The City of Los Angeles, (Spanish for "the Angels"), known also as "L.A.," is the most populous city in the state of California and the second-most populous in the United States. LA has a population of approximately 4 million people and spanning 498 square miles but the Los Angeles metropolitan area is home to roughly 13 million people.
The Los Angeles area, recognized by its sprawling urban terrain, is one of the world's most important centers of culture, science, technology, international trade, and higher education, and is home to numerous world-renowned institutions in a broad range of professional and cultural fields. The city and its immediate surrounding vicinity leads the world in producing popular entertainment—such as motion pictures, television, and recorded music—which forms the base of its international fame and global status.
