pop (2000e) 15 982 400; area 151 934 km²/58 664 sq mi. State in SE USA, divided into 67 counties; the Sunshine State or Peninsular State; discovered and settled by the Spanish in the 16th-c; ceded to Britain in 1763, and divided into East and West Florida; given back to Spain after the War of Independence, 1783; West Florida gained by the US in the Louisiana Purchase, 1803; East Florida purchased by the US, 1819; admitted as the 27th state of the Union, 1845; seceded, 1861; slavery abolished, 1865; re-admitted to the Union, 1868; capital, Tallahassee; other chief cities, Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa, St Petersburg, Fort Lauderdale; a long peninsula bounded W by the Gulf of Mexico and E by the Atlantic Ocean; rivers include the St Johns, Caloosahatchee, Apalachicola, Perdido, St Marys; C state has many lakes, notably L Okeechobee (fourth largest lake wholly within the USA); highest point in Walton County (105 m/345 ft); the Florida Keys Islands stretch in a line SW from the S tip of the state, all linked by a series of causeways; the NW is a gently rolling panhandle area, cut by deep swamps along the coast; the S is almost entirely covered by the Everglades; the SE coast is protected from the Atlantic by sandbars and islands, creating shallow lagoons and sandy beaches; a warm sunny climate, but occasional danger of hurricanes (eg widespread damage caused by Hurricane Andrew in 1992); many famous resorts (Palm Beach, Miami Beach); the Everglades National Park, Walt Disney World entertainment park, John F Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral; the nation's greatest producer of citrus fruits; second largest producer of vegetables; sugar cane, tobacco, cattle and dairy products; processed foods, chemicals, electrical equipment, transportation equipment, wood products; phosphate and other minerals; one of the fastest-growing parts of the country; an important area for retirement homes; large Hispanic population (especially from Cuba).
background: none;">| Flag of Florida | Seal of Florida |
| Nickname(s): Sunshine State | |
| Motto(s): In God We Trust | |
| Official language(s) | English |
| Capital | Tallahassee |
| Largest city | Jacksonville |
| Area | Ranked 22nd |
| - Total |
65,794 sq mi (170,451 km²) |
| - Width | 162 miles (260 km) |
| - Length | 497 miles (800 km) |
| - % water | 17.9 |
| - Latitude | 24°30'N to 31°N |
| - Longitude | 79°48'W to 87°38'W |
| Population | Ranked 4th |
| - Total (2000) | 15,982,378 |
| - Density |
301/sq mi 116.3/km² (8th) |
| - Median income | $40,171 (36th) |
| Elevation | |
| - Highest point |
Britton Hill 345 ft (105 m) |
| - Mean | 98 ft (30 m) |
| - Lowest point |
Atlantic Ocean 0 ft (0 m) |
| Admission to Union | March 3, 1845 (27th) |
| Governor | Jeb Bush (R) |
| U.S. Senators |
Bill Nelson (D) Mel Martinez (R) |
| Time zones | |
| - peninsula | Eastern: UTC-5/DST-4 |
| - panhandle | Central: UTC-6/DST-5 |
| Abbreviations | FL US-FL |
| Web site | www.myflorida.com |
Florida is a state located in the southeastern United States.
Areas under control by the National Park Service include:
Big Cypress National Preserve, near Lake Okeechobee Biscayne National Park, near Key Biscayne Canaveral National Seashore, near Titusville Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, in St. Augustine De Soto National Memorial, in Bradenton Dry Tortugas National Park, at Key West Everglades National Park Fort Caroline National Memorial, at Jacksonville Fort Matanzas National Monument, in St. Augustine Gulf Islands National Seashore, near Gulf Breeze Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, in JacksonvilleAreas under the control of the USDA United States Forest Service include:
Apalachicola National Forest along the east bank of the Apalachicola River, Choctawhatchee National Forest near Niceville, Ocala National Forest in Central Florida, and Osceola National Forest in Northeast Florida.See also: Catastrophic Florida hurricanes: 1900-1960, Catastrophic Florida hurricanes: 1961-present, and List of all-time high and low temperatures by state
Environmental issues
Florida is the fifth-largest producer of greenhouse gases among the 50 U.S. states.
Government
Presidential elections results| Year | Republican | Democratic |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 52.10% 3,964,522 | 47.09% 3,583,544 |
| 2000 | 48.85% 2,912,790 | 48.84% 2,912,253 |
| 1996 | 42.32% 2,244,536 | 48.02% 2,546,870 |
| 1992 | 40.89% 2,173,310 | 39.00% 2,072,698 |
| 1988 | 60.87% 2,618,885 | 38.51% 1,656,701 |
| 1984 | 65.32% 2,730,350 | 34.66% 1,448,816 |
| 1980 | 55.52% 2,046,951 | 38.50% 1,419,475 |
| 1976 | 46.64% 1,469,531 | 51.93% 1,636,000 |
| 1972 | 71.91% 1,857,759 | 27.80% 718,117 |
| 1968 | 40.53% 886,804 | 30.93% 676,794 |
| 1964 | 48.85% 905,941 | 51.15% 948,540 |
| 1960 | 51.51% 795,476 | 48.49% 748,700 |
The basic structure, duties, function, and operations of the government of the State of Florida are defined and established by the Florida Constitution, which establishes the basic law of the state and guarantees various rights and freedoms of the people.
See also: List of counties in Florida, List of cities in Florida, List of Florida Governors, U.S. presidential election, 2000, in Florida, and U.S. presidential election, 2004, in FloridaEconomy
The gross state product of Florida in 2005 was $596 billion.
Race and ancestry
| Demographics of Florida (csv) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| By race | White | Black | AIAN | Asian | NHPI |
| AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | |||||
| 2000 (total population) | 82.45% | 15.66% | 0.75% | 2.11% | 0.16% |
| 2000 (hispanic only) | 15.94% | 0.74% | 0.14% | 0.09% | 0.03% |
| 2005 (total population) | 81.47% | 16.31% | 0.84% | 2.52% | 0.18% |
| 2005 (hispanic only) | 18.48% | 0.87% | 0.21% | 0.11% | 0.04% |
| Growth 2000-2005 (total population) | 9.99% | 15.93% | 23.95% | 33.09% | 29.08% |
| Growth 2000-2005 (non-hispanic only) | 5.43% | 15.23% | 15.67% | 32.55% | 24.49% |
| Growth 2000-2005 (hispanic only) | 28.99% | 29.93% | 58.98% | 45.89% | 45.66% |
The largest reported ancestries in the 2000 Census were German (11.8%), Irish (10.3%), English (9.2%), American (8%) and Italian (6.3%).
| Metropolitan Statistical Areas | 2005 Population | |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers Metropolitan Statistical Area | 549,442 | |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area | 494,649 | |
| Fort Walton Beach-Crestview-Destin Metropolitan Statistical Area | 188,939 | |
| Gainesville Metropolitan Statistical Area | 256,985 | |
| Jacksonville Metropolitan Statistical Area | 1,277,763 | |
| Lakeland Metropolitan Statistical Area | 541,840 | |
| Miami-Ft.Lauderdale-West Palm Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area | 5,422,200 | |
| Naples-Marco Island Metropolitan Statistical Area | 317,788 | |
| Ocala Metropolitan Statistical Area | 304,926 | |
| Orlando-Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area | 1,861,707 | |
|
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area |
531,970 | |
| Panama City-Lynn Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area | 161,721 | |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area | 439,877 | |
|
Port St. Lucie-Fort Pierce Metropolitan Statistical Area |
381,033 | |
| Punta Gorda Metropolitan Statistical Area | 154,030 | |
| Sarasota-Bradenton-Venice Metropolitan Statistical Area | 673,035 | |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area | 130,043 | |
| Tallahassee Metropolitan Statistical Area | 334,886 | |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area | 2,589,637 |
Important cities and towns
|
City Population > 75,000 Boca Raton Brandon Davie Deltona Kendall Lakeland Melbourne Miami Beach Plantation Sunrise West Palm Beach |
City Population > 25,000 Altamonte Springs Aventura Apopka Bartow Bonita Springs Coconut Creek Cooper City Coral Gables De Land Dunedin |
East Lake Egypt Lake-Leto Fort Pierce Greater Carrollwood Greenacres Hallandale Beach Homestead Jupiter Kendall West Key West Lake Magdalene Lake Worth Lauderdale Lakes Lehigh Acres North Fort Myers North Lauderdale Ocala Ocoee Oakland Park Ormond Beach Oviedo Palm Beach Gardens Panama City Pinellas Park Plant City Port Charlotte Riviera Beach Royal Palm Beach Sanford South Fort Myers Titusville University Wellington Westchester Winter Haven Winter Park Winter Springs |
Professional sports teams
Although Florida is the traditional home to Major League Baseball's spring training, and nearly 2/3 of all MLB teams still have a spring training presence in the state, Florida did not have a permanent major-league-level professional sports team until the American Football League added the Miami Dolphins in 1966.
| Club | Sport | League |
|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville Jaguars | Football | National Football League |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Football | National Football League |
| Miami Dolphins | Football | National Football League |
| Orlando Magic | Basketball | National Basketball Association |
| Miami Heat | Basketball | National Basketball Association |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | Ice hockey | National Hockey League |
| Florida Panthers | Ice hockey | National Hockey League |
| Tampa Bay Devil Rays | Baseball | Major League Baseball |
| Florida Marlins | Baseball | Major League Baseball |
| Orlando Predators | Arena football | Arena Football League |
| Tampa Bay Storm | Arena football | Arena Football League |
| Brevard County Manatees | Baseball |
Minor League Baseball
Florida State League |
| Clearwater Threshers | Baseball |
Minor League Baseball
Florida State League |
| Daytona Cubs | Baseball |
Minor League Baseball
Florida State League |
| Dunedin Blue Jays | Baseball |
Minor League Baseball
Florida State League |
| Fort Myers Miracle | Baseball |
Minor League Baseball
Florida State League |
| Jacksonville Suns | Baseball | Minor League Baseball |
| Jupiter Hammerheads | Baseball |
Minor League Baseball
Florida State League |
| Lakeland Tigers | Baseball |
Minor League Baseball
Florida State League |
| Sarasota Reds | Baseball |
Minor League Baseball
Florida State League |
| St. Lucie Mets | Baseball |
Minor League Baseball
Florida State League |
| Tampa Yankees | Baseball |
Minor League Baseball
Florida State League |
| Palm Beach Cardinals | Baseball |
Minor League Baseball
Florida State League |
| Vero Beach Dodgers | Baseball |
Minor League Baseball
Florida State League |
| Miami FC | Soccer | USL First Division |
| Ajax Orlando Prospects | Soccer | USL Premier Development League |
| Bradenton Academics | Soccer | USL Premier Development League |
| Central Florida Kraze | Soccer | USL Premier Development League |
| Cocoa Expos | Soccer | USL Premier Development League |
| Palm Beach Pumas | Soccer | USL Premier Development League |
| Bradenton Athletics | Soccer | W-League |
| Central Florida Krush | Soccer | W-League |
| Cocoa Expos | Soccer | W-League |
| Central Florida Strikers | Soccer | Women’s Premier Soccer League |
| Miami Surf | Soccer | Women’s Premier Soccer League |
| Orlando Falcons | Soccer | Women’s Premier Soccer League |
| Palm Beach United | Soccer | Women’s Premier Soccer League |
| South Florida Breeze | Soccer | Women’s Premier Soccer League |
| Tampa Bay United | Soccer | Women’s Premier Soccer League |
| Florida Everblades | Ice hockey | East Coast Hockey League |
| Florida Seals | Ice hockey | Southern Professional Hockey League |
| Jacksonville Barracudas | Ice hockey | Southern Professional Hockey League |
| Pensacola Ice Pilots | Ice hockey | East Coast Hockey League |
| Orlando Aces | Basketball | American Basketball Association |
| Palm Beach Imperials | Basketball | American Basketball Association |
| Pensacola Aviators | Basketball | American Basketball Association |
| Jacksonville Jam | Basketball | American Basketball Association |
| Tampa Bay Strong Dogs | Basketball | American Basketball Association |
Spring training
Florida is the traditional home for Major League Baseball spring training, with teams informally organized into the "Grapefruit League." As of 2004, Florida hosts the following major league teams for spring training:
| Club | Location |
|---|---|
| Atlanta Braves | Walt Disney World |
| Baltimore Orioles | Fort Lauderdale |
| Boston Red Sox | Fort Myers |
| Cincinnati Reds | Sarasota |
| Cleveland Indians | Winter Haven |
| Detroit Tigers | Lakeland |
| Florida Marlins | Jupiter |
| Houston Astros | Kissimmee |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | Vero Beach |
| Minnesota Twins | Fort Myers |
| New York Mets | Port St. Lucie |
| New York Yankees | Tampa |
| Philadelphia Phillies | Clearwater |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | Bradenton |
| Saint Louis Cardinals | Jupiter |
| Tampa Bay Devil Rays | St. Petersburg |
| Toronto Blue Jays | Dunedin |
| Washington Nationals | Viera |
Auto-racing tracks
Daytona International Speedway Homestead-Miami Speedway Sebring Raceway St. Petersburg RacewayState symbols
Nickname: "The Sunshine State" State Motto: "In God we trust" State Bird: Mockingbird State Flower: Orange blossom - (Citrus sinensis) State Insect: Zebra Longwing Butterfly State Song: "Old Folks at Home (Suwannee River)" by Stephen C. Foster State Tree: Sabal Palm State Reptile: American Alligator State Animal: Florida Panther State Marine Mammal: West Indian Manatee State Saltwater Mammal: Dolphin State Drink: Orange juice State Fruit: Orange State Shell: Horse Conch (The great band shell) State Saltwater Fish: Sailfish State Freshwater Fish: Florida Largemouth Bass State Pie: Key lime pie State Gem: MoonstoneFauna
Florida is host to many types of animals.
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