Northern California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Northern California
From left to right: Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco skyline, San Jose skyline, Muir Woods National Monument, the northern California coast as seen from Muir Beach Overlook, view of a gondola in Lake Tahoe, and Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz.
Northern California counties in red
Country	United States
State	California
Major cities	San Jose San Francisco Fresno Sacramento Oakland Stockton Fremont Modesto Santa Rosa Salinas Hayward Sunnyvale Visalia Chico Redding San Mateo San Rafael Eureka Susanville
Largest city	San Jose
Population  (2020)
• Total	15,775,319

Northern California (often called NorCal) is a large area in the northern part of the U.S. state of California. It includes 48 of the state's 58 counties. This region is home to many important cities and amazing natural places.

Some of its main cities are San Jose, San Francisco, and Oakland in the San Francisco Bay Area. You'll also find Sacramento, which is the state capital.

Northern California is famous for its giant redwood forests. It also has most of the Sierra Nevada mountains, including Yosemite Valley and part of Lake Tahoe. Mount Shasta, a huge volcano, is here too. The Central Valley is another big part of NorCal, known for growing a lot of the world's food.

This region is also where Silicon Valley is located. This is a global hub for huge tech companies like Apple, Google, and Nvidia. It's a place where many new ideas and technologies are created!

What is Northern California?

Map of northern California counties

Northern California isn't an official boundary. People usually mean the northern 48 counties of the state. California is very big and has many different landscapes. So, it can be divided in different ways. For example, the Central Valley is a distinct area. But in the north-south split, most of it is considered part of Northern California.

The coastal area north of the Bay Area is often called the North Coast. This includes counties like Mendocino and Humboldt. The inland area north of Sacramento is sometimes called the Northstate.

Major Cities

Northern California has some very large cities. The biggest urban area is the San Francisco Bay Area. It includes nine counties and major cities like San Jose, San Francisco, and Oakland. Many smaller towns are also part of this busy area.

People from the Bay Area sometimes travel long distances to live in cities like Sacramento, Stockton, and Modesto. These cities are in the Central Valley.

Other important cities outside the main metropolitan areas include Eureka on the far North Coast. Redding is at the northern end of the Central Valley. Chico and Yuba City are in the middle of the Central Valley. Fresno and Visalia are at the southern end. These cities are important for their local areas, even if they are smaller.

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  San Jose, the largest city in Northern California.

• 

  San Francisco, a major center for business and culture.

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  Fresno, the largest city in the San Joaquin Valley.

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  Sacramento, the capital city of California.

• 

  Oakland, a major port city.

The largest cities in Northern California are:

• San Jose
• San Francisco
• Fresno
• Sacramento
• Oakland
• Stockton
• Fremont
• Modesto
• Santa Rosa
• Elk Grove

History of Northern California

Early Inhabitants

Coast Redwoods in Muir Woods National Monument, in Marin County

For thousands of years, Native Americans lived in Northern California. Tribes like the Shasta, Miwok, and Yokuts called this land home. It was one of the most populated areas in North America before Europeans arrived.

European Explorers and Settlements

The first European to explore the coast was Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo in 1542, sailing for Spain. Later, in 1579, the English explorer Sir Francis Drake visited the area. He claimed the land for England.

In 1770, the Spanish built their first settlement in the area at Monterey. They built more missions along the coast, reaching as far north as Sonoma County.

In 1812, the Russians built a fur trading post called Fort Ross in today's Sonoma County. It was their southernmost settlement in North America. However, they left in 1839.

After Mexico became independent from Spain in 1821, it took control of California. Mexican settlers, called Californios, traded cattle hides and fat with American and European ships.

American Arrival and the Gold Rush

American trappers and settlers began to arrive in Northern California in the 1830s. One important settler was John Sutter, who was given a large piece of land near what is now Sacramento.

In 1846, American settlers started a revolt in Sonoma. They raised the "Bear Flag" and declared the "California Republic." This lasted only 26 days before the U.S. Army took over. The Mexican–American War ended in 1848. Mexico then gave Alta California (including all of Northern California) to the United States.

Moon Lake in Lassen County, California

The famous California Gold Rush happened in Northern California from 1848 to 1855. It started when gold was found at Sutter's Mill in Coloma. News spread quickly, and about 300,000 people came to California. San Francisco grew from a small village to a huge city in just 12 years. The Gold Rush also led to California becoming a U.S. state in 1850.

Growth and Development

Farm near Mount Shasta

After the Gold Rush, Northern California continued to grow. The first transcontinental railroad was finished in 1869. This made it easier to ship goods and for people to travel to California. San Francisco remained a major financial and cultural center.

The region saw a lot of growth in the 1940s after World War II. Many veterans and their families moved here for new jobs. In the 1980s, the population grew even more because of the expansion of Silicon Valley and the tech industry.

Economy

Satellite image of Northern California at night

Northern California is a world leader in high-tech industries. This includes software, semiconductors (computer chips), and biotechnology (using living things to make products). It's also known for clean energy and medical devices. Other important parts of the economy are tourism, shipping, and farming.

The region is home to Silicon Valley, where many of the world's biggest tech companies are based. This area has been at the forefront of new ways of doing business and creating new technologies.

Climate

Climate types in northern California

Northern California has a varied climate. The Sierra mountains get a lot of snow from late fall through winter. Along the coast, summers are mild, and winters are cool and wet. Inland areas, like Sacramento, have warm, dry summers with temperatures often reaching 90s °F (32–37 °C) or even over 100s °F (37–42 °C).

Fog is common near the coast, especially in the summer. This creates some of the coolest summer weather in North America. Sadly, in recent years, there have been more droughts and wildfires due to climate change.

Population Growth

The number of people living in Northern California has steadily increased over the years.

The biggest population jump happened in the 1940s. Many people moved here after World War II. The 1980s also saw a huge increase, with over 2.1 million more people. This was due to job growth in places like Silicon Valley. Since the year 2000, Northern California has grown faster than Southern California.

Parks and Nature Areas

Northern California has many amazing parks and protected areas. These are great places to explore nature.

National Parks

The U.S. National Park System manages many parks here. The most famous is Yosemite National Park, known for its stunning waterfalls and giant granite cliffs. Other well-known parks include Kings Canyon-Sequoia National Park (home to giant trees) and Redwood National Park (with the world's tallest trees). You can also visit Pinnacles National Park and Lassen Volcanic National Park.

Other Protected Areas

Other special places include Muir Woods National Monument, a beautiful redwood forest. There's also Point Reyes National Seashore along the coast. The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary protects the ocean and marine life.

Large parts of Northern California are covered by national forests. These include Shasta–Trinity and Lassen. These forests have many trails and wilderness areas for outdoor adventures.

Transportation

Northern California has many ways to get around, from major airports to trains and famous bridges.

Airports

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is the busiest airport in Northern California.

San Jose International Airport is known for being well-run.

There are 11 main airports in Northern California. The largest and busiest is San Francisco International Airport (SFO). Other major airports include San Jose International Airport (SJC), Oakland International Airport (OAK), and Sacramento International Airport (SMF). These airports connect Northern California to the rest of the world.

Trains and Ferries

Northern California has a good public transportation system.

• Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) is a subway system that connects cities in the Bay Area.
• Caltrain is a commuter train that runs between San Francisco and Gilroy.
• Amtrak offers longer-distance train services, connecting Northern California to other states.

The historic San Francisco Ferry Building is a busy ferry terminal.

Ferries are also a popular way to travel, especially in the Bay Area. The San Francisco Ferry Building is a historic spot where you can catch a ferry to different parts of the Bay.

Major Highways

The Golden Gate Bridge is one of Northern California's most famous landmarks.

Many important highways cross Northern California.

• Interstate 80 is a major highway that goes through the Bay Area and Sacramento.
• Interstate 5 runs north-south through the Central Valley.
• U.S. Route 101 follows the coast.
• State Route 1, also known as the Pacific Coast Highway, offers stunning views along the coast.

I-80 and I-580 in Berkeley.

State Route 120 goes through inner Northern California.

Communication

Northern California uses several telephone area codes. These numbers help connect calls to different parts of the region:

• 209 for the northern San Joaquin Valley.
• 408/669 for most of Santa Clara County, including San Jose.
• 415/628 for San Francisco and Marin County.
• 510/341 for the inner East Bay.
• 530 for a large northeastern section of the region.
• 559 for the southern San Joaquin Valley.
• 650 for the San Francisco Peninsula.
• 707 for the North Coast.
• 831 for Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz Counties.
• 916/279 for Sacramento County and its suburbs.
• 925 for the outer East Bay.

Sports

Northern California is home to many professional and college sports teams.

Professional Sports Teams

College Sports Teams

• California Golden Bears
• Cal Poly Humboldt Lumberjacks
• Stanford Cardinal
• Fresno State Bulldogs
• San Jose State Spartans
• Sacramento State Hornets
• UC Davis Aggies

Sports Venues

• Laguna Seca Raceway (for car and motorcycle racing)
• Sonoma Raceway (for car racing)
• Olympic Club (golf)

Sporting Events

Northern California hosts many exciting sports events, including:

• Pac-12 Football Championship Game (college football)
• AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (golf tournament)
• Grand Prix of Sonoma (motorsport race)

Images for kids

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  Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz.

See also

In Spanish: Norte de California para niños