Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Oakland shopping experience:

1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Oakland offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Oakland at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.

2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about

3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Oakland? Wrong! If the Oakland is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.

4. Questions - Got a question about Oakland then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....

5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Oakland? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Oakland and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.

6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Oakland wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.

7. Feedback - happy with your Oakland then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.

8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Oakland site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site

9. Contact - got a question about Oakland, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.

10. Payment - ready to pay for your Oakland, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.

{{Infobox Settlement|official_name = City of Oakland|website = http://www.oaklandnet.com|image_skyline = Oakland California skyline.jpg|settlement_type = City|imagesize =|image_caption =|image_flag =|image_seal =|image_map = Alameda_County_California_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Oakland_Highlighted.svg|mapsize = 250x200px|map_caption = Location in [Alameda County, California and the state of California|subdivision_type1 = [Political divisions of the United States|subdivision_type2 = List of counties in California|subdivision_name = United States|subdivision_name2 = [Alameda County, California|government_type =|leader_title = Mayor|established_date =|area_magnitude = 1 E8|area_total_km2 = 202.4|area_total_sq_mi = 78.2|area_land_km2 = 145.2|area_land_sq_mi = 56.1|area_water_km2 = 57.2|area_water_sq_mi = 22.1|population_as_of = 2006|population_footnotes = |population_total = 415,492|population_metro = over 7 million|population_density_km2 = 2751.4|timezone = [Pacific Standard Time Zone|utc_offset = -8|timezone_DST = Pacific Daylight Time|utc_offset_DST = -7|postal_code_type =|postal_code =|area_code = Area code 510|latd = 37 |latm = 48 |lats = 43 |latNS = N|longd = 122 |longm = 15 |longs = 41 |longEW = W|elevation_m = 1|elevation_ft = 3|blank_name = Federal Information Processing Standard|blank_info = 06-53000|blank1_name = Geographic Names Information System feature ID|blank1_info = 0277566|footnotes =-->Oakland (), founded in 1852, is the eighth-largest city in the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Alameda County, California. Oakland is located in Northern California in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Combined statistical area#Largest CSAs metropolitan area in the United States. Based on 2006 statistical data, Oakland is the 44th-largest city in the United States.

Oakland is a major West Coast of the United States port, and is home to several Fortune 500 companies including Kaiser Permanente and Clorox, as well as corporate headquarters for national retailers like Dreyer's and Cost Plus World Markets.http://www.business2oakland.com/main/majoremployers.htm

Rand McNally named Oakland as having the best weather in the United States. According to the U.S. 2000 census, Oakland and Long Beach, California are the most ethnically diverse cities in the United States, with over 150 languages spoken in Oakland. Attractions include Jack London Square, the Oakland Museum of California, Lake Merritt and Chinatown, Oakland, California.

History The earliest recorded inhabitants were the Huchiun tribe, belonging to a linguistic grouping later called the Ohlone (a Miwok word meaning "western people"). In Oakland, they were heavily concentrated around Lake Merritt and Temescal Creek, a stream which enters the San Francisco Bay at Emeryville.

Oakland, along with the rest of California, was claimed for the Spanish king by explorers from New Spain in 1772. In the early 19th century, the area which later became Oakland (along with most of the East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area)), was granted to Luís María Peralta by the Spanish royal government for his Rancho San Antonio (Peralta Grant). The grant was confirmed by the successor Mexican republic upon its independence from Spain. The area of the ranch that is today occupied by the downtown and extending over into the adjacent part of Alameda, California (originally not an island, but a peninsula), included a woodland of oak trees. This area was called encinal by the Peraltas, a Spanish word which means "oak grove", the origin of the later city's name. Upon his death in 1842, Peralta divided his land among his four sons. Most of Oakland fell within the shares given to Antonio Maria and Vicente. They would open the land to settlement by American settlers, loggers, European whalers, and fur-traders.

Full-scale settlement and development occurred following California being conquered by the United States during the Mexican-American War, and the California Gold Rush in 1848. The original settlement in what is now the downtown was initially called "Contra Costa" and was included in Contra Costa County before Alameda County was established on March 25, 1853. The California state legislature incorporated the town of Oakland on May 4, 1852.

The town and its environs quickly grew with the railroads, becoming a major rail terminus in the late 1860s and 1870s. In 1868, the Central Pacific constructed the Oakland Long Wharf at Oakland Point, the site of today's Port of Oakland. The Long Wharf served as both the terminus of the Transcontinental Railroad as well as the local commuter trains of the Central (later, Southern Pacific) Pacific. The Central Pacific also established one of its largest rail yards and servicing facilities in West Oakland which continued to be a major local employer under the Southern Pacific well into the 20th century. The principal depot of the Southern Pacific in Oakland was the 16th Street Station located at 16th and Wood which is currently (2006–7) being partially restored as part of a Urban renewal project.See

A number of horsecar and Cable car (railway) lines were constructed in Oakland in the latter half of the 1800s. The first electric streetcar set out from Oakland to Berkeley in 1891, and other lines were converted and added over the course of the 1890s. The various streetcar companies operating in Oakland were acquired by Francis "Borax" Smith and consolidated into what eventually became known as the Key System, the predecessor of today's publicly owned AC Transit. In addition to its system of streetcars in the East Bay, the Key System also operated commuter trains to its own pier and ferry boats to San Francisco, in competition with the Southern Pacific. Upon completion of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, both companies ran their commuter trains on the south side of the lower deck direct to San Francisco. The Key System in its earliest years was actually in part a real estate venture, with the transit part serving to help open up new tracts for buyers. The Key's investors (incorporated as the "Realty Syndicate") also established two large hotels in Oakland, one of which survives as the Claremont Resort. The other, which burned down in the early 1930s, was the Key Route Inn, located at what is now West Grand and Broadway. From 1904 to 1929, the Realty Syndicate also operated a major amusement park in north Oakland called Idora Park.

The original extent of Oakland upon its incorporation lay south of today's major intersection of San Pablo Avenue, Broadway and 14th Street. The city gradually annexed farmlands and settlements to the east and north. Oakland's rise to industrial prominence and its subsequent need for a seaport led to the digging of a shipping and tidal channel in 1902, creating the "island" of nearby town Alameda, California. In 1906, its population doubled with refugees made homeless after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake who had fled to Oakland. In 1915, a Chevrolet plant was opened at the southern border of Oakland. By 1920, Oakland was the home of numerous manufacturing industries, including metals, canneries, bakeries, automobiles, and shipbuilding.

1920s The 1920s were economic boom years in the United States as a whole, and in California especially. Economic growth was fueled by the general post-war recovery, as well as oil discoveries in Los Angeles, and the widespread introduction of the automobile. Oakland grew significantly in the 1920s. According to the Oakland Tribune yearbook for 1925, more houses were built from 1921 to 1924 than in the period 1907 to 1920.Prentice, Helaine Kaplan, Rehab Right, Ten-Speed Press. ISBN 0-89815-172-4 Many of the single-family houses still standing in Oakland were built in the 1920s. Many large office buildings downtown were built in the 1920s, and reflect the architectural styles of the time.

World War II During World War II, the East Bay Area was home to many war-related industries. Among these were the Kaiser Shipyards in nearby Richmond, California whose medical system for shipyard workers became the basis for the giant Kaiser Permanente HMO, which has a large medical center at MacArthur and Broadway, the first to be established by Kaiser. Oakland's Moore Dry Dock Company expanded its shipbuilding capabilities and built over 100 ships.

The war attracted large numbers of laborers from around the country to Oakland, many of whom were African Americans from the western South (Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Arkansas), who enjoyed great prosperity during the war years. but still had to confront Jim Crow laws racial discrimination.Arroyo, Cuahutémoc (Faculty Mentor: Professor Leon F. Litwack). "Jim Crow" Shipyards: Black Labor and Race Relations in East Bay Shipyards During World War II. The Berkeley McNair Journal, The UC Berkeley McNair Scholars Program. - Accessed from Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia at Ferris State University on August 19 2007

Post-WWII (1940s and 1950s) looking toward the Alameda County Courthouse.Soon after the war, the shipbuilding and automobile industries virtually evaporated, as did the jobs that came with it. Many who came to the city did not leave and decided to settle in their new home of Oakland. Meanwhile, many of the city's more affluent residents left the city after the war in order to move into newly developing suburbs to the east of the hills while many blue-collar whites moved to adjacent cities such as San Leandro and Alameda, part of a nationwide phenomenon of white flight.

During this period, the freeway system was constructed and the Key System was dismantled. The largest high rise was constructed on the west side of Lake Merritt, the headquarters building of Kaiser Corporation (the industry, not the Kaiser Permanente). Also in this era, the seedy, rundown area at the foot of Broadway was transformed into Jack London Square.

Nonetheless, by the late 1960s, Oakland, which had been quite prosperous before the war, found itself with a population that was increasingly poor.

1960s and 1970s In 1966, only 16 of the city's 661 police officers were black. Tensions between the poverty-stricken black community and the predominantly white police force were high, and killings of young boys in Harlem and San Francisco added fuel to the fire. In this charged atmosphere, the Black Panther Party was founded by University of California, Berkeley students Huey Newton and Bobby Seale as a response to police brutality.

During the 1960s the city was home to an innovative funk music scene which produced well-known bands like Sly & the Family Stone, Graham Central Station, Tower of Power, Cold Blood, and The Headhunters. Larry Graham, the bass player for both Sly & the Family Stone and Graham Central Station, is credited with the creation of the extremely influential slap and pop sound still widely used by bassists in many musical idioms today. It was also during the 1960s when the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club's Oakland Chapter, began to grow into a formidable organization. By the 1980s it was the most feared and respected of all Hells Angels chapters. Its Oakland Clubhouse still sits at 4019 Foothill Boulevard in East Oakland. In sports, the Oakland Athletics MLB club won three World Series in a row (1972, 1973, and 1974); the Golden State Warriors won the 1974–1975 NBA championship; and the Oakland Raiders of the NFL won Super Bowl Super Bowl XI in 1977.

1980s and 1990s Starting in the early 1980s, the number of Latinos, mostly of Mexican origin, began to increase significantly in Oakland, especially in the Fruitvale, Oakland, California district and spilling over into East Oakland. This district is one of the oldest in Oakland, growing up around the old Peralta estate (now a city park). It has always had a concentration of Latino residents, businesses and institutions, but increased immigration, which has continued right up to the 21st century has added greater numbers.

In the late 1980s and 1990s, Oakland featured prominently in hip hop music music, both as the hometown for such artists as MC Hammer, Digital Underground, Spice 1, Hieroglyphics (band), Souls of Mischief, Del tha Funkee Homosapien, The Luniz and Too $hort, and for its featuring in the lyrics of several songs, such as Baby Got Back, California Love and I Got 5 On It. However, the most famous rapper to come from Oakland was the legendary Tupac Shakur. 2pac, who grew up in Baltimore, New York, and later Marin City, moved to Oakland in January 1989 at the age of 17 and lived there longer than in any other city. He began his career as a roadie and dancer for Digital Underground. Tupac mentions Oakland in several of his songs and what it was like living there. Outside of the rap scene, Grammy award winning artists Green Day, En Vogue and Tony! Toni! Tone! (headed by Raphael Saadiq) also emerged from Oakland.

Also Beginning in the early 1980's The new Form of smokable cocaine, or "Crack", emerged from the intercity of Oakland, bringing with it a huge influx in crime, and the rise of one of the most feared and respected drug lords, Felix Mitchell Mitchell was raised in poverty in East Oakland's crime ridden 69th Ave San Antonio Villa Housing Projects. After dropping out of high-school, Mitchell created a criminal organization called "69 Mob", connected with a drug supplier, and made business contacts in the Bay Area, Los Angeles and Detroit.

For more than a decade, Mitchell battled competition from Mickey Moore’s crime family and the Funk town USA gang to gain total control of the lucrative drug market. It is estimated that Mitchell’s crew brought in nearly $1 million dollars in monthly business. Mitchell used some of his criminal proceeds to give back to the community, and he is credited with sponsoring local athletic programs for youths. He also hosted a bus load of children on a field trip to Marine World Africa USA. The community respected him and spoke highly of him. When he drove down the streets of Oakland, people lined the streets just to wave at him, the reception was similar to a visiting dignitary.

The notoriety of Mitchell’s empire soon came to the attention of local and national law enforcement. Mitchell was convicted in 1985 and sentenced to life in prison. He was shipped off to Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary where he was fatally stabbed during October 1986, a few months after his arrival, just days before his 32nd birthday. However, Mitchell's imprisonment did not have the crime reducing effects law enforcement had hoped for. In what would later be termed the "Felix Mitchell Paradox", drug sales continued and, with Mitchell's monopolistic pricing eliminated, competition reduced the price of crack cocaine. The main effect of Mitchell's imprisonment was to destabilize the market, lowering drug prices and increasing violence as rival gang members challenged each other for market shares with a consequent rise in drive-by shootings, street homicides and felonious assaults. Indirectly, effective law enforcement followed by incapacitation stimulated serious random violenceState and Local Programs: Understanding and Combatting Violence. US Department of Justice, July 1994

The Loma Prieta earthquake occurred on October 17 1989, in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, measuring 7.1 on the Richter magnitude scale. Several structures in Oakland were badly damaged. The double-decker portion of the Cypress Viaduct freeway (Interstate 880) structure, located in Oakland, collapsed, killing 42. The eastern span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge also sustained significant damage and was closed to traffic for one month. Throughout the 1990s, buildings throughout Oakland were retrofitted to better withstand earthquakes.

On October 20 1991, a massive fire (see 1991 Oakland firestorm) swept down from the Berkeley Hills above the Caldecott Tunnel. 25 were killed and 150 injured and over 2,000 homes were destroyed. The economic loss has been estimated at $1.5 billion. Many homes were rebuilt much larger than they originally were.

In late 1996, Oakland was the center of a controversy surrounding Ebonics (African American Vernacular English), an ethnolect the outgoing Oakland Unified School District board voted to recognize on December 18. The Notorious Ebonics Resolution of Oakland, California: Drake, Dan 1997 Junk Science and the "Ebonics" Resolution: Is academia looking the other way?: Salvucci, Claudio R. - Evolution Publishing, June 1997

2000s .Jerry Brown, who was elected mayor of Oakland in 1998, initiated a plan to bring an additional 10,000 residents to downtown Oakland. The plan has resulted in several redevelopment projects near Lake Merritt, Jack London Square, and other neighborhoods just outside of downtown. These redevelopment projects have been controversial as many residents see these projects as gentrification, resulting in the loss of lower-income and minority residents in downtown Oakland. Additionally, the weakening of the San Francisco Bay Area economy in 2000 and 2001 resulted in low occupancy of the new housing and slower growth and economic recovery than expected.In recent years demand for high-rise condos and towers has surged, as in San Francisco; there are currently many proposals for high-rise buildings, including a 63 floor, 827 ft. (252 m) tower that will rival the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco. The developer says that the height could be pushed up to beat out the Transamerica Pyramid, possibly giving Oakland a considerable skyline as well.

Additionally, the Oakland Athletics have long been searching for a site to build a new baseball stadium. A site the A's found desirable was found near Telegraph Avenue and 20th Street in downtown Oakland, but was instead slated for a housing development. The site was favored by the Athletics for a new stadium as it was accessible by public transit and nearby freeways. Finally in 2006, the A's announced a deal to build a new stadium in Fremont, California, to be called Cisco Field.

In February 2006, the Oakland Ballet closed due to financial problems and the closure of their performance facility, the Calvin Simmons Theater at the Kaiser Convention Center. The Oakland Ballet had been performing in Oakland since 1965. Ballet Company's Comeback is Short-lived: Howard, Rachel - San Francisco Chronicle, February 1, 2006 In 2007, however, founder Ronn Guidi announced the revival of the Oakland Ballet. A performance of The Nutcracker is scheduled for December, 2007, including members of the Oakland Ballet Academy, which Guidi presides over.A new use for the Kaiser Convention Center was proposed in 2006: a redevelopment designed to nucleate a cultural and educational district with the nearby Oakland Museum of California and Laney College. Library Bond Measure Headed for the November 7 Ballot: Oakland Public Library Press Release, August 1, 2006 In July 2006, the Oakland City Council approved a bond measure to expand the city's library system and convert the closed Center into a replacement for the city's aging main library, but Oakland voters defeated the library bond measure in the November 2006 election. Defeat of Bond Measure Forces Library System to Rethink Improvements: Nance, Mariama - North Gate News Online, November 15, 2006

Ron Dellums, a former Berkeley, CA city council member and U.S. Representative, was elected mayor in June 2006. The mayoral election race was contentious between Dellums and other candidates, including Oakland city council president Ignacio de la Fuente and councilmember Nancy Nadel. Oakland Mayor’s Race: Top Candidates Offer Voters Clear Contrasts: Heredia, Christopher - San Francisco Chronicle, January 19, 2006 Each candidate had different visions of Oakland's future and different ideas about how to combat crime, encourage appropriate urban development, and foster successful public schools. In what was essentially a three-way race, Dellums barely won the required majority of votes needed to win without a runoff election in November.{{cite news|url=http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/06/17/OAKMAYOR.TMP |title=Dellums Wins Oakland Mayoral Race Outright |publisher=[San Francisco Chronicle |date=June 16 [ -->

Geography Oakland is located around 37°48' North, 122°15' West (37.8, -122.25), in the longitudinal middle of California, on the east side of San Francisco Bay.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 78.2 square mile (202.4 square kilometre). 56.1 mi² (145.2 km²) of it is land and 22.1 mi² (57.2 km²) of it (28.28 percent) is water.

Oaklanders most broadly refer to their city's terrain as "the flatlands" and "the hills," which up until recent waves of gentrification have also been a reference to Oakland's deep economic divide, with "the hills" being more affluent communities. About two-thirds of Oakland lies within the flat plain of the San Francisco Bay, with one-third rising into the foothills and hills of the East Bay range.

One of Oakland's most notable features is its downtown Lake Merritt, the largest urban saltwater lake in the United States. (In fact, Lake Merritt is technically an estuary of San Francisco Bay, not a lake.http://www.murakaminelson.com/lakemerritt.html)

Neighborhoods and the Port of Oakland.The city of Oakland stretches from the San Francisco Bay up into the East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area) hills. The character of these neighborhoods continues to change as waves of migrants from within the United States and from other countries relocate here. The changing economy has also lured more workers with information technology and biotechnology skills to Oakland.

Oakland has more than 50 distinct neighborhoods, many of which are not "official" enough to be named on a map. Troutman, Keri Hayes. Great Oakland Neighborhoods Oakland Magazine, May 2006. Accessed September 16 2007 The common large neighborhood divisions in the city are downtown Oakland, East Oakland, North Oakland, California, and West Oakland. East Oakland actually encompasses more than half of Oakland's area, stretching from Lake Merritt southeast to San Leandro, California. North Oakland encompasses the neighborhoods spread between downtown and Berkeley, California and Emeryville, California. West Oakland is the area between downtown and the Bay, partially surrounded by the Oakland Point, Oakland, California encompassing the Port of Oakland.

Another broad geographical distinction is between "the hills" and "the flatlands" (or "flats"). The flatlands are the historically working-class neighborhoods located relatively closer to San Francisco Bay, and the hills are the more upper-middle/upper-class neighborhoods along the northeast side of the city which include the Montclair and Rockridge neighborhoods. This hills/flats division is not only a characteristic of the City of Oakland, but extends beyond Oakland's borders into neighboring cities in the East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area)'s urban core. Downtown and West Oakland are located entirely in the flatlands, while North and East Oakland incorporate both hills and flatlands neighborhoods.

Downtown and Lake Merritt

East Oakland Fruitvale, Oakland, California

Lower Hills District

Central East Oakland

San Antonio, Oakland, California

Southeast Hill

Elmhurst, Oakland, California

North Oakland

West Oakland

Climate Oakland's climate is typified by the temperate and seasonally arid Mediterranean climate. More specifically, it has features found in both nearby coastal cities such as San Francisco, California and inland cities such as San Jose, California, so it is warmer than San Francisco and cooler than San Jose. While it does not abut the Pacific Ocean proper, its position on San Francisco Bay directly across from the Golden Gate means that the city gets significant cooling maritime fog during the summer. It is far enough inland, though, that the fog often burns off by midday, allowing it to have stereotypically sunny California days.

The National Weather Service has two official weather stations in Oakland: Oakland International Airport and the Oakland Museum (established 1970).

{{Infobox Weather|metric_first= |single_line= yes|location = Oakland, California|Jan_Hi_°F = 57 |Jan_REC_Hi_°F = 74 |Feb_Hi_°F = 61 |Feb_REC_Hi_°F = 81|Mar_Hi_°F = 63 |Mar_REC_Hi_°F = 88|Apr_Hi_°F = 66 |Apr_REC_Hi_°F = 97|May_Hi_°F = 69 |May_REC_Hi_°F = 105|Jun_Hi_°F = 72 |Jun_REC_Hi_°F = 107|Jul_Hi_°F = 73 |Jul_REC_Hi_°F = 103|Aug_Hi_°F = 73 |Aug_REC_Hi_°F = 99|Sep_Hi_°F = 75 |Sep_REC_Hi_°F = 109|Oct_Hi_°F = 72 |Oct_REC_Hi_°F = 103|Nov_Hi_°F = 64 |Nov_REC_Hi_°F = 84|Dec_Hi_°F = 58 |Dec_REC_Hi_°F = 75|Year_Hi_°F = 67 |Year_REC_Hi_°F = 109

|Jan_Lo_°F = 45 |Jan_REC_Lo_°F = 30|Feb_Lo_°F = 48 |Feb_REC_Lo_°F = 29|Mar_Lo_°F = 49 |Mar_REC_Lo_°F = 34|Apr_Lo_°F = 51 |Apr_REC_Lo_°F = 37|May_Lo_°F = 53 |May_REC_Lo_°F = 43|Jun_Lo_°F = 56 |Jun_REC_Lo_°F = 48|Jul_Lo_°F = 57 |Jul_REC_Lo_°F = 51|Aug_Lo_°F = 58 |Aug_REC_Lo_°F = 50|Sep_Lo_°F = 58 |Sep_REC_Lo_°F = 48|Oct_Lo_°F = 55 |Oct_REC_Lo_°F = 44|Nov_Lo_°F = 49 |Nov_REC_Lo_°F = 36|Dec_Lo_°F = 45 |Dec_REC_Lo_°F = 26|Year_Lo_°F = 52 |Year_REC_Lo_°F = 26

|Jan_Precip_inch = 4.85|Feb_Precip_inch = 4.27|Mar_Precip_inch = 3.56|Apr_Precip_inch = 1.38|May_Precip_inch = 0.57|Jun_Precip_inch = 0.11|Jul_Precip_inch = 0.07|Aug_Precip_inch = 0.10|Sep_Precip_inch = 0.33|Oct_Precip_inch = 1.33|Nov_Precip_inch = 3.14|Dec_Precip_inch = 3.23|Year_Precip_inch = 22.94

|source = Weather.com – Monthly Averages for Oakland{{cite web| url = http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USCA0791?from=36hr_bottomnav_business| title = Weather.com – Monthly Averages for Oakland| accessdate=2007-09-04| publisher = | language = -->|accessdate = 2007-09-04-->

Demographics {| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin-left:3px;text-size:80 percent; text-align:left"|align=center colspan=2| City of Oakland Population by year Population Of The 100 Largest Cities And Other Urban Places In The United States: 1790 To 1990: Gibson, Campbell – U.S. Bureau of the Census, June 1998 Population Estimates: U.S. Census Bureau|-|1880: 34,555 ]: 384,575|-|1890: 48,682 ]: 367,548|-|1900: 66,960 ]: 361,561|-|1910: 150,174 ]: 339,337|-|1920: 216,261 ]: 372,242|-|1930: 284,063 ]: 399,484|-|1940: 302,163 ]: 415,492|}In early 2007, Oakland's population reached 415,492. In the census of 2000, there were 399,484 people, 150,790 households, and 86,402 families residing in the city. The population density was 7,126.6/mi² (2,751.4/km²). There were 157,508 housing units at an average density of 2,809.8/mi² (1,084.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 35.66 percent African American (U.S. Census), 23.52 percent White (U.S. Census), 0.66 percent Native American (U.S. Census), 15.23 percent Asian (U.S. Census), 0.50 percent Pacific Islander (U.S. Census), 11.66 percent from Race (United States Census), and 4.98 percent from two or more races. Hispanic (U.S. Census) or Latino (U.S. Census) of any race were 21.89 percent of the population. American FactFinder Table for Oakland, CA: U.S. Census Bureau Online

The US Census Bureau 2005 estimates show 31.00 percent African American (U.S. Census), 26.10 percent White (U.S. Census), 0.60 percent Native American (U.S. Census), 16.40 percent Asian (U.S. Census), 0.90 percent Pacific Islander (U.S. Census), 14.00 percent from Race (United States Census), and 4.80 percent from two or more races. Hispanic (U.S. Census) or Latino (U.S. Census) of any race were 25.00 percent of the population.

population. More maps at Maps of Oakland, California for racial and ethnic groups, age and sex, housing, and economy distribution

The African American population has been shrinking since the mid-80s, while the Latino population has been growing. Oakland is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the country.Lopez, Alejandra. (2001). Racial/Ethnic Diversity and Residential Segregation in the San Francisco Bay Area. Retrieved on 17 Sept 2006. Quinn, Lois M. and Pawasarat, John. (2003). Racial Integration in Urban America: A Block Level Analysis of African American and White Housing Patterns. Retrieved on 17 Sept 2006.

Out of 150,790 households 28.6 percent had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.0 percent were Marriage living together, 17.7 percent had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.7 percent were non-families. 32.5 percent of all households were made up of individuals and 8.6 percent had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.38.

An analysis by the Urban Institute of United States Census, 2000 numbers showed that Oakland has the third-highest concentration of gays and lesbians among the 50 largest U.S. cities, behind San Francisco and Seattle. Census data show that, among incorporated areas that have at least 500 female couples, Oakland has the nation's largest percent per capita. In 2000, Oakland counted 2650 lesbian couples; one in every 41 Oakland couples listed themselves as a same-sex female partnership. Lesbians Step Out With Pride: DeFao, Janine – San Francisco Chronicle, August 27, 2006 Gay Demographics via Census 2000 sorted by incorporated area

In 2000, Oakland's population was reported as 25.0 percent under the age of 18, 9.7 percent from 18 to 24, 34.0 percent from 25 to 44, 20.9 percent from 45 to 64, and 10.5 percent who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $40,055, and the median income for a family was $44,384. Males had a median income of $37,433 versus $35,088 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,936. About 16.2 percent of families and 19.4 percent of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.9 percent of those under age 18 and 13.1 percent of those age 65 or over. 0.7% of the population is homeless. Designing a Socially Just Downtown, NHI, by Alex Salazar, Spring 2006, retrieved August12, 2007 Home ownership is 41% and 14% of rental units are subsidized. Unemployment is 8.4%

Crime Though substantial gains have been made as evidenced from the Uniform Crime Reports published by the FBI, the city still ranks high in California for most categories of crime. In the 2006 Morgan Quitno crime rankings, Oakland is ranked the eighth most dangerous city nationwide and the second most dangerous in California. In 2006, Oakland had 148 murders Grieving Mom's Mission Of Mercy: Zamora, Jim Herron – San Francisco Chronicle, December 19, 2006 the highest amount in ten years and the third highest amount since the early 1990s. Murders Go Up and Oakland Tries to Understand Why: Mamberto, Carola – North Gate News Online, October 2, 2006 The murder rate increased 57 percent from only 94 murders in 2005. The highest peak was 175 homicides in 1992 Homicides In Oakland Multimedia Map: D’Angelo, Gus – San Francisco Chronicle Online—which was at a time when an average of 160 murders a year occurred in the 1990s (1999 saw the lowest count at 68). The majority of the crimes being committed occur in the flatlands of the city in between Interstate 580 (California) and Interstate 880. Oakland: A Plague of Killing: San Francisco Online Besides homicides, Oakland has significant problems with other crimes of violence and property crimes.

Through September of 2007, Oakland recorded 105 homicides, compared to 116 slayings during the same period in 2006. There was an increase in the number of rapes, armed robberies, and aggravated assaults of varying degrees during the first half of 2007.

Current mayor Ron Dellums is a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition, an organization formed in 2006 and co-chaired by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston mayor Thomas Menino.

Politics In the California State Legislature Oakland is located in the 9th California State Senate District, represented by Democratic Party (United States) Don Perata, and in the 14th, 16th, and 18th California State Assembly Districts, represented by Democrats Loni Hancock, Sandré Swanson, and Mary Hayashi respectively. Federally, Oakland is located in California's 9th congressional district, which has a Cook Partisan Voting Index of D +38 and is represented by Democrat Barbara Lee. Lee received a 97% Progressivism rating from a self-described non-partisan group that provides a "searchable database of Congressional voting records from a Progressive perspective", and a 13% Conservatism rating from a conservative group.

Economy Oakland is a major West Coast of the United States port, and is home to several Fortune 500 companies including Kaiser Permanente and Clorox, as well as corporate headquarters for national retailers like Dreyer's and Cost Plus World Markets.http://www.business2oakland.com/main/majoremployers.htm

Revitalization Oakland has experienced an increase of both its population and of real-estate prices in the past decade, attributable to economic recovery and former mayor Brown's "10k Plan," which resulted in large amounts of new multi-family housing and development. In addition, Oakland's weather, location, and hillside neighborhoods with views of San Francisco and the Bay provide an attractive alternative to the high rents and home prices in nearby San Francisco. Because of its size, Oakland offers a substantial number of shopping districts and restaurants representing many American and international cuisines.

Gentrification The West Oakland Community Land Trust, Inc. and The Institute for Community Economics have found ways to keep people in West Oakland. Since 1999, there has been a fall in crime, several ownership changes of land parcels, and much more community cohesiveness due to the redevelopment projects taking place in West Oakland. With developers interested in a "village community" with the West Oakland (BART station) as its center, West Oakland has seen an influx of new residents, some blue-collar and many white-collar workers. However, some feel displacement is inevitable unless programs are instituted and the community of renters and owners come together. One such program is the Anti-Displacement Network. This program's purpose is to assist in the stabilization of costs for owners and especially renters in West Oakland who may face hardships due to the rising cost of rent.

Redevelopment proponents believe that by 2015, the redevelopment projects under way in West Oakland may provide employment, health services, recreational facilities, special placement facilities, and additional housing (with buyer options) for new and current renters. The success of this project may serve as the spark the city needs to change Oakland's reputation for high crime rates.

Nicknames Oakland is known by several nicknames, of which the most common is "Oaktown". In the 1970s and '80s, some called Oakland "Bump City" as a reference to cocaine. Oakland is sometimes called the "Sunny Side of the Bay", as it is less foggy and more temperate than San Francisco. Other nicknames include "O-town" For Keyshia Cole, it's good to be back in the Bay Area, by Jim Harrington, Oakland Tribune, April 25, 2007, retrieved October 16, 2007, "The Town," and "The O."

"There's no there there" Many Oaklanders have been frustrated by the misuse of this famous quote about Oakland. "There's no there there," writer Gertrude Stein declared upon learning as an adult that her childhood Oakland home had been torn down. Contrary to popular belief, the comment was not meant to disparage the city, but rather to express a sentiment similar to "The Great Gatsby."

Modern-day Oakland has turned the quote on its head, with a statue downtown simply titled "There." Additionally, in 2005 a sculpture called HERETHERE was installed by the Berkeley, California on the Berkeley-Oakland border at Martin Luther King Jr. Way. The sculpture consists of eight-foot-tall letters spelling "HERE" and "THERE" in front of the BART rapid transit tracks as they descend from their elevated section in Oakland to the subway through Berkeley.

Arts and culture Annual cultural events Many annual events celebrate the diverse cultures of Oakland:



Attractions

Nightlife Downtown Oakland has an assortment of Bar (establishment) and nightclubs. They range from punk-rock makeovers of dive bars, such as The Stork Club and the Ruby Room, to modern bistros and dance clubs, such as Luka's Taproom and Lounge, @17, Roy's 19th. st. Station, and The Oasis, to hipster spots such as Radio, Geoffreys, Karribean City, and art and jazz bar Cafe van Kleef.

Oakland is home to a world-class jazz venue, Yoshi's, near Jack London Square.Jack London Square is a nighttime destination because of its movie theaters, restaurants, and clubs.

Recent months have seen the growth of the "Oakland Art Murmur" event, occurring in the Uptown neighborhood the first Friday evening of every month, which features concurrent art openings from many galleries including 21 Grand, Boontling Gallery, Ego Park, Mama Buzz, and Rock Paper Scissors.

The Rockridge area around the Rockridge BART station is known for its restaurants and bars. It stretches along College Ave from Broadway to Alcatraz Ave.

Hyphy Oakland is also known as the home of "hyphy," a word coined by the Oakland rapper Keak Da Sneak. East Oakland is dubbed "Land of the Sydeshow" and is known as a center of Bay Area hip hop culture.

Sports Oakland has teams in three professional sports—basketball, baseball, and football.

{| class="wikitable"|-!Club!Sport!Founded!League!Venue|-|Oakland Athletics|1901 (in Oakland since 1968)|[Major League Baseball: American League|-|[Oakland Raiders|1960 (in [Los Angeles, California from 1982–1994)|National Football League: American Conference. AFC West|-|[Golden State Warriors|1948 (In Oakland since 1971)|[National Basketball Association: Western Conference.]|-|Oakland Slammers|2005|[International Basketball League (2005-):]|}

, home of the Oakland Athletics baseball and Oakland Raiders football teams

Former teams:

Parks and recreation

Additionally, the following seven East Bay Regional Park District are located entirely or partially in the city of Oakland:

Government Oakland is a mayor-council government (weak mayor form). The mayor is elected for a 4-year term. The council has 8 councilmember representing 7 districts in Oakland with one member elected at-large; council members serve staggered 4-year terms. The mayor ap {{Infobox Settlement|official_name = City of Oakland|website = http://www.oaklandnet.com|image_skyline = Oakland California skyline.jpg|settlement_type = City|imagesize =|image_caption =|image_flag =|image_seal =|image_map = Alameda_County_California_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Oakland_Highlighted.svg|mapsize = 250x200px|map_caption = Location in [Alameda County, California and the state of California|subdivision_type1 = [Political divisions of the United States|subdivision_type2 = List of counties in California|subdivision_name = United States|subdivision_name2 = [Alameda County, California|government_type =|leader_title = Mayor|established_date =|area_magnitude = 1 E8|area_total_km2 = 202.4|area_total_sq_mi = 78.2|area_land_km2 = 145.2|area_land_sq_mi = 56.1|area_water_km2 = 57.2|area_water_sq_mi = 22.1|population_as_of = 2006|population_footnotes = |population_total = 415,492|population_metro = over 7 million|population_density_km2 = 2751.4|timezone = [Pacific Standard Time Zone|utc_offset = -8|timezone_DST = Pacific Daylight Time|utc_offset_DST = -7|postal_code_type =|postal_code =|area_code = Area code 510|latd = 37 |latm = 48 |lats = 43 |latNS = N|longd = 122 |longm = 15 |longs = 41 |longEW = W|elevation_m = 1|elevation_ft = 3|blank_name = Federal Information Processing Standard|blank_info = 06-53000|blank1_name = Geographic Names Information System feature ID|blank1_info = 0277566|footnotes =-->Oakland (), founded in 1852, is the eighth-largest city in the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Alameda County, California. Oakland is located in Northern California in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Combined statistical area#Largest CSAs metropolitan area in the United States. Based on 2006 statistical data, Oakland is the 44th-largest city in the United States.

Oakland is a major West Coast of the United States port, and is home to several Fortune 500 companies including Kaiser Permanente and Clorox, as well as corporate headquarters for national retailers like Dreyer's and Cost Plus World Markets.http://www.business2oakland.com/main/majoremployers.htm

Rand McNally named Oakland as having the best weather in the United States. According to the U.S. 2000 census, Oakland and Long Beach, California are the most ethnically diverse cities in the United States, with over 150 languages spoken in Oakland. Attractions include Jack London Square, the Oakland Museum of California, Lake Merritt and Chinatown, Oakland, California.

History The earliest recorded inhabitants were the Huchiun tribe, belonging to a linguistic grouping later called the Ohlone (a Miwok word meaning "western people"). In Oakland, they were heavily concentrated around Lake Merritt and Temescal Creek, a stream which enters the San Francisco Bay at Emeryville.

Oakland, along with the rest of California, was claimed for the Spanish king by explorers from New Spain in 1772. In the early 19th century, the area which later became Oakland (along with most of the East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area)), was granted to Luís María Peralta by the Spanish royal government for his Rancho San Antonio (Peralta Grant). The grant was confirmed by the successor Mexican republic upon its independence from Spain. The area of the ranch that is today occupied by the downtown and extending over into the adjacent part of Alameda, California (originally not an island, but a peninsula), included a woodland of oak trees. This area was called encinal by the Peraltas, a Spanish word which means "oak grove", the origin of the later city's name. Upon his death in 1842, Peralta divided his land among his four sons. Most of Oakland fell within the shares given to Antonio Maria and Vicente. They would open the land to settlement by American settlers, loggers, European whalers, and fur-traders.

Full-scale settlement and development occurred following California being conquered by the United States during the Mexican-American War, and the California Gold Rush in 1848. The original settlement in what is now the downtown was initially called "Contra Costa" and was included in Contra Costa County before Alameda County was established on March 25, 1853. The California state legislature incorporated the town of Oakland on May 4, 1852.

The town and its environs quickly grew with the railroads, becoming a major rail terminus in the late 1860s and 1870s. In 1868, the Central Pacific constructed the Oakland Long Wharf at Oakland Point, the site of today's Port of Oakland. The Long Wharf served as both the terminus of the Transcontinental Railroad as well as the local commuter trains of the Central (later, Southern Pacific) Pacific. The Central Pacific also established one of its largest rail yards and servicing facilities in West Oakland which continued to be a major local employer under the Southern Pacific well into the 20th century. The principal depot of the Southern Pacific in Oakland was the 16th Street Station located at 16th and Wood which is currently (2006–7) being partially restored as part of a Urban renewal project.See

A number of horsecar and Cable car (railway) lines were constructed in Oakland in the latter half of the 1800s. The first electric streetcar set out from Oakland to Berkeley in 1891, and other lines were converted and added over the course of the 1890s. The various streetcar companies operating in Oakland were acquired by Francis "Borax" Smith and consolidated into what eventually became known as the Key System, the predecessor of today's publicly owned AC Transit. In addition to its system of streetcars in the East Bay, the Key System also operated commuter trains to its own pier and ferry boats to San Francisco, in competition with the Southern Pacific. Upon completion of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, both companies ran their commuter trains on the south side of the lower deck direct to San Francisco. The Key System in its earliest years was actually in part a real estate venture, with the transit part serving to help open up new tracts for buyers. The Key's investors (incorporated as the "Realty Syndicate") also established two large hotels in Oakland, one of which survives as the Claremont Resort. The other, which burned down in the early 1930s, was the Key Route Inn, located at what is now West Grand and Broadway. From 1904 to 1929, the Realty Syndicate also operated a major amusement park in north Oakland called Idora Park.

The original extent of Oakland upon its incorporation lay south of today's major intersection of San Pablo Avenue, Broadway and 14th Street. The city gradually annexed farmlands and settlements to the east and north. Oakland's rise to industrial prominence and its subsequent need for a seaport led to the digging of a shipping and tidal channel in 1902, creating the "island" of nearby town Alameda, California. In 1906, its population doubled with refugees made homeless after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake who had fled to Oakland. In 1915, a Chevrolet plant was opened at the southern border of Oakland. By 1920, Oakland was the home of numerous manufacturing industries, including metals, canneries, bakeries, automobiles, and shipbuilding.

1920s The 1920s were economic boom years in the United States as a whole, and in California especially. Economic growth was fueled by the general post-war recovery, as well as oil discoveries in Los Angeles, and the widespread introduction of the automobile. Oakland grew significantly in the 1920s. According to the Oakland Tribune yearbook for 1925, more houses were built from 1921 to 1924 than in the period 1907 to 1920.Prentice, Helaine Kaplan, Rehab Right, Ten-Speed Press. ISBN 0-89815-172-4 Many of the single-family houses still standing in Oakland were built in the 1920s. Many large office buildings downtown were built in the 1920s, and reflect the architectural styles of the time.

World War II During World War II, the East Bay Area was home to many war-related industries. Among these were the Kaiser Shipyards in nearby Richmond, California whose medical system for shipyard workers became the basis for the giant Kaiser Permanente HMO, which has a large medical center at MacArthur and Broadway, the first to be established by Kaiser. Oakland's Moore Dry Dock Company expanded its shipbuilding capabilities and built over 100 ships.

The war attracted large numbers of laborers from around the country to Oakland, many of whom were African Americans from the western South (Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Arkansas), who enjoyed great prosperity during the war years. but still had to confront Jim Crow laws racial discrimination.Arroyo, Cuahutémoc (Faculty Mentor: Professor Leon F. Litwack). "Jim Crow" Shipyards: Black Labor and Race Relations in East Bay Shipyards During World War II. The Berkeley McNair Journal, The UC Berkeley McNair Scholars Program. - Accessed from Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia at Ferris State University on August 19 2007

Post-WWII (1940s and 1950s) looking toward the Alameda County Courthouse.Soon after the war, the shipbuilding and automobile industries virtually evaporated, as did the jobs that came with it. Many who came to the city did not leave and decided to settle in their new home of Oakland. Meanwhile, many of the city's more affluent residents left the city after the war in order to move into newly developing suburbs to the east of the hills while many blue-collar whites moved to adjacent cities such as San Leandro and Alameda, part of a nationwide phenomenon of white flight.

During this period, the freeway system was constructed and the Key System was dismantled. The largest high rise was constructed on the west side of Lake Merritt, the headquarters building of Kaiser Corporation (the industry, not the Kaiser Permanente). Also in this era, the seedy, rundown area at the foot of Broadway was transformed into Jack London Square.

Nonetheless, by the late 1960s, Oakland, which had been quite prosperous before the war, found itself with a population that was increasingly poor.

1960s and 1970s In 1966, only 16 of the city's 661 police officers were black. Tensions between the poverty-stricken black community and the predominantly white police force were high, and killings of young boys in Harlem and San Francisco added fuel to the fire. In this charged atmosphere, the Black Panther Party was founded by University of California, Berkeley students Huey Newton and Bobby Seale as a response to police brutality.

During the 1960s the city was home to an innovative funk music scene which produced well-known bands like Sly & the Family Stone, Graham Central Station, Tower of Power, Cold Blood, and The Headhunters. Larry Graham, the bass player for both Sly & the Family Stone and Graham Central Station, is credited with the creation of the extremely influential slap and pop sound still widely used by bassists in many musical idioms today. It was also during the 1960s when the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club's Oakland Chapter, began to grow into a formidable organization. By the 1980s it was the most feared and respected of all Hells Angels chapters. Its Oakland Clubhouse still sits at 4019 Foothill Boulevard in East Oakland. In sports, the Oakland Athletics MLB club won three World Series in a row (1972, 1973, and 1974); the Golden State Warriors won the 1974–1975 NBA championship; and the Oakland Raiders of the NFL won Super Bowl Super Bowl XI in 1977.

1980s and 1990s Starting in the early 1980s, the number of Latinos, mostly of Mexican origin, began to increase significantly in Oakland, especially in the Fruitvale, Oakland, California district and spilling over into East Oakland. This district is one of the oldest in Oakland, growing up around the old Peralta estate (now a city park). It has always had a concentration of Latino residents, businesses and institutions, but increased immigration, which has continued right up to the 21st century has added greater numbers.

In the late 1980s and 1990s, Oakland featured prominently in hip hop music music, both as the hometown for such artists as MC Hammer, Digital Underground, Spice 1, Hieroglyphics (band), Souls of Mischief, Del tha Funkee Homosapien, The Luniz and Too $hort, and for its featuring in the lyrics of several songs, such as Baby Got Back, California Love and I Got 5 On It. However, the most famous rapper to come from Oakland was the legendary Tupac Shakur. 2pac, who grew up in Baltimore, New York, and later Marin City, moved to Oakland in January 1989 at the age of 17 and lived there longer than in any other city. He began his career as a roadie and dancer for Digital Underground. Tupac mentions Oakland in several of his songs and what it was like living there. Outside of the rap scene, Grammy award winning artists Green Day, En Vogue and Tony! Toni! Tone! (headed by Raphael Saadiq) also emerged from Oakland.

Also Beginning in the early 1980's The new Form of smokable cocaine, or "Crack", emerged from the intercity of Oakland, bringing with it a huge influx in crime, and the rise of one of the most feared and respected drug lords, Felix Mitchell Mitchell was raised in poverty in East Oakland's crime ridden 69th Ave San Antonio Villa Housing Projects. After dropping out of high-school, Mitchell created a criminal organization called "69 Mob", connected with a drug supplier, and made business contacts in the Bay Area, Los Angeles and Detroit.

For more than a decade, Mitchell battled competition from Mickey Moore’s crime family and the Funk town USA gang to gain total control of the lucrative drug market. It is estimated that Mitchell’s crew brought in nearly $1 million dollars in monthly business. Mitchell used some of his criminal proceeds to give back to the community, and he is credited with sponsoring local athletic programs for youths. He also hosted a bus load of children on a field trip to Marine World Africa USA. The community respected him and spoke highly of him. When he drove down the streets of Oakland, people lined the streets just to wave at him, the reception was similar to a visiting dignitary.

The notoriety of Mitchell’s empire soon came to the attention of local and national law enforcement. Mitchell was convicted in 1985 and sentenced to life in prison. He was shipped off to Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary where he was fatally stabbed during October 1986, a few months after his arrival, just days before his 32nd birthday. However, Mitchell's imprisonment did not have the crime reducing effects law enforcement had hoped for. In what would later be termed the "Felix Mitchell Paradox", drug sales continued and, with Mitchell's monopolistic pricing eliminated, competition reduced the price of crack cocaine. The main effect of Mitchell's imprisonment was to destabilize the market, lowering drug prices and increasing violence as rival gang members challenged each other for market shares with a consequent rise in drive-by shootings, street homicides and felonious assaults. Indirectly, effective law enforcement followed by incapacitation stimulated serious random violenceState and Local Programs: Understanding and Combatting Violence. US Department of Justice, July 1994

The Loma Prieta earthquake occurred on October 17 1989, in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, measuring 7.1 on the Richter magnitude scale. Several structures in Oakland were badly damaged. The double-decker portion of the Cypress Viaduct freeway (Interstate 880) structure, located in Oakland, collapsed, killing 42. The eastern span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge also sustained significant damage and was closed to traffic for one month. Throughout the 1990s, buildings throughout Oakland were retrofitted to better withstand earthquakes.

On October 20 1991, a massive fire (see 1991 Oakland firestorm) swept down from the Berkeley Hills above the Caldecott Tunnel. 25 were killed and 150 injured and over 2,000 homes were destroyed. The economic loss has been estimated at $1.5 billion. Many homes were rebuilt much larger than they originally were.

In late 1996, Oakland was the center of a controversy surrounding Ebonics (African American Vernacular English), an ethnolect the outgoing Oakland Unified School District board voted to recognize on December 18. The Notorious Ebonics Resolution of Oakland, California: Drake, Dan 1997 Junk Science and the "Ebonics" Resolution: Is academia looking the other way?: Salvucci, Claudio R. - Evolution Publishing, June 1997

2000s .Jerry Brown, who was elected mayor of Oakland in 1998, initiated a plan to bring an additional 10,000 residents to downtown Oakland. The plan has resulted in several redevelopment projects near Lake Merritt, Jack London Square, and other neighborhoods just outside of downtown. These redevelopment projects have been controversial as many residents see these projects as gentrification, resulting in the loss of lower-income and minority residents in downtown Oakland. Additionally, the weakening of the San Francisco Bay Area economy in 2000 and 2001 resulted in low occupancy of the new housing and slower growth and economic recovery than expected.In recent years demand for high-rise condos and towers has surged, as in San Francisco; there are currently many proposals for high-rise buildings, including a 63 floor, 827 ft. (252 m) tower that will rival the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco. The developer says that the height could be pushed up to beat out the Transamerica Pyramid, possibly giving Oakland a considerable skyline as well.

Additionally, the Oakland Athletics have long been searching for a site to build a new baseball stadium. A site the A's found desirable was found near Telegraph Avenue and 20th Street in downtown Oakland, but was instead slated for a housing development. The site was favored by the Athletics for a new stadium as it was accessible by public transit and nearby freeways. Finally in 2006, the A's announced a deal to build a new stadium in Fremont, California, to be called Cisco Field.

In February 2006, the Oakland Ballet closed due to financial problems and the closure of their performance facility, the Calvin Simmons Theater at the Kaiser Convention Center. The Oakland Ballet had been performing in Oakland since 1965. Ballet Company's Comeback is Short-lived: Howard, Rachel - San Francisco Chronicle, February 1, 2006 In 2007, however, founder Ronn Guidi announced the revival of the Oakland Ballet. A performance of The Nutcracker is scheduled for December, 2007, including members of the Oakland Ballet Academy, which Guidi presides over.A new use for the Kaiser Convention Center was proposed in 2006: a redevelopment designed to nucleate a cultural and educational district with the nearby Oakland Museum of California and Laney College. Library Bond Measure Headed for the November 7 Ballot: Oakland Public Library Press Release, August 1, 2006 In July 2006, the Oakland City Council approved a bond measure to expand the city's library system and convert the closed Center into a replacement for the city's aging main library, but Oakland voters defeated the library bond measure in the November 2006 election. Defeat of Bond Measure Forces Library System to Rethink Improvements: Nance, Mariama - North Gate News Online, November 15, 2006

Ron Dellums, a former Berkeley, CA city council member and U.S. Representative, was elected mayor in June 2006. The mayoral election race was contentious between Dellums and other candidates, including Oakland city council president Ignacio de la Fuente and councilmember Nancy Nadel. Oakland Mayor’s Race: Top Candidates Offer Voters Clear Contrasts: Heredia, Christopher - San Francisco Chronicle, January 19, 2006 Each candidate had different visions of Oakland's future and different ideas about how to combat crime, encourage appropriate urban development, and foster successful public schools. In what was essentially a three-way race, Dellums barely won the required majority of votes needed to win without a runoff election in November.{{cite news|url=http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/06/17/OAKMAYOR.TMP |title=Dellums Wins Oakland Mayoral Race Outright |publisher=[San Francisco Chronicle |date=June 16 [ -->

Geography Oakland is located around 37°48' North, 122°15' West (37.8, -122.25), in the longitudinal middle of California, on the east side of San Francisco Bay.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 78.2 square mile (202.4 square kilometre). 56.1 mi² (145.2 km²) of it is land and 22.1 mi² (57.2 km²) of it (28.28 percent) is water.

Oaklanders most broadly refer to their city's terrain as "the flatlands" and "the hills," which up until recent waves of gentrification have also been a reference to Oakland's deep economic divide, with "the hills" being more affluent communities. About two-thirds of Oakland lies within the flat plain of the San Francisco Bay, with one-third rising into the foothills and hills of the East Bay range.

One of Oakland's most notable features is its downtown Lake Merritt, the largest urban saltwater lake in the United States. (In fact, Lake Merritt is technically an estuary of San Francisco Bay, not a lake.http://www.murakaminelson.com/lakemerritt.html)

Neighborhoods and the Port of Oakland.The city of Oakland stretches from the San Francisco Bay up into the East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area) hills. The character of these neighborhoods continues to change as waves of migrants from within the United States and from other countries relocate here. The changing economy has also lured more workers with information technology and biotechnology skills to Oakland.

Oakland has more than 50 distinct neighborhoods, many of which are not "official" enough to be named on a map. Troutman, Keri Hayes. Great Oakland Neighborhoods Oakland Magazine, May 2006. Accessed September 16 2007 The common large neighborhood divisions in the city are downtown Oakland, East Oakland, North Oakland, California, and West Oakland. East Oakland actually encompasses more than half of Oakland's area, stretching from Lake Merritt southeast to San Leandro, California. North Oakland encompasses the neighborhoods spread between downtown and Berkeley, California and Emeryville, California. West Oakland is the area between downtown and the Bay, partially surrounded by the Oakland Point, Oakland, California encompassing the Port of Oakland.

Another broad geographical distinction is between "the hills" and "the flatlands" (or "flats"). The flatlands are the historically working-class neighborhoods located relatively closer to San Francisco Bay, and the hills are the more upper-middle/upper-class neighborhoods along the northeast side of the city which include the Montclair and Rockridge neighborhoods. This hills/flats division is not only a characteristic of the City of Oakland, but extends beyond Oakland's borders into neighboring cities in the East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area)'s urban core. Downtown and West Oakland are located entirely in the flatlands, while North and East Oakland incorporate both hills and flatlands neighborhoods.

Downtown and Lake Merritt

East Oakland Fruitvale, Oakland, California

Lower Hills District

Central East Oakland

San Antonio, Oakland, California

Southeast Hill

Elmhurst, Oakland, California

North Oakland

West Oakland

Climate Oakland's climate is typified by the temperate and seasonally arid Mediterranean climate. More specifically, it has features found in both nearby coastal cities such as San Francisco, California and inland cities such as San Jose, California, so it is warmer than San Francisco and cooler than San Jose. While it does not abut the Pacific Ocean proper, its position on San Francisco Bay directly across from the Golden Gate means that the city gets significant cooling maritime fog during the summer. It is far enough inland, though, that the fog often burns off by midday, allowing it to have stereotypically sunny California days.

The National Weather Service has two official weather stations in Oakland: Oakland International Airport and the Oakland Museum (established 1970).

{{Infobox Weather|metric_first= |single_line= yes|location = Oakland, California|Jan_Hi_°F = 57 |Jan_REC_Hi_°F = 74 |Feb_Hi_°F = 61 |Feb_REC_Hi_°F = 81|Mar_Hi_°F = 63 |Mar_REC_Hi_°F = 88|Apr_Hi_°F = 66 |Apr_REC_Hi_°F = 97|May_Hi_°F = 69 |May_REC_Hi_°F = 105|Jun_Hi_°F = 72 |Jun_REC_Hi_°F = 107|Jul_Hi_°F = 73 |Jul_REC_Hi_°F = 103|Aug_Hi_°F = 73 |Aug_REC_Hi_°F = 99|Sep_Hi_°F = 75 |Sep_REC_Hi_°F = 109|Oct_Hi_°F = 72 |Oct_REC_Hi_°F = 103|Nov_Hi_°F = 64 |Nov_REC_Hi_°F = 84|Dec_Hi_°F = 58 |Dec_REC_Hi_°F = 75|Year_Hi_°F = 67 |Year_REC_Hi_°F = 109

|Jan_Lo_°F = 45 |Jan_REC_Lo_°F = 30|Feb_Lo_°F = 48 |Feb_REC_Lo_°F = 29|Mar_Lo_°F = 49 |Mar_REC_Lo_°F = 34|Apr_Lo_°F = 51 |Apr_REC_Lo_°F = 37|May_Lo_°F = 53 |May_REC_Lo_°F = 43|Jun_Lo_°F = 56 |Jun_REC_Lo_°F = 48|Jul_Lo_°F = 57 |Jul_REC_Lo_°F = 51|Aug_Lo_°F = 58 |Aug_REC_Lo_°F = 50|Sep_Lo_°F = 58 |Sep_REC_Lo_°F = 48|Oct_Lo_°F = 55 |Oct_REC_Lo_°F = 44|Nov_Lo_°F = 49 |Nov_REC_Lo_°F = 36|Dec_Lo_°F = 45 |Dec_REC_Lo_°F = 26|Year_Lo_°F = 52 |Year_REC_Lo_°F = 26

|Jan_Precip_inch = 4.85|Feb_Precip_inch = 4.27|Mar_Precip_inch = 3.56|Apr_Precip_inch = 1.38|May_Precip_inch = 0.57|Jun_Precip_inch = 0.11|Jul_Precip_inch = 0.07|Aug_Precip_inch = 0.10|Sep_Precip_inch = 0.33|Oct_Precip_inch = 1.33|Nov_Precip_inch = 3.14|Dec_Precip_inch = 3.23|Year_Precip_inch = 22.94

|source = Weather.com – Monthly Averages for Oakland{{cite web| url = http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USCA0791?from=36hr_bottomnav_business| title = Weather.com – Monthly Averages for Oakland| accessdate=2007-09-04| publisher = | language = -->|accessdate = 2007-09-04-->

Demographics {| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin-left:3px;text-size:80 percent; text-align:left"|align=center colspan=2| City of Oakland Population by year Population Of The 100 Largest Cities And Other Urban Places In The United States: 1790 To 1990: Gibson, Campbell – U.S. Bureau of the Census, June 1998 Population Estimates: U.S. Census Bureau|-|1880: 34,555 ]: 384,575|-|1890: 48,682 ]: 367,548|-|1900: 66,960 ]: 361,561|-|1910: 150,174 ]: 339,337|-|1920: 216,261 ]: 372,242|-|1930: 284,063 ]: 399,484|-|1940: 302,163 ]: 415,492|}In early 2007, Oakland's population reached 415,492. In the census of 2000, there were 399,484 people, 150,790 households, and 86,402 families residing in the city. The population density was 7,126.6/mi² (2,751.4/km²). There were 157,508 housing units at an average density of 2,809.8/mi² (1,084.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 35.66 percent African American (U.S. Census), 23.52 percent White (U.S. Census), 0.66 percent Native American (U.S. Census), 15.23 percent Asian (U.S. Census), 0.50 percent Pacific Islander (U.S. Census), 11.66 percent from Race (United States Census), and 4.98 percent from two or more races. Hispanic (U.S. Census) or Latino (U.S. Census) of any race were 21.89 percent of the population. American FactFinder Table for Oakland, CA: U.S. Census Bureau Online

The US Census Bureau 2005 estimates show 31.00 percent African American (U.S. Census), 26.10 percent White (U.S. Census), 0.60 percent Native American (U.S. Census), 16.40 percent Asian (U.S. Census), 0.90 percent Pacific Islander (U.S. Census), 14.00 percent from Race (United States Census), and 4.80 percent from two or more races. Hispanic (U.S. Census) or Latino (U.S. Census) of any race were 25.00 percent of the population.

population. More maps at Maps of Oakland, California for racial and ethnic groups, age and sex, housing, and economy distribution

The African American population has been shrinking since the mid-80s, while the Latino population has been growing. Oakland is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the country.Lopez, Alejandra. (2001). Racial/Ethnic Diversity and Residential Segregation in the San Francisco Bay Area. Retrieved on 17 Sept 2006. Quinn, Lois M. and Pawasarat, John. (2003). Racial Integration in Urban America: A Block Level Analysis of African American and White Housing Patterns. Retrieved on 17 Sept 2006.

Out of 150,790 households 28.6 percent had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.0 percent were Marriage living together, 17.7 percent had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.7 percent were non-families. 32.5 percent of all households were made up of individuals and 8.6 percent had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.38.

An analysis by the Urban Institute of United States Census, 2000 numbers showed that Oakland has the third-highest concentration of gays and lesbians among the 50 largest U.S. cities, behind San Francisco and Seattle. Census data show that, among incorporated areas that have at least 500 female couples, Oakland has the nation's largest percent per capita. In 2000, Oakland counted 2650 lesbian couples; one in every 41 Oakland couples listed themselves as a same-sex female partnership. Lesbians Step Out With Pride: DeFao, Janine – San Francisco Chronicle, August 27, 2006 Gay Demographics via Census 2000 sorted by incorporated area

In 2000, Oakland's population was reported as 25.0 percent under the age of 18, 9.7 percent from 18 to 24, 34.0 percent from 25 to 44, 20.9 percent from 45 to 64, and 10.5 percent who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $40,055, and the median income for a family was $44,384. Males had a median income of $37,433 versus $35,088 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,936. About 16.2 percent of families and 19.4 percent of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.9 percent of those under age 18 and 13.1 percent of those age 65 or over. 0.7% of the population is homeless. Designing a Socially Just Downtown, NHI, by Alex Salazar, Spring 2006, retrieved August12, 2007 Home ownership is 41% and 14% of rental units are subsidized. Unemployment is 8.4%

Crime Though substantial gains have been made as evidenced from the Uniform Crime Reports published by the FBI, the city still ranks high in California for most categories of crime. In the 2006 Morgan Quitno crime rankings, Oakland is ranked the eighth most dangerous city nationwide and the second most dangerous in California. In 2006, Oakland had 148 murders Grieving Mom's Mission Of Mercy: Zamora, Jim Herron – San Francisco Chronicle, December 19, 2006 the highest amount in ten years and the third highest amount since the early 1990s. Murders Go Up and Oakland Tries to Understand Why: Mamberto, Carola – North Gate News Online, October 2, 2006 The murder rate increased 57 percent from only 94 murders in 2005. The highest peak was 175 homicides in 1992 Homicides In Oakland Multimedia Map: D’Angelo, Gus – San Francisco Chronicle Online—which was at a time when an average of 160 murders a year occurred in the 1990s (1999 saw the lowest count at 68). The majority of the crimes being committed occur in the flatlands of the city in between Interstate 580 (California) and Interstate 880. Oakland: A Plague of Killing: San Francisco Online Besides homicides, Oakland has significant problems with other crimes of violence and property crimes.

Through September of 2007, Oakland recorded 105 homicides, compared to 116 slayings during the same period in 2006. There was an increase in the number of rapes, armed robberies, and aggravated assaults of varying degrees during the first half of 2007.

Current mayor Ron Dellums is a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition, an organization formed in 2006 and co-chaired by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston mayor Thomas Menino.

Politics In the California State Legislature Oakland is located in the 9th California State Senate District, represented by Democratic Party (United States) Don Perata, and in the 14th, 16th, and 18th California State Assembly Districts, represented by Democrats Loni Hancock, Sandré Swanson, and Mary Hayashi respectively. Federally, Oakland is located in California's 9th congressional district, which has a Cook Partisan Voting Index of D +38 and is represented by Democrat Barbara Lee. Lee received a 97% Progressivism rating from a self-described non-partisan group that provides a "searchable database of Congressional voting records from a Progressive perspective", and a 13% Conservatism rating from a conservative group.

Economy Oakland is a major West Coast of the United States port, and is home to several Fortune 500 companies including Kaiser Permanente and Clorox, as well as corporate headquarters for national retailers like Dreyer's and Cost Plus World Markets.http://www.business2oakland.com/main/majoremployers.htm

Revitalization Oakland has experienced an increase of both its population and of real-estate prices in the past decade, attributable to economic recovery and former mayor Brown's "10k Plan," which resulted in large amounts of new multi-family housing and development. In addition, Oakland's weather, location, and hillside neighborhoods with views of San Francisco and the Bay provide an attractive alternative to the high rents and home prices in nearby San Francisco. Because of its size, Oakland offers a substantial number of shopping districts and restaurants representing many American and international cuisines.

Gentrification The West Oakland Community Land Trust, Inc. and The Institute for Community Economics have found ways to keep people in West Oakland. Since 1999, there has been a fall in crime, several ownership changes of land parcels, and much more community cohesiveness due to the redevelopment projects taking place in West Oakland. With developers interested in a "village community" with the West Oakland (BART station) as its center, West Oakland has seen an influx of new residents, some blue-collar and many white-collar workers. However, some feel displacement is inevitable unless programs are instituted and the community of renters and owners come together. One such program is the Anti-Displacement Network. This program's purpose is to assist in the stabilization of costs for owners and especially renters in West Oakland who may face hardships due to the rising cost of rent.

Redevelopment proponents believe that by 2015, the redevelopment projects under way in West Oakland may provide employment, health services, recreational facilities, special placement facilities, and additional housing (with buyer options) for new and current renters. The success of this project may serve as the spark the city needs to change Oakland's reputation for high crime rates.

Nicknames Oakland is known by several nicknames, of which the most common is "Oaktown". In the 1970s and '80s, some called Oakland "Bump City" as a reference to cocaine. Oakland is sometimes called the "Sunny Side of the Bay", as it is less foggy and more temperate than San Francisco. Other nicknames include "O-town" For Keyshia Cole, it's good to be back in the Bay Area, by Jim Harrington, Oakland Tribune, April 25, 2007, retrieved October 16, 2007, "The Town," and "The O."

"There's no there there" Many Oaklanders have been frustrated by the misuse of this famous quote about Oakland. "There's no there there," writer Gertrude Stein declared upon learning as an adult that her childhood Oakland home had been torn down. Contrary to popular belief, the comment was not meant to disparage the city, but rather to express a sentiment similar to "The Great Gatsby."

Modern-day Oakland has turned the quote on its head, with a statue downtown simply titled "There." Additionally, in 2005 a sculpture called HERETHERE was installed by the Berkeley, California on the Berkeley-Oakland border at Martin Luther King Jr. Way. The sculpture consists of eight-foot-tall letters spelling "HERE" and "THERE" in front of the BART rapid transit tracks as they descend from their elevated section in Oakland to the subway through Berkeley.

Arts and culture Annual cultural events Many annual events celebrate the diverse cultures of Oakland:



Attractions

Nightlife Downtown Oakland has an assortment of Bar (establishment) and nightclubs. They range from punk-rock makeovers of dive bars, such as The Stork Club and the Ruby Room, to modern bistros and dance clubs, such as Luka's Taproom and Lounge, @17, Roy's 19th. st. Station, and The Oasis, to hipster spots such as Radio, Geoffreys, Karribean City, and art and jazz bar Cafe van Kleef.

Oakland is home to a world-class jazz venue, Yoshi's, near Jack London Square.Jack London Square is a nighttime destination because of its movie theaters, restaurants, and clubs.

Recent months have seen the growth of the "Oakland Art Murmur" event, occurring in the Uptown neighborhood the first Friday evening of every month, which features concurrent art openings from many galleries including 21 Grand, Boontling Gallery, Ego Park, Mama Buzz, and Rock Paper Scissors.

The Rockridge area around the Rockridge BART station is known for its restaurants and bars. It stretches along College Ave from Broadway to Alcatraz Ave.

Hyphy Oakland is also known as the home of "hyphy," a word coined by the Oakland rapper Keak Da Sneak. East Oakland is dubbed "Land of the Sydeshow" and is known as a center of Bay Area hip hop culture.

Sports Oakland has teams in three professional sports—basketball, baseball, and football.

{| class="wikitable"|-!Club!Sport!Founded!League!Venue|-|Oakland Athletics|1901 (in Oakland since 1968)|[Major League Baseball: American League|-|[Oakland Raiders|1960 (in [Los Angeles, California from 1982–1994)|National Football League: American Conference. AFC West|-|[Golden State Warriors|1948 (In Oakland since 1971)|[National Basketball Association: Western Conference.]|-|Oakland Slammers|2005|[International Basketball League (2005-):]|}

, home of the Oakland Athletics baseball and Oakland Raiders football teams

Former teams:

Parks and recreation

Additionally, the following seven East Bay Regional Park District are located entirely or partially in the city of Oakland:

Government Oakland is a mayor-council government (weak mayor form). The mayor is elected for a 4-year term. The council has 8 councilmember representing 7 districts in Oakland with one member elected at-large; council members serve staggered 4-year terms. The mayor ap

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