Florida
-
Where is Florida located in the United States?
Florida is located in the southeastern United States, forming a peninsula that separates the Atlantic Ocean from the Gulf of Mexico. It shares land borders with Georgia to the north and Alabama to the west. Florida is the southernmost of the 48 conterminous United States, with its northernmost point situated about 100 miles south of California's southern border. The state's southernmost part, the Florida Keys, extends to within approximately 75 miles of the Tropic of Cancer. This strategic location places Florida at a crossroads between North and South America and provides extensive coastlines along both the Atlantic and the Gulf.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What is Florida known for?
Florida, known as the \"Sunshine State,\" is renowned for its significant tourism industry, which is a major driver of its economy. The state also boasts a rich history, with St. Augustine being the oldest European settlement in the continental United States. Culturally, Florida offers a variety of attractions, including Everglades National Park, museums, and numerous festivals. Its mild climate and numerous attractions, such as Walt Disney World, draw millions of visitors annually.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What is the climate like in Florida?
Florida's climate is divided into two regions: tropical in the south and subtropical in the north. Summers are consistently warm throughout the state, with occasional freezing weather reaching as far south as Miami, though the Keys remain frost-free. Rainfall is heaviest during the summer months, with drier conditions in winter. Average annual temperatures range from 68Ā°F (20Ā°C) in the north to 77Ā°F (25Ā°C) in the south. The state experiences frequent lightning strikes, particularly on the west coast during summer. Florida is also prone to hurricanes, with the season running from June to November. Thunderstorms are common, with the Florida peninsula experiencing over 80 days of thunderstorms annually.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
Which major cities are found in Florida?
Florida is home to several major cities, including Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa, Orlando, and St. Petersburg. These urban centers are significant hubs for transportation, business, and tourism within the state. Other notable cities include Fort Lauderdale, Hialeah, and Tallahassee, which serves as the state capital. The state's population is largely concentrated in urban areas, particularly along the southeastern Gold Coast and the western Suncoast.
3 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How has Florida's history shaped its culture?
Florida's culture has been shaped by a complex history of indigenous peoples, European colonization, and diverse immigration waves. Initially inhabited by Native American groups, the arrival of Spanish explorers in the 16th century led to devastating epidemics and conflict, significantly reducing the native population. Spanish settlement, beginning with St. Augustine in 1565, was followed by periods of English and Spanish control, marked by shifting alliances and conflicts.
In the 19th century, the Seminole Wars resulted in the displacement of most Seminole people to Oklahoma, though some remained. The United States gained control of Florida in 1821, and its admission to the union in 1845 was followed by the Civil War and Reconstruction.
The 20th century saw significant population growth, driven by migration from northern states, military investment, and a substantial influx of Cuban exiles, particularly after the Cuban Revolution. This has led to a diverse cultural landscape, with Spanish being the primary language in some areas and Miami becoming a major center for Latin American culture.
4 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What are some important industries and attractions in Florida today?
Florida's economy is largely driven by services, with tourism being its largest income-producing activity. Key industries include retail trade, transportation, and construction, reflecting the state's growing population and tourism sector. Manufacturing is also present, focusing on computers, electronic devices, and transportation equipment.
Major attractions include the extensive theme parks like Walt Disney World and Universal Studios, as well as professional and collegiate sporting events, golf, and abundant parkland, including Everglades National Park. The John F. Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral is both a significant industry and a tourist destination.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
News •
Florida, constituent state of the United States of America. It was admitted as the 27th state in 1845. Florida is the most populous of the southeastern states and the second most populous Southern state after Texas. The capital is Tallahassee, located in the northwestern panhandle.
Geographic location has been the key factor in Floridaās long and colorful development, and it helps explain the striking contemporary character of the state. The greater part of Florida lies on a peninsula that protrudes southeastward from the North American continent, separating the waters of the Atlantic Ocean from those of the Gulf of Mexico and pointing toward Cuba and the Caribbean Sea beyond. Florida shares a land border with only two other states, both along its northern boundary: Georgia (east) and Alabama (west). The nearest foreign territory is the island of Bimini in the Bahamas, some 50 miles (80 km) to the east of the stateās southern tip. Florida is the southernmost of the 48 conterminous United States, its northernmost point lying about 100 miles (160 km) farther south than Californiaās southern border. The Florida Keys, a crescent of islands that forms the stateās southernmost portion, extend to within about 75 miles (120 km) of the Tropic of Cancer. Floridaās marine shoreline totals more than 8,400 miles (13,500 km), including some 5,100 miles (8,200 km) along the gulf; among U.S. states, only Alaska has a longer coastline.
- Capital:
- Tallahassee
- Population1:
- (2020) 21,538,187; (2025 est.) 23,462,518
- Governor:
- Ron DeSantis (Republican)
- Date Of Admission:
- March 3, 1845
- U.S. Senators:
- Marco Rubio (Republican)
- Rick Scott (Republican)
- State Nickname:
- Sunshine State
- State Motto:
- "In God We Trust"
- State Bird:
- northern mockingbird
- State Flower2:
- orange blossom
- coreopsis
- State Song:
- āSwanee Riverā
- Seats In U.S. House Of Representatives:
- 28 (of 435)
- Time Zone:
- Central (GMT ā 6 hours)
- Eastern (GMT ā 5 hours)
- Total Area (Sq Km):
- 170,311
- Total Area (Sq Mi):
- 65,757
- Excluding military abroad.
- The coreopsis is the state wildflower; no species was designated.
The state lies close to both the geographic and population centers of the Western Hemisphere, in a position that not only commands one entrance to the Gulf of Mexico but also overlooks a strategic crossroads between North and South America and historic routes to the European and Mediterranean worlds. The Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de LeĆ³n landed there in 1513, named the territory La Florida (meaning āThe Flowerā in Spanish), and claimed it for Spain. Florida played a prominent role in the historic struggles of European powers to control the Americas and the Caribbean. St. Augustine, founded in 1565 on Floridaās northeastern coast, is the oldest European settlement within what were to become the boundaries of the continental United States.
The climate and scenery of the āSunshine Stateā have long attracted enormous numbers of visitors. Tourism has surpassed agriculture and manufacturing as the main component of Floridaās economy, and the prospect of employment in the stateās rapidly growing service sector has simultaneously drawn many immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Consequently, Florida has regularly ranked among the states with the fastest-growing immigrant population. Area 65,757 square miles (170,311 square km). Population (2020) 21,538,187; (2025 est.) 23,462,518.
Land
Relief
Florida is a geologically young, low-lying plain, mostly less than 100 feet (30 meters) above sea level. The highest point is near the Alabama border in Walton county, a mere 345 feet (105 meters) above sea level. Sedimentary deposits of sand and limestone cover most of the state, with areas of peat and muck marking locations where freshwater bodies once stood. The contemporary topography has been largely molded by running water, waves, ocean currents, winds, changes in sea level, and the wearing away of limestone rocks by solution. These forces have produced enough variation in the stateās surface to permit classification into seven basic physiographic regions: the coastal lowlands, the Lake OkeechobeeāEverglades basin, the Kissimmee lowlands, the Marianna lowlands, the central highlands, the Tallahassee hills, and the western highlands, though these divisions are scarcely apparent to the naked eye.
The coastal lowlands occupy roughly three-fourths of the surface and vary in width from about 10 to 100 miles (16 to 160 km). Generally, the region is exceedingly flat and is often less than 25 feet (8 meters) above sea level. Much of the area is swampy, and in the eastern part of the state numerous former beach ridges parallel one another. Offshore barrier bars (beaches) rim much of the region and account for most of Floridaās finest beaches.
The Lake OkeechobeeāEverglades basin and the Kissimmee lowlands are actually subdivisions of the coastal lowlands, but their uniqueness justifies separate designations. The former is 150 miles (240 km) long and 50 miles (80 km) wide and is technically a shallow, slow-moving river (the Everglades is often called a āriver of grassā). The northern portion has been modified with canals, dikes, and pumping stations and is Floridaās principal zone of sugarcane production. The southern portion retains much of its pre-European flavour and is protected within the confines of Everglades National Park. The Kissimmee lowlands are about the size of the Lake OkeechobeeāEverglades basin and include the broad valley of the Kissimmee River, the major source for water flowing southward to Lake Okeechobee. Much of this region is a flat grassland dominated by pastures and cattle ranches.
The trusted destination for professionals, college students, and lifelong learners.
SUBSCRIBE
The Marianna lowlands constitute a small region in the northwestern panhandle, bounded on the east by the Apalachicola River and on the west by the Choctawhatchee River. The region is heavily eroded and has numerous sinkholes and caves.
The Marianna lowlands separate the Tallahassee hills, to the east, from the western highlands, which extend to the Alabama border on the west. Both of these regions are about the same size (40 by 100 miles [65 by 160 km]), and both are ancient upland plains that have been dissected by streams. Together, they form a beautiful undulating terrain that is the most important zone for the production of field crops in Florida.
The central highlands lie between the Suwannee River, on the eastern side of the Tallahassee hills, and the St. Johns River, which separates the highlands from the eastern coastal lowlands. The region extends southward from the Georgia border to the area of Arcadia and Sebring, a distance of some 400 miles (640 km); its width varies from 50 to 75 miles (80 to 120 km). The land is rolling and dotted with thousands of lakes, and the central and southern portions of the region contain most of Floridaās citrus acreage.