What and where is this inland empire?
In practical terms the Inland Empire is essentially the western sides of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. Although officials describe both counties completely as the Inland Empire, but lifestyles are very different in the western sides of the counties, closest to L.A. than in the eastern sides over the mountains and out into the deserts. Mountains divide the counties with the western sides lying within commuting distance to L.A. and Orange counties and the eastern sides stretching out into the more desert-like areas all the way to the Arizona Border.
https://inlandempire.us/cities/