The Los Angeles area is home to around 13 million residents, and is divided into more than 80 districts and neighborhoods. Being that the city has so many areas, it has been broken down into the following divisions: The Eastside, Northeast Los Angeles, South Los Angeles, the Harbor Area, Hollywood, Wilshire District, the Westside, San Fernando Valley and Crescenta Valley.
The neighboring counties are the County of Orange, Ventura, San Bernadino and Riverside.
Los Angeles, as a county, is made up of more than 88 cities (including the city of Los Angeles). Some of the most populous besides the city of L.A. are: Long Beach, Glendale, Santa Clarita, Pomona, Palmdale, Pasadena, Lancaster, and others including many beach cities.
Los Angeles has many different areas of terrain from hills to flatlands covering 498.3 square miles. It is surrounded by 160 miles of picturesque Pacific coastline to the west and the mountain peaks of Santa Monica, San Gabriel, San Bernardino, San Jacinto, and Santa Ana Mountains across its northern, eastern, and southern parts. With that in mind, having a car is key to being able to get around the town, but for those with no wheels, there is a great public transit system (buses and trains) that spans from the San Fernando Valley to Long Beach. Whether you are on a bus, train or subway, just grab a map and you will have the city at your grasp. As you learn more about how the streets are positioned, where certain freeways take you, and where the hot spots are, you will start to feel more comfortable with your new found home.
It may take a while, but once you get the hang of the city’s layout, you will be smooth sailing through one of the most famous places in the world!
