Editing California (section)

== Territory ==
California has a surface area of 423,970 km², with a coastline of 1,350 km; the maximum distances are approximately 1,240 km from north to south and 595 km from east to west. The average elevation is 880 m, with values, however, extremely varied: from 86 m below sea level in Death Valley (the largest continental depression) to 4,418 m at Mount Whitney in the Sierra Nevada, one of the highest in the United States.

The state can be divided into four physical regions: the Central Valley, a deep and fertile alluvial valley bordered to the east by the rugged reliefs of the [[Sierra Nevada]], to the north by the [[Cascade Range]] (a volcanic plateau including numerous craters such as those of Mount Shasta – 4,317 m, now extinct – and Lassen Peak – 3,187 m, still active) and the Klamath Mountains, to the west by the [[Coast Range]] interrupted by the depressions of the Salinas Valley and the lowlands surrounding the San Francisco Bay; the southwestern area, including the mountain ranges of the Transverse Ranges and the Peninsular Ranges, which differ from the Sierra Nevada for their lower elevation and the absence of glaciers; the southeastern region, including numerous desert areas and arid basins including the [[Great Basin]], the northernmost, where the great [[Mojave Desert]] and Death Valley are located; Finally, the coastal strip, geologically unstable and characterized by numerous faults, including the fearsome San Andreas Fault.

California's main rivers are the [[Sacramento (River)|Sacramento]], which rises on Mount Shasta and flows into San Francisco Bay, and the San Joaquin, which rises in the Sierra Nevada. The two rivers flow mainly through flow through the Central Valley and, with their numerous tributaries, receive the waters flowing from the Sierra Nevada, the Cascade Range, and other northeastern areas. Among the many lakes in the area, almost all of modest size, are Lake Tahoe, on the Nevada border, Lake Clear, Lake Honey, and Lake Mono; the largest reservoirs are Lake Shasta and the Oroville Reservoir.

=== Climate ===
California's climate, while varying considerably, is essentially Mediterranean. The Pacific coast enjoys mild winters and relatively cool summers, thanks to its proximity to the sea. Further inland, the climate is more continental; the Central Valley, extremely hot during the summer, experiences rather mild winters. In the eastern mountain ranges, the climate is dry, with temperate summers and cold winters in the north, and very hot summers in the south. The highest temperature ever recorded was 56.7°C (135°F) in Death Valley in 1913, and the lowest was -42.8°C (-48.2°F) north of Lake Tahoe in 1937.

=== Flora and fauna ===
California has extremely rich and diverse vegetation: approximately 40% of all native US species originate from the Pacific state. The northern area is characterized by large, virgin forests (with varieties of pine, fir, and redwood), while the Sierra Nevada (United States) features groves of ancient redwoods. Along the coastal strip, south of San Francisco Bay, typical prairie plants grow, which, inland, give way to chaparral, an evergreen vegetation that tolerates the arid climate. In the southeastern desert areas, there are cacti and shrubby plants, as well as the Joshua Tree, a particular species of lily with enormous, white flowers.

The variety of vegetation provides a natural habitat for many species. The southeastern deserts are populated by numerous animals, including coyotes, rabbits, foxes, various reptiles and insects in the desert areas, and felines and many bird species in the chaparral. The forests are home to deer, skunks, foxes, and rattlesnakes, as well as bears, elks, and pronghorns.