San Francisco - USA

[bay_area]

San Francisco, California USA

Population: 811,000 (2003)
Metropolitan Area: 7,409,000 (2003)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco

The City and County of San Francisco (population 811,000), is the fourth-largest city in the state
of California, United States, in terms of population. It is a consolidated city-county situated at the
northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula that forms San Francisco Bay. The city-county also includes
the Farallon Islands 27 miles offshore.

The city is the focal point of the San Francisco Bay Area metropolitan area, whose total population is
about 7 million. U.S. census data show that San Francisco has the highest population density of any
city aside from New York City.

The first Europeans to settle in San Francisco were the Spanish, in 1776. The city grew rapidly due to
the California gold rush starting in 1848.

The city was devastated by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, but was rebuilt quickly. The phoenix on
the city's flag represents San Francisco's "rebirth" from the ashes of the fire that resulted from the quake.
Long enjoying a bohemian reputation, the city became a counterculture magnet in the second half of the
20th century. It was a center of the dot-com boom at the end of the century.

Widely recognized landmarks include the San Francisco cable car system, the Golden Gate Bridge and the
Transamerica Pyramid.