Page 105 - A History of the World in 25 Cities

In NuMbers
O48 Lowest point in the city:
Highest point in the city:
Number of hills in the city:
Percentage of the city destroyed by earthquake and fire in 1906:
8O
Population of San Francisco today:
88O OOO
Silicon Valley is located in the southern part of
the San Francisco Bay Area and is famous around the world for its computer and technology companies.
Many of the biggest in the world are located there or nearby, including names like Apple,
Facebook, Google, Netflix, Paypal, Twitter and many more. As well as huge multinational companies, the area is home to thousands of
smaller ‘start-up’ companies, all hoping for a bright future selling their new technology.
The Bay Area is home to some of the most fantastic trees on the planet, called Redwoods. These giants of nature can grow to be over 100 metres tall and are
the tallest trees in the world. Some of the Coast Redwoods here have been proven to be over 2,000 years old. They were cut down for timber in the past, but many
that remain are now protected in National Parks.
San Francisco is a city with environmental concerns at its heart.
It often leads the way on important issues like recycling and solar power, and its parks and green spaces are celebrated. One area of concern is the shallow San Francisco Bay. Fishing and pollution have damaged its fragile ecosystem. Now it’s being protected and helped to recover.
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