There is a county in Southern California.
The Greater Los Angeles Area is the second-largest urban region in the United States , encompassing five counties in southern California , extending from Ventura County in the west to San Bernardino County and Riverside County on the east , with Los Angeles County in the center and Orange County to the southeast . Southern California , often abbreviated as SoCal , is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises California 's 10 southernmost counties . The region is traditionally described as eight counties , based on demographics and economic ties : Imperial , Los Angeles , Orange , Riverside , San Bernardino , San Diego , Santa Barbara , and Ventura . The more extensive 10-county definition , which includes Kern and San Luis Obispo counties , is also used and is based on historical political divisions . Ventura County is a county in the southern part of the U.S. state of California .