   #copyright

Florida

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: North American Geography

   CAPTION: State of Florida


   Flag of Florida State seal of Florida
   Flag of Florida Seal of Florida
   Nickname(s): Sunshine State
   Motto(s): In God We Trust
   Map of the United States with Florida highlighted
   Official language(s) English
   Capital              Tallahassee
   Largest city         Jacksonville
   Area^                Ranked 22^nd
    - 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 4^th
    - Total ( 2000)     15,982,378
    - Density           301/sq mi
                        116.3/km² (8^th)
    - Median income^    $40,171 (36^th)
   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 (27^th)
   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
   Enlarge
   Florida

   Florida is a state located in the southeastern United States. Most of
   the state is a large peninsula with the Gulf of Mexico on its west and
   the Atlantic Ocean on its east. It has a warm and humid subtropical
   climate. It was named by Juan Ponce de León, who landed on the coast on
   April 2, 1513, during Pascua Florida (Spanish for "Flowery Easter,"
   referring to the Easter season). Florida's economy relies heavily on
   tourism.

Geography

   Florida is situated mostly on a large peninsula between the Gulf of
   Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Straits of Florida. It 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.

   At 345 feet (105 m) above mean sea level, Britton Hill is the highest
   point in Florida and the lowest highpoint of any U.S. state. Contrary
   to popular belief, however, Florida is not entirely "flat." Some
   places, such as Clearwater, feature vistas that rise 50 to 100 feet
   (15–30 m) above the water. Much of the interior of Florida, typically
   25 miles (40 km) or more away from the coastline, features rolling
   hills with elevations ranging from 100 to 250 feet (30–76 m) in many
   locations. Lake County holds the highest point of peninsular Florida,
   Sugarloaf Mountain, at 312 feet (95 m).

   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 Jacksonville

   Areas 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 List of Florida state parks

Boundaries

   The state line begins in the Atlantic Ocean, traveling west, south, and
   north up the thalweg of the Saint Mary's River. At the origin of that
   river, it then follows a straight line nearly due west and slightly
   north, to the point where the confluence of the Flint River (from
   Georgia) and the Chattahoochee River (down the Alabama/Georgia line)
   used to form Florida's Apalachicola River. (Since Woodruff Dam was
   built, this point has been under Lake Seminole.) The border with
   Georgia continues north through the lake for a short distance up the
   former thalweg of the Chattahoochee, then with Alabama runs due west
   along latitude 31°N to the Perdido River, then south along its thalweg
   to the Gulf via Perdido Bay.

Climate

   Hurricane Frances near peak strength.
   Enlarge
   Hurricane Frances near peak strength.

   The climate of Florida is tempered somewhat by its proximity to water.
   Most of the state has a humid subtropical climate, except for the
   southern tip which borders on tropical and the Florida Keys which have
   a true tropical climate. Cold fronts can occasionally bring high winds
   and cool to cold temperatures to the entire state during late fall and
   winter. One such front swept through the peninsula on November 25,
   1996, bringing cold temperatures and winds up to 95 miles per hour (150
   km/h), knocking out power to thousands and damaging mobile homes. The
   seasons in Florida are actually determined more by precipitation than
   by temperature with mild to cool, relatively dry winters and autumns
   (the dry season) and hot, wet springs and summers (the wet season). The
   Gulf Stream has a moderating effect on the climate, and although much
   of Florida commonly sees a high summer temperature over 90 degrees
   Fahrenheit (32 °C), the mercury seldom exceeds 100 degrees Fahrenheit
   (39 °C). The hottest temperature ever recorded in the state was 109 °F
   (43 °C), set on June 29, 1931 in Monticello. The coldest was –2°F (−19
   °C), on February 13, 1899, just 25 miles (40 km) away, in Tallahassee.
   Mean high temperatures for late July are primarily in the low 90s
   Fahrenheit (32–35 °C). Mean low temperatures for late January range
   from the low 40s Fahrenheit (4–7 °C) in northern Florida to the mid-50s
   (≈13 °C) in southern Florida.
   Florida taken from NASA Shuttle Mission STS-95 on October 31, 1998.
   Enlarge
   Florida taken from NASA Shuttle Mission STS-95 on October 31, 1998.

   The Florida Keys, being surrounded by water, have a more tropical
   climate, with lesser variability in temperatures. At Key West,
   temperatures rarely exceed 90 °F in the summer or fall below 60 °F in
   the winter, and frost has never been reported in the Keys.

   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 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. Hail often
   accompanies the most severe thunderstorms.

   Snow is a rare occurrence in Florida. During the Great Blizzard of
   1899, Florida experienced blizzard conditions. During that time, the
   Tampa Bay Area had "gulf-effect" snow, similar to lake-effect snow. The
   Great Blizzard of 1899 is the only time the temperature in the state is
   known to have fallen below 0 degrees Fahrenheit (−18 °C). The most
   widespread snowfall in Florida history happened in February 1978, when
   snow fell over much of the state in different times of the month, as
   far south as Homestead. Snow flurries fell on Miami Beach for the only
   time in recorded history. 1982's " Cold Sunday," which saw freezing
   conditions throughout much of the country, ruined that year's orange
   crops. In 1989, a severe hard freeze created lots of ice and also
   caused minor flurries in sections of the state and resulted in rolling
   blackouts from power failures caused by massive demands on the power
   grid for heating. A hard freeze in 2003 brought "ocean-effect" snow
   flurries to the Atlantic coast as far south as Cape Canaveral.

   The 1993 Superstorm brought blizzard conditions to the panhandle, while
   heavy rain and tornadoes beset the peninsula. The storm is believed to
   have been similar in composition to a hurricane, and even brought storm
   surges of six feet or more to regions of the Gulf coast.

   Although some storms have formed out of season, hurricanes pose a
   threat during hurricane season, which lasts from June 1 to November 30.
   Florida saw a slew of destruction in 2004, when it was hit by a record
   four hurricanes. Hurricanes Charley ( August 13), Frances ( September
   4– 5), Ivan ( September 16), and Jeanne ( September 25– 26)
   cumulatively cost the state's economy US$42 billion. In 2005, Hurricane
   Dennis ( July 10) became the fifth storm to strike Florida within
   eleven months. Later, Hurricane Katrina ( August 25) passed through
   South Florida and Hurricane Rita ( September 20) swept through the
   Florida Keys. Hurricane Wilma made landfall in Florida in the early
   morning of October 24 as a Category 3 hurricane, with the storm's eye
   hitting near Cape Romano, just south of Marco Island, according to the
   National Hurricane Centre.

   Florida was the site of the second costliest weather disaster in U.S.
   history, Hurricane Andrew, which caused more than US$25 billion in
   damage when it struck on August 24, 1992. In a long list of other
   infamous hurricane strikes are the 1926 Great Miami Hurricane, the Lake
   Okeechobee Hurricane of 1928, the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935,
   Hurricane Donna in 1960, and Hurricane Opal in 1995.

Environmental issues

   Florida is the fifth-largest producer of greenhouse gases among the 50
   U.S. states. This may coincide with the fact that Florida is the fourth
   most populous state in the United States. Climatologists and scientists
   debate whether global warming is to blame for an increase in the number
   of strong hurricanes. Others debate whether global warming actually
   exists. The scientists Peter Webster and Judith Curry of the Georgia
   Institute of Technology published research in 2005 showing an increase
   in global hurricane intensity, with a doubling of the number of
   Category 4 or 5 hurricanes since 1970. That increase coincides with a
   rise of nearly 1 degree Fahrenheit in ocean surface temperatures. They
   argue that there is a connection, while Florida's state climatologist,
   James O'Brien, argues the increase in stronger storms is merely part of
   a natural cycle.

   Other than fiercer hurricanes, global warming is predicted to have a
   number of destructive effects on Florida:

          In fact, scientists have already observed changes in Florida
          consistent with the early effects of global warming: retreating
          and eroding shorelines, dying coral reefs, saltwater intrusion
          into inland freshwater aquifers, an upswing in forest fires, and
          warmer air and sea-surface temperatures.

   The greatest threat from global warming is a rise in sea levels. Much
   of Florida, being only a few feet above sea level now, would be
   underwater if the sea level rose dramatically due to the continued
   melting of glaciers, parts of the Antarctic ice shelf, or Greenland's
   cover of ice. Even a rise of less than a foot could mean "seawater will
   advance inland as much as 400 feet in low-lying areas, flooding
   shoreline homes and hotels, limiting future development, and eroding
   the state's beloved beaches."

History

   Five of the flags that have been flown over Florida throughout the
   centuries.
   Enlarge
   Five of the flags that have been flown over Florida throughout the
   centuries.

   Archaeological finds indicate that Florida had been inhabited for
   thousands of years before any European settlements. Of the many
   indigenous people, the largest known were the Ais, the Apalachee, the
   Calusa, the Timucua and the Tocobago tribes. Juan Ponce de León, a
   Spanish conquistador, named Florida in honour of his discovery of the
   land on April 2, 1513, during Pascua Florida, a Spanish term for the
   Easter season. From that date forward, the land became known as "La
   Florida." (Juan Ponce de León may not have been the first European to
   reach Florida. At least one Indian that he encountered in Florida in
   1513 could speak Spanish.. Alternatively, the Spanish-speaking Indian
   could have been in contact with areas where Spanish settlements already
   existed, and Ponce de León was indeed the discoverer).

   Over the following century, both the Spanish and French established
   settlements in Florida, with varying degrees of success. In 1559,
   Spanish Pensacola was established by Don Tristán de Luna y Arellano as
   the first European settlement in the continental United States, but it
   had become abandoned by 1561 and would not be reinhabited until the
   1690s. French Huguenots founded Fort Caroline in modern-day
   Jacksonville in 1564, but this fort was conquered by forces from the
   new Spanish colony of St. Augustine the following year. After Huguenot
   leader Jean Ribault had learned of the new Spanish threat, he launched
   an expedition to sack the Spanish settlement; en route, however, severe
   storms at sea waylaid the expedition, which consisted of most of the
   colony's men, allowing St. Augustine founder Pedro Menéndez de Avilés
   time to march his men over land and conquer Fort Caroline. Most of the
   Huguenots were slaughtered, and Menéndez de Avilés marched south and
   captured the survivors of the wrecked French fleet, ordering all but a
   few Catholics executed beside a river subsequently called Matanzas
   (Spanish for 'killings'). St. Augustine came to serve as the capitals
   of the British and Spanish colonies of East and West Florida,
   respectively. The Spanish never had a firm hold on Florida, and
   maintained tenuous control over the region by converting the local
   tribes, briefly with Jesuits and later with Franciscan friars. The
   local leaders ( caciques) demonstrated their loyalty to the Spanish by
   converting to Roman Catholicism and welcoming the Franciscan priests
   into their villages.

   The area of Spanish Florida diminished with the establishment of
   English colonies to the north and French colonies to the west. The
   English weakened Spanish power in the area by supplying their Creek
   Indian allies with firearms and urging them to raid the Timucuan and
   Apalachee client-tribes of the Spanish. The English attacked St.
   Augustine, burning the city and its cathedral to the ground several
   times, while the citizens hid behind the walls of the Castillo de San
   Marcos. The Spanish, meanwhile, encouraged slaves to flee the
   English-held Carolinas and come to Florida, where they were converted
   to Roman Catholicism and given freedom. They settled in a buffer
   community north of St. Augustine, called Gracie Real de Santa Teresa de
   Mose, the first completely black settlement in what would become the
   United States. Great Britain gained control of Florida diplomatically
   in 1763 through the Peace of Paris (the Castillo de San Marcos
   surrendered for the first time, having never been taken militarily).
   Britain tried to develop Florida through the importation of immigrants
   for labor, including some from Minorca and Greece, but this project
   ultimately failed. Spain regained Florida after Britain's defeat by the
   American colonies and the subsequent Treaty of Versailles (1783).
   Finally, in 1819, by terms of the Adams-Onís Treaty, Spain ceded
   Florida to the United States in exchange for the American renunciation
   of any claims on Texas. On March 3, 1845, Florida became the 27th state
   of the United States of America. On January 10, 1861, before the formal
   outbreak of the Civil War, Florida seceded from the Union; ten days
   later, the state became a founding member of the Confederate States of
   America. The war ended in 1865. On June 25, 1868, Florida's
   congressional representation was restored. Until the mid-twentieth
   century, Florida was the least populous Southern state; however, the
   local climate, tempered by the growing availability of air
   conditioning, made the state a haven, and migration from the Rust Belt
   and the Northeast sharply increased the population. Economic prosperity
   combined with Florida's sudden elevation in profile led to the Florida
   land boom of the 1920s, which brought a brief period of intense land
   development before the Great Depression brought it all to a halt.
   Florida's economy would not fully recover until World War II. Today,
   Florida is the most populous state in the South besides Texas, and the
   fourth most populous in the United States.

Government

   Florida Capitol buildings (Old Capitol in foreground
   Enlarge
   Florida Capitol buildings (Old Capitol in foreground

                                   CAPTION: 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. The state
   government consists of three separate branches: judicial, executive,
   and legislative. The legislature enacts bills, which, if signed by the
   governor, become Florida Statutes.

   The Florida Legislature is comprised of the Florida Senate, which has
   40 members, and the Florida House of Representatives, which has 120
   members. The current Governor of Florida] is Republican Jeb Bush,
   brother of U.S. President George W. Bush and son of former U.S.
   President George H. W. Bush. The Florida Supreme Court consists of a
   Chief Justice and six Justices.
   A map of Florida showing county names and boundaries.
   Enlarge
   A map of Florida showing county names and boundaries.

   Florida was traditionally a Democratic Party state; at one time, 68.5
   percent of all Floridians were registered Democrats. In the last
   decades of the twentieth century, the realignment of the " Solid South"
   has led many conservative Democrats of Florida to vote with the
   Republican Party. This tendency, combined with explosive population
   growth, which has brought many Republicans into the state, has given
   Florida a Republican edge in practice. As a result, Republicans control
   the governorship and most other statewide elective offices: both houses
   of the state legislature, 18 of the state's 25 seats in the House of
   Representatives, and one of the state's two Senate seats. The disputed
   2000 Presidential election in Florida was extremely close. Because of
   the state's population and number of electoral votes, political
   analysts consider it to be a key swing state in presidential elections.
   The Tampa area, once a major centre of Democratic union support, is now
   almost evenly split between registered Republicans and Democrats,
   making it part of the important I-4 Corridor swing region.

Economy

   Launch of Space Shuttle Columbia from Kennedy Space Center.
   Enlarge
   Launch of Space Shuttle Columbia from Kennedy Space Centre.

   The gross state product of Florida in 2005 was $596 billion . Personal
   income was $30,098 per capita, ranking 26^th in the nation.

   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.

   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 Centre in the 1960s,
   Florida has developed a sizeable aerospace industry. The state did not
   have a state minimum wage law until November 2, 2004, when voters
   passed a constitutional amendment establishing a state minimum wage and
   mandating that it be adjusted for inflation every six months.
   The beach at Bahia Honda in the Florida Keys
   Enlarge
   The beach at Bahia Honda in the Florida Keys

   Historically, Florida's economy was based upon cattle farming and
   agriculture (especially sugarcane, citrus, tomatoes, and strawberries).
   In the early 1900, land speculators discovered Florida, and Plant and
   Henry Flagler developed railway systems, which led people to move in,
   drawn by the weather and local economies. From then on, tourism boomed,
   fueling a cycle of development and tourism that overwhelmed a great
   deal of farmland.

   In 2004 and 2005, key industries along the west coast—commercial
   fishing and water-based tourist activities (sports fishing and
   diving)—were threatened by outbreaks of red tide, a discoloration of
   seawater caused by an efflorescence of toxin-producing dinoflagellates.

   Florida is one of the nine states that do not impose a personal income
   tax ( list of others). The state imposes a tax on "intangible personal
   property" (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, money market funds, etc.), but
   this tax will be abolished in 2007. The state sales tax rate is 6% .
   Local governments may levy an additional local option sales tax of up
   to 1.5%. A locale's use-tax rate is the same as its sales-tax rate,
   including local options, if any. Use taxes are payable for purchases
   made out of state and brought into Florida within six months of the
   purchase date. Other taxes are mostly levied on businesses. They
   include the following taxes: corporate income, communication services,
   intangibles, unemployment, solid waste, documentary stamps, insurance
   premium, pollutants, and various fuel taxes. For more information,
   visit the Florida Department of Revenue website at .

Demographics

   The centre of population of Florida is located in Polk County, in the
   town of Lake Wales .

Race and ancestry

   Florida Population Density Map
   Enlarge
   Florida Population Density Map
   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%).

                                                    Historical populations
                                                           Census Pop. %±
     __________________________________________________________________

                                                             1830 34,730 -
                                                         1840 54,477 56.9%
                                                         1850 87,445 60.5%
                                                        1860 140,424 60.6%
                                                        1870 187,748 33.7%
                                                        1880 269,493 43.5%
                                                        1890 391,422 45.2%
                                                        1900 528,542 35.0%
                                                        1910 752,619 42.4%
                                                        1920 968,470 28.7%
                                                      1930 1,468,211 51.6%
                                                      1940 1,897,414 29.2%
                                                      1950 2,771,305 46.1%
                                                      1960 4,951,560 78.7%
                                                      1970 6,789,443 37.1%
                                                      1980 9,746,324 43.6%
                                                     1990 12,937,926 32.7%
                                                     2000 15,982,378 23.5%

   Before the American Civil War, when slavery was legal, and during the
   Reconstruction era that followed, African Americans made up nearly half
   of the state's population. Their proportion declined over the next
   century, as many moved north in the Great Migration while large numbers
   of northern whites moved to the state. Recently, the state's proportion
   of black residents has begun to grow again. Today, large concentrations
   of black residents can be found in northern Florida (notably in
   Jacksonville, Gainesville and Pensacola), the Tampa Bay area, and South
   Florida (where their numbers have been bolstered by significant
   immigration from Haiti and Jamaica).

   Florida's Hispanic population includes large communities of Cuban
   Americans in Miami and Tampa, Puerto Ricans in Tampa and Orlando, and
   Central American migrant workers in inland West-Central and South
   Florida. The Hispanic community continues to grow more affluent and
   mobile: between the years of 2000 and 2004, Lee County in southwest
   Florida, which is largely suburban in character, had the fastest
   Hispanic population growth rate of any county in the United States.

   Whites of all ethnicities are present in all areas of the state. Those
   of British ancestry are present in large numbers in the coastal cities.
   There is a large German population in Southwest Florida, a sizeable and
   historic Italian community in the Miami area, and white Floridians of
   longer-present generations in the culturally southern areas of inland
   and northern Florida. Native white Floridians, especially those who
   have descended from long-time Florida families, affectionately referred
   to themselves as " Florida Crackers."

   Persons from Florida are known properly as "Floridians" or as
   "Floridans".

Languages

   As of 2000, 76.9 percent of Florida residents age 5 and older speak
   only English at home, while 16.5 percent speak Spanish. Haitian Creole
   is the third most spoken language at 2.2 percent, followed by German at
   0.6 percent and Italian at 0.4 percent.

   Article II, Section 9, of the Florida Constitution provides that
   "English is the official language of the State of Florida." This
   provision was adopted in 1988 by a vote following an Initiative
   Petition.

Religion

   Florida is mostly Protestant, with a Roman Catholic community that is
   growing because of immigration. There is also a sizable Jewish
   community, located mainly in South Florida; no other Southern state has
   such a large Jewish population. Florida's current religious
   affiliations are shown in the table below:
     * Christian, 82%
          + Protestant, 54%
               o Baptist, 19%
               o Methodist, 6%
               o Presbyterian, 4%
               o Episcopal, 3%
               o Lutheran, 3%
               o Pentecostal, 3%
               o Other Protestant, 16%
          + Roman Catholic, 26%
          + Other Christian, 2%
     * Jewish, 4%
     * Other Religions, 1%
     * Non-Religious, 13%

Education

   Century Tower, University of Florida.
   Enlarge
   Century Tower, University of Florida.

   Florida's public primary and secondary schools are administered by the
   Florida Department of Education.

   Florida's public-school revenue per student and spending per $1000 of
   personal income usually rank in the bottom 25 percent of U.S. states.
   Average teacher salaries rank near the middle of U.S. states.

   Florida public schools have consistently ranked in the bottom 25
   percent of many national surveys and average test-score rankings. Many
   education surveys are not scientific, but measure prestige. Governor
   Jeb Bush has been criticized by many Florida educators for a program
   that penalizes underperforming schools (as indicated by standardized
   tests, most prominently the FCAT) with fewer funding dollars.
   Supporters say the program's tough measures have resulted in vast
   improvements to the education system. Major testing organizations
   frequently discount the use of state's average test-score rankings, or
   any average of scaled scores, as a valid metric (for details on scaled
   test scores, see psychometrics).

   In 2000, the governor and the state legislature abolished the Florida
   Board of Regents, which long had governed the State University System
   of Florida, and created boards of trustees to govern each university.
   As is typical of executive-appointed government boards, the appointees
   so far have overwhelmingly belonged to the governor's party. This
   effect has not been without controversy. ^In 2002, former governor and
   then U.S. Senator Bob Graham ( Dem.) led a constitutional-amendment
   ballot referendum designed to restore the board-of-regents system.
   Voters responded by creating the Florida Board of Governors; however,
   each university still maintains a Board of Trustees which work under
   this new, overseeing Board of Governors.

Transportation

Highways

   Florida's interstates, state highways and U.S. Highways are maintained
   by the Florida Department of Transportation.

   Florida's interstate highway system contains 1,473 miles (2,371 km) of
   highway, and there are 9,934 miles (15,987 km) of non-interstate
   highway in the state, such as Florida state highways and U.S. Highways.

   Florida's primary interstate routes include:
     * I-4, which bisects the state, connecting Tampa, Lakeland, Orlando,
       and Daytona Beach, having junctions with I-95 at Daytona Beach and
       I-75 at Tampa.
     * I-10, which traverses the panhandle, connecting Jacksonville, Lake
       City, Tallahassee and Pensacola, having junctions with I-95 at
       Jacksonville and I-75 at Lake City.
     * I-75, which enters the state near Lake City (45 miles west of
       Jacksonville) and continues southward through Gainesville, Ocala,
       Tampa's eastern suburbs, Bradenton, Sarasota, and Fort Myers to
       Naples, where it crosses the "Alligator Alley" as a toll road to
       Fort Lauderdale before turning southward and terminating in
       Hialeah/ Miami Lakes having junctions with I-10 at Lake City and
       I-4 at Tampa.
     * I-95, which enters the state near Jacksonville and continues along
       the Atlantic Coast through Daytona Beach, Melbourne/Titusville,
       Palm Bay, Vero Beach, Fort Pierce, Port Saint Lucie, Stuart, West
       Palm Beach, and Ft. Lauderdale before terminating in Miami, having
       junctions with I-10 at Jacksonville and I-4 at Daytona Beach.

   Florida's secondary interstate routes include:
     * I-110, a spur from I-10 into downtown Pensacola.
     * I-175, which connects I-275 to southern downtown St. Petersburg.
     * I-195, an extension of Miami's Airport Expressway ( S.R. 112); a
       spur eastward from I-95 to Miami Beach.
     * I-275, a sixty-mile (100 km) westward loop from I-75 north of
       Ellenton, over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, through St. Petersburg,
       to Tampa International Airport and downtown Tampa, reconnecting
       with I-75 in Tampa's northern suburbs.
     * I-295, a partial beltway around Jacksonville that will loop
       completely around the city by 2007.
     * I-375, which connects I-275 to northern downtown St. Petersburg.
     * I-395, an extension of Miami's Dolphin Expressway ( S.R. 836); a
       spur eastward from I-95 to Miami Beach.
     * I-595, which connects I-75, I-95, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood
       International Airport and Port Everglades.

   Florida has several toll roads, totaling 515 miles (830 km) of the
   state highway system. Major toll roads include:
     * I-75, as it passes through the Everglades between Naples and Fort
       Lauderdale has been grandfathered as a toll road from its original
       construction as S.R. 84
     * Florida's Turnpike, which begins at Interstate 75 south of Ocala
       and continues southeast through Orlando, Port Saint Lucie, and
       south through the western suburbs of Fort Lauderdale and Miami to
       Homestead

   For more information about the myriad secondary toll expressways in
   Florida, see articles detailing roads maintained by the Florida
   Turnpike Authority, the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority, and the
   Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority.

Intercity rail

   In 2000, voters approved a constitutional amendment to construct a
   high-speed rail system to interconnect Florida's major cities. A
   committee was formed by the Florida Legislature to oversee the project;
   however, in 2004, Governor Jeb Bush and other lawmakers pushed for an
   amendment to remove the amendment, which succeeded. They stated that
   the cost would have been too high to construct the system, but
   proponents of the system said the claims regarding high cost were
   exaggerated and taken out of context, compared with the cost of
   building roads, maintaining automobiles, and so forth. The Florida High
   Speed Rail Authority, originally formed to implement the
   high-speed-rail amendment, has vowed to find a way to implement the
   system without the amendment.

   Amtrak service exists in Florida: Sanford, in Greater Orlando, is the
   southern terminus of the Amtrak Auto Train, which originates at Lorton,
   Virginia, south of Washington, DC. Orlando is also the eastern terminus
   of the Sunset Limited, which travels across the southern United States
   via New Orleans, Houston, and San Antonio to its western terminus of
   Los Angeles. Florida is served by two additional Amtrak trains (the
   Silver Star and the Silver Meteor), which operate between New York City
   and Miami.

Public transportation

   Public transportation systems exist in many major cities. Miami has an
   automated guideway people-mover system, as well as a 22-mile metro
   system, and most cities have bus service. In the South Florida
   Metropolitan area, train service is provided by Tri-Rail; this service
   has a southern terminus in Miami and a northern terminus in West Palm
   Beach. It has been proposed that the northern terminus be extended
   north as far as Stuart in Martin County, but no progress has been made.
   Tri-Rail provides local bus service from its stations.

   Greyhound provides commercial bus service between different cities in
   Florida.

Airports

   Florida's major international airports, which processed more than 15
   million passengers in 2005, are Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International
   Airport (22,390,285), Miami International Airport (31,008,453), Orlando
   International Airport (34,128,048) and Tampa International Airport
   (19,045,390).

   Secondary airports, with annual passenger traffic exceeding 5 million
   in 2005, include Jacksonville International Airport (5,741,652), Palm
   Beach International Airport (West Palm Beach) (7,014,237) and Southwest
   Florida International Airport (Fort Myers) (7,518,169).

   Other smaller, regional airports with commercial service (with
   passengers served in 2005, where available) include those at Daytona
   Beach (615,841), Fort Walton Beach, Gainesville (345,788), Key West,
   Melbourne (466,367) , Naples, Panama City (382,551), Pensacola
   (1,638,605), Sarasota-Bradenton (1,337,571), St. Petersburg-Clearwater
   (596,510) and Tallahassee (1,129,947). Sanford (1,649,237) is primarily
   served by international charter airlines.

Metropolitan areas

   Distribution of Metropolitan Statistical Areas in Florida
   Enlarge
   Distribution of Metropolitan Statistical Areas in Florida

   Florida has nineteen Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) defined by
   the United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Thirty-eight
   of Florida's sixty-seven counties are in an MSA. Reflecting the
   distribution of population in Florida, Metropolitan areas in the state
   are concentrated around the coast of the peninsula. They form a
   continuous band on the east coast of Florida, stretching from the
   Jacksonville MSA to the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach MSA,
   including nearly every county on the east coast, with the exceptions of
   Flagler County and Monroe County. There is also a continuous band of
   MSAs on the west coast of the peninsula from the Tampa-St.
   Petersburg-Clearwater MSA to the Naples-Marco Island MSA, including all
   of the coastal counties from Hernando County to Collier County. The
   interior of the northern half of the peninsula also has several MSAs,
   connecting the east and west coast MSAs. A few MSAs are scattered
   across the Florida panhandle.
   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

   Miami
   Enlarge
   Miami
   Fort Lauderdale
   Enlarge
   Fort Lauderdale
   Tampa
   Enlarge
   Tampa
   Orlando
   Enlarge
   Orlando
   Jacksonville
   Enlarge
   Jacksonville
   St. Petersburg
   Enlarge
   St. Petersburg

   City Population > 700,000
     * Jacksonville

   City Population > 300,000
     * Miami
     * Tampa

   City Population > 200,000
     * Hialeah
     * Orlando
     * St. Petersburg

   City Population > 100,000
     * Cape Coral
     * Clearwater
     * Coral Springs
     * Fort Lauderdale
     * Gainesville
     * Hollywood
     * Miami Gardens
     * Pembroke Pines
     * Miramar
     * Palm Bay
     * Port Saint Lucie
     * Pompano Beach
     * Tallahassee

   City Population > 75,000
     * Boca Raton
     * Brandon
     * Davie
     * Deltona
     * Kendall
     * Lakeland
     * Melbourne
     * Miami Beach
     * Plantation
     * Sunrise
     * West Palm Beach

                            City Population > 50,000
                              * Boynton Beach
                              * Bradenton
                              * Daytona Beach
                              * Deerfield Beach
                              * Delray Beach
                              * Fort Myers
                              * Fountainbleau
                              * Kendale Lakes
                              * Kissimmee
                              * Largo
                              * Lauderhill
                              * Margate
                              * North Miami
                              * North Miami Beach
                              * Palm Coast
                              * Palm Harbour
                              * Pensacola
                              * Port Orange
                              * Sarasota
                              * Spring Hill
                              * Tamarac
                              * Tamiami
                              * Town 'n' Country
                              * Weston

                            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. The state now has three NFL
   teams, two MLB teams, two NBA teams, and two NHL teams. With two of its
   most historically-important teams, Florida is one of the most important
   markets for the Arena Football League. Florida also hosts a variety of
   minor league baseball, football, basketball, ice hockey, soccer and
   indoor football teams.
             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 Raceway

State symbols

   Orange blossoms.
   Enlarge
   Orange blossoms.
     * 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: Moonstone

Fauna

   Florida is host to many types of animals.
     * Marine Animals : Bottlenose Dolphin, Pilot Whale, Northern Right
       Whale, Manatee
     * Reptilians : Alligator, Crocodile, Eastern Diamondback and Pygmy
       Rattlesnakes, Gopher Tortoise, Green & Leatherback Sea Turtles,
       Indigo Snake
     * Mammals : Panther, Whitetail Deer, Key Deer, Bobcats, Southern
       Black Bear, Armadillos
     * Birds : Bald Eagle, Caracca, Everglades Kite, Osprey, Pelicans, Sea
       Gulls, Whooping & Sandhill Cranes, Roseate Spoonbill, Florida Scrub
       Jay (State endemic), and many more. Note : Florida is a winter home
       for most of eastern North America's birds.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
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