Geography
| Vandenberg Air Force Base | |
|---|---|
| — census-designated place — | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Santa Barbara |
| Area | |
| • Total | 22.121 sq mi (57.294 km2) |
| • Land | 22.034 sq mi (57.068 km2) |
| • Water | 0.087 sq mi (0.226 km2) 0.39% |
| Elevation | 512 ft (156 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 3,338 |
| • Density | 150/sq mi (58/km2) |
| Time zone | Pacific (PST) (UTC-8) |
| • Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC-7) |
| ZIP Code | |
| GNIS feature ID | 2409501 |
| U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Vandenberg Air Force Base | |
According to the United States Census Bureau, the base has a total area of 57.3 km2 (22.1 sq mi). 57.1 km2 (22.0 sq mi) of it is land and 0.087 km2 (0.034 sq mi) of it (0.39%) is water.
Much of the base is rugged, mountainous, and undeveloped; predominant groundcover includes chaparral with coastal sage scrub and oak woodland. Because of its protected nature—none of the backcountry areas are open to the public or to any kind of development—the base contains some of the highest quality coastal habitat remaining in southern or central California. It is home to numerous threatened or endangered species, including Gambel's watercress (Nasturtium gambelii). The western terminus of the Santa Ynez Mountains is on the base, and is dominated by Tranquillion Peak, which rises 2,297 feet (700 m) above sea level. An optical tracking station is located at the top of the peak, which overlooks the various space launch complexes. The Amtrak Coast Starlight and Pacific Surfliner trains travel along the coast, providing a splendid view and one of the few ways for the public to see these remote areas.
Read more about this topic: Vandenberg Air Force Base
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