Welcome to Florida

Florida is situated mostly on a large peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Straits of Florida.  extends to the northwest into a panhandle, extending along the northern Gulf of Mexico. It is bordered on the north by the states of Georgia and Alabama, and on the west, at the end of the panhandle, by Alabama. It is near the countries of the Caribbean, particularly the Bahamas and Cuba. Florida’s nickname is the “Sunshine State,” but severe weather is a common occurrence in the state. Central Florida is known as the lightning capital of the United States, as it experiences more lightning strikes than anywhere else in the country. Florida has the highest average precipitation of any state, in large part because afternoon thunderstorms are common in most of the state from late spring until early autumn. A fair day may be interrupted with a storm, only to return to regular, gorgeous sunshine. These thunderstorms, caused by collisions between airflow from the Gulf of Mexico and airflow from the Atlantic Ocean, pop up in the early afternoon and can bring heavy downpours, high winds, and sometimes tornadoes. Florida leads the United States in tornadoes per square mile, but these tornadoes do not typically reach the intensity of those in the Midwest and Great Plains. Key West has the highest average temperature in the United States.  With 1,100 miles of beaches, if you were to walk one mile of Florida beach every day, it would take you longer than two-and-a half years to get around the whole state. Each area has its own personality and unique coastal strands. Some are relaxing and quiet, places where one could look around and see nothing but sand, sea and sea grapes—no high rises. Others, well known for being exceptionally family-friendly, are full of kids. These beaches may be dotted with rainbow-striped beach umbrellas, sand castles, surf boards, kites and maybe a pier or a mini-golf course. Each beach has something setting it apart—one may be in a national wildlife refuge, one may have emerald green waters while another has clear blue water, and some have various museums. Florida’s economy relies heavily on tourism. About 60 million visitors visit the state every year. Warm weather and hundreds of miles of beach attract vacationers from around the world. The Walt Disney World Resort, a mega-resort consisting of four theme parks, more than twenty hotels, water parks, shopping centers, and other attractions, is an important tourist attraction located in Lake Buena Vista. Together, Walt Disney World, and other theme park resorts such as Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld, are an important driver of the Central Florida economy. Orlando attracts more visitors than any other amusement park destination in the United States.  Other major industries include citrus fruit and juice production, banking, and phosphate mining within the Bone Valley region. With the arrival of the space program at Kennedy Space Center in the 1960s, Florida has developed a sizeable aerospace industry.

Fast Facts POPULATION: 17,789,864 CAPITAL: Tallahassee COUNTIES: 67 TIME ZONE: Eastern Daylight Time STATE MOTTO: “In God we trust” LARGEST CITIES: Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa HOUSING UNITS: 8,009,427 MEDIAN VALUE: $105,500 MEDIAN INCOME: $38,985 STATE SALES TAX: 6%