Los Angeles (IPA: /lɑˈsænʒələs/) is the largest city in the state of California and the second largest in the United States. Often abbreviated as L.A., it is rated an alpha world city, having an estimated population of 3.8 million and spanning over 469.1 square miles (1,215.0 km²) in Southern California. Additionally, the Los Angeles metropolitan area is home to nearly 12.9 million people who hail from all over the globe and speak 224 different languages. Los Angeles is the seat of Los Angeles County, the most populous and one of the most diverse counties in the United States. Its inhabitants are known as "Angelenos" (IPA: /ændʒəˈlinoʊz/).