (managed by the Catholic Church),  system (managed by the ), and the.

Airports
Two airports are based within the city limits: the (LAX) and the  (VNY). LAX is one of the world's busiest and largest passenger airports serving 84 million visitors annually and generates millions in profit for the city government. The Van Nuys airport is the nation's busiest general aviation airport and also plays an important factor to the local government. Both airports are managed by the municipal agency which has jurisdiction over two additional airports outside the city limits: the  (BUR) and the  (LGB).

Two other prominent airports that serve the city are outside the city and provincial limits. They are: 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.

Freeways
Featuring an extensive network of freeways and expressways, Los Angeles ranked first most congested roads in the entire North American region. Various interprovincial highways run through Los Angeles, connecting the city with other major population centers (San Francisco City, San Diego, Riverside, Las Vegas, and Phoenix) in and out the province of the Gold Coast.

Major routes

 * Interprovincial 1.png (King Smith I Expressway)
 * Interprovincial 2.png (King Lewis I Expressway)
 * Interprovincial 4.png (All-Sierran Highway)
 * Gold Coast Route 5.png (Long Beach Freeway)
 * Gold Coast Route 19.png (Rosemead Boulevard)
 * Gold Coast Route 39.png (Islip Freeway)
 * Gold Coast Route 41.png (Foothill Freeway)
 * K.S. Route 57.png (Tustin Freeway)
 * K.S. Route 60.png (Ontario Freeway)
 * K.S. Route 91.png (Riverside Freeway)
 * K.S. Scenic Route 16.png (Pacific Coast Highway)
 * North Spring Rd.png North Spring Street (Government Street/Embassy Row)

Transit system
The City of Los Angeles in conjunction with the Gold Coast Provincial Department of Transportation manages and operates extensive bus lines, subway rails, and light rail lines. According to the Department, there was a monthly ridership of 47.9 million in 2012. Most lines are offered by the public although private rail lines operated by independent companies also exist throughout the city.

Seaports
The city manages one port, the, located in , about 20 miles south of the downtown area. Although the is outside city limits (and instead, managed by the City of Long Beach), it is adjacent to the Port of Los Angeles and serves an important role to the city economy. Together, the ports are the fourth busiest in the world and the second busiest cruise ship ports in Sierra. There are several, smaller harbors throughout the city coastline as well.

Sister cities
Los Angeles has a total of 16 listed chronologically by year of partnering:


 * Flag of Canada.svg, (1960)
 * Flag of the United States.svg, (1962)
 * Flag of the United States.svg, United States (1963)
 * Flag of Brazil.png, Brazil (1965)
 * Union Flag (including Wales).svg.png, Commonwealth of Britannia (1967)
 * Flag of Japan.png, (1973)
 * Flag of South Korea.png, Great Korean Empire (1978)
 * Flag of South Vietnam.svg, South Vietnam (1983)
 * Flag of Italy.png, Italy (1987)
 * Flag of Gaul.svg, Gaul (1994)
 * Lanna.png, Lan Na (1996)
 * Flag of Indonesia.png, (2000)
 * Flag of Kyrgyzstan.png, Kyrgyzstan (2002)
 * Flag of Russia.png, Russia (2003)
 * Flag of South Africa.png, South Africa (2007)
 * Flag of Germany.png, Germany (2011)