1776, the Spanish built a fortress in Kinmen, and established a missionary area named after Francis here. 1848 California gold rush pushed the city to a period of rapid growth, and within a year, the population increased from 1 000 to 25,000, [18] thus transforming it into the largest city on the west coast at that time. After three-quarters of the city was destroyed by earthquake and fire, San Francisco was quickly rebuilt, and nine years later, Panama-Pacific International Expo was held. During World War II, San Francisco was the departure port for service personnel to go to the Pacific theater. [20] After the war, the return of veterans, large-scale immigration, enlightened attitude and other factors came together, which led to the "Summer of Love" and the gay rights movement, and consolidated San Francisco's position as the center of free activities in the United States.
Today, San Francisco is a popular international tourist destination. [2 1] It is famous for its cold summer fog, steep rolling hills, eclectic Victorian and modern buildings and famous landmarks, including the Golden Gate Bridge, the cable car and Chinatown. This city is also a major bank and financial center, and is home to more than 30 international financial institutions. [22] This makes San Francisco ranked18th among the top production cities in the world, 9th in the United States and15th among the top 20 financial centers in the world.