Los Santos



Los Santos is a fictional city located in San Andreas, and it is the first city encountered in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Los Santos is the biggest city of the State of San Andreas. Los Santos is based on Los Angeles, California. Los Santos translates to 'The Saints', a play on Los Angeles, meaning 'The Angels'. This also applies to the two cities' nicknames - "The City of Saints" and "City of Angels".

Like Los Angeles, Los Santos is a huge, sprawling co-mingling of cultures and perspectives, full of two-bit hoodlums and small-time and really big time actors and musicians. The population is almost 1 million people is divided into 32 districts, which are home to movie and television studios, multi-million dollar estates, crack-ridden ghettos, and the fourth busiest airport in the world. Numerous roads and a central rail line connect Los Santos to San Fierro and Las Venturas. The most infamous street in the city is Grove Street, located in Ganton, southeast of downtown Los Santos, and just minutes south of East Los Santos, which contains a predominantly Hispanic population. Grove Street is home to the Families gang, a once powerful gang whose influence faded due to highly successful drug trafficking by the rival Ballas gang.

Los Santos' police are corrupt and the politicians avoid the streets like the plague. There is a motocross track, several basketball courts, and an observatory (modeled after the Griffith Observatory) to satisfy stargazers. Occasionally, independent drug dealers are seen carrying huge wads of cash from recent transactions. Graffiti is commonplace and gambling.

Storyline
Los Santos is the hometown of GTA San Andreas protagonist Carl Johnson, who returns from living in Liberty City for five years, after his brother informs him of their mother's death. The game starts upon CJ's arrival in Los Santos, and the story revolves around a lengthy gang wars between CJ's gang, The Grove Street Families, and their fiercest rivals, the Ballas. Tensions between rival Hispanic gangs, Varrios Los Aztecas and Los Santos Vagos, also threaten the tenuous hold with which GSF clings to its paltry territories. However, due to the betrayal of senior members Big Smoke and Ryder, GSF leader Sweet Johnson is arrested and CJ is run out of town by C.R.A.S.H., causing the disbandment of the Grove Street Families and the mass takeover of Los Santos by the Ballas and Vagos, with the Ballas taking all of what used to be Grove Street territory.

Areas
Santa Marina Beach is based on Los Angeles' Santa Maria beach. During the day, the beaches of Santa-Marina and Verona are filled with sunbathers and ocean lovers -- but when the sun sets, the shoreline takes on a whole new atmosphere. A nighttime beach party can be seen during the mission Life's a Beach.

Rodeo is based on the glamorous Beverly Hills, home of the rich and famous. Situated in west Los Santos. local shops include Didier Sachs & Victim, where overpriced sweatshop merchandise is bountiful. Need somewhere to stay the night, or host a company meeting? Check in at the Rodeo Hotel, which provides accomodations and hosting services for the wealthiest and most distinguished individuals of Los Santos - as well as the criminal elite.

Ganton is based on the city of Compton - famous for it's years of gang violence and corruption. Carl's old home, Ganton is Grove Street Families turf. The blood-soaked asphalt of the hood stands for everything CJ hoped to forget, and everything he now has to face. New gangs are starting to bust in on the streets of Ganton, the most violent and hard-ass hood in Los Santos. Drugs, murders, driveby's... welcome home.

Mulholland is based on the Hollywood area. Residing in the mansions overlooking the highrises and households of Los Santos, the city's beautiful and unimaginably wealthy citizens live in absolute bliss. Looking up towards the glorious estates on the hill, Mulholland serves as a gentle reminder that your life sucks. This area is also home to the Vinewood sign, based on the world famous Hollywood sign that sits on Mount Lee.