Fresno County is in the San Joaquin Valley of central California. Downtown Los Angeles is 220 miles to the south and east, Monterey, on the Pacific Coast, is almost directly to the west, 160 miles by road, and San Francisco is 185 miles to the north and west. The southern entrance to Yosemite National Park is about 65 miles to the north, while the entrance to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks is about 55 miles to the east. Fresno County is subject to a Mediterranean climate. Low elevations are hot and dry in the summer and in the winter moderate temperatures and relatively light precipitation are common.

Fresno County is named for the Spanish word for ash or ash tree. In 1856, Fresno County was created, though its present boundaries were not established until 1909. The first county seat was the foothill community of Millerton.

Early inhabitants of the area probably were here between 7,000 and 50,000 years ago. The first European settlers in the early 1800's found the Yokuts tribe living n the valley floor and in the foothills along the major rivers of the area, the San Joaquin and the Kings Rivers. The Monache Tribe lived further up the rivers. After the initial Spanish explorers came, others began to arrive including trappers and hunters. The famous mountain man, Kit Carson explored the area during the 1840's.

The county was a part of the mining boom of California from its early years until the mid 1860's. Once gold fever subsided, the county experienced its stock raising and general farming period. Later, after water controversy was worked out, the county made a transition to orchards and vineyards from its general farming.

Fresno County is located near the center of California's San Joaquin Valley which, together with the Sacramento Valley to the north, form the Great Central Valley, one of the distinct physical regions of the state. The Coast Range foothills, which form the county's western boundary, reach a height of over 4,000 feet near Coalinga while some peaks along the crest of the Sierra Nevada, the county's eastern boundary, exceed 14,000 feet. The valley floor in between is fifty to sixty miles wide and has an elevation near the city of Fresno of about 325 feet. (Environment of Fresno County, Fresno County Planning Dept., 1975).

Rich soil, irrigation, and the hard work of farmers who came from all over the world combine to make Fresno County the richest and most productive agricultural county in America. In the year 2000, Fresno County growers grossed over 3.4 billion dollars from the production of more than 200 commercial crops.

Agriculture is the principal industry in the county. In 2000, in terms of production, it was the top county in the nation. A few of the major crops are: grapes, cotton, almonds, tomatoes, fruit and milk. Government industries include the Internal Revenue Service, Mendota Federal Prison, Pleasant Valley State Prison and Coalinga State Hospital.

The City of Fresno is one of 15 incorporated cities in Fresno County, all located on the valley floor. Over 60 percent of the County's total population is in the neighboring cities of Fresno and Clovis. The City of Fresno is the seat of the County.