Population:
17,755,322

Per Capita Income:
$56,262

The Los Angeles Metro Area refers to the city of Los Angeles plus Orange County.The region contains some of the most affluent areas of the country. It has been one of the fastest growing regions in the United States for decades, first in Los Angeles County, then Orange County. It is the second-largest core-based statistical area in the country, behind the New York metropolitan area.

Los Angeles is the largest city in the state of California, and the Western United States, as well as second largest in the United States. Often abbreviated as LA and nicknamed The City of Angels, Los Angeles is the seat of Los Angeles County, the most populated and one of the most diverse counties in the United States.

Los Angeles was founded September 4, 1781, by Spanish governor Felipe de Neve, and became a part of Mexico in 1821, following its independence from Spain. In 1848, at the end of the Mexican-American War, Los Angeles and California were purchased as part of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, thereby becoming part of the United States; Mexico retained the territory of Baja California. Los Angeles was incorporated as a municipality on April 4, 1850, five months before California achieved statehood. This metro area is still the home of a large Hispanic population.

Los Angeles is one of the world's centers of business, international trade, entertainment, culture, media, fashion, science, technology, and education. It is home to renowned institutions covering a broad range of professional and cultural fields, and is one of the most substantial economic engines within the United States. Los Angeles leads the world in producing popular entertainment — such as motion pictures, video games, television, and recorded music — which forms the base of its international fame and global status.