The first settlers in Los Angeles were Native American tribal, Tongva and Chumash. In the 14th century, Los Angeles, along with the whole of southern California, came under the Kingdom of Spain. Many missions by catholic friars were carried out in the area. They settled in the area which is known as Los Angeles Pueblo Plaza today. This is the oldest part of the city. Later came the liberation of Mexico from the Spanish Crown. The governor of Mexico made Los Angeles his capital city. After the Mexican-American War, the city came back in the control of Americans. A lot of development happened during this time, especially the laying of the first railroads and the merging of Hollywood with Los Angeles. Oil was also discovered in various parts of the city, further promoting its growth. Los Angeles played a significant role in wartime manufacturing during the Second World War. In the 20th century, the Interstate Highway System was laid, further burgeoning the growth and urbanisation of Los Angeles.

Los Angeles is rightly known as the ‘Creative Capital of the World’. Artists, musicians, writers, filmmakers and actors all flock to this city and add a vibrancy to its culture. The name of Hollywood has become almost synonymous with the film industry. Besides the motion pictures, the performing theatres also form a significant part of the culture of the city. There are more than 800 museums and art galleries in Los Angeles. The Downtown Art Walk is attended by thousands every year. The cosmopolitan nature of the city is reflected in its culinary culture as well. Natives and expats alike are known to explore the various cuisines found here like Chines, Thai, Mexican, Japanese and Indian in addition to the traditional American cuisine.

Los Angeles is truly a cosmopolitan city, with many people from all over the world making it their home. The people call themselves Angelenos. The various ethnicities found here include Whites, African Americans, Hispanic whites, Latinos, Asians and Native Americans. A minority population of Middle Easterners can also be found in the city. The people are generally very self-sufficient and welcoming to foreign travellers. They stick to formal western wear during the working week but dress very casually during the weekends. Business and entertainment industry forms the major sources of income for the people of Los Angeles. The major religion practised in the city is Christianity. A significant number of Jews can also be found here. Other than these, several religions are practised in Los Angeles including Scientology, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism etc.