It is known for its Mediterranean climate , its strip of beaches stretching 21 miles 34 km along the Pacific Ocean coast, and for its longtime status as the home of numerous affluent Hollywood celebrities and executives. Although a high proportion of its residents are entertainment industry figures with multi-million dollar mansions, Malibu also features several middle - and upper-middle-class neighborhoods.
As of the census , the city's population was 10, The ongoing Palisades Fire devastated Malibu, with almost all of the beachfront homes near its center destroyed. Nicknamed "The 'Bu" by surfers and locals, [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] Malibu is noted for its beaches.
The city is bounded by the Santa Monica Mountains to the north, Topanga to the east, Solromar to the west, and the ocean to the south. The Malibu ZIP Code includes residents of the unincorporated canyon areas as it was assigned before the city incorporated.
The city also has the closest commercial centers. The Chumash called the settlement Humaliwo [ 14 ] or "the surf sounds loudly". The city's name derives from this, as the "Hu" syllable is not stressed. Humaliwo was an important regional center in prehistoric times. This pre-colonial village was next to Malibu Lagoon and is now part of the State Park. Humaliwo was considered an important political center, but there were additional minor settlements in the area.
The Spanish presence returned with the California mission system, and the area was part of Rancho Topanga Malibu Sequit βa 13,acre 53 km 2 land grant βin Baptismal records list individuals from Humaliwo. That ranch passed intact to Frederick Hastings Rindge in He and his wife, Rhoda May Knight Rindge , staunchly protected their land. After his death, May guarded their property zealously by hiring guards to evict all trespassers and fighting a lengthy court battle to prevent the building of a Southern Pacific railroad line through the ranch.
