Los Angeles

Situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles boasts a near-perfect climate, celebrity-laden streets, and palm-tree lined beaches. The self-proclaimed entertainment and creative capital of the world is the second-largest media market in the country (behind New York). The music industry, radio, television, and motion pictures all have deep roots in the greater Los Angeles area. More than a dozen major television and motion picture studios, including Paramount, Warner Brothers, Universal, Disney, Fox, and MGM, are based in the region and the city plays host to nationally broadcast performing arts awards shows such as the Emmys, Grammys, and Oscars.

Journalistically, the Los Angeles Times enjoys the highest circulation of any newspaper west of the Mississippi and boasts dozens of Pulitzer Prizes. The broadcast market also is strong; each major television network owns and operates affiliate stations that serve as West Coast bureaus. CNN has a presence as do numerous entertainment news programs and tabloid shows. But the glittering Southern California city is not without challenges and historic struggles.

The City of Angels, which began as a Spanish settlement in the late 1700s, has the nation's largest population of minority residents. According to 2007 census figures, 71 percent of Los Angeles County residents were nonwhite. Because of the city's proximity to Mexico, the number of Hispanic residents is higher than in any other region of the country. As a result, immigration and racial issues have dominated local politics and law enforcement. African Americans sparked racial riots in Watts during the civil rights protests in the 1960s. In the 1990s, more riots broke out after the acquittal of four white police officers who were accused of beating an innocent black man, Rodney King. The Los Angeles Times earned Pulitzer Prizes for its coverage of both racial uprisings.

Los Angeles also wrestles with air quality problems, traffic congestion, water shortages, fires, and the threat of earthquakes along the San Andreas fault. Still, its location, weather, and glamour make it a favorite destination for vacationers and those wanting to relocate to warmer climes.