Florida - Political   Capital Tallahassee Largest City Jacksonville Major Cities Miami, Tampa, Saint Petersburg, Hialeah, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Panama City, Clearwater,Gainesville Nicknames Sunshine State Area 58,664 sq. miles Population 17,019,068

 

Florida - Physical features   Bays Florida Bay, Tampa Bay, Apalachee Bay Capes Cape San Blas, Cape Canaveral, Cape Sable Bodies of Water Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Lake Okeechobee, Lake Seminole, Straits of Florida Islands Florida Keys (the largest of which is Key Largo), various other barrier islands along the coast Rivers Saint Johns, Kissimmee, Apalachicola, Suwannee, Peace, Perdido Highest Point Britton Hill Bordering States Georgia (north), Alabama (northwest, north) National Parks Everglades NP, Biscayne NP, Dry Tortugas NP Key Products Oranges, Grapefruit, Tangerines, Cattle, Tourism Natural Resources Mangrove, Pine, Forestry, Swamps and Marshes

 

Florida - History   1513 Spanish explorer Juan Ponce De leon lands in Florida seeking the legendary "Fountain of Youth". 1565 First permanent European settlement in North America made at Saint Augustine on the Atlantic Coast 1806 Spain cedes Florida to the United States 1835 The Seminole Wars end in victory for the Americans and the native peoples are forced to go to Oklahoma, but some of them escape and find refuge in the Everglades 1845 Florida enters the Union as the 27th state 1896-1912 Two tycoons, Henry Flager and Henry Plant, rush to develop parts of Florida Present Day The Everglades abound in wildlife, tourists ooh and aah watching space shuttles launch at Cape Canaveral, theme parks surround Orlando and its vicinity, a variety of National Parks , coastal beaches, resorts and a pleasant climate year-round bring more money to the state

 

Florida - Facts   Jacksonville is the largest city in the continental United States by land area Spanish explorer Ponce De Leon explored Florida’s Atlantic coastline searching for the legendary "Fountain of Youth". Orlando, home to tourist attractions such as Walt Disney World, Sea World, Universal Orlando Resort (consisting of Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure) and much more, is Florida’s largest inland city and the state’s sixth-largest city. Orlando is also a center for electronical equipment The Everglades is the world’s largest marsh Pensacola was the first European settlement in the United States, established by Don Tristan de Luna in 1559, but Saint Augustine on the Atlantic coast was the first permanent European settlement Until the mid-twentieth century, Florida was the least populous Southern state. Today, Florida is the fourth most populous state in the Union and second most populous in the South. Britton Hill is the lowest high point of any state Miami is the US’s chief center for Caribbean and Latin American trade Florida is a leader in citrus fruit production and produces more oranges, grapefruit, and tangerines than any other state Florida has the country’s second longest coastline after Alaska