Guide Note

California's fourth most populous city, San Francisco was settled by the Spanish in the late 1700s but did not expand into a full city until the Gold Rush of 1848. Encompassing a peninsula, the city sits on a mostly north-south trajectory, with Oakland to the east, San Jose to the south-east, and Marin County to the north.

Fast Facts

1. Country: United States
2. State: California
3. Mayor: Gavin Newsom
4. Population: 744,041 (2006)
5. Founded: 1776
6. Currency: U.S. Dollar
7. Area Code: +415, +650
8. Time Zone: Pacific Standard Time (PST)
9. Current Time and Weather
10. San Francisco Traffic

San Francisco is famous for its vertical layout and diverse neighborhoods. There are active Russian and Italian populations, as well as one of America's largest and most active Chinatowns. More tourists visit San Francisco's Chinatown than do the Golden Gate Bridge.

San Francisco is also home to the intersection of Haight and Ashbury. This intersection and the district surrounding it are heavily associated with the hippie movement of the 1960s. Psychedelic art still adorns much of the district's landscape and the area remains vibrant with music and pop culture.

San Francisco is largely thought of as one of America's most liberal cities. San Francisco, and the Bay Area in general, have the highest concentration of same-sex homes in the country. The city's voters have also overwhelmingly supported Democratic candidates for president for decades.

The city is very diverse. Less than half of the population is caucasian and almost one-third is Chinese. More than one-third of San Francisco residents were born outside of the U.S.

If planning a trip, please see San Francisco Vacation, San Francisco Hotels, San Francisco Restaurants and San Francisco Tours.