Orange County is located in Southern California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. Its population of 3,056,865 (2005 estimate), is larger than that of 20 states. It is the second most populous county in the state of California, and the fifth most populous in the United States. The county is known for its wealth and political conservatism, although it is in reality neither as uniformly wealthy nor as homogeneously conservative as its stereotypical image suggests. In fact, the wealthiest areas in the county; Anaheim Hills, Corona del Mar, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, and Villa Park only account for 15% of Orange County’s total population. Thirty-four incorporated cities are located in Orange County. Some of the most exclusive (and expensive) neighborhoods in the U.S. are located here, many along the Orange County Coast.

It is also famous as a tourist destination, as the county is home to such attractions as Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm, as well as sandy beaches for swimming and surfing, yacht harbors for sailing and pleasure boating, and extensive acreage devoted to parks and open space for golf, tennis, Hiking, kayaking, cycling, and other outdoor recreation. It is at the center of Southern California’s Tech Coast. Large shopping malls exist throughout the county, such as the Irvine Spectrum Center, South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, Fashion Island in Newport Beach, and The Block at Orange.

The area’s warm Mediterranean climate and 42 miles of year-round beaches attract millions of tourists annually. Huntington Beach is a hot spot for sunbathing and surfing; nicknamed “Surf City, U.S.A.,” it is home to many surfing competitions. Other tourist destinations include the theme parks Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure in Anaheim and Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park. The Anaheim Convention Center is the largest such facility on the West Coast. The old town area in the City of Orange (the traffic circle at the middle of Chapman Ave. at Glassell) still maintains its 1950s image, and appeared in “That Thing You Do!” Little Saigon is another notable tourist destination, being home to the largest concentration of Vietnamese people outside of Vietnam.