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The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous
city in California and the fourteenth-most populous in the United
States, with a 2006 estimated population of 744,041. One of
the most densely populated major cities in the U.S., San Francisco
is part of the much larger San Francisco Bay Area, which is
home to approximately 7.2 million people. The city is located
on the tip of the San Francisco Peninsula, with the Pacific
Ocean to the west, the San Francisco Bay to the east, and the
Golden Gate to the north.
In 1776, the Spanish settled the tip of the peninsula, establishing
a fort at the Golden Gate and a mission named for Francis of
Assisi. The California Gold Rush in 1848 propelled the city
into a period of rapid growth. After being devastated by the
1906 earthquake and fire, San Francisco was quickly rebuilt.
San Francisco is a popular international tourist destination
renowned for its steep rolling hills, an eclectic mix of Victorian
and modern architecture, and a cosmopolitan population that
is highly diverse both ethnically and in sexual orientation.
While the climate includes chilly summer fog, the winters are
mild. Famous landmarks include the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz
Island, the cable cars, Coit Tower, and Chinatown.
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San Francisco is located on the west coast of the U.S.
at the tip of the San Francisco Peninsula and includes
significant stretches of the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco
Bay within its boundaries. Several islands are part of
the city, notably Alcatraz, Treasure Island, and the adjacent
Yerba Buena Island, together with small portions of Alameda
Island, Angel Island, and Red Rock Island. Also included
are the uninhabited Farallon Islands, 27 miles (43 km)
offshore in the Pacific Ocean. The mainland within the
city limits roughly forms a seven-by-seven-mile square
(11-by-11 km), which has become a colloquialism referring
to the city's shape.
San Francisco is famous for its hills. There are more
than 50 hills within city limits.
Some neighborhoods are named after the hill on which
they are situated, including Nob Hill, Pacific Heights,
Russian Hill, Potrero Hill, and Telegraph Hill.
San Francisco is characterized by a high standard of
living. The great wealth and opportunity generated by
the Internet revolution drew many highly educated and
high income workers and residents to San Francisco. Many
poorer neighborhoods have become gentrified. The downtown
has seen a renaissance driven by the redevelopment of
the Embarcadero, including the neighborhoods South Beach
and Mission Bay. Property values and household income
have escalated to among the highest in the nation, allowing
the city to support a large restaurant and entertainment
infrastructure. Because the cost of living in San Francisco
is exceptionally high, many middle class families have
decided they can no longer afford to live within the city
and have left to the suburbs of the San Francisco Bay
Area.
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