Los Angeles

Originally a small Spanish settlement, Los Angeles is the largest city on the west coast of the Americas and the second largest in the United States. Its dry, warm climate is comfortable year-round, but it also makes the city dependent on water brought in from hundreds of miles away. Los Angeles is home to the world's most profitable film industry, Hollywood, along with some of the world's richest people. A common destination for migrants, it also has the largest population of Hispanic residents in the United States. But race relations in Los Angeles are strained, and have occasionally resulted in large-scale riots. Meanwhile, the city's expensive housing means many residents face long commutes to work, and the nearby San Andreas fault presents everyone with the constant threat of earthquakes. ""Los Angeles"" is an eclectic and detailed examination of how this sprawling city of extremes operates in the face of these challenges.