Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 92,325. Mission Santa Barbara,

"The Queen of the Missions", is located in Santa Barbara. It was founded on December 4, 1786, and the city built up near the mission. A Spanish Presidio was also founded at the city. Santa Barbara is now a largely upscale city and is popular as a tourist destination and celebrity hideaway.

The Santa Barbara campus of the University of California is located in nearby Isla Vista. Contents [hide] 1 Geography 2 Demographics 3 Nearby Communities 4 External links Geography Santa Barbara is located at 34°25'33" North, 119°42'51" West (34.425804, -119.714189)1.

The city is about 85 miles northwest of Los Angeles, along the Pacific coast. This stretch of coast along southern Santa Barbara County is often referred to as the "American Riviera" because of its Mediterranean climate.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 107.3 km² (41.4 mi²). 49.2 km² (19.0 mi²) of it is land and 58.1 km² (22.4 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 54.17% water.