San Diego

  

San Diego, Laguna
City
City of San Diego
From top, left to right: Downtown, La Jolla, Casa de Balboa, Old Point Loma lighthouse, Presidio Park
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): "Sierra's Finest City", "Birthplace of Sierra", "City in Motion"
Motto(s): Semper Vigilans (Latin for '"Ever Vigilant"')
Sovereign state	Kingdom of Sierra
Country	Sierra
Province	Laguna
County	San Diego
Established	July 16, 1769
Incorporated	March 27, 1850
Named for	Saint Didacus of Alcalá
Government
• Type	Strong mayor
• Body	San Diego City Council
• Mayor	Ryan Greenleaf
• City Attorney	Joyce Martinez
• City Council	List • TBD • TBD • TBD • TBD • TBD • TBD • TBD • TBD • TBD
• General Assembly Members	List • TBD • TBD • TBD • TBD
• Provincial Senators	List • TBD • TBD • TBD
Area
• Total	372.42 sq mi (964.56 km2)
• Land	325.88 sq mi (844.02 km2)
• Water	46.54 sq mi (120.54 km2)  12.68%
Elevation	62 ft (19 m)
Highest elevation	1,591 ft (485 m)
Lowest elevation	0 ft (0 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	3,398,203
• Estimate (2021)	3,404,829
• Rank	1st in Laguna 2nd in Sierra
• Density	9,124.65/sq mi (3,532.06/km2)
• Urban	4,234,402
• Metro	4,678,292
Demonym(s)	San Diegan
Time zone	Pacific (UTC−8)
• Summer (DST)	PDT (UTC−7)
ZIP Codes	92101–92124, 92126–92132, 92134–92140, 92142, 92143, 92145, 92147, 92149–92155, 92158–92161, 92163, 92165–92179, 92182, 92186, 92187, 92190–92199
Area code(s)	619/858
Website	sandiego.gc.ks

San Diego (/ˌsæn diˈeɪɡoʊ/, Spanish: [san ˈdjeɣo]; Spanish for 'Saint Didacus'), officially the City of San Diego, is a city in the Sierran province of Laguna on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. With an official population of 3,398,203 in the 2020 census, it is the most populous city in Laguna and the second most populous in the Kingdom of Sierra (after Porciúncula). The city is the county seat of San Diego County, the fourth most populous county in the Kingdom of Sierra, with an official population of 4,678,292. It is immediately adjacent to its twin city, Tijuana in Pacífico Norte, which is the most populous city in that state and Bajaría. Together, San Diego and Tijuana form the third largest metropolitan area in the Kingdom of Sierra, with an estimated population of 6,204,444 in 2021. San Diego is known for its year-round mild climate, its naval history with the Sierran Royal Navy and Sierran Royal Marines stationed there, its natural deep-water harbor, and its beaches, parks, and family attractions. It is also the oldest city in Sierra, being established in 1769 by the Spanish.

The city was historically inhabited by the indigenous Kumeyaay people for centuries prior to the arrival and settlement of European explorers and colonists. Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo led the first European exploration in the area in 1542, claiming the entire San Diego Bay and its immediate vicinity for Spain. His writings encouraged further Spanish exploration and subsequent colonization, leading to the establishment of Alta California. In 1769, the city was established with the buildings of the Presidio and Mission San Diego de Alcalá. In 1821, San Diego became part of the First Mexican Empire (which became the First Mexican Republic two years later in 1823), which declared its independence from Spain. California became an independent country in 1848 following the Mexican–American War and San Diego was incorporated into the State of San Diego. In 1858, a new constitution was adopted, reforming the Republic into the Kingdom of Sierra and the state became the Province of Laguna.

For decades, San Diego remained a relative backwater town until the 1880s as Sierra's railroad infrastructure and connections to the rest of Anglo-America expanded rapidly. Following the linkage between San Diego and the Royal Pacific Railroad lines through the Laguna, Imperial, and Maricopa Railway, San Diego's population grew exponentially, rivaling that of Porciúncula and San Francisco City. Its natural harbor became the preferred base of operations for the Sierran Royal Navy, especially as the force expanded its capabilities to sustain Sierra's imperialist ambitions. During the Great War, San Diego had emerged as a significantly important city, valued for its strategic location and natural defenses. In 1935, the city was the site of a major battle between Sierra and the United Commonwealth and its allies, culminating in the defeat of the latter and marking a huge turning point in the war and in Sierra's favor. Following the Great War's end and throughout the subsequent Cold War, San Diego's economy began to diversify away from the defense industry, as manufacturing, bioengineering, and telecommunications emerged as the city's leading industries, alongside with tourism and hospitality. By the 21st-century, San Diego has become a world-class city, consistently ranking as one of the world's most livable cities according to Newstar in its lists.

Etymology

San Diego derives its name from the 15th-century Spanish saint Didacus of Alcalá. The city was named by Sebastián Vizcaíno, a Spanish explorer who navigated the coastline of Sierra. Vizcaíno manned the flagship San Diego and surveyed present-day Mission Bay and Point Loma, naming the city in honor of Didacus of Alcalá, whose feast day was close to the day Vizcaíno and his men arrived to San Diego Bay.

History

Main article: History of San Diego

Geography

Satellite image view of the San Diego–Tijuana metropolitan area

La Jolla Shores Beach

San Diego is located on the southwestern coast of Laguna. It is situated along San Diego Bay and sits to the west of the Laguna Mountains in the Peninsular Ranges, which are a part of the American Cordillera. San Diego's terrain is hilly and much of the city is situated atop of mesas which are separated by more than 200 deep canyons and hills. The geographical unevenness has contributed to San Diego's unique cityscape and suburban sprawl as the mesas are generally developed with homes, businesses, and facilities, while the canyons are left undisturbed and natural. Large sections of the city are wilderness which causes gaps between neighboring areas that result in a lower-density city beyond Downtown San Diego. Notable topographical features within San Diego include the city's highest point, Cowles Mountain at 1,591 feet (485 m), Black Mountain at 1,558 feet (475 m), and Mount Soledad at 824 feet (251 m). Immediately to the east of the city limits are the Cuyamaca Mountains and Laguna Mountains which separate the city and the county of San Diego from the desert East County.

Western Los Peñasquitos Canyon in Sorrento Valley

The San Diego River flows naturally through the city from east to west, creating a valley that divides the city into a northern and southern half. San Diego is home to numerous lagoons, estuaries, wetlands, and creeks which are characteristic of coastal Laguna. Several manmade reservoirs were created for both water storage and recreational purposes. San Diego's coastline is more than 70 miles long and is home to a number of notable beaches including La Jolla, Black's Beach, Torrey Pines Provincial Beach, and Mission Beach.

Notable people

Main article: List of people from San Diego

• John Ellis Bush, Sierran comedian and television host
• John Charles II of Brazoria, Brazorian monarch
• Joseph Keyes, Superian governor of Wyoming
• Tyson Morales, governor of Laguna
• Jacob Shaw, MP for North San Diego
• Antonio Suarez, Inland Empire senator

Sister cities

San Diego's sister cities are the following:

• Chongqing, China (2003)
• Corpus Christi, Rio Grande, Brazoria (2007)
• Da Nang, South Vietnam (1978)
• Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom (1980)
• Gwangju, Korea (2006)
• Miami, Florida, United Commonwealth (2004)
• Portland, Portland, Astoria
• Naples, Italy (2001)
• Nice, France (1980)
• Vladivostok, Ussuria (1981)
• Yokohama, Japan (1994)

See also

Attribution notices

• This page uses material from the Wikipedia page San Diego, which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License (view authors).

  This page uses material from the Wikipedia page History of San Diego, which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License (view authors).

  This page uses material from the Wikipedia page San Diego Bay, which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License (view authors).

  This page uses material from the Wikipedia page San Diego County, California, which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License (view authors).