Los Angeles is one big city. New York might be dense and bustling but the sheer size of LA can overwhelm the faint hearted. It's the largest city in California by population, the biggest on the West Coast, and comes right after NY for most inhabitants. Almost 18M people call the city of Angels their home. Founded in 1781, at first LA was part of the Republic of Mexico. After the Mexican-American war the US annexed it in 1850. Everything and anything goes in LA. Culture, entertainment, technology, trade, and education, the best and the brightest are working and living here. Perhaps it's best know for Hollywood and the entertainment industry, film, television, and music, and while it's true that entertainment jobs employ many people here, there are so many other industries that are headquartered in this city. Popular neighborhoods include: Downtown Los Angeles, Caliterra, Cypress Park, Hillside Village, Lincoln Heights, Montecito Heights, Monterey Hills, Echo Park & Westlake, Greater Hollywood, Hollywood Hills, Harbor Area, Los Feliz & Silver Lake, South Los Angeles, The Valley, West Los Angeles and Wilshire.