Santa Barbara County, California
Digital Passport
Nomenclature and Geography
Category: Region / Subdivision
Summary
Santa Barbara County is located in Southern California, with Santa Barbara as its county seat and Santa Maria as the largest city. The area was originally inhabited by the Chumash tribe, hunter-gatherers who left rock art in locations like Painted Cave. Spanish exploration began in 1542 with Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, and the channel was named by Sebastián Vizcaíno in 1602.
Statistics
Area
9,814.00 km²
Population
448,229