{{redirect|San Francisco}} {{Infobox City |official_name = City and County of San Francisco |nickname = The City by the Bay; Fog City |image_skyline = Painted Ladies.jpg |image_flag = Flag of San Francisco, California.png |image_seal = Sfseal.gif |image_map = California Map showing San Francisco County.png |mapsize = 200 |map_caption = Location of the City and County of San Francisco, California |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = [[United States|United States of America]] |subdivision_type1 = State |subdivision_name1 = [[California]] |subdivision_type2 = [[City-County]] |subdivision_name2 = [[San Francisco, California|San Francisco]] |leader_title = [[Mayor]] |leader_name = [[Gavin Newsom]] |area_magnitude = 1 E8 |area_total = 122 |TotalArea_sq_mi = 47 |area_land = 121.0 |LandArea_sq_mi = 46.7 |area_water = 479.7 |area_metro= 8,869.3 |MetroArea_sq_mi= 3,424.4 |WaterArea_sq_mi = 185.2 |PCWater = 82.85 |population_metro = 7,168,176[http://www.census.gov/population/www/estimates/metropop/2005/cbsa-06-fmt.csv Annual Estimates of the Population of Combined Statistical Areas: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2005 |population_urban = 3,385,000 |population_as_of = 2006 |population_total = 798,680 (est){{cite web | year = May 1, 2006 | url = http://www.dof.ca.gov/HTML/DEMOGRAP/ReportsPapers/Estimates/E1/documents/e-1press.pdf | title = E-1 Population Estimates for Cities, Counties and the State with Annual Percent Change — January 1, 2005 and 2006 | format = PDF | publisher = California Department of Finance | accessdate = November 16 | accessyear = 2006}} |population_density = 6,115 |population_density_mi2 = 15,837 |timezone = [[Pacific Standard Time]] |utc_offset = -8 |timezone_DST = [[Pacific Daylight Time]] |utc_offset_DST = -7 |latd = 37 |latm = 46 |lats = 0 |latNS = N |longd = 122 |longm = 26 |longs = 0 |longEW = W |elevation = 16 |elevation_ft = 52 |website = http://www.sfgov.org |footnotes =}} The '''City and County of San Francisco''' is the fourth most populous city in [[California]] and the [[List of United States cities by population|fourteenth-most populous]] in the [[United States]],[http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/06075.html State & County QuickFacts: San Francisco County, California.] U.S. Census Bureau. Accessed September 3, 2006. with a 2006 population of 798,680 (estimate). It is located on the tip of the [[San Francisco Peninsula]] and is the focal point of the [[San Francisco Bay Area]]. San Francisco is the second most densely populated major cityOf cities greater than 200,000 population; [[New York City]] is the densest. in the United States.{{cite web | title=2000 Census: US Municipalities Over 50,000: Ranked by 2000 Population | url= http://www.demographia.com/db-uscity98.htm | accessmonthday=August 16 | accessyear=2006 | publisher = Demographia| }} Information cited for cities greater than 200,000 In 1776, the Spanish [[Spanish colonization of the Americas|settled]] the tip of the San Francisco peninsula, establishing a [[Presidio of San Francisco|fort]] at the [[Golden Gate]] and a [[Mission San Francisco de Asís|mission]] named for [[Francis of Assisi]]. As a result of the [[California Gold Rush]] in 1848, the city entered a period of rapid growth. After being devastated by the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake and fire]], San Francisco was quickly rebuilt. San Francisco is renowned for its months-long episodes of [[fog]], steep rolling hills, an eclectic mix of [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]] and [[modern architecture]], its peninsular location (surrounded by the [[Pacific Ocean]] and [[San Francisco Bay]]), and its liberal cultural and political identity. Famous hallmarks and landmarks include the [[Golden Gate Bridge]], [[Alcatraz Island]], the [[San Francisco cable car system|cable car]]s, the [[Transamerica Pyramid]], [[Coit Tower]], and [[Chinatown, San Francisco, California|Chinatown]]. == History == {{main|History of San Francisco, California}} The earliest archaeological evidence of inhabitation of the territory of the city of San Francisco dates to 3000 BC.Stewart, Suzanne B. (November, 2003). [http://www.sonoma.edu/asc/projects/pointreyes/overview2.pdf Archaeological Research Issues for the Point Reyes National Seashore - Golden Gate National Recreation Area] p. 55 (PDF) Sonoma State University - Anthropological Studies Center. Accessed October 13, 2006. The [[Yelamu]] group of the [[Ohlone]] people resided in several small villages when a [[Spanish colonization of the Americas|Spanish exploration party]], led by Don [[Gaspar de Portolà]] arrived on [[November 2]], [[1769]], the first documented European discovery of [[San Francisco Bay]].{{cite web | title= Visitors: San Francisco Historical Information | url= http://www.sfgov.org/site/visitor_index.asp?id=8091 | accessmonthday=September 3 | accessyear=2006 | publisher = City and County of San Francisco }} Seven years later, on [[March 28]], [[1776]] the [[Spain|Spanish]] established a [[Presidio of San Francisco|fort]], followed by a [[Spanish Missions of California|mission]], [[Mission San Francisco de Asís]] (Mission Dolores). [[Image:Mission San Francisco de Asis old.jpg|225px|thumb|left|[[Mission San Francisco de Asís]] (Mission Dolores)]] Upon [[Mexican independence|independence]] from [[Spain]] in 1821, the area became part of [[Mexico]]. In 1835, Englishman [[William A. Richardson|William Richardson]] erected the first significant homestead outside the immediate vicinity of the Mission Dolores,{{cite web | title= From the 1820s to the Gold Rush | url= http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist1/early.html | accessmonthday=August 28 | accessyear=2006 | publisher = The Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco }} near a boat anchorage around what is today [[Portsmouth Square]]. Together with Mission [[Alcalde]] [[Francisco de Haro]], he laid out a street plan for the expanded settlement, and the town, named [[Yerba Buena]], began to attract American settlers. Commodore [[John D. Sloat]] claimed California for the [[United States]] on [[July 7]], [[1846]], during the [[Mexican-American War]], and Captain [[John B. Montgomery]] arrived to claim Yerba Buena two days later. Yerba Buena was renamed San Francisco the next year.[http://www.yerbabuenagardens.com/history.html History of Yerba Buena Gardens.] Yerba Buena Gardens. Accessed August 28, 2003 Despite its attractive location as a port and naval base, San Francisco was still a small settlement with inhospitable geography. [[Image:Califstreetcablecarco.jpg|240px|right|thumb|A [[San Francisco cable car system|Cable Car]] on California Street in 1899]] The [[California Gold Rush]] brought a flood of treasure seekers. With their [[sourdough|sourdough bread]] in tow, prospectors accumulated in San Francisco over rival [[Benicia, California|Benicia]],[http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist1/brick.html San Francisco's First Brick Building.] The Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco. Accessed August 28, 2006. raising the population from 1,000 in 1848 to 25,000 by December 1849.{{cite book | last = Richards | first = Rand | title = Historic San Francisco: A Concise History and Guide | publisher = Heritage House | date = 1992 | location = | id = ISBN 1-879367-00-9 }} The promise of riches was so strong that crews on arriving vessels deserted and rushed off to the gold fields, leaving behind a forest of masts in San Francisco harbor.{{cite news | last = Harris | first = Ron | title = Crews Unearth Shipwreck on San Francisco Condo Project |publisher = Associated Press | date = November 14, 2005 | url = http://www.cegltd.com/story.asp?story=6287&headline=Crews | accessmonthday = September 4 | accessyear = 2006 }} [[California]] was quickly granted [[U.S. state|statehood]] and the U.S. military built [[Fort Point]] at the [[Golden Gate]] and a fort on [[Alcatraz Island|Alcatraz island]] to secure the San Francisco Bay. Silver discoveries, including the [[Comstock Lode]] in 1859, further drove rapid population growth. With hordes of fortune seekers streaming through the city, lawlessness was common, and the [[Barbary Coast, San Francisco, California|Barbary Coast]] section of town gained notoriety as a haven for criminals, prostitution, and gambling. [[Entrepreneur]]s sought to capitalize on the wealth generated by the Gold Rush. Early winners were the [[banking]] industry, which saw the founding of [[Wells Fargo]] in 1852, and the [[railroad]] industry, as the [[business magnate|magnate]]s of [[the Big Four]], led by [[Leland Stanford]], collaborated in the building of the [[First Transcontinental Railroad]]. The development of the [[Port of San Francisco]] established the city as a center of [[trade]]. Catering to the needs and tastes of the growing population, [[Levi Strauss]] opened a dry goods business and [[Domingo Ghirardelli]] began manufacturing [[chocolate]]. Immigrant laborers made the city a polyglot culture, with [[Han Chinese|Chinese]] railroad workers creating the city's [[Chinatown, San Francisco, California|Chinatown]] quarter. The first [[San Francisco cable car system|cable cars]] carried San Franciscans up [[Clay Street Hill Railroad|Clay Street]] in 1873. The city's sea of [[Victorian house]]s began to take shape, and civic leaders campaigned for a spacious public park, resulting in plans for [[Golden Gate Park]]. San Franciscans built schools, churches, theaters, and all the hallmarks of civic life. The Presidio developed into the most important American military installation on the Pacific coast.[http://www.nps.gov/archive/goga/maps/bulletins/sb-3flags.pdf Under Three Flags.] (PDF) Presidio of San Francisco, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Accessed September 4, 2006. By the turn of the century, San Francisco was a major city known for its flamboyant style, stately hotels, ostentatious mansions on [[Nob Hill]], and a thriving arts scene. [[Image:San francisco fire 1906.jpg|right|thumb|center|550px|"Not in history has a modern imperial city been so completely destroyed. San Francisco is gone." – [[Jack London]] after the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fire.{{cite journal | last = London | first = Jack | title = The Story of an Eyewitness by Jack London | journal = Collier's, The National Weekly | publisher = The Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco | date = May 5, 1906 | url = http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist5/jlondon.html | accessmonthday=August 29 | accessyear=2006 }}]] At 5:12 AM on the morning of [[April 18]] [[1906]], a major [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|earthquake struck San Francisco]] and northern California. As buildings collapsed from the shaking, ruptured gas lines ignited fires that would spread across the city and burn out of control for several days. With water mains out of service, the Presidio Artillery Corps attempted to contain the inferno by dynamiting blocks of buildings to create firebreaks.{{cite web | title= Presidio of San Francisco: Firefighting and Dynamiting | url= http://www.nps.gov/archive/prsf/history/1906eq/firedyn.htm | accessmonthday=September 2 | accessyear=2006 | publisher = National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, Golden Gate National Recreation Area }} More than three-quarters of the city lay in ruins, including almost all of the downtown core.Montagne, Renée (April 11, 2006). [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5334411 Remembering the 1906 Earthquake] National Public Radio, ''Morning Edition''. Accessed August 29, 2006. Contemporary accounts reported that 498 people lost their lives, though modern estimates put the number in the several thousands.[http://quake.usgs.gov/info/1906/casualties.html Casualties and Damage after the 1906 earthquake] U.S. Geological Survey, Earthquake Hazards Program - Northern California. Accessed September 3, 2006. More than half the city's population of 400,000 were left homeless.[http://www.nps.gov/archive/prsf/history/1906eq/index.htm Presidio of San Francisco:1906 Earthquake and Fire] National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Accessed August 29, 2006. Refugees settled temporarily in makeshift tent villages in Golden Gate Park, the Presidio, on the beaches, and elsewhere. Many fled permanently to the [[East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area)|East Bay]]. [[Image:PalaceofFineArts1915.jpg|thumb|250px|left|The [[Palace of Fine Arts]] at the 1915 [[Panama-Pacific International Exposition (1915)|Panama-Pacific Exposition]]]]Rebuilding was rapid and performed on a grand scale. Rejecting calls to completely remake the street grid, San Franciscans opted for speed.{{cite book | author=Wiley, Peter Booth | title=National trust guide- San Francisco: America’s guide for architecture and history travelers | publisher=John Wiley & Sons, Inc. | year=2000 | pages = 56-62 |id=ISBN 0-471-19120-5}} [[Amadeo Giannini]]'s [[Bank of Italy (USA)|Bank of Italy]], later to become [[Bank of America]], provided loans for many of those whose livelihoods had been devastated. The destroyed mansions of Nob Hill became grand hotels. [[San Francisco City Hall|City Hall]] rose once again in splendorous [[Beaux-Arts architecture|Beaux Arts]] style, and the city celebrated its rebirth at the [[Panama-Pacific International Exposition (1915)|Panama-Pacific International Exposition]] in 1915. In ensuing years, the city solidified its standing as a financial capital; in the wake of the [[1929 Wall Street Crash|1929 stock market crash]], not a single San Francisco-based bank failed.[http://www.sfmuseum.net/hist9/banking.html San Francisco Gold Rush Banking] The Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco. Accessed August 27, 2006. Indeed, it was at the height of the [[Great Depression]] that San Francisco undertook two great civil engineering projects, simultaneously constructing the [[San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge]] and the [[Golden Gate Bridge]], completing them in 1936 and 1937 respectively. It was in this period that the island of Alcatraz, a former [[military]] stockade, began its service as a federal maximum security prison, housing notorious inmates such as [[Al Capone]]. San Francisco later celebrated its regained grandeur with a [[World's Fair]], the [[Golden Gate International Exposition]] in 1939-40, creating [[Treasure Island, California|Treasure Island]] in the middle of the bay to house it. [[Image:USSSanFranciscoGGBridge.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The [[USS San Francisco (CA-38)|USS ''San Francisco'']] steams under the [[Golden Gate Bridge]] in 1942, during [[World War II]]]] During [[World War II]], the [[Hunters Point Naval Shipyard]] became a hub of activity and [[Fort Mason]] became the primary port of embarkation for service members shipping out to the [[Pacific theater of operations]].[http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/wwIIbayarea/embarkation.htm World War II in the San Francisco Bay Area.] National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Accessed August 29, 2006. The explosion of jobs drew many people, especially [[African American]]s from the South, to the area. After the end of the war, many military personnel returning from service abroad and civilians who had originally come to work decided to stay. The [[UN Charter]] creating the [[United Nations]] was drafted and signed in San Francisco in 1945 and, in 1951, the [[Treaty of San Francisco]] officially ended the [[Pacific War|war with Japan]]. Urban planning projects in the 1950s and 1960s saw widespread destruction and redevelopment of westside neighborhoods and the construction of new freeways.{{cite web | last = Fang | first = Eric C.Y. | title =Urban Renewal Revisited: A Design Critique | publisher = San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association | date = February, 1999 | url =http://www.spur.org/documents/990201_article_01.shtm | accessmonthday = August 26 | accessyear = 2006}} The [[Transamerica Pyramid]] was completed in 1972,[http://www.transamerica.com/company_profile/about_the_pyramid/pyramid_facts_and_figures.asp Pyramid Facts and Figures] Transamerica.com "About the Pyramid," Accessed [[2006-10-29]] and in the 1980s the [[Manhattanization]] of San Francisco saw extensive high rise development downtown.{{cite book | author=Wiley, Peter Booth | title=National trust guide- San Francisco: America’s guide for architecture and history travelers | publisher=John Wiley & Sons, Inc. | year=2000 | pages = 95-96 | id=ISBN 0-471-19120-5}} Port activity moved to [[Port of Oakland|Oakland]], the city began to lose industrial jobs, and San Francisco began to turn to tourism as the most important segment of its economy. The suburbs experienced rapid growth and San Francisco underwent significant demographic change, as large segments of the white population left the city, supplanted by an increasing wave of immigration from Asia and Latin America.{{cite web | last =Willia | first = James et al. | title = San Francisco Planning Department Census Data Analysis| publisher = San Francisco State University Department of Urban Studies | url = http://bss.sfsu.edu/pamuk/SFDemographics.ppt#1 | format = Microsoft PowerPoint | accessmonthday = August 31 | accessyear = 2006 }}Minton, Torri (September 20, 1998). [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1998/09/20/SC72759.DTL Race through Time] ''San Francisco Chronicle.'' Accessed September 1, 2006.[[Image:Humanbein-p.jpg|thumb|left|150px|The 1967 [[Human Be-In]] galvanized hippies in Haight-Ashbury.]] Over this same period, San Francisco became a magnet for America's [[counterculture]]. [[Beat Generation]] writers fueled the [[San Francisco Renaissance]] and centered on the [[North Beach, San Francisco, California|North Beach]] neighborhood in the 1950s. [[Hippie]]s flocked to [[Haight-Ashbury]] in the 1960s, reaching a peak with the 1967 [[Summer of Love]]. In the 1970s, the city became a center of the [[gay rights]] movement, with the emergence of [[The Castro]] as an urban [[gay village]], the election of [[Harvey Milk]] to the [[San Francisco Board of Supervisors|Board of Supervisors]], and his assassination, along with that of Mayor [[George Moscone]], in 1978. The 1989 [[Loma Prieta earthquake]] caused destruction and loss of life throughout the Bay Area. In San Francisco, the quake severely damaged structures in the [[Marina District, San Francisco, California|Marina]] and [[South of Market]] districts and precipitated the demolition of the damaged [[Embarcadero Freeway]] and much of the damaged [[Central Freeway]], allowing the city to reclaim its historic downtown waterfront. During the [[Dot-com bubble|dot-com boom]] of the late 1990s, [[startup company|startup companies]] invigorated the economy. Large numbers of entrepreneurs and computer application developers moved into the city, followed by marketing and sales professionals that changed the social landscape as once poorer neighborhoods became [[Gentrification|gentrified]]. When the bubble burst in 2001, many of these companies folded and their employees left, although high technology and entrepreneurship continued to be mainstays of the San Francisco economy. {{-}} == Geography == San Francisco is located on the [[West Coast of the United States|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 of San Francisco Bay|islands]] are part of the city, notably [[Alcatraz Island|Alcatraz]], [[Treasure Island, California|Treasure Island]], and the adjacent [[Yerba Buena Island]]. Also included are the uninhabited [[Farallon Islands]], 27 [[mile]]s (43 km) offshore in the [[Pacific Ocean]]. The land within the city limits roughly forms a seven by seven mile square, which has become a colloquialism referring to the city's shape. [[Image:San Francisco Landsat7 (Lg).jpg|265px|right|thumb|The San Francisco Peninsula: San Francisco and, below it, northern [[San Mateo County, California|San Mateo County]]]] San Francisco is famous for its hills, which are defined as elevations over 100 [[Foot (unit)|feet]] (30 m). There are a total of [[List of San Francisco, California Hills|43 hills]] within city limits.{{cite book | last = Hansen | first = Gladys | title = San Francisco Almanac | publisher = Chronicle Books | date = 1995 | location = | id = ISBN 0-8118-0841-6}} Some neighborhoods are named after the hill on which they are situated, including [[Nob Hill]], [[Pacific Heights, San Francisco, California|Pacific Heights]], [[Russian Hill, San Francisco, California|Russian Hill]], [[Potrero Hill, San Francisco, California|Potrero Hill]], and [[Telegraph Hill, San Francisco|Telegraph Hill]]. [[Image:Lombardst.jpeg|thumb|left|Cars negotiate [[Lombard Street (San Francisco)|Lombard Street]] to descend [[Russian Hill, San Francisco, California|Russian Hill]]]] Near the geographic center of the city, southwest of the downtown area, are a series of less densely populated hills. Dominating this area is [[Mount Sutro]], the site of [[Sutro Tower]], a large red and white radio and television transmission tower. Nearby is [[Twin Peaks (San Francisco)|Twin Peaks]], a pair of hills resting at one of the city's highest points and a popular overlook spot for tour groups. San Francisco's tallest hill, [[Mount Davidson]], is 925 feet (282 m) high, and is capped with a 103 feet (31.4 m) tall cross built in 1934. The [[San Andreas Fault|San Andreas]] and [[Hayward Fault|Hayward]] Faults are responsible for much [[earthquake]] activity, even though neither passes through the city itself. It was the San Andreas Fault which slipped and caused the earthquakes in [[1906]] and [[1989]]. Minor [[earthquakes]] occur on a regular basis. The threat of major earthquakes plays a large role in the city's infrastructure development. New buildings must meet high structural standards, and older buildings and bridges must be retrofitted to comply with new building codes. San Francisco's shoreline has grown beyond its natural limits. Entire neighborhoods such as the [[Marina District, San Francisco, California|Marina]] and [[Hunters Point]], as well as large sections of the [[Embarcadero (San Francisco)|Embarcadero]] sit on areas of [[landfill]]. [[Treasure Island, California|Treasure Island]] was constructed from material dredged from the bay as well as material resulting from tunneling through Yerba Buena Island during the construction of the Bay Bridge. Such land tends to be unstable during earthquakes; the resultant [[liquefaction]] causes extensive damage to property built upon it, as was evidenced in the Marina district during the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake. ===Climate=== [[Image:GGB Fog Crissy Field.jpg|thumb|360px|right|Fog envelops the [[Golden Gate Bridge]] and approaches [[Crissy Field]].]] A quotation incorrectly attributed to [[Mark Twain]] goes, "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco."{{cite web | title=FOG HEAVEN: The sun will come out tomorrow. Or maybe not. It's summer in the city, and that means gray skies | last = Nolte | first = Carl | date = August 19, 2005 | url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/08/19/MNGOBEA9JI1.DTL | publisher = ''San Francisco Chronicle'' | accessmonthday=August 27 | accessyear=2006 }} San Francisco benefits from California’s [[Mediterranean climate]], characterized by mild wet winters and warm dry summers.[http://ggweather.com/sf/narrative.html Climate of San Francisco: Narrative Description] Golden Gate Weather Services, Accessed on September 5, 2006 However, surrounded on three sides by water, San Francisco has a climate strongly influenced by the cool [[California Current|currents]] of the [[Pacific Ocean]] which tends to moderate temperature swings and produce a remarkably mild climate with little seasonal temperature variation. Average summertime high temperatures in San Francisco peak at 70 °F (21 °C) and are 20 °F (9 °C) lower than they are in nearby inland locations like [[Livermore, California|Livermore]].{{cite web | title= Weatherbase.com climate data for Livermore, California |url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=799440 | accessmonthday=August 27 | accessyear=2006 }} The highest temperature ever recorded in San Francisco was 103 °F (39 °C) on [[June 14]], 2000.[http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/extremes/2000/june/juneext2000.html National Climatic Data Center, Climate-2000/June/Climate-Watch/Selected Extremes], "Climatography of the United States," National Climatic Data Center, Accessed [[2006-12-03]] Winters are mild, with daytime highs near 60 °F (15 °C). Lows almost never reach freezing temperatures, though the lowest temperature ever recorded in San Francisco was 27 °F (-3 °C) on [[December 11]], 1932.[http://ggweather.com/sf/temp2.html Climate of San Francisco: Top 10 Temperatures] Golden Gate Weather Services, Accessed on [[2006-12-03]] May through September are quite dry, and rain is a common occurrence from November through March. Snow is extraordinarily rare, with only 10 instances recorded since 1852. The greatest snowfall on record was 3.7 inches in downtown San Francisco, and up to 7 inches elsewhere, on February 5, 1887.{{cite web | last = Null | first = Jan | title=CLIMATE OF SAN FRANCISCO (Third Revision) | date = January 1995 | url=http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/mtr/sfd_sjc_climate/sfd/SFD_CLIMATE3.php | publisher = U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service | accessmonthday=September 5 | accessyear=2006 }} The last measurable snowfall in San Francisco was on [[February 5]], 1976, when most of the city received an inch of snow.[http://ggweather.com/sf/snow.html Climate of San Francisco: Snowfall] Golden Gate Weather Services, Accessed on [[2006-12-03]] The combination of cold ocean water and the high heat of the California mainland creates the city's characteristic [[fog]] that can cover the western half of the city all day during the summer and early fall. The fog is less pronounced in eastern neighborhoods, in late spring, and during September and October, which are the warmest months of the year. Due to its sharp topography and maritime influences, San Francisco exhibits a multitude of distinct [[microclimate]]s. The high hills in the geographic center of the city are responsible for a 20% variance in annual rainfall between different parts of the city. They also protect neighborhoods directly to their east from the foggy and cool conditions experienced in the [[Sunset District, San Francisco, California|Sunset District]]; for those who live on the eastern side of the city, San Francisco is fairly sunny, with an average of 160 clear days, and only 105 cloudy days per year.[http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/CLIMATEDATA.html Historical Climate Information] Western Regional Climate Center, Accessed September 5, 2006 {{Infobox Weather |single_line= Yes |location = San Francisco, California |Jan_Hi_°F = 56 |Jan_Hi_°C = 13 |Feb_Hi_°F = 60 |Feb_Hi_°C = 15 |Mar_Hi_°F = 61 |Mar_Hi_°C = 16 |Apr_Hi_°F = 63 |Apr_Hi_°C = 17 |May_Hi_°F = 64 |May_Hi_°C = 17 |Jun_Hi_°F = 66 |Jun_Hi_°C = 18 |Jul_Hi_°F = 66 |Jul_Hi_°C = 18 |Aug_Hi_°F = 66 |Aug_Hi_°C = 18 |Sep_Hi_°F = 70 |Sep_Hi_°C = 21 |Oct_Hi_°F = 69 |Oct_Hi_°C = 20 |Nov_Hi_°F = 64 |Nov_Hi_°C = 17 |Dec_Hi_°F = 57 |Dec_Hi_°C = 13 |Year_Hi_°F = 63 |Year_Hi_°C = 17 |Jan_Lo_°F = 46 |Jan_Lo_°C = 7 |Feb_Lo_°F = 48 |Feb_Lo_°C = 8 |Mar_Lo_°F = 49 |Mar_Lo_°C = 9 |Apr_Lo_°F = 50 |Apr_Lo_°C = 10 |May_Lo_°F = 51 |May_Lo_°C = 10 |Jun_Lo_°F = 53 |Jun_Lo_°C = 11 |Jul_Lo_°F = 54 |Jul_Lo_°C = 12 |Aug_Lo_°F = 54 |Aug_Lo_°C = 12 |Sep_Lo_°F = 56 |Sep_Lo_°C = 13 |Oct_Lo_°F = 55 |Oct_Lo_°C = 12 |Nov_Lo_°F = 51 |Nov_Lo_°C = 10 |Dec_Lo_°F = 47 |Dec_Lo_°C = 8 |Year_Lo_°F = 51 |Year_Lo_°C = 10 |Jan_Precip_inch = 4.1 |Jan_Precip_cm = 10 |Jan_Precip_mm = |Feb_Precip_inch = 3.5 |Feb_Precip_cm = 8 |Feb_Precip_mm = |Mar_Precip_inch = 2.9 |Mar_Precip_cm = 7 |Mar_Precip_mm = |Apr_Precip_inch = 1.5 |Apr_Precip_cm = 3 |Apr_Precip_mm = |May_Precip_inch = 0.5 |May_Precip_cm = 1 |May_Precip_mm = |Jun_Precip_inch = 0.2 |Jun_Precip_cm = 0.5 |Jun_Precip_mm = |Jul_Precip_inch = --- |Jul_Precip_cm = --- |Jul_Precip_mm = |Aug_Precip_inch = --- |Aug_Precip_cm = --- |Aug_Precip_mm = |Sep_Precip_inch = 0.2 |Sep_Precip_cm = 0.5 |Sep_Precip_mm = |Oct_Precip_inch = 1.1 |Oct_Precip_cm = 2 |Oct_Precip_mm = |Nov_Precip_inch = 2.6 |Nov_Precip_cm = 6 |Nov_Precip_mm = |Dec_Precip_inch = 3.9 |Dec_Precip_cm = 9 |Dec_Precip_mm = |Year_Precip_inch = 20.4 |Year_Precip_cm = 51 |Year_Precip_mm = |source =Weatherbase{{cite web | url =http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=149427&refer=&units=us |title =Weatherbase: Historical Weather for San Francisco, California, United States of America | accessmonthday = Nov 8 |accessyear =2006 | language = English }} |accessdate = Nov 2006 }} ===Neighborhoods=== [[Image:SF_Chinatown_CA.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[Chinatown, San Francisco, California|Chinatown]]]] {{main|Neighborhoods in San Francisco, California}} The historic center of San Francisco is the northeast quadrant of the city bordered by [[Market Street (San Francisco)|Market Street]] to the south. It is here that the [[Financial District, San Francisco, California|Financial District]] is centered, with [[Union Square (San Francisco)|Union Square]], the principal shopping and hotel district, nearby. [[Cable car (railway)|Cable car]]s carry residents and tourists alike up steep inclines to the summit of [[Nob Hill]], once the home of the city's business tycoons, and down to [[Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, California|Fisherman's Wharf]], a tourist playground featuring [[Dungeness crab]] from a still-active fishing industry. Also in this quadrant are [[Russian Hill, San Francisco, California|Russian Hill]], a residential neighborhood with the famously crooked [[Lombard Street, San Francisco|Lombard Street]], [[North Beach, San Francisco, California|North Beach]], the city's version of [[Little Italy]], and [[Telegraph Hill, San Francisco|Telegraph Hill]], which features [[Coit Tower]], a landmark dedicated to San Francisco's firefighters. Nearby is San Francisco's [[Chinatown, San Francisco, California|Chinatown]], established in the 1860s. The [[Tenderloin, San Francisco, California|Tenderloin]] is often portrayed as the crime-infested underbelly of the city. The [[Mission District, San Francisco, California|Mission District]] is predominantly working-class and populated by immigrants from [[Mexican American|Mexico]] and Central America, but is also gentrifying. [[Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco, California|Haight-Ashbury]], though heavily gentrified, still has some [[bohemian]] character. The [[The Castro, San Francisco, California|Castro]] is the center of gay life in the city. [[Image:Balmy Alley Mission SF2.jpg|thumb|200px|left|A [[mural]] in the [[Mission District, San Francisco, California|Mission District]]]]The city's [[Japantown, San Francisco, California|Japantown]] district suffered when its [[Japanese American|residents]] were [[Japanese American internment|forcibly removed]] during the second world war, while the nearby [[Western Addition, San Francisco, California|Western Addition]] became established with a large [[African American]] population at the same time. The "[[Painted Ladies]]", a row of well-restored [[Victorian house|Victorian]] homes, stand alongside [[Alamo Square]], and the mansions built by the San Francisco business elite in the wake of the [[1906 San Francisco Earthquake|1906 earthquake]] can be found in [[Pacific Heights, San Francisco, California|Pacific Heights]]. The [[Marina District, San Francisco, California|Marina]] to the north is a lively area with many young urban professionals. The [[Richmond District, San Francisco, California|Richmond]], the vast region north of Golden Gate Park that extends to the Pacific Ocean, today has a portion called "New Chinatown", but also attracts immigrants from other parts of Asia and [[Russian people|Russia]]. South of Golden Gate Park lies the [[Sunset District, San Francisco, California|Sunset]] with an Asian majority population.Chow, Andrew (March 22, 2002). [http://www.asianweek.com/2002_03_22/bay_redistricting.html Dismal APA Turnout at First Redistricting Meetings] ''Asian Week''. Accessed September 3, 2006. The Richmond and the Sunset are largely middle class and, together, are known as [[Neighborhoods of San Francisco|The Avenues]]. The southern neighborhoods of the city are ethnically diverse and populated primarily with students and working class San Franciscans. The [[South of Market]], once filled with decaying remnants of San Francisco's industrial past, has seen significant redevelopment. The locus of the [[dot-com boom]] during the late 1990s, by 2004 South of Market began to see [[skyscrapers]] and [[condominium]]s dot the area. Following the success of nearby [[South Beach, San Francisco, California|South Beach]], another neighborhood, [[Mission Bay, San Francisco, California|Mission Bay]], underwent redevelopment, anchored by a second campus of [[University of California, San Francisco|UCSF]]. ===Beaches and parks=== [[Image:SF Conservatory of Flowers 2.jpg|thumb|270px|The Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park]] [[Image:GGBBaker.JPG|thumb|100px|left|[[Baker Beach]]]] {{main|Parks in San Francisco, California}} [[Ocean Beach (San Francisco)|Ocean Beach]] runs along the Pacific Ocean shoreline, and [[Baker Beach]] occupies a picturesque setting just west of the Golden Gate Bridge. They are not suitable for swimming because the waters off the coast are cold and have deadly [[rip currents]]. The biggest and most well-known park is [[Golden Gate Park]], stretching from the center of the city to the ocean. Once covered only in grass and sand dunes, the park is planted with thousands of non-native trees and plants and is rich with attractions including the [[Conservatory of Flowers]], the [[Japanese tea garden at Golden Gate Park|Japanese Tea Garden]], and [[Strybing Arboretum]]. [[Presidio of San Francisco|The Presidio]], a former military base, and its [[Crissy Field]] section, restored to its natural salt marsh condition, are part of the [[Golden Gate National Recreation Area]], which includes Alcatraz, and other regional parks. [[Buena Vista Park]] is the city's oldest, established in 1867. [[Lake Merced]] is a [[fresh-water]] lake surrounded by parkland. Above Baker Beach is found one of the only existing colonies of the threatened plant, Marin Dwarf Flax, ''[[Hesperolinon congestum]]''. {{-}} ==Demographics== [[Image:SFPopulationGrowth.jpg|thumb|250px|Population (thousands) by year{{cite web| last = Gibson | first = Campbell | title=POPULATION OF THE 100 LARGEST CITIES AND OTHER URBAN PLACES IN THE UNITED STATES: 1790 TO 1990 | publisher = U.S. Census Bureau | date = June, 1998 | url=http://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0027.html | accessmonthday=January 29 | accessyear=2006 }}]]{{seealso|Demographic maps of San Francisco, California}} The estimated 2006 population of San Francisco is 798,680, surpassing the dot-com boom peak of 776,733 in 2000. With nearly 16,000 people per square mile, San Francisco is the second most densely populated major American city after [[New York City|New York]].{{cite web | title=G.I.S. Lounge U.S. Population Density, 2000 Census | url=http://gislounge.com/features/aa041101c.shtml | publiser = GiS Lounge | accessmonthday=January 29 | accessyear=2006 }} San Francisco is the traditional focal point of the [[San Francisco Bay Area]] and forms part of the greater [[San Jose, California|San Jose]]-San Francisco-[[Oakland, California|Oakland]] [[Combined Statistical Area]] (CSA) whose population is over 7 million - the fifth largest in the United States as of the 2000 census.[http://www.census.gov/population/cen2000/phc-t29/tab06.xls Census 2000 PHC-T-29. Ranking Tables for Population of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, Combined Statistical Areas, New England City and Town Areas, and Combined New England City and Town Areas: 1990 and 2000]. (Microsoft Excel) U.S. Census Bureau. Accessed August 31, 2006. San Francisco is a [[minority-majority]] city as non-Hispanic [[White (people)|White]]s make up less than 44% of the population. [[Asian Americans]], principally [[Han Chinese|Chinese]], comprise nearly 31% of the population. [[Hispanic]]s of any race make up just over 14% of the population. At less than 8% of the population, San Francisco has a lower concentration of [[African American]]s than the [[Demographics of the United States|United States as a whole]].[http://www.bayareacensus.ca.gov/counties/SanFranciscoCounty.pdf Table DP-1. Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 Geographic Area: San Francisco County, California.] (PDF) U.S. Census Bureau. Accessed August 31, 2006. Few of San Francisco's residents have lived there their whole lives. Only 35% of its residents were born in California; 39% were born outside the United States.{{cite web | last = Egan | first = Ted | title=An Overview of San Francisco's Recent Economic Performance | format = PDF | date = May 3, 2006 | url=http://www.sfgov.org/site/uploadedfiles/moed/economic_strat/ExecutiveSummary_EconomicPerformanceReview.pdf | accessmonthday=August 27 | accessyear=2006 | publisher = ICF Consulting}} San Francisco has the highest percentage of same-sex households of any American county, with the Bay Area having a higher concentration than any other metropolitan area.{{cite web | title=Gay and Lesbian Families in the United States: Same-Sex Unmarried Partner Households | format = PDF | url=http://www.hrc.org/Content/ContentGroups/Publications1/census.pdf | accessmonthday=August 27 | accessyear=2006 | publisher = Human Rights Campaign }} Gay men outnumber lesbians; it has been estimated that one in five males over the age of 15 is gay.{{cite web | last = Tanner | first = Adam | date = April 7, 2006 | title=San Francisco may be the World's Gayest City - Report| url=http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=540112006 | accessmonthday=September 4 | accessyear=2006 | publisher = ''Scotsman''}} The San Francisco median household income, at $57,496 in 2005, is the fifth-highest for any large city in the nation.[http://www.mercurynews.com/multimedia/mercurynews/news/mn_census_report01_083006.pdf Income, Earnings, and Poverty Data from the 2005 American Community Survey.] (PDF) U.S. Census Bureau. Accessed September 5, 2005. Following a national trend, an out-migration of middle class families is contributing to widening income disparityHendricks, Tyche (June 22, 2006) [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/06/22/MNG6HJIDMM1.DTL RICH CITY POOR CITY: Middle-class neighborhoods are disappearing from the nation's cities, leaving only high- and low-income districts, new study says.] ''San Francisco Chronicle.'' Accessed September 5, 2006. and has left the city with a lower proportion of children, 14.5%, than any other large city in the United States.{{cite web | last = Leff | first = Lisa | date = May 24, 2005 | title=Child Population Dwindles in San Francisco | url=http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/n/a/2005/05/24/national/a111604D45.DTL | accessmonthday=August 27 | accessyear=2006 | publisher = ''San Francisco Chronicle''}} Nevertheless, the [[poverty rate]], at 7.8%, is lower than the national average and among the lowest for cities ranked by the U.S. Census Department.[http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/tables/06s0691.xls The 2006 Statistical Abstract: Income, Expenditures, & Wealth, Table 691 - Household Income, Family Income, Per Capita Income, and Individuals and Families Below Poverty Level by City: 2003.] (Microsoft Excel) U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved September 5, 2006 [[Homeless]]ness has been a chronic and controversial problem for San Francisco since the early 1980s. The city is believed to have the highest number of homeless inhabitants per capita of any major city in the United States. {{cite web | last = Pratt | first = Timothy | title = Critics say regional plan won't solve the problem | publisher = ''Las Vegas Sun'' | date = August 13-14, 2006 | url = http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/sun/2005/aug/12/519199343.html | accessmonthday = August 30 | accessyear = 2006 }} The [[Crime rate|rates]] of violent and property crime, reported for 2003 as 742 and 4943 incidents per 100,000 residents respectively,[http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius_03/xl/03tbl08.xls Uniform Crime Reports: Table 8 - Offenses Known to Law Enforcement, by City 10,000 and over in Population, 2003] Federal Bureau of Investigation. Accessed September 5, 2006. are higher than the national average.[http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius_03/xl/03tbl01.xls Uniform Crime Reports: Table 1 - Crime in the United States, by Volume and Rate, 1984-2003] Federal Bureau of Investigation. Accessed September 6, 2006. Among the 50 largest U.S. cities by population, San Francisco ranks 32nd and 38th in each of those categories. ==Government== {{seealso|Government of San Francisco}} The City and County of San Francisco is a [[consolidated city-county]], a status it has had since 1856. It is the only such consolidation in California. The [[Mayor of San Francisco|mayor]] is also the county executive and the county [[board of supervisors]] acts as the [[city council]]. Because of its unique status, it exercises jurisdiction over property that would otherwise be located outside of its corporation limit. [[San Francisco International Airport]], though located in [[San Mateo County]], is owned and operated by the City and County of San Francisco. San Francisco was also granted a perpetual leasehold over the [[Hetch Hetchy Valley]] and [[drainage basin|watershed]] in [[Yosemite National Park]] by the [[Raker Act]] in 1913. [[Image:Sfcityhall.jpeg|thumb|left|280px|[[San Francisco City Hall]]]] Under the city charter, the government of San Francisco is constituted of two co-equal branches. The executive branch is headed by the mayor and includes other city-wide elected and appointed officials, and the civil service. The 11-member [[San Francisco Board of Supervisors|Board of Supervisors]], the legislative branch, is headed by a President ([[Aaron Peskin]], as of 2006) and is responsible for passing laws and budgets, though San Franciscans also make use of [[Initiative|direct ballot initiatives]] to pass legislation. The members of the Board of Supervisors are elected as representatives of specific districts within the city.{{cite web | title=Board of Supervisors District Information | url=http://www.sfgov.org/site/bdsupvrs_index.asp?id=4385 | publisher = City and County of San Francisco, Board of Supervisors | accessmonthday=January 29 | accessyear=2006 }} If the mayor dies or resigns, the President of the Board of Supervisors assumes the office, as [[Dianne Feinstein]] did after the assassination of [[George Moscone]] in 1978. The municipal budget in 2006 was greater than $5 billion.{{cite web | title= A Guide to San Francisco's Budget Process, April, 2005 | format = PDF | url= http://www.sfgov.org/site/uploadedfiles/controller/budget_information/BudgGd_05.pdf | accessmonthday=August 25 | accessyear=2006 | publisher = City and County of San Francisco, Controller's Office}} The federal government utilizes San Francisco as the regional hub for many arms of the federal bureaucracy, including the [[Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals|U.S. Court of Appeals]], the [[Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco|Federal Reserve Bank]], and the [[United States Mint]]. Until decommissioning in the early 1990s, the city had three major military installations - the [[Presidio of San Francisco|Presidio]], [[Treasure Island, California|Treasure Island]], and [[San Francisco Naval Shipyard|Hunters Point]] - a legacy still reflected in the annual celebration of ''[[Fleet Week]]''. The State of California uses San Francisco as the home of the state [[Supreme Court of California|Supreme Court]] and other state agencies. Foreign governments have located in excess of thirty foreign [[consulate]]s in San Francisco.[http://www.yellowpages.com/sp/yellowpages/ypresults.jsp?t=0&v=3&s=2&p=1&q=Consulates&ci=san+francisco&st=CA&q=Consulates Search for consulates in San Francisco, CA] Yellowpages.com, Accessed August 27, 2006. {{-}} == Economy == [[Image:Alcatraz11.JPEG|thumb|right|170px|[[Alcatraz Island|Alcatraz]] receives 1.5 million visitors per year.[http://www.nps.gov/archive/goga/parklabs/library/wildlifeguide/wildlife_habitats.htm Wildlife Field Guids: Wildlife Habitats in GGNRA.] National Park Labs, National Park Service. Accessed September 4, 2006.]] {{seealso|List of companies headquartered in San Francisco, California}} [[Tourism]] is the backbone of the San Francisco economy. Its [[San Francisco in popular culture|frequent portrayal]] in music, film, and popular culture has made the city and its landmarks recognizable worldwide. It is the city where [[Tony Bennett]] left his [[I Left My Heart in San Francisco|heart]], where the ''[[Birdman of Alcatraz]]'' spent many of his final years, and where [[Rice-a-Roni]]Finz, Stacy (July 16, 2006) [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/07/16/MNGTUK06P31.DTL RICE-A-REDUX After a 7-year hiatus, it's billed once again as the San Francisco treat.] ''San Francisco Chronicle.'' Retrieved on September 5, 2006. was said to be the favorite treat. San Francisco attracts the fifth highest number of foreign tourists of any city in the United States[http://www.tinet.ita.doc.gov/view/f-2002-45-561/index.html Overseas Visitors To Select U.S. Cities/Hawaiian Islands 2002-2001] U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Travel & Tourism Industries. Accessed August 27, 2006. and claims [[Pier 39]] near [[Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, California|Fisherman's Wharf]] to be the third-most popular tourist attraction in the nation.[http://www.sfgov.org/site/mainpages_page.asp?id=18191 City and County of San Francisco: Sights in San Francisco.] City and County of San Francisco. Accessed September 4, 2006. More than 15 million visitors came to San Francisco in 2005, injecting nearly $7.5 billion into the economy.Raine, George. (May 13, 2006). [http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/05/13/BUG0TIR3FC37.DTL Tourism dollars add up: San Francisco seeing more visitors, more cash -- it's our No. 1 industry.] ''San Francisco Chronicle''. Accessed August 23, 2006. With a large hotel and restaurant infrastructure and a world-class facility in the [[Moscone Center]], San Francisco also is a top-ten North American destination for conventions and conferences.Spain, William (November 13, 2004). [http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Story.aspx?guid=%7B708E799D-2F2A-4AE8-9814-096BDF4F98DA%7D&siteid=mktw&dist= Cost factors: Top convention cities boast most-affordable lodging.] CBS MarketWatch. Accessed September 3, 2006. [[Image:Sf-skyln.jpg|thumb|350px|left|The San Francisco skyline including the [[Transamerica Pyramid]] in the [[Financial District, San Francisco, California|Financial District]]]]The legacy of the [[California Gold Rush]] turned San Francisco into the principal banking and finance center of the west coast. [[Montgomery Street]] in the [[Financial District (San Francisco)|Financial District]] is known as the "Wall Street of the West", home to the [[Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco]] and formerly the site of the [[Pacific Exchange]]. [[Bank of America]], a pioneer in making banking services accessible to the middle class, was founded in San Francisco. Many large financial institutions, multinational banks and venture capital firms are based in or have set up regional headquarters in the city. With over thirty international financial institutions,[http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-West/San-Francisco-Economy.html San Francisco: Economy] city-data.com Accessed September 30, 2006. six [[Fortune 500]] companies[http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/full_list/ Fortune 500 2006] CNNMoney.com Accessed August 31, 2006. and a large support infrastructure of professional services, including [[law firm|law]], [[public relations]], [[architecture]], and [[graphic design]] also populating the downtown, San Francisco is one of ten [[Global city|Beta World Cities]]. San Francisco's economy has increasingly become tied to that of [[Silicon Valley]] to the south, sharing a need for highly educated workers with specialized skills. It has been positioning itself as a [[biotechnology]] and [[biomedical]] hub and research center. The [[Mission Bay, San Francisco, California|Mission Bay]] neighborhood, site of a second campus of [[University of California-San Francisco|UCSF]], fosters a budding industry and serves as headquarters of the [[California Institute for Regenerative Medicine]], the public agency funding [[stem cell research]] programs statewide. The penetration of national [[big box]] retail chains into the city has been slow. The Small Business Commission supports local merchants in an effort to keep a larger share of retail dollars in the local economy.{{cite web | title= Main Street Fights Chain Street | last = Said | first = Carolyn | date = November 29, 2005 | url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/11/29/BUGN3FS8911.DTL&type=business | accessmonthday=August 27 | accessyear=2006 | publisher = ''San Francisco Chronicle''}} Small businesses with fewer than ten employees and self-employed firms make up 85 percent of city establishments.{{cite web | last = Tan | first = Aldrich M. | date = April 12, 2006 | title=San Francisco is gateway city for immigrants and Silicon Valley Technology | url=http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/news_in_brief/sf_tech_gateway_060412.shtml | accessmonthday=August 27 | accessyear=2006 | publisher = ''San Francisco Sentinel''}} The number of San Franciscans employed by firms of greater than 1000 employees has fallen by half since 1977. Most commonly known shopping areas are Geary, Powell and Post streets, and surrounding blocks between Market and Sutter streets. Here luxurious shops and inexpensive boutiques sell everything. Big hotels, splendid restaurants and colorful flower stalls all add to the atmosphere. ==Media== [[Image:Caen.jpg|thumb|right|150px|"One day if I do go to heaven...I'll look around and say, 'It ain't bad, but it ain't San Francisco.'" – [[Herb Caen]] (1916-1997), columnist for the ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'']]The ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'', a [[broadsheet]] for which [[Herb Caen]] famously published his daily musings, is northern California's most widely circulated newspaper.[http://www.accessabc.com/reader/top150.htm Top 200 Newspapers by Largest Reported Circulation.] (March 31, 2006) Audit Bureau of Circulations. Accessed August 28, 2006. The ''[[San Francisco Examiner]]'', once the cornerstone of [[William Randolph Hearst]]'s media empire and the home of [[Ambrose Bierce]], declined in circulation over the years and has been reduced to a small [[tabloid]].{{cite web | last = Rosenberg | first = Scott | title = The San Francisco Examiner, 1887-2000 | publisher = Salon.com | date = March 20, 2000 | url = http://archive.salon.com/media/feature/2000/03/21/examiner/index.html | accessmonthday = August 28 | accessyear= 2006 }}{{cite web | last = Nolte | first = Carl | title = Examiner Staff Ends an Era With Tears, Newsroom Tales | publisher = ''San Francisco Chronicle'' | date = November 22, 2000 | url = http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2000/11/22/MN121380.DTL&hw=san+francisco+examiner&sn=005&sc=498 | accessmonthday = August 28 | accessyear= 2006 }} ''[[Sing Tao Daily]]'' claims to be the largest of several Chinese language dailies that serve the Bay Area.{{cite web | last = Hua | first = Vanessa | title = Newspaper war in the Bay Area: Ming Pao becomes 6th Chinese-language daily | publisher = ''San Francisco Chronicle'' | date = August 3, 2004 | url = http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/08/03/BAGI781MM91.DTL | accessmonthday = August 28 | accessyear= 2006 }} [[Alternative weekly]] newspapers include the ''[[San Francisco Bay Guardian]]'' and ''[[SF Weekly]]''. ''[[San Francisco Magazine]]'' is a major glossy magazine. There are numerous community-specific papers that serve niche markets and individual neighborhoods The San Francisco metro area is the fifth largest [[designated market area|TV market]][http://www.nielsenmedia.com/nc/portal/site/Public/menuitem.55dc65b4a7d5adff3f65936147a062a0/?vgnextoid=6573d3b8b0c3d010VgnVCM100000ac0a260aRCRD# Nielsen Reports 1.1% increase in U.S. Television Households for the 2006-2007 Season (Press Release)] (August 23, 2006) ''Nielsen Media,'' Accessed September 20, 2006. and the fourth largest [[designated market area|Radio market]][http://www.arbitron.com/radio_stations/mm001050.asp ARBITRON RADIO MARKET RANKINGS: Spring 2006] ''Arbitron,'' Accessed September 20, 2006. in the United States. All the major [[television network]]s have [[List of television stations in the San Francisco Bay Area|affiliates]] serving the Bay Area region, with most of them based in the city. There are also some unaffiliated stations, and [[CNN]] and [[BBC]] have regional offices in San Francisco. [[Public broadcasting]] outlets include both a [[KQED-TV|television station]] and a [[KQED-FM|radio station]], broadcasting under the name [[KQED]] out of a facility near the [[Potrero Hill, San Francisco, California|Potrero Hill]] district. KQED-FM is the most-listened to [[National Public Radio]] affiliate in the country.[http://www.pacifica.org/documents/pdf/ArbitronRatingsWinter2004.pdf Top 30 Public Radio Subscribers - Winter 2004 Arbitron] (PDF) Radio Research Consortium. Accessed August 27, 2006. San Francisco companies such as [[CNET Networks|CNET]] and [[Salon.com]] pioneered the use of the internet as a media outlet. Leading global media which are marketed specifically to gay and lesbian audiences are centered in San Francisco, with [[PlanetOut Inc.|PlanetOut]] the parent company of major print newsmagazines and online communities. ==Education== ===Colleges and universities=== {{seealso|List of colleges and universities in San Francisco}} Nearby are [[Stanford University]] and the [[University of California, Berkeley|University of California]] at [[Berkeley, California|Berkeley]], though the city itself is home to several noteworthy schools. [[San Francisco State University]] is part of the [[California State University|California State University system]] and is located near Lake Merced. The school has close to 30,000 students and awards undergraduate and master's degrees in more than 100 disciplines. The [[City College of San Francisco]], with its main facility in the [[Ingleside, San Francisco, California|Ingleside]] district, is one of the largest two-year [[community college]]s in the country. It has an enrollment of about 100,000 students, and offers an extensive continuing education program.[http://www.ccsf.edu/Offices/Research_Planning/pdf/eyahighlights0506.pdf End-of-Year Assessment Report Highlights 2005/6] (PDF) City College of San Francisco. Accessed January 9, 2007. Founded in 1855, the [[Society of Jesus|Jesuit]]-run [[University of San Francisco]], located on [[Lone Mountain]], focuses on the [[liberal arts]], and is one of the oldest universities established west of the Mississippi. [[Image:UCSF-Mission Bay.jpg|thumb|225px|The [[Mission Bay, San Francisco, California|Mission Bay]] campus of [[University of California, San Francisco|UCSF]]]] The [[University of California, San Francisco]] is one of the ten campuses of the [[University of California|University of California system]], and is San Francisco's second largest employer. It is the medical school of the University of California and ranked among the top-five in the United States.[http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/med/brief/mdrrank_brief.php America's best graduate schools 2007.] ''U.S. News and World Report''. Accessed August 26, 2006. It also operates the [[UCSF Medical Center]], ranked among the top 10 hospitals in the United States.[http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health/best-hospitals/honorroll.htm Best Hospitals 2006] ''U.S. News and World Report''. Accessed August 26, 2006. A 43-acre [[Mission Bay, San Francisco, California|Mission Bay]] campus, complementing its original facility in [[Neighborhoods of San Francisco|Parnassus Heights]], opened in 2003. It contains research space and facilities to foster biotechnology and life sciences entrepreneurship and will double the size of UCSF's research enterprise. The [[University of California, Hastings College of the Law]], founded in [[Civic Center, San Francisco, California|Civic Center]] in 1878, is the oldest law school in California and claims more judges on the state bench than any other institution.[http://www.uchastings.edu/?pid=37 Hastings Quick Facts] University of California, Hastings College of the Law. Accessed August 30, 2006. Visual arts are served by the [[San Francisco Art Institute]], an accredited school of [[contemporary art]], and [[Academy of Art University]], the largest private school of art and design in the U.S.[http://www.academyart.edu/aboutus/index.asp About Us] Academy of Art University. Accessed August 27, 2006. The [[San Francisco Conservatory of Music]], the only school of its kind on the west coast, grants degrees in orchestral instruments, chamber music, composition, and conducting. The [[California Culinary Academy]], associated with the [[Le Cordon Bleu]] program, offers programs in the culinary arts, baking & pastry arts, and hospitality & restaurant management. ===Primary and secondary schools=== [[Public school]]s are run by the [[San Francisco Unified School District]]. [[Lowell High School (San Francisco)|Lowell High School]], the oldest public high school in the U.S. west of the Mississippi,[http://www.sfusd.edu/schwww/sch697/about/history/ Lowell History: The Oldest Public High School West of the Mississippi.] San Francisco Unified School District. Accessed September 4, 2006. and the smaller [[School of the Arts High School (San Francisco)|School of the Arts High School]] are San Francisco's two [[magnet school]]s. Just under 30 percent of the city's school-age population attends one of San Francisco's more than 100 [[private school|private]] or [[parochial school]]s, compared to a 10 percent rate nationwide.{{cite web | last = Knight | first = Heather | title = Many reluctantly chose private schools | publisher = ''San Francisco Chronicle'' | date = May 31, 2006 | url = http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/05/31/MNGJIJ50T41.DTL | accessmonthday = August 27 | accessyear= 2006 }} The [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco]] manages nearly 40 of those schools.[http://www.sfcatholicschools.org/schooldirectories.htm School Directory] Archdiocese of San Francisco, Department of Catholic Schools. Accessed August 27, 2006. == Culture and contemporary life== :{{main|Culture of San Francisco}} San Francisco is characterized by a high standard of living.[http://www.spur.org/documents/010701_article_03.shtm San Francisco by the Numbers: Planning after the 2000 Census.] San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association, Accessed August 28, 2006. 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 (San Francisco)|Embarcadero]], including the neighborhoods [[South Beach, San Francisco, California|South Beach]] and [[Mission Bay, San Francisco, California|Mission Bay]]. Property values and household income have escalated to among the highest in the nation,{{cite web | last = Sadovi | first = Maura Webber | title = San Francisco's Home Prices Remain Among the Highest in U.S. | publisher = ''The Wall Street Journal'' | date = April 10, 2006 | url = http://www.realestatejournal.com/columnists/livingthere/20060412-livingthere.html | accessmonthday = August 28 | accessyear= 2006 }}[http://www.sanfran.com/archives/view_story/1068/ It may not feel like it, but your shot at the good life is getting better. Here's why] ''San Francisco Magazine''. Accessed August 28, 2006. 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. [[Image:Fillmore-sidewalk-1.jpg|thumb|left|230px|Boutiques along [[List of streets in San Francisco|Fillmore Street]] in [[Pacific Heights, San Francisco, California|Pacific Heights]]]] Although the centralized commerce and shopping districts downtown, including the [[Financial District (San Francisco)|Financial District]] and the area around [[Union Square, San Francisco, California|Union Square]], are well-known, San Francisco is also characterized by a rich street environment featuring many [[mixed-use development|mixed-use]] neighborhoods anchored around central commercial corridors to which residents and visitors alike can walk. They feature a mix of businesses and restaurants catering to the daily needs of the community and drawing in visitors. Some are highly gentrified, dotted with boutiques, cafes and nightlife, such as [[List of streets in San Francisco|Union Street]] in [[Cow Hollow, San Francisco, California|Cow Hollow]], and [[List of streets in San Francisco|24th Street]] in [[Noe Valley, San Francisco, California|Noe Valley]]. Others are less so, including [[List of streets in San Francisco|Irving Street]] in the [[Sunset District, San Francisco, California|Sunset]], or [[List of streets in San Francisco|Mission Street]] in the [[Mission District, San Francisco, California|Mission]]. This approach has influenced the South of Market redevelopment, with businesses and neighborhood services rising alongside highrise residences.Wach, Bonnie (October 3, 2003) [http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/cityguides/sanfrancisco/worthdoing.htm Fog City rises from the funk.] ''USA Today''. Retrieved on September 4, 2006. [[Image:Castro Rainbow Flag.jpg|thumb|140px|right|The [[rainbow flag]] in [[The Castro]].]]The international character San Francisco has had since its founding is witnessed today by large numbers of immigrants from [[Asia]] and [[Latin America]]. With 39% of its residents born overseas, San Francisco has numerous neighborhoods filled with businesses and civic institutions catering to new arrivals. In particular, the arrival of many ethnic Chinese, which accelerated beginning in the 1970s, complemented the already-established community based in [[Chinatown, San Francisco, California|Chinatown]] and has transformed the annual [[San Francisco Chinese New Year Festival and Parade|Chinese New Year Parade]] into the largest cultural event of its kind.Lam, Eric (December 22, 2005). [http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/5-12-22/36073.html San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade Embroiled in Controversy.] ''The Epoch Times''. Retrieved on August 31, 2006. Following the arrival of writers and artists of the 1950s, who established the modern [[coffeehouse]] culture, and the social upheavals of the 1960s, San Francisco became one of the hypocenters of [[liberalism|liberal]] activism, with [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]], [[Green Party (United States)|Greens]], and [[progressivism|progressives]] dominating city politics. Indeed, San Francisco has not given the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] candidate for president greater than 20% of the vote since [[United States presidential election, 1988|1988]].[http://www.uselectionatlas.org Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.] Accessed September 6, 2006. The gay rights contributions and leadership the city has shown since the 1970s has resulted in the powerful presence gays and lesbians have in civic life. A popular destination for gay tourists, it hosts [[San Francisco Pride]], the world's best known gay pride parade and festival. ===Performing arts=== [[Image:SFWMOHLobbySouth.jpg|thumb|left|175px|Inside the [[War Memorial Opera House]]]] San Francisco's [[San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center|War Memorial and Performing Arts Center]] features some of the longest operating performing arts companies in the United States. The [[War Memorial Opera House]] houses the [[San Francisco Opera]] and [[San Francisco Ballet]], while the [[San Francisco Symphony]] plays in [[Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall|Davies Symphony Hall]]. The [[Herbst Theatre]] stages an eclectic mix of music performances, as well as [[National Public Radio|public radio]]'s ''[[City Arts & Lectures]]''. [[The Fillmore]] is a music venue located in the [[Western Addition, San Francisco, California|Western Addition]]. It is the second incarnation of a venue which gained fame in the 1960s under concert promoter [[Bill Graham (promoter)|Bill Graham]] and was where the [[Grateful Dead]], [[Janis Joplin]], and [[Jefferson Airplane]] got their start and fostered the [[San Francisco Sound]]. ''[[Beach Blanket Babylon]]'' is a zany musical revue and civic institution. It has performed to sold out crowds in [[North Beach, San Francisco, California|North Beach]] since 1974. The [[American Conservatory Theater]] (A.C.T.) has been a leading force in Bay Area performing arts since its arrival in San Francisco in 1967, routinely staging original productions. San Francisco frequently hosts national touring productions of [[Broadway theatre]] shows in a number of vintage 1920s-era venues in the [[Theater District, San Francisco, California|Theater District]] including the [[List of theatres in San Francisco|Curran]], [[List of theatres in San Francisco|Orpheum]], and [[List of theatres in San Francisco|Golden Gate]] Theatres. [[Image:Yerba-Buena-Gardens-MOMA.jpg|thumb|150px|right|[[San Francisco Museum of Modern Art|SFMOMA]] from [[Yerba Buena Gardens]]]] ===Museums=== {{see also|List of Museums in San Francisco}} The [[San Francisco Museum of Modern Art|Museum of Modern Art]] (SFMOMA) contains 20th Century and contemporary pieces. It moved to its iconic building in [[South of Market, San Francisco, California|South of Market]] in 1995 and attracts 600,000 visitors annually.[http://www.sfmoma.org/membership/corp_sponsors_why_sponsor.html Corporate Sponsorship (SFMOMA Facts and Audience)] San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Accessed September 1, 2006. The [[California Palace of the Legion of Honor|Palace of the Legion of Honor]] contains primarily European works. The [[M. H. de Young Memorial Museum|De Young Museum]] and the [[Asian Art Museum of San Francisco|Asian Art Museum]] have significant anthropological and non-European holdings. The [[Palace of Fine Arts]], originally built for the [[Panama-Pacific International Exposition (1915)|1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition]], today houses the [[Exploratorium]], a popular science museum dedicated to teaching through hands-on interaction. The [[California Academy of Sciences]] is a [[natural history]] museum and hosts the [[Morrison Planetarium]] and [[Steinhart Aquarium]]. The [[San Francisco Zoo]] cares for a total of about 250 animal species out of which 39 have been deemed endangered or threatened.[http://www.sfzoo.org/about/pressKit.shtml About the Zoo: Media Center (Press Kit)] San Francisco Zoo. Accessed September 3, 2006. ==Sports== The [[San Francisco 49ers]] of the [[National Football League|NFL]] are the longest-tenured major professional sports franchise in the city. They began play in 1946 and moved to their present location in [[Monster Park]] on [[Candlestick Point State Recreation Area|Candlestick Point]] in 1971. They reached prominence in the 1980s and 1990s, winning five [[Super Bowl]] titles behind stars [[Joe Montana]], [[Steve Young (athlete)|Steve Young]], and [[Jerry Rice]]. [[Image:SFBaseballPark.jpg|thumb|225px|left|A [[Muni Metro|Muni light rail]] passes [[AT&T Park]], home of the [[San Francisco Giants]]]] [[Major League Baseball]]'s [[San Francisco Giants]] left New York for California prior to the 1958 season. Though boasting stars such as [[Willie Mays]], [[Willie McCovey]], and [[Barry Bonds]], they have yet to win the [[World Series]] while based in San Francisco. Game 3 of the [[1989 World Series]] in San Francisco was infamously pre-empted by the [[Loma Prieta earthquake]]. The Giants play at [[AT&T Park]] which was opened in 2000, a cornerstone project of the [[South Beach. San Francisco|South Beach]] and [[Mission Bay, San Francisco, California|Mission Bay]] redevelopment.[http://www.epa.gov/swerosps/bf/pdf/sfcasestudy070505.pdf#search=%22giant%20stadium%20redevelopment%20south%20beach%22 EPA Study: SBC Park] Environmental Protection Agency. Accessed August 28, 2006. The Dons, the athletic teams of the [[University of San Francisco]], compete in [[NCAA]] [[NCAA Division I|Division I]]. [[Bill Russell]] led the Dons to [[NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship|NCAA men's basketball championships]] in 1955 and 1956. The [[San Francisco State University|San Francisco State]] Gators compete in [[NCAA Division II|Division II]]. The [[San Francisco Dragons]] of [[Major League Lacrosse]] play at [[Kezar Stadium]], which they will share with the [[California Victory]] of [[USL First Division|United Soccer League First Division]]. The semi-professional [[San Francisco Bay Seals]] of the USL's [[USL PDL|developmental league]] are a second [[football (soccer)|soccer]] team in the city. San Francisco has ample resources and opportunities for participatory sports and recreation. The [[Bay to Breakers]] footrace, held annually since 1912, is best known for colorful costumes and a celebratory community spirit. The [[San Francisco Marathon]] is an annual event that attracts more than 7,000 participants.[http://www.runsfm.com/about/pr/061804.html San Francisco Marathon Expands Cool Reputation] The San Francisco Marathon. Accessed September 3, 2006. There are more than 200 miles (320 km) of [[bicycle lane]]s in the city[http://www.bicycle.sfgov.org/site/dptbike_index.asp?id=3178 San Francisco Bicycle Program] City and County of San Francisco. Accessed September 3, 2006. and the Embarcadero and [[Marina Green]] are favored sites for [[in-line skating]]. Extensive public tennis facilities exist in Golden Gate Park and [[Dolores Park]]. [[Boating]] and [[sailing]] are popular activities on the San Francisco Bay and the city operates a [[yacht harbor]] in the [[Marina District, San Francisco, California|Marina]]. San Francisco's residents have been judged to be among the fittest in the United States.{{cite web | title= America's Fattest Cities | url= http://www.mensfitness.com/rankings/304 | accessmonthday=August 26 | accessyear=2006 | publisher = ''Men's Fitness'' }} {{-}} ==Transportation== [[Image:Sfbaybridge at night.jpg|thumb|265px|right|The [[San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge|Bay Bridge]] connects to [[Oakland, California|Oakland]] and the [[East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area)|East Bay]].]] ===Roads and highways=== Because of its unique geography — making [[beltway]]s somewhat impractical — and the results of the [[freeway revolt]]s of the late 1950s, San Francisco is one of the few cities in the U.S. that has opted for European-style [[arterial thoroughfares]] instead of a large network of [[freeways]]. City residents continued this trend following the 1989 [[Loma Prieta Earthquake]], choosing to demolish the [[Embarcadero Freeway]] and a portion of the [[Central Freeway]] and convert them into street-level boulevards. [[Interstate 80 in California|Interstate 80]] begins at the approach to the [[San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge|Bay Bridge]] and is the only direct automobile link to the East Bay. [[U.S. Highway 101 in California|U.S. Route 101]] extends Interstate 80 to the south along the San Francisco Bay toward [[Silicon Valley]]. Northbound, 101 uses arterial streets [[List of streets in San Francisco|Van Ness Avenue]] and [[Lombard Street (San Francisco)|Lombard Street]] to the [[Golden Gate Bridge]], the only direct road access from San Francisco to [[Marin County]] and points north. [[California State Route 1|Highway 1]] also enters San Francisco at the Golden Gate Bridge, but diverts away from 101, bisecting the west side of the city as the [[List of streets in San Francisco|19th Avenue]] arterial thoroughfare, and joining with [[Interstate 280 (California)|Interstate 280]] at the city's southern border. Interstate 280 continues this route along the central portion of the Peninsula south to [[San Jose, California|San Jose]]. Northbound, 280 turns north and east and terminates in the South of Market area. [[California State Route 35|Highway 35]], which traverses the majority of the Peninsula along the ridge of the [[Santa Cruz Mountains]], enters the city from the south as [[Skyline Boulevard]], following city streets until it terminates at its intersection with Highway 1. Major east-west thoroughfares include [[Geary Boulevard]], the [[List of streets in San Francisco|Lincoln Way]]/[[List of streets in San Francisco|Fell Street]] corridor, and [[Market Street (San Francisco)|Market Street]]/[[List of streets in San Francisco|Portola Drive]]. ===Public transportation=== [[Image:Cable Car.jpg|thumb|225px|left|A [[San Francisco cable car system|cable car]] climbing [[Nob Hill]]]][[Public transit]] solely within the city of San Francisco is provided predominantly by the [[San Francisco Municipal Railway]] (Muni). The city-owned system operates both a combined light rail/subway system (the [[Muni Metro]]) and a bus network that includes both [[trolleybus]]es and standard diesel buses. Additionally, Muni runs the [[F Market|F Market historic streetcar line]] and the iconic [[San Francisco cable car system]]. Commuter rail is provided by two complementary agencies. [[Bay Area Rapid Transit]] (BART) is the regional rapid transit system which connects San Francisco with the [[East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area)|East Bay]] through the [[Transbay Tube]]. It also extends south of the city through northern [[San Mateo County, California|San Mateo County]], to the [[San Francisco International Airport]], and [[Millbrae, California|Millbrae]]. The [[Caltrain]] rail system runs from San Francisco along the [[San Francisco Peninsula|Peninsula]] down to [[San Jose, California|San Jose]]. The [[Transbay Terminal]] serves as the terminus for long range bus service (such as [[Greyhound Lines|Greyhound]]) and as a hub for regional bus systems [[AC Transit]] (to [[Alameda County, California|Alameda County]]), [[SamTrans]] (San Mateo County), and [[Golden Gate Transit]] (Marin and [[Sonoma County|Sonoma Counties]]). [[Amtrak]] also runs a shuttle bus from San Francisco to its rail station in [[Emeryville (Amtrak station)|Emeryville]]. A small fleet of commuter and tourist [[ferries]] operate from the [[Ferry Building]] and [[Pier 39]] to points in [[Marin County, California|Marin County]], [[Oakland, California|Oakland]], and north to [[Vallejo, California|Vallejo]] in [[Solano County, California|Solano County]]. ===Airports=== {{main|San Francisco International Airport}} [[San Francisco International Airport]] (SFO), though located 13 miles (21 km) south of the city in [[San Mateo County, California|San Mateo County]], is under the jurisdiction of the City and County of San Francisco. It is a hub for [[United Airlines]], its largest tenant,{{cite web | last = Young | first = Eric | title = Pact keeps United from flying away | publisher = ''San Francisco Business Times'' | date = April 2, 2004 | url = http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2004/04/05/story1.html | accessmonthday = August 28 | accessyear = 2006 }} and the decision by [[Virgin America]] to base its future operations out of SFO{{cite web | last = Raine | first = George | title = Taking to the air: Low-fare startup Virgin America says it has the funding to fly | publisher = ''San Francisco Chronicle'' | date = December 9, 2005 | url = http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/12/09/VIRGIN.TMP | accessmonthday = August 28 | accessyear = 2006 }} reverses the trend of [[low-cost carrier]]s opting to bypass SFO for [[Oakland International Airport|Oakland]] and [[San Jose International Airport|San Jose]]. SFO is an international gateway, with the largest international terminal in North America.[http://www.flysfo.com/about/press/factsheets/International_Terminal_Fact_Sheet.pdf Fact Sheet: International Terminal.] (PDF) San Francisco International Airport. (Largest in terms of square feet). Retrieved on August 22, 2006. The airport is built on a landfill extension into the [[San Francisco Bay]]. During the economic boom of the late 1990s, when traffic saturation led to frequent delays, it became difficult to respond to calls to relieve the pressure by constructing an additional runway as that would have required additional landfill. Such calls subsided in the early 2000s as traffic declined, and, in 2005, SFO was the 14th busiest airport in the United States and 23rd largest in the world, handling 32.8 million passengers.[http://www.aci.aero/cda/aci/display/main/aci_content.jsp?zn=aci&cp=1-5-54-55-2812_9_2__ Data Center: Passenger Traffic 2005 FINAL.] Airports Council International. Retrieved on August 23, 2006. ===Seaports=== [[Image:FerryBuildingEmbarcaderoBayBridge.JPG|thumb|200px|right|The [[Ferry Building]] along the [[Embarcadero (San Francisco)|Embarcadero]]]] {{main|Port of San Francisco}} The [[Port of San Francisco]] was once the largest and busiest seaport on the west coast. It featured rows of [[piers]] perpendicular to the shore, where cargo from the moored ships was handled by cranes and manual labor and transported to nearby warehouses. The port handled cargo to and from trans-Pacific and Atlantic destinations, and was the west coast center of the [[West coast lumber trade|lumber trade]]. The [[1934 West Coast Longshore Strike]], an important episode in the history of the [[Labor unions in the United States|American labor movement]], brought the port to a standstill. The advent of [[container shipping]] made pier-based ports obsolete and most commercial berths moved to the [[Port of Oakland]]. Many piers remained derelict for years until the demolition of the [[Embarcadero Freeway]] reopened the downtown waterfront, allowing for redevelopment. The centerpiece of the port, the [[Ferry Building]], while still receiving [[ferry|commuter ferry]] traffic, has been restored and redeveloped as a gourmet marketplace. The port's other activities now focus on developing waterside assets to support recreation and tourism. == See also == * [[49-Mile Scenic Drive]] * [[List of places named after Saint Francis|Places named after Saint Francis, list of]] * [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco]] * [[San Francisco Bay Area]] * [[Jails of San Francisco, California|San Francisco County Jails]] * [[San Francisco Fire Department]] * [[San Francisco Municipal Railway]] * [[San Francisco Police Department]] * [[San Francisco in popular culture]] * [[San Francisco Sheriff's Department]] * [[San Francisco Unified School District]] * [[Sister cities of San Francisco, California]] ==Notes==
==References== *{{cite book | last = De La Perouse | first = Jean Francois | coauthors = Yamane, Linda Gonsalves; Margolin, Malcolm | title = Life in a California Mission: Monterey in 1786: The Journals of Jean Francois De La Perouse | year=1989 | publisher=Heyday Books | id = ISBN 0-930588-39-8 }} *{{cite book | last = Hansen | first = Gladys | title = San Francisco Almanac: Everything you want to know about the city | publisher = Chronicle Books | date = 1995 | location = | id = ISBN 0-8118-0841-6}} *{{cite journal | last = London | first = Jack | title = The Story of an Eyewitness by Jack London | journal = Collier's, The National Weekly | date = May 5, 1906 }} *{{cite book | last = Richards | first = Rand | title = Historic San Francisco: A Concise History and Guide | publisher = Heritage House | date = 1991 | location = | id = ISBN 1-879367-00-9 }} *{{cite book | last = Ungaretti | first = Lorri | title = San Francisco's Richmond District | publisher = Arcadia Publishing | date = 2005 | location = | id = ISBN 0-7385-3053-0 }} *{{cite book | author=Wiley, Peter Booth | title=National trust guide San Francisco: America’s guide for architecture and history travelers | publisher=John Wiley & Sons, Inc. | year=2000 | id=ISBN 0-471-19120-5}} ==Further reading== *{{cite book | year= 1989 | publisher=Dorset Press | title=The Barbary Coast: An Informal History of the San Francisco Underworld | author=Asbury, Hubert | id=ISBN 0-88029-428-0 }} *{{cite book | author=Bronson, William | title=The Earth Shook, the Sky Burned | publisher=Chronicle Books |year=2006 | id=ISBN 0-8118-5047-1 }} *{{cite book | year= 1987 | publisher=Square Books | title=Spanning the Gate | author=Cassady, Stephen | id=ISBN 0-916290-36-0 }} *{{cite book | year= 1998 | publisher=Celestial Arts (Reissue edition) | title=High Steel: Building the Bridges Across San Francisco Bay | author=Dillon, Richard H. | id=ISBN 0-88029-428-0 }} *{{ cite book | title=Literary San Francisco: A pictorial history from its beginnings to the present day | author=Ferlinghetti, Lawrence | id=ISBN 0-06-250325-1 | year=1980 | publisher=Harper & Row }} *{{cite book | year=2002 | publisher=University of California Press | title=City for Sale: The Transformation of San Francisco | author=Hartman, Chester | id=ISBN 0-520-08605-8 }} *{{ cite book | title=Rush for Riches: Gold Fever and the Making of California | author=Holliday, J. S. | id = ISBN 0-520-21402-1 | year=1999 | publisher=University of California Press }} *{{cite book | year= 1997 | publisher=University of Illinois Press | title=San Francisco, 1846-1856: From Hamlet to City | author=Lotchin, Roger W. | id=ISBN 0-252-06631-6 }} *{{cite book | year= 1981 | publisher=Heydey Books | title=The Ohlone Way: Indian Life in the San Francisco-Monterey Bay Area | author=Margolin, Malcolm | id=ISBN 0-930588-01-0 }} *{{cite book | year= 1971 | publisher=Stein and Day | title=The San Francisco Earthquake | author=Thomas, Gordon and Witts, Max Morgan| id=ISBN 0-8128-1360-X }} ==External links== {{portal|San Francisco Bay Area}} {{sisterlinks|San Francisco}} *[http://www.sfgov.org/ Official website for the City and County of San Francisco] *{{wikitravelpar|San Francisco}} *[http://transit.511.org/ Bay Area Public Transit Info, Schedules and Maps] *[http://www.sfmuseum.org/ Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco] {{Neighborhoods of San Francisco}} {{California}} {{USLargestCities}} {{coor title dm|37|46|N|122|26|W|type:city(739,426)}} {{featured article}} [[Category:1776 establishments]] [[Category:California counties]] [[Category:Cities in California]] [[Category:Coastal cities in the United States]] [[Category:County seats in California]] [[Category:Locations 37°N 122°W to 38°N 123°W]] [[Category:San Francisco, California|*]] [[Category:San Francisco Bay Area|San Francisco]] [[af:San Francisco]] [[ar:سان فرانسيسكو]] [[ast:San Francisco]] [[bs:San Francisco]] [[bg:Сан Франциско]] [[ca:San Francisco]] [[cs:San Francisco]] [[cy:San Francisco]] [[da:San Francisco]] [[de:San Francisco]] [[et:San Francisco]] [[el:Σαν Φρανσίσκο]] [[es:San Francisco (California)]] [[eo:San Francisco (Kalifornio)]] [[eu:San Frantzisko (AEB)]] [[fa:سان‌فرانسیسکو]] [[fr:San Francisco]]{{Link FA|fr}} [[ga:San Francisco, California]] [[gd:San Francisco]] [[gl:San Francisco]] [[ko:샌프란시스코]] [[haw:Kapalakiko]] [[id:San Francisco]] [[is:San Francisco]] [[it:San Francisco]] [[he:סן פרנסיסקו]] [[ka:სან-ფრანცისკო]] [[la:Sanctus Franciscus, California]] [[lt:San Franciskas]] [[hu:San Francisco]] [[mk:Сан Франциско]]{{Link FA|mk}} [[mo:Сан Франциско]] [[nl:San Francisco]] [[ja:サンフランシスコ]] [[no:San Francisco]] [[nn:San Francisco]] [[ug:سان فرانسىسكو]] [[nds:San Francisco]] [[pl:San Francisco]] [[pt:San Francisco]] [[ro:San Francisco, California]] [[ru:Сан-Франциско]] [[sq:San Francisco]] [[scn:San Franciscu]] [[simple:San Francisco, California]] [[sk:San Francisco]] [[sl:San Francisco, Kalifornija]] [[sr:Сан Франциско]] [[sh:San Francisco]] [[fi:San Francisco]] [[sv:San Francisco]] [[tl:Lungsod ng San Francisco, California]] [[th:ซานฟรานซิสโก]] [[vi:San Francisco, California]] [[tr:San Francisco]] [[uk:Сан-Франциско]] [[zh-yue:三藩市]] [[zh:旧金山]]