Los Angeles (Spanish for The Angels), often known by its initials L.A., is the most populated city in California and the second most populated in the United States, after New York City, with a population of roughly 3.9 million as of the 2021. It has an area of 503 square miles (1300 kilometers) and is located in Southern California.
The city is the focal point of the Greater Los Angeles metropolitan region, which contains around 18.5 million people, making it one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world and the second largest in the United States. It is also the seat of Los Angeles County, the most populated and one of the most ethnically diverse counties in the United States. Its inhabitants are referred to as "Angelenos".
Los Angeles started as a small city in 1781, when it was founded. Ever since then, it has become a big city. It also has some popular tourist destinations, like Hollywood.