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With 32.4 million inhabitants (growth of 20% estimated over the next 10 years) and a GDP of $ 900 billion ( approximately 13 % of the GDP of the United States ), California is the first American state in demographic and economic terms. The state's major activities are tourism, agriculture, entertainment (the Hollywood movie industry being the backbone of this sector) and computing/high tech industries.

San Francisco's wealth was initially built on the Gold Rush and discoveries of rich seams of silver in the surrounding areas. It was this position as the 'Golden Gate' that enabled the city to become the major banking centre for the Pacific coast, a tradition that has endured to this day. Many international banks and investment houses have their headquarters in the financial centre.

During the second world war, the use of the area as a naval base for Pacific operations generated thousands of jobs, although since the 1960s much of the activity has moved to the port of Oakland.

Tourism is important to the San Francisco economy, with it's 15 million tourists a year generating over 7 billion dollars in revenue. It is among the most visited area by tourists in America.

In recent years, San Francisco has attracted many biotechnology companies and has become a centre of research and technical excellence. The well-known Silicon Valley area is home to a range of high-tech businesses, and seems to have weathered the dot.com boom and subsequent bust to show signs of renewed growth.

The San Francisco Chamber of Commerce has facts and figures on the top companies in the region, occupations with the fastest growth rates, etc. at http://www.sfchamber.com.