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San Diego, California

San Diego, California
Flag of San Diego Seal of San Diego
City nickname:"America's Finest City"
County San Diego County, California
Mayor Dick Murphy
City Attorney Michael Aguirre
City Council
District One Scott Peters
District Two Michael Zucchet
District Three Toni Atkins
District Four Tony Young
District Five Brian Maienschein
District Six Donna Frye
Distirct Seven Jim Madaffer
District Eight Ralph Inzunza
Area
 - Total
 - Water

963.6 km² (372.0 mi²)
123.5 km² (47.7 mi²) 12.82%
Population

 - Total (2000)
 - Metropolitan
 - Density


1,223,400
2,906,660
1,456.4/km²

Time zone Pacific: UTC-8

Latitude
Longitude

32°46'46" N
117°8'47" W

City Flower: Carnation
City Urban Tree Jacaranda
City Native Tree Torrey Pine
City of San Diego Official Website
San Diego waterfront
Enlarge
San Diego waterfront

San Diego is a city located in the southwestern corner of the state of California and the southwestern corner of the continental United States. It is the county seat of San Diego County, California. The city is noted for its temperate climate and numerous beaches. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 1,223,400. The city is the second largest in California and the seventh largest in the United States.

San Diego is the home of various military facilities including Navy ports and Marine bases. It is the home port of the largest naval fleet in the world, including two Navy supercarriers, the USS Nimitz and the USS Ronald Reagan, five amphibs, several nuclear submarines, and numerous smaller ships. One of the United States Marine Corps' two Recruit Depots is located here. Several Navy vessels have been named USS San Diego in honor of the city. N.S. North Island is also known as the birthplace of Naval Aviation, (though Pensacola Naval Station makes a rival claim to being the "Cradle of Naval Aviation.")


Contents

History

The area has long been inhabited by the Kumeyaay people. The first European to visit the region was Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, a Portuguese sailing for Spain, in 1542. He named it San Miguel. The San Diego Bay and the area of present day San Diego were given their present names by Sebastian Vizcaino when he was mapping the coastline of Alta California for Spain in 1602. The explorers camped near a Native American village called "Nipaguay" and celebrated Mass in honor of San (or Saint) Diego de Alcala (Saint Didacus of Alcalá). California was then part of the colony of New Spain.

In 1769, Gaspar de Portolá and his expedition founded a presidio (or military post) and on Sunday July 16, Franciscan Fathers Junípero Serra, Juan Viscaino and Fernando Parron raised and blessed a cross, establishing the first mission in Upper California, Mission San Diego de Alcala. Colonists began arriving in 1774, and the following year, 1775 the native people rebelled. They killed the priest and two others, and burned the mission. Father Serra organized the rebuilding and two years later a more fire-proof adobe structure was started. By 1797 the mission had become the largest in California, with over 1,400 natives associated with it.

In 1821, Spain recognized Mexico's independence. The governor of Alta California and Baja California moved the capital to San Diego from Monterey. The mission was secularized in 1834 and 432 persons petitioned Governor José Figueroa to form a town, and Commandant Santiago Arguello endorsed it. Juan Maria Osuna was elected the first alcalde (or mayor), winning over Pio Pico in the 13 ballots cast. However the population of the town shrank to little over a hundred persons, and by the late 1830s it lost its township until the province of Alta California became part of the United States of America in 1850 following the Mexican-American War. The village was designated the seat of the newly designated "San Diego County" and incorporated as a city.

In 1885, San Diego was linked to the rest of the nation by railroad. San Diego was reincorporated as a city in 1886.

Significant U.S. Naval presence began in 1907 with the establishment of the Navy Coaling Station.

San Diego hosted two World's Fairs, the Panama-California Exposition in 1915 and the California Pacific International Exposition in 1935.

Since World War II, the military has played a leading role in the local economy. Following the end of the Cold War the military presence has diminished considerably. San Diego has since become a center of the emerging biotech industry and is home to telecommunications giant Qualcomm.

Largely because of their city's strong military presence, San Diegans have a reputation for being more politically conservative than residents of California's other coastal cities.

Attractions

San Diego at sunset, 2001
Enlarge
San Diego at sunset, 2001

San Diego is a major tourist destination, attracting visitors from all over the world. Among the many attractions are its beaches, and climate, and deserts. Noted San Diego tourist attractions include:


San Diego is about two and a half hours south of Los Angeles and about half an hour north of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico.

Transportation

San Diego has trolley (LRT), bus, Coaster (http://www.gonctd.com/), and Amtrak service.

San Diego also includes a comprehensive collection of freeways, highways, major arterial roads, and streets that forms circles around the interior and outlying areas in the county. Almost every major freeway in the county crosses through the city, but all are important to the flow of goods and people into and out of the city.

Geography

San Diego is located at 32°46'46" North, 117°8'47" West (32.779541, -117.146344).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 963.6 km² (372.0 mi²). 840.0 km² (324.3 mi²) of it is land and 123.5 km² (47.7 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 12.82% water.

The city's borders are very irregularly shaped because of the absorption of many suburbs into the city limits.

Demographics (2000 census)

As of the census2 of 2000, there are 1,223,400 people, 450,691 households, and 271,315 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,456.4/km² (3,771.9/mi²). There are 469,689 housing units at an average density of 559.1/km² (1,448.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 60.18% White, 7.86% African American, 0.62% Native American, 13.65% Asian, 0.48% Pacific Islander, 12.39% from other races, and 4.83% from two or more races. 25.40% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 450,691 households out of which 30.2% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% are married couples living together, 11.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% are non-families. 28.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 7.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.61 and the average family size is 3.30.

In the city the population is spread out with 24.0% under the age of 18, 12.4% from 18 to 24, 34.0% from 25 to 44, 19.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. For every 100 females there are 101.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 100.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $45,733, and the median income for a family is $53,060. Males have a median income of $36,984 versus $31,076 for females. The per capita income for the city is $23,609. 14.6% of the population and 10.6% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 20.0% of those under the age of 18 and 7.6% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Education

Colleges and universities

High schools

See High Schools of San Diego

Sports teams

Airports

  • San Diego International Airport, (SAN) a.k.a. Lindbergh International Airport or Lindbergh Field
  • Brown Field Airport , (SDM) a.k.a Brown Field
  • Montgomery Field Municipal Airport , (MYF) a.k.a Montgomery Field

Military Institutions

  • Naval Air Station North Island
  • Naval Amphibious Base Coronado
  • Naval Station 32nd Street
  • Naval Amphibious Base Point Loma - Submarine
  • US Marine Corps Recruit Depot
  • US Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar
  • US Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
  • SPAWARS - Space and Warfare Defense Systems
  • Fort Rosecrans Military Reservation


Localities

Scripps Pier
Enlarge
Scripps Pier

Central

  • Balboa Park
  • Barrio Logan
  • Core-Columbia
  • Cortez
  • East Village
  • Gaslamp Quarter
  • Golden Hill
  • Grant Hill
  • Harborview
  • Horton Plaza
  • Little Italy
  • Logan Heights
  • Marina
  • Memorial
  • Park West
  • Sherman Heights
  • South Park
  • Stockton

Costal Cities and Beaches

  • Oceanside
  • Carlsbad
  • Encinitas
  • Solana Beach [1]
  • Del Mar
  • Soledad
  • Torrey Pines State Beach
  • La Jolla
  • Mission Bay
  • Point Loma
  • Ocean Beach
  • Cabrillo

Mid-City

  • City Heights
  • College Area
  • Darnall
  • El Cerrito
  • Gateway
  • Kensington
  • Normal Heights
  • Oak Park
  • Rolando
  • Talmadge
  • Webster

Southeastern

  • Alta Vista
  • Bay Terrace
  • Chollas View
  • Emerald City
  • Encanto
  • Jamacha-Lomita
  • Lincoln Park
  • Mountain View
  • Mt. Hope
  • Paradise Hills
  • Shelltown
  • Skyline
  • Southcrest
  • Valencia

Southern

  • Egger Highlands
  • Nestor
  • Ocean Crest
  • Otay Mesa
  • Palm City
  • San Ysidro
  • Tijuana River Valley

Northern

Northeastern

  • Carmel Mountain
  • Miramar
  • Mira Mesa
  • Rancho Bernardo
  • Rancho Peñasquitos
  • Sabre Springs
  • Scripps Ranch
  • Sorrento Valley

Eastern

  • Allied Gardens
  • Birdland
  • Del Cerro
  • El Cajon
  • Grantville
  • Kearny Mesa
  • Lake Murray
  • San Carlos
  • Santee
  • Serra Mesa
  • Tierrasanta

Western

  • Banker's Hill
  • Hillcrest
  • La Playa
  • Linda Vista
  • Loma Portal
  • Midtown
  • Midway District
  • Mission Hills
  • Mission Valley
  • Morena
  • North Park
  • Ocean Beach
  • Old Town
  • Point Loma
  • Roseville-Fleetridge
  • Sunset Cliffs
  • University Heights

Cuisine

  • California Burritos
  • Carne Asada Chips
  • Pearl Tea or Bubble tea
  • California, Woodfire Pizza
  • In-N-Out Burgers
  • (Thai or Vietnamese) Spring Rolls
  • Local Wines
  • Rubio's Fish Tacos


San Diego does enjoy some good dining, such as Anthony's, Point Loma Seafood, Rock Bottom, The Gaslamp Strip Club (A Steak Place), Filippi's, Mimmo's Italian Village, Mister A's, The Marine Room, La Valencia, Rice, and numerous others. Two areas where some of the finest restaurants are in the Gaslamp Quarter and Restaurant Row.

A few big chains have gotten their start in San Diego. They include, Jack in the Box, Pat & Oscar's, Rubio's, and Anthony's Fish Grottos.

Shopping Malls

  • Fashion Valley
  • Mission Valley
  • Plaza Bonita
  • Horton Plaza
  • College Grove
  • Grossmont Center
  • University Towne Centre
  • Plaza Camino Real
  • The Shops at Las Americas (Also a U.S.-Mexico Port of Entry walkway and Duty-Free centre)

Hotels

  • Omni San Diego Hotel at PETCO Park
  • Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego
  • Hilton Gaslamp
  • La Valencia
  • San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina
  • Sheraton Harbor Island Hotel & Marina
  • W San Diego
  • Wyndham San Diego at Emerald Plaza
  • U.S. Grant Hotel
  • Hotel Solamar
  • L'Auberge Resort and Spa

External links

Last updated: 06-02-2005 13:35:01
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