California. The most populous state in the Union, the third largest in area, with a gross product that surpasses that of any other state and all but a handful of countries in the world. Stretching almost 900 miles from the Mexican border to the Oregon state line, this Golden State contains within its 100 million acres a varied landscape of coastline, foothills, mountains, valleys, and deserts. From the northern foothills came the gold that sparked the early and raucous growth of the state, and from the fertile land of the Great Central Valley comes the agricultural products that constitute the foundation of its present wealth. Along its vast coast line, especially in Southern California and the San Francisco Bay Area, resides over ninety percent of the population.