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About Alameda County
Alameda County lies on the eastern shores of San Francisco Bay. A coastal plain stretches some five miles from the water to the base of the Berkeley Hills. The county also reaches to the top of the Berkeley Hills on their southwest side. At the south end of the hills, a gap leads to Livermore Valley which covers most of the eastern part of the county. 738 square miles of land area are within the county.
Alameda County is a heavily populated area, with 1,443,741 inhabitants, as of the year 2000. All of the coastal plain is covered with urban areas, and the cities extend high into the Berkeley Hills. Livermore Valley is less densely populated and includes areas of farmland. Oakland is the county seat and largest city in Alameda County, located just across the water from San Francisco. The county is served by a number of Interstate routes and freeways, including Interstates 80, 580 and 880.
A number of parks preserve large tracts of land in the Berkeley Hills, including the Redwood Regional Park, Joaquin Miller Park and the Anthony Chabot Regional Park.
Alameda County enjoys a mild coastal climate with little extremes of temperature and moderate amounts of rainfall. Forests cover large areas of the Berkeley hills, separated by grassy areas. Forests are less common further east in the county. Morning mists frequently enshroud the bay area.