Area code 213

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Area code 213 is a California telephone area code in the North American Numbering Plan. It contains downtown Los Angeles and its immediate environs. It is an enclave area code, similar to area code 312 in Chicago and area code 210 in San Antonio, Texas, in that it is completely surrounded by area code 323, which serves most of the rest of central Los Angeles. Geographically speaking, it is one of the smallest area codes in the nation, stretching over only a few square miles.

History

Area code 213 was one of the three original area codes assigned to California in 1947. Initially it covered the southern third of the state from the Central Coast to the Mexican border. As Los Angeles was one of the largest cities in the country, its area received one of the codes that required the least amount of time to dial with the rotary dialing technology used at the time, after New York City's area code 212.

The plan area was extended to the north in 1950, merging the southern portion of the Central Valley, including Bakersfield, from area code 415.

As a result of California's explosive growth during the second half of the 20th century, the plan area 213 was split several times. The first area split became necessary in 1951, when most of the southern portion was assigned area code 714. In 1957, 213 was restricted to Los Angeles County, with most of the old 213's western portion becoming area code 805. In 1984, the San Fernando Valley and the San Gabriel Valley became area code 818—thus making Los Angeles one of the first major cities in the nation to be split between two area codes (along with New York, which was split between 212 and 718 that same year). In 1991, West Los Angeles and the South Bay became area code 310. The 213 area code was reduced to its current size in 1998, when practically all of the old 213 territory outside of downtown became area code 323.

Despite Southern California's continued rapid growth and the proliferation of cell phones and pagers, 213 is not projected to exhaust until 2050. As area code 323 is projected to exhaust by 2017, the California Public Utilities Commission has proposed removing the 213/323 boundary through a boundary-extension overlay and creating a 213/323 overlay for all of central Los Angeles, thus bringing 213 back to areas that had used it for more than half a century prior to 1998. Plus, any remaining 323 numbers would be assignable in the 213 area and vice versa, and 10/11-digit dialing would be required in both areas.[1][2][3] The Greater Houston area was the first to do so, removing the 281/713 boundary in 1999.

In popular culture

An American hip-hop supergroup from Long Beach, California consisting of Snoop Dogg, Warren G, and Nate Dogg was called 213, based on the area code.

Area code 213 is referenced in Warren G and Nate Dogg's song "Regulate", Dr. Dre's "Still D.R.E.", the Electric Six song "I'm the Bomb", LL Cool J's song "Going Back to Cali", Whitney Houston's song "It's Not Right but It's Okay", and Eminem's "Shake That". It is also referenced in "Area Codes" by Ludacris featuring Nate Dogg.

See also

References

External links

California area codes: 209, 213, 310/424, 323, 408/669, 415/628, 442/760, 510, 530, 559, 562, 619, 626, 650, 657/714, 661, 707, 747/818, 805, 831, 858, 909, 916, 925, 949, 951
North: 323
West: 323 area code 213 East: 323
South: 323