

It became a part of Mexico in 1821 following the Mexican War of Independence. The city was founded on September 4, 1781, under Spanish governor Felipe de Neve, on the village of Yaanga. Home to the Chumash and Tongva indigenous peoples, the area that became Los Angeles was claimed by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo for Spain in 1542. It is the seat of Los Angeles County, which is the most populous county in the United States with just over 10 million residents in 2020. Adjacent to the Pacific Ocean extending through the Santa Monica Mountains and into the San Fernando Valley, it covers about 469 square miles (1,210 km 2). The city of Los Angeles lies in a basin in Southern California. Los Angeles is known for its Mediterranean climate, ethnic and cultural diversity, Hollywood film industry, and sprawling metropolitan area.

With a 2020 population of 3,898,747, it is the largest city in the state, as well as the second-largest city in the United States following New York City.

'The Angels'), often referred to by its initials L.A., is a major city in the U.S. Los Angeles ( US: / l ɔː s ˈ æ n dʒ əl ə s/ ( listen) lawss AN-jəl-əs Spanish: Los Ángeles, lit.
