The Central Valley is a broad, elongated, flat valley that dominates the interior of California. It is 40–60 mi wide and runs approximately 450 mi from north-northwest to south-southeast, inland from and parallel to the Pacific coast of the state. It covers approximately 18,000 sq mi, about 11% of California's land area. The valley is bounded by the Coast Ranges to the west and the Sierra Nevada to the east. The Central Valley is a region known for its agricultural productivity.