Los Angeles is the second largest city in the US, founded in 1850. Its spectacular development began after oil was discovered in the area in the 1890s, boosted further when movie makers realized that the sunny climate of Southern California is very good for open-air shooting. As a result, Hollywood emerged in the 1920s as the center of the fledging American film industry. The city has a controversial reputation: on the one hand, it is the symbol of the "California lifestyle", with its sandy beaches, hot sun, and laid-back attitudes. It is also the most multiethnic and multicultural city in the US besides New York, with a very large proportion of Hispanics and Asians. On the other hand, Los Angeles is notorious for urban sprawl and air pollution, and it lacks the distinctive character and landmarks that make New York or San Francisco immediately recognizable for tourists.