San Francisco

San Francisco is a major urban center located on a peninsula in California.

It sits near the San Francisco Bay and is part of a massive metropolitan region.

As of 2025, the city has a population of 826,079 people. This makes it the fourth-most populous city in California.

The wider metropolitan area is much larger, with about 4.6 million residents.

The entire San Jose–San Francisco–Oakland combined statistical area holds roughly 9.2 million people. This makes it the fifth-largest combined area in the United States.

The history of the area began long before European contact. The Yelamu Ohlone people lived in small villages in the region.

Archeological evidence shows human habitation dating back to 3000 BCE. In 1769, a Spanish exploration party led by Gaspar de Portolá arrived at the bay.

Later, in 1776, Spanish settlers established the Presidio of San Francisco at the Golden Gate.

They also founded Mission San Francisco de Asís, also called Mission Dolores.

These settlements were named after Saint Francis of Assisi.

Before it was called San Francisco, the settlement had a different name. It was known as Yerba Buena, which is Spanish for "Good Herb."

This name referred to the herbs that grew abundantly in the area. In 1846, American forces captured Yerba Buena from Mexico.

In 1847, the city's alcalde, Washington Allon Bartlett, officially changed the name to San Francisco.

This change helped the city appear on international maps. The 1849 California gold rush then caused the population to explode.

The city quickly became the largest on the West Coast.

San Francisco has faced significant challenges and rapid changes over time. In 1906, a massive earthquake and fire destroyed three-quarters of the city.

Despite this disaster, the city was rebuilt very quickly. It hosted the Panama–Pacific International Exposition in 1915 to show its recovery.

During World War II, the city served as a major port for naval service members.

In the following decades, the city became a center for social change. Factors like the rise of beatnik and hippie countercultures helped lead to the Summer of Love.

These movements helped establish the city as a hub for liberal activism.

Today, the city is one of the most economically productive places in the world. The San Francisco Bay Area has a GDP of $1.332 trillion as of 2024.

This total is higher than the economies of all but 17 countries. Within the city proper, the 2024 GDP was $268 billion.

The GDP per capita in the city is a very high $324,000.

This economic strength is driven by several major industries. These include high-tech, healthcare, finance, insurance, and professional services.

Many world-famous companies are headquartered in San Francisco.

These include technology firms like Salesforce, Uber, Airbnb, and OpenAI.

Other notable companies include Levi's, Gap, Chime, Anthropic, Databricks, Dropbox, and Lyft.

This high level of productivity is also supported by leading universities. Institutions like the University of California, San Francisco, play a major role.

The city's economic success is tied to this mix of tech and education.

San Francisco is also a major destination for travelers.

In 2022, the city saw over 1.7 million international visitors.

About 20 million domestic visitors also came to the city that year.

Visitors come to see landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz.

They also enjoy the steep hills, cable cars, and diverse neighborhoods.

The city is home to many cultural institutions, including the de Young Museum and the San Francisco Opera.