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105-461: Imperial County ( Spanish : Condado de Imperial ) is a county located on the southeast border of the U.S. state of California . As of the 2020 census , the population was 179,702, making it the least populous county in Southern California . The county seat and largest city is El Centro . Imperial is the most recent California county to be established, as it was created in 1907 out of
210-660: A Korean War Memorial, History of Arizona, The Wall for the Ages, the eight monument History of Humanity, and the History of the United States of America. Smaller monuments include the Felicity Stone (sm), a Rosetta Stone for the future located at the center of the History of Humanity monuments. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 4,482 square miles (11,610 km), of which 4,177 square miles (10,820 km)
315-585: A Spanish-based creole language called Chavacano developed in the southern Philippines. However, it is not mutually intelligible with Spanish. The number of Chavacano-speakers was estimated at 1.2 million in 1996. The local languages of the Philippines also retain significant Spanish influence, with many words derived from Mexican Spanish , owing to the administration of the islands by Spain through New Spain until 1821, until direct governance from Madrid afterwards to 1898. Salton Sink The Salton Sink
420-588: A considerable number of words from Arabic , as well as a minor influence from the Germanic Gothic language through the period of Visigoth rule in Iberia. In addition, many more words were borrowed from Latin through the influence of written language and the liturgical language of the Church. The loanwords were taken from both Classical Latin and Renaissance Latin , the form of Latin in use at that time. According to
525-517: A dramatic change in the pronunciation of its sibilant consonants , known in Spanish as the reajuste de las sibilantes , which resulted in the distinctive velar [x] pronunciation of the letter ⟨j⟩ and—in a large part of Spain—the characteristic interdental [θ] ("th-sound") for the letter ⟨z⟩ (and for ⟨c⟩ before ⟨e⟩ or ⟨i⟩ ). See History of Spanish (Modern development of
630-476: A first language by Spaniards and educated Filipinos ( Ilustrados ). Despite a public education system set up by the colonial government, by the end of Spanish rule in 1898, only about 10% of the population had knowledge of Spanish, mostly those of Spanish descent or elite standing. Spanish continued to be official and used in Philippine literature and press during the early years of American administration after
735-486: A hundred. Imported water and a long growing season allow two crop cycles each year, and the Imperial Valley is a major source of winter fruits and vegetables, cotton , and grain for U.S. and international markets. Alfalfa is another major crop produced in the Imperial Valley. The agricultural lands are served by a constructed agricultural drain system, which conveys surface runoff and subsurface drainage from fields to
840-415: A long history in the territory of the current-day United States dating back to the 16th century. In the wake of the 1848 Guadalupe Hidalgo Treaty , hundreds of thousands of Spanish speakers became a minoritized community in the United States. The 20th century saw further massive growth of Spanish speakers in areas where they had been hitherto scarce. According to the 2020 census, over 60 million people of
945-460: A palette of color as the sun illuminates and plays shadows upon this geologic wonder. The Imperial National Wildlife Refuge protects wildlife habitat along 30 miles (50 km) of the lower Colorado River in Arizona and California , including the last un-channeled section before the river enters Mexico . The river and its associated backwater lakes and wetlands are a green oasis, contrasting with
1050-457: A population of 174,528. The racial makeup of Imperial County was 102,553 (58.8%) White , 5,773 (3.3%) African American , 3,059 (1.8%) Native American , 2,843 (1.6%) Asian , 165 (0.1%) Pacific Islander , 52,413 (30.0%) from other races , and 7,722 (4.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 140,271 persons (80.4%). As of the census of 2000, there were 142,361 people, 39,384 households, and 31,467 families residing in
1155-498: A primarily Hassaniya Arabic -speaking territory, Spanish was officially spoken as the language of the colonial administration during the late 19th and 20th centuries. Today, Spanish is present in the partially-recognized Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic as its secondary official language, and in the Sahrawi refugee camps in Tindouf ( Algeria ), where the Spanish language is still taught as
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#17328525880911260-599: A second language features characteristics involving the variability of the vowel system. While far from its heyday during the Spanish protectorate in Morocco , the Spanish language has some presence in northern Morocco , stemming for example from the availability of certain Spanish-language media. According to a 2012 survey by Morocco's Royal Institute for Strategic Studies (IRES), penetration of Spanish in Morocco reaches 4.6% of
1365-518: A second language, largely by Cuban educators. The number of Spanish speakers is unknown. Spanish is also an official language of the African Union . Spanish was an official language of the Philippines from the beginning of Spanish administration in 1565 to a constitutional change in 1973. During Spanish colonization , it was the language of government, trade, and education, and was spoken as
1470-416: Is cognate to the root word of satisfacer ("to satisfy"), and hecho ("made") is similarly cognate to the root word of satisfecho ("satisfied"). Compare the examples in the following table: Some consonant clusters of Latin also produced characteristically different results in these languages, as shown in the examples in the following table: In the 15th and 16th centuries, Spanish underwent
1575-436: Is Latin in origin, including Latin borrowings from Ancient Greek. Alongside English and French , it is also one of the most taught foreign languages throughout the world. Spanish is well represented in the humanities and social sciences . Spanish is also the third most used language on the internet by number of users after English and Chinese and the second most used language by number of websites after English. Spanish
1680-657: Is a global language with about 500 million native speakers, mainly in the Americas and Spain , and about 600 million when including second language speakers. Spanish is the official language of 20 countries , as well as one of the six official languages of the United Nations . Spanish is the world's second-most spoken native language after Mandarin Chinese ; the world's fourth-most spoken language overall after English , Mandarin Chinese, and Hindustani ( Hindi - Urdu ); and
1785-658: Is also home to the Imperial Valley Speedway, a race track of 3 ⁄ 8 mile (600 m). The name Algodones Dunes refers to the entire geographic feature, while the administrative designation for that portion managed by the Bureau of Land Management is the "Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area" (sometimes called the "Glamis Dunes"). The Algodones Sand Dunes are the largest mass of sand dunes in California. This dune system extends for more than 40 miles (64 km) along
1890-424: Is closed to motorized use and access is by hiking and horseback. The largest and most heavily used area begins at Highway 78 and continues south just past Interstate 8 . The expansive dune formations offer picturesque scenery, a chance to view rare plants and animals, and a playground for ATV and off-roading enthusiasts. The dunes are also popular in film making and have been the site for movies such as Return of
1995-600: Is dominated by the transition of the tectonic plate boundary from rift to fault . The southernmost strands of the San Andreas Fault connect the northernmost extensions of the East Pacific Rise . Consequently, the region is subject to earthquakes , and the crust is being stretched, resulting in a sinking of the terrain over time. Related to the active geology are some interesting hydrothermal features. The 2010 United States Census reported that Imperial County had
2100-409: Is driven in part by California's mandate to generate 20% of its power from renewable sources by the end of 2010, the valley's excellent sun resources, the high unemployment, its proximity to large population centers on the coast, and large tracts of otherwise unusable desert land. Much of the land suitable for green energy is owned by the federal government ( Bureau of Land Management ). As of April 2008,
2205-399: Is estimated that about 486 million people speak Spanish as a native language , making it the second most spoken language by number of native speakers . An additional 75 million speak Spanish as a second or foreign language , making it the fourth most spoken language in the world overall after English, Mandarin Chinese, and Hindi with a total number of 538 million speakers. Spanish is also
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#17328525880912310-584: Is fully operational by around 2015. CalEnergy runs a geothermal plant that generates enough power for 300,000 homes and could tap into more for up to 2.5 million homes. Spanish language Spanish ( español ) or Castilian ( castellano ) is a Romance language of the Indo-European language family that evolved from the Vulgar Latin spoken on the Iberian Peninsula of Europe . Today, it
2415-740: Is heavily influenced by Venezuelan Spanish. In addition to sharing most of its borders with Spanish-speaking countries, the creation of Mercosur in the early 1990s induced a favorable situation for the promotion of Spanish language teaching in Brazil . In 2005, the National Congress of Brazil approved a bill, signed into law by the President , making it mandatory for schools to offer Spanish as an alternative foreign language course in both public and private secondary schools in Brazil. In September 2016 this law
2520-516: Is land and 305 square miles (790 km) (6.8%) is water. Much of Imperial County is below sea level. Imperial County is roughly twice the size in total square miles as the State of Delaware. Imperial county is bordered on the north by Riverside County ; on the east by Yuma County , Arizona ; on the south by Mexico ; and on the west by San Diego County . The Colorado River forms the county's eastern boundary. Two notable geographic features are found in
2625-714: Is located on the banks of the Colorado River in Winterhaven, California . First established after the end of the Mexican–American War in 1848, it was originally located in the bottoms near the Colorado River, less than 1 mile (1.6 km) below the mouth of the Gila River . It was to defend the newly settled community of Yuma, Arizona , on the other side of the Colorado River and the nearby Mexican border . In March 1851
2730-525: Is now a Democratic stronghold in presidential, congressional and local elections. The last Republican to win a majority in the county was George H. W. Bush in 1988 . However, in 2024 , Republican Donald Trump received 47.83% of the vote in the county, the highest percentage since 1988. On November 4, 2008, Imperial County voted 69.7% for Proposition 8 , which amended the California Constitution to ban same-sex marriages, showing more support for
2835-806: Is spoken by very small communities in Angola due to Cuban influence from the Cold War and in South Sudan among South Sudanese natives that relocated to Cuba during the Sudanese wars and returned for their country's independence. Spanish is also spoken in the integral territories of Spain in Africa, namely the cities of Ceuta and Melilla and the Canary Islands , located in the Atlantic Ocean some 100 km (62 mi) off
2940-517: Is strongly influenced by Mexican culture. Approximately 80% of the county's population is Hispanic, with the vast majority being of Mexican origin. The remainder of the population is predominantly non-Hispanic white, in addition to smaller African American, Native American, and Asian minorities. The indigenous peoples of the area were the Quechan along the Colorado River , the Kamia- Kumeyaay west of
3045-804: Is the de facto national language of the country, Spanish is often used in public services and notices at the federal and state levels. Spanish is also used in administration in the state of New Mexico . The language has a strong influence in major metropolitan areas such as those of Los Angeles , Miami , San Antonio , New York , San Francisco , Dallas , Tucson and Phoenix of the Arizona Sun Corridor , as well as more recently, Chicago , Las Vegas , Boston , Denver , Houston , Indianapolis , Philadelphia , Cleveland , Salt Lake City , Atlanta , Nashville , Orlando , Tampa , Raleigh and Baltimore-Washington, D.C. due to 20th- and 21st-century immigration. Although Spanish has no official recognition in
3150-618: Is the largest state park in California . 500 miles (800 km) of dirt roads, twelve wilderness areas, and many more miles of hiking trails provide visitors with an unparalleled opportunity to experience the wonders of the Colorado Desert . The park's name is a combination of the last name of Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza , and the Spanish word for bighorn sheep , borrego . The park features many sweeping vistas, washes ( wadis ), rocky outcrops, boulder-strewn hillsides, in addition to
3255-648: Is the low point of an endorheic basin , a closed drainage system with no outflows to other bodies of water, in the Colorado Desert sub-region of the Sonoran Desert . The sink falls within the larger Salton Trough and separates the Coachella Valley from the Imperial Valley , which are also segments of the Salton Trough. The lowest point of the sink is 269 ft (82 m) below sea level, and since 1906
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3360-436: Is the official Spanish language of the State. ... The other Spanish languages shall also be official in their respective Autonomous Communities... The Royal Spanish Academy ( Real Academia Española ), on the other hand, currently uses the term español in its publications. However, from 1713 to 1923, it called the language castellano . The Diccionario panhispánico de dudas (a language guide published by
3465-529: Is used as an official language by many international organizations , including the United Nations , European Union , Organization of American States , Union of South American Nations , Community of Latin American and Caribbean States , African Union , among others. In Spain and some other parts of the Spanish-speaking world, Spanish is called not only español but also castellano (Castilian),
3570-567: Is usually assumed to be derived from castillo ('castle'). In the Middle Ages , the language spoken in Castile was generically referred to as Romance and later also as Lengua vulgar . Later in the period, it gained geographical specification as Romance castellano ( romanz castellano , romanz de Castiella ), lenguaje de Castiella , and ultimately simply as castellano (noun). Different etymologies have been suggested for
3675-459: The 1862 Colorado River flood waters reached the Salton Sink, filling it and creating a lake some 60 mi (97 km) long and 30 mi (48 km) wide. In 1884 and 1891 the Colorado River had escapement flow into the Salton Sink. The 1891 flood created a lake that covered an area 30 mi (48 km) long and 10 mi (16 km) wide. A larger 1905 Colorado flood escaped into
3780-466: The Colorado Desert , the refuge experiences some of the highest temperatures in the nation. Daily temperatures from May to October generally exceed 100 °F (38 °C) with temperatures of 116–120 °F (47–49 °C) recorded yearly. The Museum of History in Granite in the town of Felicity exhibits granite monuments made from Missouri Red Granite. Each is 100 feet (30 m) long. Subjects include
3885-530: The Colorado River via the All-American Canal . A vast system of canals , check dams, and pipelines carry the water all over the valley, a system which forms the Imperial Irrigation District , or IID. The water distribution system includes over 1,400 miles (2,300 km) of canal and with 1,100 miles (1,800 km) of pipeline. The number of canal and pipeline branches number roughly over
3990-547: The Salton Sea , which is a designated repository for agricultural runoff. Imperial County produces nearly 2/3 of all vegetables consumed by Americans during the winter. El Centro is the commercial center of Imperial County. Fifty percent of the jobs in El Centro come from the service and retail sector. A recent growth in the interest of Imperial County as a filming location, has spurred growth in servicing this industry. Because of
4095-557: The Spanish as a First Foreign Language (SAFFL) initiative in March 2005. Spanish has historically had a significant presence on the Dutch Caribbean islands of Aruba , Bonaire and Curaçao ( ABC Islands ) throughout the centuries and in present times. The majority of the populations of each island (especially Aruba) speaking Spanish at varying although often high degrees of fluency. The local language Papiamentu (Papiamento on Aruba)
4200-508: The Spanish–American War but was eventually replaced by English as the primary language of administration and education by the 1920s. Nevertheless, despite a significant decrease in influence and speakers, Spanish remained an official language of the Philippines upon independence in 1946, alongside English and Filipino , a standardized version of Tagalog . Spanish was briefly removed from official status in 1973 but reimplemented under
4305-400: The state legislature , the county is in the 36th Assembly District , represented by Democrat Eduardo Garcia , and the 18th Senate District , represented by Democrat Steve Padilla . The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense. Thousands of acres of prime farmland have transformed the desert into one of
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4410-516: The 1960s, the farms in Imperial County provided substantial economic returns to the company and the valley. During the Great Recession of 2008–11, El Centro had one of the highest unemployment rates (above 30–34%) in the U.S. In the early 2020s, Imperial ranks as one of California's poorest counties. It has a lower median household income than either the state or national medians. Fort Yuma
4515-404: The 2021–2022 school year alone. The local business process outsourcing industry has also helped boost the language's economic prospects. Today, while the actual number of proficient Spanish speakers is around 400,000, or under 0.5% of the population, a new generation of Spanish speakers in the Philippines has likewise emerged, though speaker estimates vary widely. Aside from standard Spanish,
4620-574: The 20th century, Spanish was introduced to Equatorial Guinea and the Western Sahara , and to areas of the United States that had not been part of the Spanish Empire, such as Spanish Harlem in New York City . For details on borrowed words and other external influences upon Spanish, see Influences on the Spanish language . Spanish is the primary language in 20 countries worldwide. As of 2023, it
4725-489: The 343-square-mile (890 km ) Salton Sea has filled the lowest portion of the sink to a water depth of up to 43 ft (13 m). The Salton Sink is the topographic low area within the Salton Trough , an active tectonic pull-apart basin . The Salton Trough is a result of crustal stretching and sinking by the combined actions of the San Andreas Fault and the East Pacific Rise . The Brawley seismic zone forms
4830-550: The 9th century, and the first systematic written use of the language happened in Toledo , a prominent city of the Kingdom of Castile , in the 13th century. Spanish colonialism in the early modern period spurred the introduction of the language to overseas locations, most notably to the Americas. As a Romance language, Spanish is a descendant of Latin. Around 75% of modern Spanish vocabulary
4935-647: The Assessor, Auditor-Controller, District Attorney, County Clerk-Recorder, Public Administrator, Sheriff-Coroner, and Treasurer-Tax Collector. The county is run on a day-to-day basis by the County Executive Officer, who is currently Robin Hodgkin, on an interim basis. The county is advised as to legal matters by the County Counsel, who is currently Katherine K. Turner. Previously strongly Republican, Imperial County
5040-455: The BLM has received 163 applications to build renewable energy projects on 1,600,000 acres (6,500 km) in California. Almost all of these are planned for the Imperial Valley and the desert region north of the valley. Stirling Energy is currently building one of the world's largest solar thermal plants, 10 square miles (26 km) with 38,000 "sun catchers," it will power up to 600,000 homes once it
5145-474: The Cahuilla, Cocopah , and other tribes in modern-day Arizona. Constant warfare would deny the Spanish explorers any overland access to Alta California , despite Spanish attempts to mediate the conflict. Decades later, after the Mexican–American War , the northern half of the valley was annexed in 1848 by the U.S., while the southern half remained under Mexican rule. Following the war, another war would consume
5250-639: The Equatoguinean education system and is the primary language used in government and business. Whereas it is not the mother tongue of virtually any of its speakers, the vast majority of the population is proficient in Spanish. The Instituto Cervantes estimates that 87.7% of the population is fluent in Spanish. The proportion of proficient Spanish speakers in Equatorial Guinea exceeds the proportion of proficient speakers in other West and Central African nations of their respective colonial languages. Spanish
5355-691: The Iberian Peninsula. These languages included Proto-Basque , Iberian , Lusitanian , Celtiberian and Gallaecian . The first documents to show traces of what is today regarded as the precursor of modern Spanish are from the 9th century. Throughout the Middle Ages and into the modern era , the most important influences on the Spanish lexicon came from neighboring Romance languages — Mozarabic ( Andalusi Romance ), Navarro-Aragonese , Leonese , Catalan/Valencian , Portuguese , Galician , Occitan , and later, French and Italian . Spanish also borrowed
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#17328525880915460-563: The Jedi . The Colorado River streams through the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately 1,450 miles (2,330 km) long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains . The natural course of the river flows from north of Grand Lake, Colorado, into the Gulf of California . For many months out of the year, however, no water actually flows from
5565-529: The Old Spanish sibilants) for details. The Gramática de la lengua castellana , written in Salamanca in 1492 by Elio Antonio de Nebrija , was the first grammar written for a modern European language. According to a popular anecdote, when Nebrija presented it to Queen Isabella I , she asked him what was the use of such a work, and he answered that language is the instrument of empire. In his introduction to
5670-617: The Quechan, and the Cahuilla to the north. Spanish explorer Melchor Díaz was one of the first Europeans to visit the area of the Imperial Valley in 1540. The explorer Juan Bautista de Anza also explored the area in 1776. The indigenous peoples in the county were also engaged in an armed regional conflict, with the Quechan leading a coalition with the Kumeyaay against the Maricopa -led coalition with
5775-571: The Royal Spanish Academy) states that, although the Royal Spanish Academy prefers to use the term español in its publications when referring to the Spanish language, both terms— español and castellano —are regarded as synonymous and equally valid. The term castellano is related to Castile ( Castilla or archaically Castiella ), the kingdom where the language was originally spoken. The name Castile , in turn,
5880-479: The U.S. in the 1930s and 1940s. American entry into World War II stimulated the growth of jobs and need to expanded agriculture, and the All American Canal was completed from its source, the Colorado River , to Imperial Valley from 1948 to 1951. By the 1950 census, more than 50,000 residents lived in Imperial County alone, about 40 times the population of 1910. Most of the population was year-round, but would increase every winter by migrant laborers from Mexico. Until
5985-502: The U.S. population were of Hispanic or Hispanic American by origin. In turn, 41.8 million people in the United States aged five or older speak Spanish at home, or about 13% of the population. Spanish predominates in the unincorporated territory of Puerto Rico , where it is also an official language along with English. Spanish is by far the most common second language in the country, with over 50 million total speakers if non-native or second-language speakers are included. While English
6090-422: The United States sufficiently peaceful and prosperous for the company to earn a return for a large percentage of Mexicans. Some chose to stay and create roots in newly developed communities in the valley. During the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl , the county attracted migrating " Okies " from drought-ridden farms on the plains by the need of migrant labor. More prosperous job-seekers also arrived from across
6195-659: The United States to the gulf, due to human use. The river is a popular destination for water sports, including fishing, boating, water skiing, and jet skiing. Salvation Mountain is an artificial mountain north of Calipatria, California , near Slab City . It is made from adobe, straw, and thousands of gallons of paint. It was created by Leonard Knight to convey the message that "God Loves Everyone". Knight refused substantial donations of money and labor from supporters who wished to modify his message of universal love to favor or disfavor particular groups. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park , portions of which are located in Imperial County,
6300-399: The administration of Ferdinand Marcos two months later. It remained an official language until the ratification of the present constitution in 1987, in which it was re-designated as a voluntary and optional auxiliary language. Additionally, the constitution, in its Article XIV, stipulates that the Government shall provide the people of the Philippines with a Spanish-language translation of
6405-422: The age of 18 living with them, 57.7% were married couples living together, 17.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.1% were non-families. 17.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.33 and the average family size was 3.77. In the county, the population was spread out, with 31.4% under
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#17328525880916510-463: The age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 109.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.4 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 31,870, and the median income for a family was $ 35,226. Males had a median income of $ 32,775 versus $ 23,974 for females. The per capita income for
6615-566: The classic hispanus or hispanicus took the suffix -one from Vulgar Latin , as happened with other words such as bretón (Breton) or sajón (Saxon). Like the other Romance languages , the Spanish language evolved from Vulgar Latin , which was brought to the Iberian Peninsula by the Romans during the Second Punic War , beginning in 210 BC. Several pre-Roman languages (also called Paleohispanic languages )—some distantly related to Latin as Indo-European languages , and some that are not related at all—were previously spoken in
6720-446: The consonant written b (a bilabial with plosive and fricative allophones). In modern Spanish, there is no difference between the pronunciation of orthographic b and v . Typical of Spanish (as also of neighboring Gascon extending as far north as the Gironde estuary , and found in a small area of Calabria ), attributed by some scholars to a Basque substratum was the mutation of Latin initial f into h- whenever it
6825-404: The country's constitution. In recent years changing attitudes among non-Spanish speaking Filipinos have helped spur a revival of the language, and starting in 2009 Spanish was reintroduced as part of the basic education curriculum in a number of public high schools, becoming the largest foreign language program offered by the public school system, with over 7,000 students studying the language in
6930-412: The county was $ 13,239. About 19.4% of families and 22.6% of the population were below the poverty line , including 28.7% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those age 65 or over. Imperial County has the lowest per capita income of any county in Southern California and among the bottom five counties in the state. By 2006 the population had risen to 160,201, the population growth rate since the year 2000
7035-431: The county's desert environment and proximity to Los Angeles, California , movies are sometimes filmed in the sand dunes outside the agricultural portions of the county. These have included Return of the Jedi , Stargate , The Scorpion King , and Into the Wild . Additionally, portions of the 2005 film Jarhead were filmed here because of its similarity to the desert terrain of Iraq . In 2016, Imperial County had
7140-410: The county, the Salton Sea , at 235 feet (72 m) below sea level, and the Algodones Dunes , one of the largest dune fields in America. The county is in the Colorado Desert , an extension of the larger Sonoran Desert . The Chocolate Mountains are located east of the Salton Sea , and extend in a northwest–southeast direction for approximately 60 miles (97 km). In this region, the geology
7245-582: The county. The population density was 34 people per square mile (13 people/km). There were 43,891 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile (3.9/km). The racial makeup of the county was 49.4% White , 4.0% Black or African American , 1.9% Native American , 2.0% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 39.1% from other races , and 3.7% from two or more races. 72.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 65.7% spoke Spanish at home, while 32.3% spoke only English . There were 39,384 households, out of which 46.7% had children under
7350-413: The eastern edge of the Imperial Valley agricultural region in a band averaging 5 miles (8 km) in width. A major east–west route of the Union Pacific railroad skirts the eastern edge. The dune system is divided into three areas. The northernmost area is known as Mammoth Wash. South of Mammoth Wash is the North Algodones Dunes Wilderness established by the 1994 California Desert Protection Act. This area
7455-419: The eastern half of San Diego County . Imperial County is located in the far southeast of California, in the Imperial Valley . It borders San Diego County to the west, Riverside County to the north, the U.S. state of Arizona to the east and the Mexican state of Baja California to the south. It includes the El Centro metropolitan statistical area and is part of the Southern California border region ,
7560-642: The eastern portion of San Diego County . The county was named for Imperial Valley. This had been named for the Imperial Land Company , a subsidiary of the California Development Company , which at the turn of the 20th century had claimed the southern portion of the Colorado Desert for agriculture. The Imperial Land Company also owned extensive lands in Mexico ( Baja California ). Its objective
7665-661: The following table: Spanish is marked by palatalization of the Latin double consonants ( geminates ) nn and ll (thus Latin annum > Spanish año , and Latin anellum > Spanish anillo ). The consonant written u or v in Latin and pronounced [w] in Classical Latin had probably " fortified " to a bilabial fricative /β/ in Vulgar Latin. In early Spanish (but not in Catalan or Portuguese) it merged with
7770-466: The former British colony of Belize (known until 1973 as British Honduras ) where English is the sole official language, according to the 2022 census, 54% of the total population are able to speak the language. Due to its proximity to Spanish-speaking countries and small existing native Spanish speaking minority, Trinidad and Tobago has implemented Spanish language teaching into its education system. The Trinidadian and Tobagonian government launched
7875-520: The fort. The Americans returned to the area in 1852 and subdued the Quechan by destroying their villages and farmland, and killed any warriors that resisted, leading to Quechan surrender to the US. The Second Yuma War would later see neighboring tribes erode much of the military advantages that the Quechan had left. Small-scale settlement in natural aquifer areas had occurred in the early 19th century (the present-day site of Mexicali ), but most permanent settlement
7980-584: The grammar, dated 18 August 1492, Nebrija wrote that "... language was always the companion of empire." From the 16th century onwards, the language was taken to the Spanish-discovered America and the Spanish East Indies via Spanish colonization of America . Miguel de Cervantes , author of Don Quixote , is such a well-known reference in the world that Spanish is often called la lengua de Cervantes ("the language of Cervantes"). In
8085-427: The highest unemployment rate of any county in the United States, at 23.5%. Cotton in Imperial County and Riverside is predominantly Bt cotton . This is in contrast to the rest of the state, which largely relies on non-incorporated pesticides . The introduction of Bt cotton has dramatically reduced pesticide use here. Imperial Valley has become a hotbed of renewable energy projects, both solar and geothermal. This
8190-483: The iconic desert subspecies of bighorn sheep (formerly more common, across the southwest U.S. and northern Mexico). Many varied reptile species call the area home, such as the banded gecko , chuckwalla , desert iguana , desert tortoise , desert sidewinder , gopher snake , kingsnake , red diamond rattlesnake and the rosy boa . Located near Ocotillo, California in the Coyote Mountains , Fossil Canyon (and
8295-680: The language from the Kingdom of Castile , contrasting it with other languages spoken in Spain such as Galician , Basque , Asturian , Catalan/Valencian , Aragonese , Occitan and other minor languages. The Spanish Constitution of 1978 uses the term castellano to define the official language of the whole of Spain, in contrast to las demás lenguas españolas (lit. "the other Spanish languages "). Article III reads as follows: El castellano es la lengua española oficial del Estado. ... Las demás lenguas españolas serán también oficiales en las respectivas Comunidades Autónomas... Castilian
8400-535: The language's hegemony in an intensely centralising Spanish state were established from the 18th century onward. Other European territories in which it is also widely spoken include Gibraltar and Andorra . Spanish is also spoken by immigrant communities in other European countries, such as the United Kingdom , France , Italy , and Germany . Spanish is an official language of the European Union . Today,
8505-686: The majority of the Spanish speakers live in Hispanic America . Nationally, Spanish is the official language—either de facto or de jure —of Argentina , Bolivia (co-official with 36 indigenous languages), Chile , Colombia , Costa Rica , Cuba , Dominican Republic , Ecuador , El Salvador , Guatemala , Honduras , Mexico (co-official with 63 indigenous languages), Nicaragua , Panama , Paraguay (co-official with Guaraní ), Peru (co-official with Quechua , Aymara , and "the other indigenous languages"), Puerto Rico (co-official with English), Uruguay , and Venezuela . Spanish language has
8610-407: The most productive farming regions in California with an annual crop production of over $ 1 billion. Agriculture is the largest industry in Imperial County and accounts for 48% of all employment. Although this region is a desert, with high temperatures and low average rainfall of 3 inches (76 mm) per year, the economy is heavily based on agriculture due to irrigation , which is supplied wholly from
8715-711: The northwest of the African mainland. The Spanish spoken in the Canary Islands traces its origins back to the Castilian conquest in the 15th century , and, in addition to a resemblance to Western Andalusian speech patterns, it also features strong influence from the Spanish varieties spoken in the Americas, which in turn have also been influenced historically by Canarian Spanish. The Spanish spoken in North Africa by native bilingual speakers of Arabic or Berber who also speak Spanish as
8820-529: The population. Many northern Moroccans have rudimentary knowledge of Spanish, with Spanish being particularly significant in areas adjacent to Ceuta and Melilla. Spanish also has a presence in the education system of the country (through either selected education centers implementing Spain's education system, primarily located in the North, or the availability of Spanish as foreign language subject in secondary education). In Western Sahara , formerly Spanish Sahara ,
8925-513: The post was moved to a small elevation on the Colorado's west bank, opposite the present city of Yuma, Arizona, on the site of the former Mission Puerto de Purísima Concepción . This site had been occupied by Camp Calhoun, named for John C. Calhoun , established in 1849. Fort Yuma was established to protect the southern emigrant travel route to California and to attempt control of the Yuma Indians in
9030-608: The proposition than any other strongly Democratic county. After Prop 8 was declared unconstitutional by a lower federal court, Imperial County continued to defend Proposition 8 in the federal judicial system. However, on February 6, 2012, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denied Imperial County legal standing in the case Hollingsworth v. Perry . Imperial County is in California's 25th congressional district , represented by Democrat Raul Ruiz . In
9135-624: The region in 1850 after the Glanton Gang sabotaged Quechan ferry operators and mugged a local Quechan chief. This would lead towards the start of the Yuma War , with a Quechan-led coalition of tribes against the US army and their indigenous allies in Baja California and Sonora . In the First Yuma War, the Quechan laid siege on Fort Yuma in 1851, and forced the American garrison there to abandon
9240-492: The shoreline of ancient Lake Cahuilla where archeologists found rock fish traps and charred remains of razorback sucker and bonytail bones. High water lines suggest the basin has filled many times, creating a lake some 105 mi (169 km) in length and nearly 300 ft (91 m) deep. Its most recent incarnation is evidenced by fish traps found some 30 ft (9.1 m) below the high-water mark that were estimated to be between 300 and 1,000 years old. In recent times,
9345-443: The smallest but most economically diverse region in the state. Although this region is a desert, with high temperatures and low average rainfall of 3 inches (76 mm) per year, the economy is strongly based on agriculture. This is supported by irrigation , with water supplied wholly from the Colorado River via the All-American Canal . The Imperial Valley straddles the border between the United States and Mexico. Imperial County
9450-602: The southeast end of the basin and connects the San Andreas Fault system with the Imperial Fault Zone to the south. The Salton Buttes are rhyolite lava domes within the basin which were active 10,300 (± 1000) years BP. A large lake, Lake Cahuilla , existed in the area from about 20,500 to 3,000 years ago and left evidence as wave-cut benches on the higher portions of the Salton Buttes. A beach mark outlines
9555-539: The surrounding 100-mile (160 km) area. NAF El Centro is the winter home of the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, The Blue Angels . NAF El Centro historically kicks off the Blue Angels' season with their first air show, traditionally held in March. The city of Imperial is home to the California Mid-Winter Fair and Fiesta which is the local county fair, held in late February to early March. It
9660-751: The surrounding area) is a great place for rock-hounding and fossil hunting. The fossils here are not necessarily of dinosaurs; more commonly found are ancient oyster and seashell , coral , and other marine life from the prehistoric Miocene epoch, when the entire area was submerged as part of the Western Interior Seaway . The Painted Gorge , located on the eastern side of the Coyote Mountains, consists of sedimentary , metamorphic and igneous rock ; Heat and movement over time has created fantastic shapes and colors. Dark ochre, iron-reds, royal purples, and mauves (mixed with dark browns/black) create
9765-595: The surrounding desert mountains. It is a refuge and breeding area for migratory birds and local desert wildlife. The Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge is located 40 miles (64 km) north of the Mexican border at the southern end of the Salton Sea in California's Imperial Valley . Situated along the Pacific Flyway , the refuge is the only one of its kind, located 227 feet (69 m) below sea level. Because of its southern latitude, elevation, and location in
9870-528: The term español (Spanish). According to the Royal Spanish Academy, español derives from the Occitan word espaignol and that, in turn, derives from the Vulgar Latin * hispaniolus ('of Hispania'). Hispania was the Roman name for the entire Iberian Peninsula . There are other hypotheses apart from the one suggested by the Royal Spanish Academy. Spanish philologist Ramón Menéndez Pidal suggested that
9975-444: The theories of Ramón Menéndez Pidal , local sociolects of Vulgar Latin evolved into Spanish, in the north of Iberia, in an area centered in the city of Burgos , and this dialect was later brought to the city of Toledo , where the written standard of Spanish was first developed, in the 13th century. In this formative stage, Spanish developed a strongly differing variant from its close cousin, Leonese , and, according to some authors,
10080-623: The third most used language on the Internet , after English and Chinese. Spanish is the official language of Spain . Upon the emergence of the Castilian Crown as the dominant power in the Iberian Peninsula by the end of the Middle Ages, the Romance vernacular associated with this polity became increasingly used in instances of prestige and influence, and the distinction between "Castilian" and "Spanish" started to become blurred. Hard policies imposing
10185-432: The vast expanses of sandy desert; in springtime (especially after periods of rain), these areas appear to change shape, as they come alive with blooming wildflowers , flowering and fruiting cacti and numerous other species of native flora. Fauna that visitors may also have the chance to see include the bobcat , coyote , golden eagle , kit fox , mule deer , mountain lion , red-tailed hawk and roadrunner , as well as
10290-580: The world's most widely spoken Romance language. The country with the largest population of native speakers is Mexico . Spanish is part of the Ibero-Romance language group , in which the language is also known as Castilian ( castellano ). The group evolved from several dialects of Vulgar Latin in Iberia after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century. The oldest Latin texts with traces of Spanish come from mid-northern Iberia in
10395-485: Was 30%, the highest in California and fifth highest in the United States in the time period. High levels of immigration, new residents search for affordable homes, and a search for retirement homes can explain the population increase. The county is governed by the Imperial County Board of Supervisors, a five-member board elected by districts. Supervisors serve four-year terms. Other elected county officials include
10500-523: Was after 1900. In 1905, torrential rainfall in the American Southwest caused the Colorado River (the only drainage for the region) to flood, including canals that had been built to irrigate the Imperial Valley. Since the valley is partially below sea level, the waters never fully receded, but collected in the Salton Sink in what is now called the Salton Sea . Imperial County was formed in 1907 from
10605-630: Was developed in the cities of Toledo , in the 13th to 16th centuries, and Madrid , from the 1570s. The development of the Spanish sound system from that of Vulgar Latin exhibits most of the changes that are typical of Western Romance languages , including lenition of intervocalic consonants (thus Latin vīta > Spanish vida ). The diphthongization of Latin stressed short e and o —which occurred in open syllables in French and Italian, but not at all in Catalan or Portuguese—is found in both open and closed syllables in Spanish, as shown in
10710-604: Was distinguished by a heavy Basque influence (see Iberian Romance languages ). This distinctive dialect spread to southern Spain with the advance of the Reconquista , and meanwhile gathered a sizable lexical influence from the Arabic of Al-Andalus , much of it indirectly, through the Romance Mozarabic dialects (some 4,000 Arabic -derived words, make up around 8% of the language today). The written standard for this new language
10815-713: Was followed by a vowel that did not diphthongize. The h- , still preserved in spelling, is now silent in most varieties of the language, although in some Andalusian and Caribbean dialects, it is still aspirated in some words. Because of borrowings from Latin and neighboring Romance languages, there are many f -/ h - doublets in modern Spanish: Fernando and Hernando (both Spanish for "Ferdinand"), ferrero and herrero (both Spanish for "smith"), fierro and hierro (both Spanish for "iron"), and fondo and hondo (both words pertaining to depth in Spanish, though fondo means "bottom", while hondo means "deep"); additionally, hacer ("to make")
10920-462: Was revoked by Michel Temer after the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff . In many border towns and villages along Paraguay and Uruguay, a mixed language known as Portuñol is spoken. Equatorial Guinea is the only Spanish-speaking country located entirely in Africa, with the language introduced during the Spanish colonial period . Enshrined in the constitution as an official language (alongside French and Portuguese), Spanish features prominently in
11025-408: Was to develop commercial crop farming. By 1910, the land company had managed to settle and develop thousands of farms on both sides of the border. The Mexican Revolution soon after severely disrupted the company's plans. Rival Mexican armies affiliated with different ethnicities killed nearly 10,000 farmers and their families in northern Mexico. Not until the 1920s was the other side of California in
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