Southern California

Southern California, sometimes abbreviated SoCal, is an informal name for the southern one-third of the state of California. There are no clear, exact boundaries for this area; instead, residents rely on physical features to establish the boundary. On the west is the Pacific Ocean; to the south is the international border between the United States and Mexico; and to the east is the state border between California and Arizona.

Regions

Counties

;South of the San Gabriel mountains

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• Imperial
• San Diego
• Riverside
• Orange
• Los Angeles
• San Bernardino

;North of the San Gabriel mountains

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• Ventura
• Santa Barbara
• San Luis Obispo
• Kern

Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura are also counties in the Central Coast.

Related Topics:
Santa Barbara - San Luis Obispo - Ventura - Central Coast

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Geographic features

• Antelope Valley (Los Angeles, Kern Counties)
• Ballona Wetlands (Los Angeles County)
• Coachella Valley (Riverside County)
• Conejo Valley (Ventura County)
• Channel Islands
• San Fernando Valley (Los Angeles County)
• San Gabriel Valley (Los Angeles County)
• Pomona Valley (Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties)
• Cucamonga Valley (San Bernardino County)
• High Desert (Los Angeles, Kern, and San Bernardino Counties)
• Imperial Valley (Imperial County)
• Inland Empire (Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties)
• Lake Casitas (Ventura County)
• Lake Castaic (Los Angeles County
• Los Angeles Basin (Los Angeles County)
• Los Angeles River (Los Angeles County)
• Low Desert (Imperial, Riverside & San Bernardino Counties)
• Mojave Desert (San Bernardino County)
• Orange Coast (Orange County)
• Palos Verdes Peninsula (Los Angeles County)
• Saddleback Valley (Orange County)
• Salton Sea Imperial and Riverside Counties
• San Bernardino Mountains (San Bernardino County)
• San Gabriel Mountains (Los Angeles County)
• San Jacinto Mountains (Riverside County)
• San Pedro Bay (Los Angeles County)
• Santa Ana Valley (Orange County)
• Catalina Island (Los Angeles County)
• Santa Clara River Valley (Ventura County)
• Santa Monica Mountains (Los Angeles and Ventura Counties)
• Santa Monica Bay (Los Angeles County)
• Victor Valley (San Bernardino County)