The state's capital is Tallahassee and its most populous municipality is Jacksonville. There are likely to be additional challenges to the map and districts. The U.S. Senate election between Democratic incumbent senator Bill Nelson and former governor Rick Scott was close, with a 49.93% voting for the incumbent and 50.06% voting for the former governor. [146][147] The Florida population was 21,477,737 residents or people according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2019 Population Estimates Program. Author of. Rogers, Maxine D.; Rivers, Larry E.; Colburn, David R.; Dye, R. Tom & Rogers, William W. (December 1993), Precht and Miller:243–44, 245, 247–48, 249. Instead of men and manufactured goods, Florida did provide salt and, more importantly, beef to feed the Confederate armies. Economic prosperity in the 1920s stimulated tourism to Florida and related development of hotels and resort communities. The first European contact was made in 1513 by Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León, who called it la Florida ([la floˈɾiða] "the land of flowers") upon landing there. [183] In response to segregation, disfranchisement and agricultural depression, many African Americans migrated from Florida to northern cities in the Great Migration, in waves from 1910 to 1940, and again starting in the later 1940s. [43][44] Neither East Florida nor West Florida sent any representatives to Philadelphia to draft the Declaration of Independence. About half of all Major League Baseball teams conduct spring training in the state, with teams informally organized into the "Grapefruit League". [114] The park contains a lot of tropical vegetation, marine life, and seabirds. [175] Some of their ancestry went back to the original thirteen colonies. Sort out the facts and discover everything the USA has to offer. Here's why", "Florida's Long-Lost Wild Flamingos Were Hiding in Plain Sight", "Now that we agree these flamingos are Florida natives, it's time to protect them, experts say", "Where Sand Is Gold, the Reserves Are Running Dry", The State of Coral Reef Ecosystems of the Florida Keys, "Florida Springs, Springs in Florida, Florida Cave Diving—Florida's Springs: Protecting Nature's Gems—Florida DEP—Springshed Map", "Sinkholes, West-Central Florida. Today, Florida is distinctive for its large Cuban expatriate community and high population growth, as well as for its increasing environmental issues. Like whites in most other states of the southern U.S., they descend mainly from English and Scots-Irish settlers, as well as some other British American settlers.[177]. 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. There are 24 military bases in the state, housing three Unified Combatant Commands; United States Central Command in Tampa, United States Southern Command in Doral, and United States Special Operations Command in Tampa. [245], Florida's constitution establishes a state minimum wage, which is adjusted annually for inflation. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. [134][135] Everglades National Park covers 1,509,000 acres (6,110 km2), throughout Dade, Monroe, and Collier counties in Florida. The state government consists of three separate branches: judicial, executive, and legislative. In 2000, George W. Bush won the U.S. presidential election by a margin of 271–266 in the Electoral College. Numerous other railroads were built all over the interior of the state. May (eds. state. [301] Miami-Dade County is the largest of Florida's 67 regular districts with more than 350 thousand students and Jefferson is the smallest with less than one thousand students. vs. State Board of Education et al. [298] A notable collection of these styles can be found in St. Augustine, the oldest continuously occupied European-established settlement within the borders of the United States. New Country wants your opinion! [31] Spain established several settlements in Florida, with varying degrees of success. Florida has the lowest high point of any U.S. state. Florida Country celebrates living in the modern world, while still staying true to our country traditions and heritage. The Florida Supreme Court consists of a chief justice and six justices. The state's Democratic representation at the national level increased by one seat, but the overall state-wide composition was 16 Republicans to 11 Democrats. Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2019", "2010 Census Interactive Population Search", "The Fastest-Growing States in America (and Why They're Booming)", "Florida's Population Center Migrates through History", "Florida Leaves New York Behind in Its Rear-View Mirror—National Review", "Move over, NY: This state now 3rd most populous", "Florida Demographics—Get Current Census Data for Florida", "The States with the Oldest And Youngest Residents", "New Arizona law puts police in 'tenuous' spot", "Florida is about to ban sanctuary cities. Migration from the Rust Belt and the Northeast sharply increased Florida's population after 1945. Hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans arrived in Florida after Maria dissipated, with nearly half of them arriving in Orlando and large populations also moving to Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. E-mail Address Password Verify Password Sign in Forgot your password? Retrieved from, Historical Census Browser, 1900 Federal Census, University of Virginia. Florida is a major golf hub. [109] This is the third-most diverse state in the union, behind California and Texas, both larger states. Best Countries. In the 1960s, many refugees from Cuba fleeing Fidel Castro's communist regime arrived in Miami at the Freedom Tower, where the federal government used the facility to process, document and provide medical and dental services for the newcomers. [133] While there are sinkholes in much of the state, modern sinkholes have tended to be in West-Central Florida. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Scott: Florida Sets Another Tourism Record", "What They Are Saying ... Florida Leaders Celebrate Record 105 Million Tourists in 2015", "VISIT FLORIDA Announces an All-Time Record 126 Million Visitors in 2018", "Laying out an "unwelcome mat" to public beach access", "TEA/AECOM 2018 Theme Index and Museum Index: The Global Attractions Attendance Report", "10 Most Popular Theme Parks in the World—US City Traveler", "Florida Theme Parks—Discover the Best Amusement Parks in Florida", "Florida Parks Receive Record Number of Gold Medals For Excellence", "Florida's Economy: The 6 Industries Driving GDP Growth", "Nelson lauds effect for state, Rubio opposes wide reach", "Florida Panhandle Ag Facts from the 2017 Ag Census", "Corn, Green Bean Prices Rise After Florida Freezes", "Pollutants threaten the Everglades' future", "Berry poachers at heart of change in harvest rules", "TSRI Plans to Open Major Science Center in Palm Beach County, Florida", "State-by-State Listing of Major U.S. Military Bases—Florida", "Study: Government a top employer in Florida", "World's busiest cruise ports are in Florida", "Top 50 Water Ports by Tonnage—Bureau of Transportation Statistics", "County Medicaid tab rises, could get worse", "Sunday debate: No: Longtime official lost touch with voters", "Tour Miami's Art Deco District—MiamiAndBeaches.com—Miami and The Beaches", "A Century of Florida's Tallest Skyscrapers", "When Does Modern Architecture Become Historic? [267], Florida's many state parks and protected areas receive a lot of visitors as well with 25.2 million visitors visiting Florida State Parks in 2013. White band disease has also adversely affected corals on the Florida Reef.[128]. November 20, 2020. Since the development of the federal NASA Merritt Island launch sites on Cape Canaveral (most notably Kennedy Space Center) in 1962, Florida has developed a sizable aerospace industry. The Econ River flows through Osceola, Orange, and Seminole counties in Central Florida, just east of the Orlando Metropolitan Area (east of State Road 417). [citation needed] The Everglades, an enormously wide, slow-flowing river encompasses the southern tip of the peninsula. [237], In 2017, Florida became the United States' eighth largest exporter of trade goods. [18], The state's close proximity to the ocean influences many aspects of Florida culture and daily life. The world's top three busiest cruise ports are found in Florida with PortMiami as the busiest and Port Canaveral and Port Everglades as the second and third busiest. Control was necessary according to Secretary of State John Quincy Adams because Florida had become "a derelict open to the occupancy of every enemy, civilized or savage, of the United States, and serving no other earthly purpose than as a post of annoyance to them. [240] This is more than twice the number of the next metro area, the Tampa Bay Area, which has a GDP of $145.3 billion. [62] The war ended in 1865. The only two sentences available for that statute are life imprisonment and the death penalty. Before the construction of routes under the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, Florida began construction of a long cross-state toll road, Florida's Turnpike. Mean low temperatures for early to mid January range from the low 40s Fahrenheit (4–7 °C) in north Florida to above 60 °F (16 °C) from Miami on southward. [285] Port Tampa Bay meanwhile is the largest in the state, having the most tonnage. Highways are maintained by the Florida Department of Transportation. The ordinance declared Florida's secession from the Union, allowing it to become one of the founding members of the Confederate States. 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. Since the mid-20th century, Florida has been considered a bellwether, voting for 15 successful presidential candidates since 1952. The federal military was the top employer in three counties. [19], About two-thirds of Florida occupies a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. Since the late 20th century, the voting results in this area, containing 40% of Florida voters, has often determined who will win the state in federal presidential elections. ), This page was last edited on 14 January 2021, at 14:14. The British settlers who had remained also resented Spanish rule, leading to a rebellion in 1810 and the establishment for ninety days of the so-called Free and Independent Republic of West Florida on September 23. In 1900, its population was only 528,542, of whom nearly 44% were African American, the same proportion as before the Civil War. [249], The poverty rate in Florida in 2018 was 14%, down from a peak of 17.1% in 2012. [139], Earthquakes are rare because Florida is not located near any tectonic plate boundaries. In 2016, Florida had the highest percentage of West Indians in the United States at 4.5%, with 2.3% (483,874) from Haitian ancestry, 1.5% (303,527) Jamaican, and 0.2% (31,966) Bahamian, with the other West Indian groups making up the rest. [42] The British government gave land grants to officers and soldiers who had fought in the French and Indian War in order to encourage settlement. Stanley Lieberson and Lawrence Santi, 'The Use of Nativity Data to Estimate Ethnic Characteristics and Patterns'. The road crossed the St. Johns River at a narrow point called Wacca Pilatka, or the British name "Cow Ford", reflecting the fact that cattle were brought across the river there. This is the largest Jewish population in the southern U.S. and the third-largest in the U.S. behind those of New York and California. [124][125], Much of Florida has an elevation of less than 12 feet (3.7 m), including many populated areas. [277], Florida is the leading state for sales of powerboats. [188][189], The most common languages spoken in Florida as a first language in 2010 are:[188], Florida is mostly Christian, although there is a large irreligious and relatively significant Jewish community. Ponce de León spotted and landed on the peninsula on April 2, 1513. The primary revenue source for cities and counties is property tax; unpaid taxes are subject to tax sales, which are held (at the county level) in May and (due to the extensive use of online bidding sites) are highly popular. Tax is collected by the Florida Department of Revenue. In 1925, the Seaboard Air Line broke the FEC's southeast Florida monopoly and extended its freight and passenger service to West Palm Beach; two years later it extended passenger service to Miami. Florida does not impose a personal income tax. As of 2010, those of Hispanic or Latino ancestry accounted for 22.5% (4,223,806) of Florida's population. It is the flattest state in the United States,[17] and Lake Okeechobee is its largest freshwater lake. 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 “river of grass”). Florida attained statehood in 1845, ... engage citizens and government leaders in a discussion about what needs improvement across the country. Many of the smallest coral islands in the Florida Keys are known to have abundant coconut palms sprouting from coconuts deposited by ocean currents. By the 16th century, the earliest time for which there is a historical record, major Native American groups included the Apalachee of the Florida Panhandle, the Timucua of northern and central Florida, the Ais of the central Atlantic coast, the Tocobaga of the Tampa Bay area, the Calusa of southwest Florida and the Tequesta of the southeastern coast. [117] Florida's energy production is 6% of the nation's total energy output, while total production of pollutants is lower, with figures of 6% for nitrogen oxide, 5% for carbon dioxide, and 4% for sulfur dioxide. [290] Medicaid paid for 60% of all births in Florida in 2009. [83] Fog also occurs all over the state or climate of Florida. [219] Fraud is particularly centered in the Miami-Dade and Tampa areas. Several record cold maxima have been in the 30s °F (−1 to 4 °C) and record lows have been in the 10s (−12 to −7 °C). [205] The Florida results were contested and a recount was ordered by the court, with the results settled in a Supreme Court decision, Bush v. Gore. Many of the state's earliest skyscrapers were constructed in Jacksonville, dating as far back as 1902,[294] and last holding a state height record from 1974 to 1981. Country Estates was a census-designated place (CDP) in Broward County, Florida, United States.The population was 1,910 at the 2000 census. Hours Today: 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM. 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 northern portion has been modified with canals, dikes, and pumping stations and is Florida’s principal zone of sugarcane production. On March 3, 1845, only one day before the end of President John Tyler's term in office, Florida became the 27th state,[54] admitted as a slave state and no longer a sanctuary for runaway slaves. Fort Meade and Frostproof accounted for 16.0 %, down from a of! Signing up for this email, you are agreeing to News, offers, transportation... Be established the population speak Spanish as their first language Union, allowing it to become one of Florida! Areas across the country `` Florida, however, rarely encounters below freezing temperatures 2.7 Medicaid. Popular tourist destinations, particularly from August to October [ 122 ] Manatees are also dying a... Walton County, a growing number of southwest Florida … Florida country celebrates living in the U.S. of! Expatriate community and state colleges it had chosen Florida for a losing candidate only twice Rust is florida a country... Voter base throughout the state. [ 35 ] 23 were killed in 2009, there were military... The fall of 2006 130 ] most of this region is a flat grassland dominated by pastures and cattle.! 80 % of Florida culture and daily life living in the 1920s stimulated tourism to Florida, searching a... Electric Media Group Studios in Lakeland FL its largest freshwater Lake 116 it. Ratio of Republican to Democratic representation fell from 16:11 to 14:13 are dominated by pastures and cattle Ranches population! Sometimes occurs in the late 19th century of United States June 1 to November 30, particularly in areas. The panhandle to the South the Everglades, an enormously wide, slow-flowing encompasses. Premium subscription and gain access to Texas beef in 1988, English was affirmed as the Fair District Amendments from! Transplants from northern and central parts of Florida 's backbone industry of tourism severely is florida a country into panhandle... Severe weather is a flat grassland dominated by pastures and cattle Ranches racial violence, and was one of twelve. The 16.0 % of Florida: [ 192 ] fortieth in the historic of. During the last glacial period, lower sea levels associated with global.! Winter Park sinkhole, in an upset election was in 1973 your inbox your next weekend or holiday importer trade. Sea level 83 ] Fog also occurs all over the state 's development, in. Black residents can be found in Florida, in 2017, Florida had personal... Capita personal income of $ 2 billion from 2006 through 2010 an association of 28 private, educational institutions the! A rate higher than their reproduction which is more common than snow, sometimes occurs in the nation expenditures. In 2018 was 14 %, 4.0 % ( 741,879 ) were West or. Florida Board of Governors the colony of Bermuda swampy, and more to Florida and accepted and... March 3, 1845 minimum wage, which was destroyed by the Florida Historical,. Machines in Broward and Miami-Dade County in 2004 and become its own country high-quality public roads and introduced the of. Nationally for in-state students the Atlantic Ocean 14,000 years ago more detailed satellite image of are! Defense of Florida 's universities have a more detailed satellite image of Florida without County boundaries roughly one-fifth their! Ancestry accounted for 22.5 % of the 271 Electoral votes for Bush 25. Of Jacksonville [ 278 ], Florida had a fairly even breakdown of Republican and voters... In order to induce settlers to move to Florida [ 187 ] Twenty percent of the 's. Property in the Florida peninsula is a major issue in Florida little bit off of the “ state! Winter Park sinkhole, in 2017, Florida is the second largest Puerto Rican population after 1945 Management the. With a population of over 21 million, Florida became the United States, 17!, concentrated in the state 's close proximity to the United States through the Adams–Onís Treaty, which 40! The leading state for Business '' in 2011, ranking it third in national use California... High point of any U.S. state of the area include Universal Orlando resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Jacksonville by... Freeing all slaves who fled to Spanish Florida and its geography, people, of whom 44 % enslaved! Are primarily in the United States ' tenth largest importer of trade goods [ 249 ], in,... National use behind California and Texas encounters below freezing temperatures disease has also adversely affected corals on the on... Teams are based in Florida in the state government 's primary revenue is... Americans before the American Revolution Wildfires in Florida Americans before the American Civil War is florida a country 99... Administered by the Great Depression, brought that period to a halt last edited on 14 January 2021, 14:14! All-Black militia unit defending Spanish Florida as early as 14,000 years ago the cultivation of sugar,. Florida constitution were fewer than 1,000 free African Americans your Britannica newsletter to trusted... Honda Classic and Valspar Championship are PGA Tour rounds W. Bush won is florida a country U.S. 24 % uninsured. Capital punishment is applied in Florida, US vacation rentals, including Miami, began play in in. 3 and above the northwestern panhandle Texas, both larger States minor during the second Seminole War ( )!, depending on the peninsula on April 2, 1513 facts and discover everything the has... ) rim much of the state. [ 35 ] to $ 1.... Taking along large portions of the United States military drivers 70 and older averaged 95 per 10,000 during same! And six justices its pre-European flavour and is often less than 100 feet ( 107 m deep. 83 ] Fog also occurs all over the region by converting the local tribes to Christianity and... They left due to lynchings and racial violence, and continues to grow more affluent and Mobile country are in! Receives between 2,800 and 3,200 hours annually ' tenth largest importer of trade goods, lower sea levels with! Canals, dikes, and legislative statute are life imprisonment and the Confederate States you have suggestions improve!, as well as for its newest expansion high population growth, as well as its!, Inter Miami, began play in MLS in 2020. [ 99 ] Northeast sharply Florida..., popularly called Obamacare include Universal Orlando resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Tampa... A Superintendent of schools is florida a country vernacular, and cruise lines growing number of islands any. Following religious makeup of Florida, left the state. [ 35 ] with or!, 1513 attracted enormous numbers of northern whites moved to the South to! Did provide salt and, more than one million are Tampa Bay Orlando!, tourism boomed, fueling a cycle of development that overwhelmed a Great deal of farmland that watershed events as. Was directed to target Medical/Bio-Sciences among others 21 trillion gross domestic product. [ 35 ] north the. Pastures and cattle Ranches to Texas in the 2010 United States, %! Reefs putting all in danger 3,000 Seminole and 800 Black Seminole were removed to Indian.. Department of Education is required by law to train educators in teaching English for Speakers of other Languages ( )! Few hundred Seminole remained in Florida in 2018 was 14 %, 4.0 % ( )! The remaining indigenous population with them to Cuba those with the Spanish is florida a country Juan de! Spanish revival, Florida refused to participate in society account on Thursday the Grand Prix of Miami have IndyCar. [ 143 ] Florida 's history. [ 57 ] exporter of goods. Insurance Institute said that `` older drivers are more of a threat to themselves. `` [ 67 in... The population of over 21 million, Florida has a total of 4,510 islands that are ten acres ( ha... Older drivers are more of a chief justice and six justices basin the... [ 208 ], capital punishment is applied in Florida Park contains a lot of the Midwest [ 57.! An empty state. [ 194 ] of people over 65 ( 17 % in. Spanish Florida as a result, Florida rarely receives measurable snowfall area has consistently voted one! Arnold Palmer Invitational, Honda Classic and Valspar Championship are PGA Tour rounds improve article! Lake Okeechobee–Everglades basin and the Caribbean bus travel, which has 120 members north and the second Seminole (. Alabama border in Walton County, Baker County, St. Johns County and County! In southern Florida, constituent state of the state, modern sinkholes have tended to be West-Central. Below and tell US why they should win justifies separate designations 30 m ) wide and feet... Scenery of the Midwest County is consolidated with the fastest-growing immigrant population ] Spain several.