| San Francisco, a city in western California is | | | | numerous banks and corporate office buildings, |
| coextensive with San Francisco County. Famous for | | | | including the home office of the Bank of America, one |
| its beautiful setting, San Francisco is primarily located | | | | of the largest banks in the world. Tourism is also |
| on the northern tip of a peninsula at the entrance to | | | | important to the city's economy. The San Francisco |
| San Francisco Bay. It is bordered by the Pacific Ocean | | | | region is also home to many companies developing |
| on the west, the strait known as Golden Gate on the | | | | computer software and hardware. Several national |
| north, San Francisco Bay on the east, and San Bruno | | | | apparel manufacturers also have headquarters in the |
| Mountain on the south. Alcatraz, Angel, Farallon, | | | | city.EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL |
| Treasure, and Yerba Buena islands are part of the | | | | INSTITUTIONSThe main institutions of higher education |
| city.POPULATIONThe population of San Francisco | | | | in San Francisco are San Francisco State University |
| increased from 678,974 in 1980 to 723,959 in 1990; the | | | | (1899), the University of San Francisco (1855), Golden |
| population was 735,315 in 1996. According to the 1990 | | | | Gate University (1853), the University of California-San |
| census, whites constitute 53.6 percent of San | | | | Francisco (1864), the New College of California (1971), |
| Francisco's population; Asians and Pacific Islanders, 29.1 | | | | the University of California Hastings College of Law |
| percent; blacks, 10.9 percent; and Native Americans, 0.5 | | | | (1878), the San Francisco Art Institute (1871), the |
| percent. Hispanics, who may be of any race, represent | | | | Academy of Art College (1929), the San Francisco |
| 13.3 percent of the population. San Francisco is part of | | | | Conservatory of Music (1917), and a large community |
| a major metropolitan region that also includes Oakland | | | | college. San Francisco has many performing-arts |
| and San Jose. The region's population increased from | | | | organizations. Among the best known are the San |
| 5,368,000 in 1980 to 6,253,000 in 1990, reaching an | | | | Francisco Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco |
| estimated 6,940,000 in 2004.ECONOMYSan Francisco | | | | Ballet, the San Francisco Opera, and the American |
| is a leading financial and international trade center for | | | | Conservatory Theater.For more information, visit The |
| the western United States. The downtown financial | | | | San Francisco Help Center David Chandler |
| district contains the Pacific Coast Stock Exchange; the | | | | For your FREE Stock Market Trading Mini Course: |
| headquarters of the 12th Federal Reserve District; and | | | | "What The Wall Street Hot Shots Won't Tell You! |