San Diego County, County in Southern California, United States.
San Diego County is an administrative region in southern California that stretches from the Pacific Ocean through mountain ranges to the Sonoran Desert. The landscape shifts between sandy beaches, chaparral hills, forested elevations, and dry desert plains.
The area became part of California when the state entered the Union in 1850, two years after being transferred from Mexico through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. During the following decades, the region developed through agriculture, mining, and later through military installations.
Spanish place names along the coast and inland recall the earlier colonial past, while indigenous communities continue to maintain their traditions within the reservations. Visitors can observe different cultural influences in the local cuisine, where Mexican flavors merge with Californian ingredients.
The Mediterranean climate brings mild winters and warm, dry summers, with coastal areas staying cooler than inland regions. Visitors who want to experience the different climate zones should bring appropriate clothing for beach, mountains, and desert.
More than a dozen indigenous reservations lie within the county boundaries, making this area home to the highest concentration of such territories in any Californian county. Some reservations now operate their own cultural centers, offering insights into the history and way of life of the original inhabitants.
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