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Riverside, California is the largest city inside of Riverside County. Riverside County is home to over 1,280,000 people according to 1994 Census Bureau reports. The County was formed in 1893 from a small portion of San Bernardino County and a larger portion of San Diego County. Riverside County stretches nearly 200 miles across and comprises over 7, 200 square miles of hills, desert, mountains, and plains. It is the fourth largest county in California.
The first thing a new visitor to the city of Riverside will notice is the smog. It's sad, but true. The further towards the coast you go in the California Riverside Mission, the worse the air quality becomes. Riverside has to be the worst spot in the mission for smog. One good thing about Riverside, and the second thing you'll notice upon entering the city, is the orange groves. Riverside is the home of the Parent Navel Orange Tree. In fact, every year Riverside still celebrates by holding the annual Sunkist Orange Blossom Festival.
The county of Riverside has experienced explosive growth over the last 15 years. In fact, county records show that between 1980 and 1990 the number of residents grew by over 76%! Riverside County ranked as the fastest growing county in California for that time period. With the onslaught of the recession many people have fled California, though. Areas like Moreno Valley have seen many residents that moved in during the 80s leave during the early 90s. Housing tracks that sprung up in months now display many "for sale" signs. While the area continues to be home to over a million people, Riverside County has suffered through trying economic times.
Riverside County is quite diverse. Census Bureau data shows the total population broken down by race:
The information above comes from the Census Bureau, Riverside County, and the Lycos City Guide