The Tongva ( ) are Native Americans who inhabited the Los Angeles Basin and the Southern Channel Islands, an area covering approximately . The Tongva are also known as the Gabrieleño, Fernandeño, and Nicoleño—Europeanized names that were assigned to the Tongva after Spanish colonization. Gabrieleño and Fernandeño are derived from the names of Spanish missions built on or near the tribes' territory—Mission San Gabriel Arcángel and Mission San Fernando Rey de España, respectively—while Nicoleño is derived from San Nicolas Island. Along with the neighboring Chumash, the Tongva were the most powerful indigenous people to inhabit Southern California. At the time of European contact, they may have numbered 5,000 to 10,000.