Sierra facts for kids

Sierra is a Spanish word that means "mountain range" or "saw". It comes from the Latin word serra. Because it has a few different meanings, you will find the word "Sierra" in many places, names, and things around the world.

Places Called Sierra

Many places, especially mountains, are named Sierra. This is because the word means "mountain range."

Mountain Ranges

• Sierra Nevada (United States): This is a major mountain range mostly in California, USA. It also reaches into Nevada. It is famous for its tall peaks, deep valleys, and beautiful national parks like Yosemite National Park.
• Sierra Nevada (Spain): This mountain range is in Andalusia, Spain. It has the highest point in mainland Spain, Mulhacén. You can even find a ski resort here!
• Sierra Madre: This name is used for several mountain ranges, especially in Mexico and the Philippines. For example, the Sierra Madre (Philippines) is a long mountain range on the island of Luzon in the Philippines.
• Sierra Maestra: A famous mountain range in Cuba. It played an important role in Cuban history.
• Sierra de Juárez and Sierra de San Pedro Mártir: These are mountain ranges located in Baja California, Mexico.

Other Places

• Sierra Leone: This is a country located on the coast of West Africa. Its capital city is Freetown.
• Sierra County: There are two counties in the United States named Sierra County, one in California and another in New Mexico.
• Sierra National Forest: A large forest area in California, USA, where people can enjoy nature, hiking, and camping.
• Sierra Nevada National Park (Spain): A beautiful national park in Andalusia, Spain, protecting the natural environment of the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Arts, Entertainment, and Media

The word Sierra also appears in the names of characters, music, and even video games!

Fictional Characters

• Sierra (Total Drama): A fun and energetic character from the Canadian animated TV series Total Drama.
• Sierra Burgess: The main character in the Netflix movie Sierra Burgess Is a Loser.
• Sierra McCoy: A character in the TV series Riverdale.

Music

• Sierra (group): An American music group.
• "Sierra" (song): A song by the country music duo Maddie & Tae.

Video Games and More

• Sierra Entertainment: This was a well-known company that made and published many popular video games for a long time.
• Sierra (magazine): A magazine published by the Sierra Club, which focuses on environmental topics.

Computing and Technology

• macOS Sierra: This is the name of an older version of the computer operating system made by Apple Inc. for their Mac computers.
• Sierra (supercomputer): This is a very powerful supercomputer used for important scientific research, especially for nuclear weapon simulations. It is located at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the USA.

Organizations

• Sierra Club: This is a very old and large environmental organization in the United States. They work to protect nature and wild places.
• Sierra Club Canada: A similar environmental group in Canada.
• Sierra College: A community college located in Rocklin, California, USA.

Transportation

• Ford Sierra: A car model that was produced by the Ford Motor Company in Europe.
• GMC Sierra: A popular line of trucks and SUVs made by General Motors in North America.

Other Meanings of Sierra

• Sierra (name): Sierra is also used as a first name, often for girls.
• Pacific sierra: This is a type of fish, also known as the Mexican sierra. It is a kind of mackerel.
• Sierra (NATO phonetic alphabet): In the NATO phonetic alphabet, "Sierra" is the word used to represent the letter "S". This helps people understand letters clearly, especially when communicating over radios.

See also

• Cera (disambiguation)
• Cerro (disambiguation)
• La Sierra (disambiguation)
• High Sierra (disambiguation)
• Sierra Nevada (disambiguation)
• Serra (disambiguation)
• Sierre, Switzerland
• Jamón serrano, a type of Spanish ham, where "serrano" means "from the mountains" or "from the sierra."