▁With ▁a ▁census - est im ated ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁population ▁of ▁ 5 3 0 , 0 9 3 , ▁F res no ▁is ▁the ▁fifth - most ▁popul ous ▁city ▁in ▁California , ▁the ▁most ▁popul ous ▁in land ▁city ▁in ▁California , ▁and ▁the ▁ 3 4 th - most ▁popul ous ▁city ▁in ▁the ▁nation . ▁ ▁F res no ▁is ▁near ▁the ▁ge ographical ▁center ▁of ▁California . ▁It ▁lies ▁approximately ▁ ▁north ▁of ▁Los ▁Angeles , ▁ ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁capital , ▁Sac r amento , ▁and ▁ ▁sout heast ▁of ▁San ▁Francisco . ▁Y os em ite ▁National ▁Park ▁is ▁about ▁ ▁to ▁the ▁north , ▁Kings ▁C any on ▁National ▁Park ▁is ▁ ▁to ▁the ▁east , ▁and ▁Se qu o ia ▁National ▁Park ▁is ▁ ▁to ▁the ▁sout heast . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁original ▁inhabitants ▁of ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁Valley ▁region ▁were ▁the ▁Y ok uts ▁people ▁and ▁Mi w ok ▁people , ▁who ▁engaged ▁in ▁trad ing ▁with ▁other ▁Californ ian ▁tribes ▁of ▁Native ▁Americans ▁including ▁coast al ▁pe op les ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁Ch um ash ▁of ▁the ▁Central ▁California ▁coast , ▁with ▁whom ▁they ▁are ▁thought ▁to ▁have ▁trad ed ▁plant ▁and ▁animal ▁products . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁European ▁to ▁enter ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁Valley ▁was ▁Pedro ▁F ages ▁in ▁ 1 7 7 2 . ▁The ▁county ▁of ▁F res no ▁was ▁formed ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 6 ▁after ▁the ▁California