Title: 
San Francisco

Word Count:
362

Summary:
Are you considering a vacation in beautiful San Francisco?  This article will provide a little insight into San Francisco, but the link at the bottom of the page has plenty of information.


Keywords:
San Francisco, California, Golden Gate Bridge, Pacific Ocean


Article Body:
<p>San Francisco, a city in western California is coextensive with San 
Francisco County.  Famous for its beautiful setting, San Francisco is 
primarily located on the northern tip of a peninsula at the entrance 
to San Francisco Bay.  It is bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the 
west, the strait known as Golden Gate on the north, San Francisco 
Bay on the east, and San Bruno Mountain on the south.  Alcatraz, 
Angel, Farallon, Treasure, and Yerba Buena islands are part of the 
city.</p>

<p>POPULATION</p>

<p>The population of San Francisco increased from 678,974 in 1980 to 
723,959 in 1990; the population was 735,315 in 1996.  According 
to the 1990 census, whites constitute 53.6 percent of San 
Francisco's population; Asians and Pacific Islanders, 29.1 percent; 
blacks, 10.9 percent; and Native Americans, 0.5 percent.  
Hispanics, who may be of any race, represent 13.3 percent of the 
population.  San Francisco is part of a major metropolitan region 
that also includes Oakland and San Jose.  The region's population 
increased from 5,368,000 in 1980 to 6,253,000 in 1990, reaching 
an estimated 6,940,000 in 2004.</p>

<p>ECONOMY</p>

<p>San Francisco is a leading financial and international trade center 
for the western United States.  The downtown financial district 
contains the Pacific Coast Stock Exchange; the headquarters of the 
12th Federal Reserve District; and numerous banks and corporate 
office buildings, including the home office of the Bank of America, 
one of the largest banks in the world.  Tourism is also important to 
the city's economy.  The San Francisco region is also home to many 
companies developing computer software and hardware.  Several 
national apparel manufacturers also have headquarters in the city.</p>

<p>EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS</p>

<p>The main institutions of higher education in San Francisco are San 
Francisco State University (1899), the University of San Francisco 
(1855), Golden Gate University (1853), the University of California-
San Francisco (1864), the New College of California (1971), the 
University of California Hastings College of Law (1878), the San 
Francisco Art Institute (1871), the Academy of Art College (1929), 
the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (1917), and a large 
community college.  San Francisco has many performing-arts 
organizations.  Among the best known are the San Francisco 
Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco Ballet, the San Francisco 
Opera, and the American Conservatory Theater. </p>