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Place Name
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Inyo County
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Place Status (Type)
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county
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Capital is
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Independence
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Population
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18,281 (1990)
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Location
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California, United States, North America
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Latitude
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36°36'N
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Longitude
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117°30'W
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Inyo
, county (
10,192 sq mi/26,397 sq km; 1990
pop. 18,281), E Calif.;  Independence; 36°36'N 117°30'W.
Crest of Sierra Nevada (High Sierras) along W boundary, also forms E
boundary of Kings Canyon and Sequoia natl. parks. Co. is leading
producer in state of lead, tungsten, and talc; also mining of
molybdenum, zinc, silver; and extraction of borax, potash, salt, and
soda. Some irrigated farming (in Owens Valley); stock raising;
dairying. Camping, hunting, fishing, and winter sports in mts.; winter
resorts in Death Valley. Includes Mt. Whitney
(14,495 ft/4,418 m), highest peak in U.S.,
outside Alaska, and 9 other peaks over
14,000 ft/4,267 m. In E, bounded by Nev. state
line, includes large part of Death Valley Natl. Monument, which has
lowest point (282 ft/86 m below sea level) in
Western Hemisphere. Bet. the Sierra Nevada and Panamint Range (W wall
of Death Valley) are arid basins (notably Owens Valley), Inyo Mts., and
other ranges. E of Death Valley is Amargosa Range. Owens R. supplies
water to Los Angeles Aqueduct (begins in NW part of co., runs S at base
of Sierra Nevada, to Los Angeles); Amargosa R., Furnace Creek vanish in
Death Valley. Includes Big Pine, Fort Independence, and Lone Pine
Indian reservations, all in NW in Owens Valley. Partly in Inyo Natl.
Forest. Owens L. (dry) in W; part of large China L. Naval Weapons
Center in SW. Formed 1866.
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