Demographics
Oakland is a city in the county seat of Alameda, located in the state of California. Incorporated in 1852, Oakland is considered as the largest city in the San Francisco Bay area with a total population of 390,724. A large number of immigrants have contributed in the increasing number of population in the city, hence making Oakland one of the most diverse cities in the country. The city’s ethnically diverse population are composed of Hispanic or Latinos, Whites, African-Americans, American-Indians and Asians. In 1940s, Oakland was dominated by the whites. However, due to gentrification, the city’s most populous ethnic race was outnumbered by African-Americans when they started to relocate in the Bay Area in the early 2000s.
The early history of Oakland
The first inhabitants who lived for a thousand years in Oakland are called the Huchiun tribe, an indigenous tribe of people which is a subtribe of the Ohlone people. In the 19th century, a group of Spanish conquerors sailed through the area and claimed over the land. A Spanish soldier named Luis Maria Peralta, received one of the largest parcels of land in Oakland and subdivided it to each of his four sons. The Peraltas’ share included a stretch of oak trees, which they call in Spanish as “encinal” or “oak grooves”, which became the reference of the city’s name, Oakland.
Oakland’s economy
Being one of the major transportation hubs in the West Coast port, Oakland offers a huge number of jobs related on marine cargo transportation. In addition to that, the city is also known for being a pioneer in new technologies, companies such as Ask.com, Pandora Radio and other start-up tech companies.
City attractions
The city is also known for having many tourist attractions such as parks and recreation centres. Some of the well-known spots in the city are Joaquin Miller Park, Lake Merritt, Morcom Rose Garden and Mosswood Park. Its sports teams are also main attractions including the Oakland As’ baseball team and the Oakland Raiders NFL football team. Also, one of the city’s well-known landmarks is Oakland’s Mormon Temple.
Entertainment
Oakland is also known as the home of the famous cineplexes in the history of entertainment such as Fox Theatre and the Paramount Theatre.