San Andreas
This page is about the fictional State of San Andreas. For the game, please see Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
San Andreas is a fictional location in the Grand Theft Auto (GTA) series of games. There are two known versions of San Andreas:
- In Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, San Andreas is an entire American state based on the real states of California and Nevada. San Andreas appears to be comprised entirely of islands as the state is surrounded by water. San Andreas is subdivided into three cities and three counties, the cities of Los Santos, San Fierro and Las Venturas, and Red County, Flint County and Bone County.
- In the original Grand Theft Auto, San Andreas is a level based on the city of San Francisco, California.
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Spoiler Warning: Plot and/or ending details are in the text which follows. |
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas rendition
Major cities
Los Santos
Los Santos is the largest city in San Andreas. It is based on Los Angeles, California. It is filled with references to famous L.A. landmarks, including the Hollywood Sign, the Watts Towers, the Capitol Tower, the U.S. Bank Tower and the Santa Monica Pier among many others. It borders Red County to the north and Flint County to the west. It is the hometown of Carl Johnson, who returns from living in Liberty City for five years, after his brother informs him of their mother's death. After a deadly shootout under the Mulholland intersection in Los Santos, Carl Johnson is dragged by Officers Tenpenny and Pulaski to the little town of Angel Pine. Los Santos also includes several fictional boroughs that resemble Cities in L.A. County such as Ganton (Compton), Idlewood (Inglewood) and Vinewood (Hollywood).
San Fierro
San Fierro is the smallest city in San Andreas, situated on a peninsula in the western portion of the state. It is a fictional city based on the real city of San Francisco, California, with the additional references of two Firth of Forth bridges in Scotland, the Forth Bridge and the Forth Road Bridge, the latter being made to also resemble the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge in both design and physical location.
South of San Fierro lies the massive Mt. Chiliad and the little town of Angel Pine in Whetstone County. North of the city, across the Gant Bridge (San Fierro's version of the Golden Gate Bridge), lies the small town of Bayside. Northeast of the city lies the county of Tierra Robada. To the east is the Panopticon, and to the southeast is Flint County.
The city bears visible scars of an earthquake, a likely reference to the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989, 3 years before the game takes place. However, news on the radio reports on the aftermath of an earthquake early in the game, suggesting that a major earthquake had hit the state recently.
Las Venturas
Las Venturas is a fictitious city based on Las Vegas, Nevada. It is the second largest city in San Andreas, and like its real-life counterpart, Las Venturas is located in a desert region and enjoys legalized gambling, sporting casinos such as The Camel's Toe and Caligula's Palace.
The city is also notable for its freeway system. The Julius Thru-Way is a freeway that circles the whole city. Freeways from both Los Santos and San Fierro intersect with it. Another freeway is the Harry Gold Parkway, which runs through the middle of the city and intersects twice with the Julius Thru-Way and then leads to Los Santos (though it is not called the Harry Gold Parkway once it leaves the city).
At one point in the game, the game's protagonist, Carl Johnson, pulls off an Ocean's 11-esque heist in the Caligula's Casino, subsequently fomenting relationships between Carl Johnson and Salvatore Leone.
Counties and towns
In addition to the three principal metropolises, San Andreas state is home to several smaller towns and suburbs that are scattered over several counties.
Red County
Red County is a rural county located among forests consisting of primarily tall redwood trees and streams. The county is based on the quintessential American countryside and is populated with stereotypical rednecks. Population: 21,898.
Palomino Creek
Palomino Creek is a town located in north east Red County in the state of San Andreas. It is home to a bank, which has suffered from many robberies, a Pizza Stack, and Hanky Panky Point, a popular destination for teenage couples and weird old men. A mention on K-Rose radio station mentions a football game between Palomino Creek High School & Blueberry high school, In Blueberry. Although there is no football field in either city, or high school. Population: 6,836.
Montgomery
Montgomery is located in northeastern Red County. It has a small hospital, Crippen Memorial. It also contains a small horse betting shop. Population: 3,623.
Dillimore
Dillimore is located on the northern outskirts of Los Santos. Although it is a small town, it contains a sheriff's office, a Pay 'n' Spray, a gas station and a diner. It also houses the large farm estate which contains the Quadbike. Population: 2,130.
Blueberry
Blueberry is a fairly large town. On the outskirts of town there is a large farm and brewery. The town itself is home to a liquor store and an Ammu-Nation. The climate resembles that of San Fierro. It is possible that the buildings on the outskirts of town are a high school. And the fields could possibly be a football field of somesort. Which would answer the K-Rose radio annoncement about a football game between, Blueberry & Palomino Creek. Population: 9,309.
Flint County
Flint County is an undeveloped rural part of San Andreas. There are no towns and only a couple of farms. You get few mission throughout the game which mostly involve racing through this undeveloped area os San Andreas.
Whetstone
Whetstone is located in the south-west corner of San Andreas, just south of San Fierro. The county is home to Mount Chiliad, the tallest mountain in the state at a half-mile (800 m) in height.
Angel Pine
Angel pine is a logging town in Whetstone, located on the foot of Mt. Chilliad. It is notable because it contains a hospital from which Paramedic missions can be performed. It also contains a sheriff's office, a saw mill, an Ammu-Nation and a trailer park. Interestingly, a hearse may also be found parked near the hospital. Carl was dropped off here by Tenpenny and Pulaski after Sweet was shot. Population: 7,400.
Tierra Robada
Tierra Robada (Similair to the Sierra Nevada Area) gets its name from Spanish for "Stolen Land". Indeed the distinctive flora of southern San Andreas are missing from the desert.
Bayside Marina
Bayside is a waterfront town located on the western tip of Tierra Robada, just north across the bay from San Fierro. The sole access point to the town is directly linked to San Fierro via the Gant Bridge.
The town contains two notable features. First, its boat school, where Carl can obtain his boating license. Second, the town has a helipad, usually with a helicopter present, useful for traveling. It is a common rest stop for people traveling from San Fierro to Las Venturas.
Bayside's marina and its proximity to the Gant Bridge suggests that the town is primarily based on Sausalito, which is almost geographically similar to Bayside, in addition to having one of its access points connected directly to the Golden Gate Bridge. Estimated Population: 900.
El Quebrados
El Quebrados is home to a sheriffs department as well as a medical center. The town is located east of Bayside. The name translates to "The Bankrupt," or "the broken" Estimated Population: 3,569.
Las Barrancas
Las Barrancas is located within viewing range of the Sherman Dam, and is also located just beside a cliffside ruin. "Las Barrancas" is Spanish for "The Ravines". Estimated Population: 300.
Aldea Malvada
Aldea Malvada is a ghost town located in Tierra Robada overlooking El Quebrados on the outskirts of town. It literally translates into English as "Evil Village".
Bone County
Bone County is one of the most important areas of the game, other than the major cities themselves, containing many areas and missions needed for continuation; a large amount of easter eggs are also located within it. The county's two most prominent features include a secret military base named "Area 69" (based on Area 51) located at its center, as well as the Verdant Meadows Aircraft Graveyard, directly north of Area 69. Bone County boasts an oil field (Octane Springs), a quarry, and several unique natural features such as mesas.
The county is bordered in the west by the Sherman Reservoir and Dam (based on the Hoover Dam) as well as Tierra Robada county. Las Venturas is located to its east, and Red County to its south. The county as a whole is obviously based on rural portions for the American state of Nevada, because it has a similar climate, terrain and topography.
Restricted Area (Area 69)
Area 69 is a restricted, fenced-in military base, patterned after Area 51 and named for the 69 sex position. The base houses various clandestine government projects, including the "Black Project" jetpack. It may possibly house some projects involving UFOs and/or extraterrestrial life, as suggested by the presence of the nearby "Li'l Probe Inn" (a reference to the Li'l Ale Inn), dialog on the base's PA system during the "Black Project" mission and by dialog on Marvin Trill's in-game radio show.
Much of the base consists of underground research labs, although the player can only enter the labs during the course of one mission, or by finding a way into San Andreas' "Blue Hell", an area under the main terrain mesh, and finding the underground base there. The above-ground structures include a series of control towers, guard posts, and garages for military vehicles. These garages are the first area in the game in which tanks and military helicopters will automatically spawn. The player automatically receives a five-star wanted level for entering, attempting to enter, or flying over the base (at a low altitude); surface-to-air missiles will be fired at the player from the base if he attempts to fly over. The SAM sites which launch the missiles can be destroyed however, and if flying a Hydra aircraft, flare decoys can be deployed to reduce the likelihood of being shot down.
Fort Carson
Fort Carson is the largest town in Bone County, and also it's state capital, as indicated by the small red building in the main street, having been significantly undeveloped as of 1992. It is based on the real life town of Rachel, Nevada, which is the closest habitation to Area 51. North of the town is Area 69, as well as the smaller town of Las Payasadas. It has a small hospital and a sheriff's office. There is also an Ammu-Nation just outside of town. The town is located west of Las Venturas. A small cropduster is known to appear next to one of the houses near here and it is flyable.
The Lil' Probe Inn, a fictional bar/motel, is located north from Fort Carson. The Lil' Probe Inn is actually a parody of the Little A'le Inn in Rachel, in which the interior of the Probe Inn matches the interior of the real life Little A'le Inn. Down the road from the Probe Inn is Area 69.
The Big Ear, a large satellite dish located west of Area 69, is claimed by the official San Andreas website to emit radiation that resulted in birth defects in the local populace, in which its newborns have no ears. Population: 5,431.
Fort Carson is also seen in The Introduction. Ken Rosenberg was in rehab in the town's hospital.
Las Payasadas
Las Payasadas (spanish for "clowning off") bills itself as the home of "The Big Pecker — the world's largest cock", which in fact is a huge animatronic rooster designed to advertise a store called "Pecker's Feed and Seed". It is located in northern Bone County. Possibly based on Palisade, Nevada. Population: 211.
Las Brujas
Las Brujas is another ghost town located in the El Castillo del Diablo (Translation: The Castle of the Devil) region of Bone County. It is located right off the Verdant Meadows airstrip. Its name is Spanish for "The Witches".
Brown Streak Railroad
The Brown Streak Railroad is a fictional railroad entity within the game, meant to mimic that of California's Metrolink, and CalTrain systems. Its slogan is "Go for the Brown". The Brown Streak Railroad also shares its tracks with non-passenger freight service.
Overview
Brown Streak Railroad trains typically run with 2 car service, with the occasional 3 car set. The freight trains can reach a length of 4 cars. Service is operated 24 hours a day, and tickets can be purchased from ticket windows, vending machines and aboard trains.
As in the first Grand Theft Auto game, players can hijack a train and drive it themselves. Additional sub-missions also involve operating the train and delivering cargo to stations within the allowed time limit. If one has successfully completed the freight train sub-missions, the player can take train rides free of charge.
Brown Streak Railroad locomotives are diesel powered, with no electrified tracks. Its train yard is based in Las Venturas. The locomotives and cars used by the Brown Streak are modeled after real ones. The freight locomotives resemble EMD SD40-2s, though the trucks resemble ones from GE. The passenger locomotives resemble EMD F40PHs and the cars resemble Superliners.
The trains are almost indestructible. It is impossible to damage a train by any normal means, even attacking it with a tank. It is, however, possible to derail a train. This is done by hijacking the train and accelerating it until the train leaves the tracks, usually done while taking a turn too quickly. At this point the main locomotive will break apart from the cars and will slide until it finally comes to rest. If the player was in the process of a train mission, that mission is now failed.
Stations
Los Santos
- Unity Station; a play on Union Station, in Downtown Los Angeles. This station has two side platforms, and vending machines.
- Market Station; possibly referring a station on the Metro Red Line. Also has a side platform, but only on Track 2. Ticket Machines are available.
San Fierro
- Cranberry Station; 2 side platforms, 1 island platform. Features a glass atrium, ticket offices and vending machines. A San Fierro tram line is located directly in front of the station's entrance.
Las Venturas
- Yellow Bell Station; side platforms. Ticket offices and vending machines are also available. Free parking is also there for those who wish to use the lots.
- Sobell Rail Yards; side platform on Track 2 only. One ticket machine, and located near the Sobell Rail Shops, across the Julius Thruway.
- Linden Station; similar to Yellow Bell station.
Train lines
The Brown Streak Railroad uses two side by side tracks which route right around San Andreas. At two points, the rails combine into a single rail and run for a couple of miles before parting back into 2 tracks. In Los Santos, a track connects to the main circuit and is a more industrial line. This line can not be driven on in the game and is merely for show. In San Fierro, a track connects to the mail line and leads to the Ocean Docks. This is also a track which trains in the game cannot drive down. The primary track is the one which is on the inner part of San Andreas. This track is the one in which players will see trains drive on during normal game play. The track which runs beside it is used in missions ("Wrong Side of The Tracks" and "Snail Trail").
Other features
Stores
- 24-7 is a supermarket/convenience store chain in San Andreas. 24-7's ubiquity and basic layout throughout the fictional state are meant to evoke the large presence of convenient store chains 7-11 and ampm in California, and the 24-7 sign is a parodic pastiche of both brands' logos.
- 99, 98, and 69¢ Stores are stores found in many cities across San Andreas which CJ cannot enter. They are there clearly for detail. (The 69¢ store is named after the 69 sex position.)
Grand Theft Auto rendition
The Grand Theft Auto 1 rendition of San Andreas is significantly different from its GTA:SA rendition. The city is based on San Francisco, California and does bear resemblance to San Fierro. Among the distinctive features of the city include sloped districts, tram lines (which appear only for show), the Chinatown and "Soviet Hill" (Russian Hill) districts, and a large red bridge attempting to emulate the Golden Gate Bridge.