Los Angeles (US: / l ɔː s ˈ æ n dʒ əl ə s / lawss AN-jəl-əs; Spanish: Los Ángeles [los ˈaŋxeles], lit. 'The Angels'), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Southern California.With a population of roughly 3.9 million as of 2020, it is also the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the ...