California

Spanish and Mexican (El Norte) until 1848, California was transformed overnight by the 1849 Gold Rush and admitted as a free state in 1850. The founding anchor of the West Coast culture — idealistic, diverse and future-facing — it grew into the most populous US state and, on its own, one of the world's largest economies, spanning agriculture, entertainment and the technology of Silicon Valley.

• Existed: 1769 CE – present
• Type: Entity
• Government: U.S. State
• Capital: Sacramento