Major Cities of the World

Los Angeles - United States

Los Angeles is the largest city in the state of California by population, and the second most populous city in the United States. It is an alpha world city having an estimated population of over 3.8 million people]and spanning 469.1 square miles (1214.9 square kilometers). The Los Angeles–Long Beach–Santa Ana metropolitan area is home to 13 million people. The Greater Los Angeles Area encompasses a much larger area, consisting of five counties and an estimated 18 million people.
Los Angeles was founded in 1781 by the Spanish Felipe de Neve. It was a part of Spain then Mexico, when Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821, until 1848, when Mexico ceded California to the United States by treaty at the conclusion of the Mexican-American War. It was not incorporated as a municipality until April 4, 1850—five months before California achieved statehood. It is the county seat of Los Angeles County.
Los Angeles is one of the world's centers of culture, science, technology, international trade, and higher education, and is home to world-renowned institutions in a broad range of professional and cultural fields. The city and its immediate surrounding vicinity lead the world in producing popular entertainment such as motion picture, television, and recorded music which forms the base of Los Angeles's international fame and global status.
The city's inhabitants are sometimes referred to as Angelinos.

Geology
Los Angeles is subject to earthquakes due to its location in the Pacific "Ring of Fire". The geographic instability produces numerous fault lines above ground such as the San Andreas Fault and many underground ones. The most recent major earthquake, the 1994 Northridge earthquake, which was centered in the northern San Fernando Valley was triggered by an underground fault line. Coming less than two years after the 1992 riots, the Northridge earthquake was an emotional shock to Southern Californians, and caused physical damage totalling billions of dollars. Other major earthquakes in the Los Angeles area include the 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake, the 1971 Sylmar earthquake, and the 1933 Long Beach earthquake. Nevertheless, most earthquakes are of relatively low intensity. Many areas in Los Angeles witness one or two minor earthquakes per year, usually inflicting little or no damage. Imperceptible quakes are detected by seismometers on a daily basis. Parts of the city are also vulnerable to Pacific Ocean tsunamis; harbor areas were damaged by waves from the Great Chilean Earthquake in 1960.