Communities of California

The geography of an area has a very important effect on the communities in that area and how those communities use their resources. 

For example, much of California is prone to earthquakes. Cities and towns that lie near fault lines are careful to construct buildings that can withstand earthquakes. In areas with fertile soil, land will often be dedicated to growing crops.

But if these areas receive very little rainfall, irrigation canals are necessary to bring water to farms from river systems. Areas with nice weather and beautiful scenery will often become popular for tourism or outdoor recreation.

Some areas in California have a very low population density, and much of their land is dedicated to farming or raising livestock, both of which require large amounts of land.

For moving people and products, these communities may rely mainly on fewer and smaller roadways, and have very little public transportation. Often they have fewer hospitals, smaller police and emergency units, or other types of public services.

Some areas have a very high population density. Think of places like Los Angeles or the San Francisco Bay Area. They have many areas where the land is dedicated to housing for people or commercial activities. They often have large highway systems for cars and trucks to travel, but also rely on extensive public transportation that include buses, railroads and subways.

These areas often invest a great amount of money in public services such as hospitals and law enforcement agencies, firefighting and other emergency units.

All communities in California are interconnected for transportation and communication. Since the 19th century, the railroad has been a key source of transportation for goods all over the state and to other parts of the country. 

California has several major highway systems that link cities with smaller communities. Both the railroads and highway systems are connected to coastal ports and other waterways that move goods all over the world. The largest urban areas also have airports that support commercial and private travel all over the country.

Many of California's communities also dedicate themselves to finding ways to care for the environment and resources, while providing services to the people that live there. In many places in California there are areas set aside to protect endangered wildlife, or to replenish natural resources like water or timber. Each area has its own set of features and issues that make it unique. 

Areas like public parks and forests not only serve to protect resources and wildlife but also provide an important outlet for recreational activities. Places like the Anza-Borrego Desert or Muir Redwoods are important tourist attractions that also protect numerous types of wildlife and plants. 

Over time, some communities have evolved based on the industries that arose in and around them.

For example, much of the area around Los Angeles that is now home to major industries such as aerospace and entertainment was once dedicated to citrus orchards. The Santa Clara Valley in Northern California was also an important agricultural center, but later became known as Silicon Valley, thanks to the technology companies that made their home there.