The county seat is Bakersfield, the largest metropolitan area, located 100 miles north of Los Angeles; and is a thoroughfare for Highway 99, Interstate 5. Major waterways include the California Aqueduct and the Kern River.
Kern County has 11 commercial airports, two military installations, four state prisons and two federal correctional facilities, five bus transit entities, two major bus stages, Amtrak, and three television stations. Kern is the largest producer of petroleum-based energy in the state and is a top national producer. Kern contributes more than 75% of onshore oil in California. A significant producer of natural gas, hydroelectric, solar and wind power (containing nearly 25% of California’s renewable energy), Kern is also noted for its mineral wealth including gold, borate, kernite (or rasorite) and borax.