article

San Bernardino County is the largest county in the contiguous United States by area, containing more land than nine states.

Located in the southeast of the state of California, the deserts and mountains of this vast county stretch from the outskirts of the densely populated Greater Los Angeles Area to the Nevada border and the Colorado River. As of 2005 the population was 1,932,000, largely located in its more populated southwestern portions. The county seat is San Bernardino. Its southwestern portions are considered to be part of the Inland Empire region of Southern California, a bicounty area.

History

Father Francisco Dumetz named San Bernardino on May 20, 1810, feast day of St. Bernardino of Siena.

San Bernardino County was formed from parts of Los Angeles County in 1853. Parts of the county's territory were given to Riverside County in 1893.

The Franciscans gave the name San Bernardino to the snowcapped peak in southern California, in honor of the saint. From him the county derives its name.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 52,073 km² (20,105 mi²). 51,936 km² (20,052 mi²) of it is land and 137 km² (53 mi²) of it (0.26%) is water. It is the largest county in the lower 48 states, and is thirteen times the area of the state of Rhode Island.

The county has three major regions: the Mojave Desert, the San Bernardino Mountains, and the San Bernardino Valley. Most of the county's area is desert, with the mountains and valley in the southwest corner.

The Mojave National Preserve covers some of the eastern desert, especially between Interstate 15 and Interstate 40. The desert portion also includes the cities of Needles next to the Colorado River, and Barstow at the junction in Interstate 15 and Interstate 40. Trona is at the northwestern part of the county west of Death Valley. This famous national park, mostly within Inyo County, also has a small portion of land within the county. The largest metropolitan area in the Mojave Desert part of the county is the Victor Valley with the incorporated localities of Apple Valley, Victorville, Adelanto, and Hesperia. Further south, a portion of Joshua Tree National Park overlaps the county near Twentynine Palms. Additional places near and west of Twentynine palms include Yucca Valley, Joshua Tree, and Morongo Valley.

The mountains are home to the San Bernardino National Forest, and include the communities of Crestline, Lake Arrowhead, Running Springs, Big Bear City, Forest Falls, and Big Bear Lake.

The San Bernardino Valley is at the eastern end of the San Gabriel Valley, and is part of the Inland Empire. The San Bernardino Valley includes the cities of Ontario, Chino, Chino Hills, Upland, Fontana, Rialto, Colton, Grand Terrace, Rancho Cucamonga, San Bernardino, Loma Linda, Highland, Redlands, and Yucaipa.

San Bernardino County is ranked as the county with the worst ozone air pollution in the United States by the American Lung Association.*

Major highways

Adjacent counties

San Bernardino County, California, is one of the few counties in the United States to border as many as 8 counties.

Colleges and universities

Politics

Presidential elections results
Year GOP Dems
2004 55.3% ''289,306 43.6% ''227,789
2000 48.7% ''221,757 47.2% ''214,749
1996 43.6% ''180,135 44.4% ''183,372
1992 37.2% ''176,563 38.7% ''183,634
1988 60.0% ''235,167 38.5% ''151,118
1984 64.8% ''222,071 34.0% ''116,454
1980 59.7% ''172,957 31.7% ''91,790
1976 49.5% ''113,265 47.9% ''109,636
1972 59.7% '144,689 35.5% ''85,986
1968 50.1% ''111,974 40.0% ''89,418
1964 42.8% ''92,145 57.1% ''123,012
1960 52.0% ''99,481 47.5% ''90,888

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 1,709,434 people, 528,594 households, and 404,374 families residing in the county. The population density was 33/km² (85/mi²). There were 601,369 housing units at an average density of 12/km² (30/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 58.91% White, 9.09% African American, 1.17% Native American, 4.69% Asian, 0.30% Pacific Islander, 20.82% from other races, and 5.03% from two or more races. 39.16% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 528,594 households out of which 43.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.80% were married couples living together, 14.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.50% were non-families. 18.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.15 and the average family size was 3.58.

In the county the population was spread out with 32.30% under the age of 18, 10.30% from 18 to 24, 30.20% from 25 to 44, 18.70% from 45 to 64, and 8.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 99.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $42,066, and the median income for a family was $46,574. Males had a median income of $37,025 versus $27,993 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,856. About 12.60% of families and 15.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.60% of those under age 18 and 8.40% of those age 65 or over.

Gang violence

The Inland Empire is well known for its Chicano gangs. The most well-known is the Onterio Sur Varrio Sunkist St Los B.A's Black Angels OVS gang and West Side Verdugo. Fueled by drug money and the ease of communication brought on by affordable cell phones, the street gangs have flourished and spread across and beyond the Inland Empire in the face of sporadic and ineffective law enforcement efforts and inadequate intervention strategies. Incidents of gang violence in San Bernardino County have increased since the 1960s, while at the same time growing more brutal. There are now an estimated 68,600 gang members in 287 gangs in the Inland Empire.

Sergeant Phil Brown of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said the gangs are growing more violent in the farthest reaches of the county, including the High Desert. Racial tensions among the Chicano gangs and the Afro-American gangs have heightened dramatically in the Inland Empire, causing even the most rural areas to be affected. "It's getting out in more remote areas," Brown said. "They go gang against gang. There's more gang violence to the general public and it's becoming more random.." *

Incorporated communities in San Bernardino County

Unincorporated communities in San Bernardino County

Places of interest

Residents of note

Including current residents, as well as former residents who have made their mark in history.

Current Events

As of July 13, 2006, there has been a state of emergency declared in the county by California governer Arnold Schwarzenegger. This is due to the continuing wildfires that continue to rage throughout the desert.1

See also

External links

California counties | San Bernardino County, California

Сан Бернардино (окръг) | San Bernardino County | Comté de San Bernardino | San Bernardino County | Condado de San Bernardino

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "San Bernardino County, California".

Home Page • arts • business • computers • games • health • hospitals • home • kids & teens • news • physicians • recreation• reference • regional • science • shopping • society • sports • world