San
Diego County, one of 58 counties in the State of California, was established
on February 18, 1850, just after California became the 31st state. The
County stretches 65 miles from north to south, and 86 miles from east
to west, covering 4,261 square miles. Elevation ranges from sea level
to 6,500 feet. The county is approximately the size of the state of 
Connecticut.
It borders (to the north) Orange and Riverside Counties, (to the east)
the agricultural communities of Imperial County, (on the west) the Pacific
Ocean, and (to the south) the State of Baja California, Mexico. Geographically,
the County is on the same approximate latitude as Dallas, Texas and Charleston,
South Carolina.
San Diego County is comprised of 18 incorporated cities
and 17 unincorporated communities. The county's total population in
2000 was 2,813,833. The 2000 Census data reports that the median age
in San Diego County is 33 years. According to the U.S. Census 2000,
San Diego is the third largest county (based on population) in the state.
The physical, social and economic development of the region
has been influenced by its unique geography, which encompasses over
70 miles of beautiful coastline, broad valleys, lakes, forested mountains
and the desert. The county can be divided into three basic geographic
areas, all generally running in the north-south direction. The coastal
plain extends from the ocean to inland areas for 20 to 25 miles. The
foothills and mountains, rising in elevation to 6,500 feet, comprise
the middle section of the county. 
The
third area is the desert, extending from the mountains into Imperial
County, 80 miles east of the coast. San Diegans can live in the mountains,
work near the ocean, and take recreational day trips to the desert.
The City of San Diego has the 7th largest population of
all cities in the U.S. and roughly half of San Diego County's total
population resides in the City of San Diego.
San Diego's Gross Regional Product was estimated to have
reached $110.2 billion at the end of 2000. Analysts forecast San Diego's
2001 GRP to exceed $117 billion. SANDAG
