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| {{unreferenced|date=August 2006}} | |||
| {{Otheruses1|the U.S. State}} | |||
| {{US state | | |||
| Name = Florida| | |||
| Abbreviation = Fla.| | |||
| Fullname = State of Florida| | |||
| Flag = Flag of Florida.svg | | |||
| Flaglink = ] | | |||
| Seal = Florida state seal.svg | | |||
| Map = Map of USA FL.svg| | |||
| Nickname = Sunshine State | | |||
| Motto = ] | | |||
| State Song = ] | | |||
| Capital = ] | | |||
| Senators = ] (D)<br/>] (R) | | |||
| LargestCity = ] | | |||
| LargestMetro= ] | | |||
| Most visited and popular metro city= ] | | |||
| UnincorporatedPlace = ] | | |||
| Governor = ] (R)| | |||
| PostalAbbreviation = Fla., FL, | | |||
| OfficialLang = ] | | |||
| AreaRank = 22<sup>nd</sup> | | |||
| TotalArea = 170,304<ref name=census>2000 Census, ftp://ftp.census.gov/census_2000/datasets/Summary_File_4/Florida/flgeo_uf4.zip</ref> | | |||
| TotalAreaUS=65,795<ref name=census/>| | |||
| LandArea = 139,670<ref name=census/> | | |||
| LandAreaUS = 53,927<ref name=census/> | | |||
| WaterArea = 30,634<ref name=census/> | | |||
| WaterAreaUS = 11,828<ref name=census/>| | |||
| PCWater = 17.9 | | |||
| PopRank = 4<sup>th</sup> | | |||
| 2000Pop = 17,789,864 | | |||
| DensityRank = 8<sup>th</sup> | | |||
| 2000DensityUS =309 | | |||
| 2000Density = 117.3<!--15,982,378 div by 137,374 = 116.3 not 114.43--> | | |||
| MedianHouseholdIncome = $41,171 | | |||
| IncomeRank = 36<sup>th</sup> | | |||
| AdmittanceOrder = 27<sup>th</sup> | | |||
| AdmittanceDate = ], ] | | |||
| TimeZone = ]: ]-5/]-4 | | |||
| TZ1Where = peninsula | | |||
| TimeZone2 = ]: UTC-6/]-5 | | |||
| TZ2Where = ] | | |||
| Latitude = 24°30'N to 31°N | | |||
| Longitude = 79°48'W to 87°38'W | | |||
| Width = 260 | | |||
| WidthUS= 162| | |||
| Length = 800 | | |||
| LengthUS= 497 | | |||
| HighestPoint = ]<ref name=usgs>{{cite web| year =] ] | url =http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html#Highest| title =Elevations and Distances in the United States| publisher =U.S Geological Survey| accessdate = November 3| accessyear = 2006}}</ref> | | |||
| HighestElev = 105 | | |||
| HighestElevUS = 345| | |||
| MeanElev = 30 | | |||
| MeanElevUS = 98 | | |||
| LowestPoint = ]<ref name=usgs/> | | |||
| LowestElev = 0 | | |||
| LowestElevUS = 0 | | |||
| ISOCode = US-FL | | |||
| Website = www.myflorida.com | |||
| }} | |||
| ] | |||
| '''Florida''' is a ] located in the ] ]. Most of the state is a large ] with the ] on its west and the ] on its east. It has a warm and ]. It was named by ], who landed on the coast on ], ], during ] (] for "Flowery Easter," referring to the ]). Florida's economy relies heavily on ]. The capital is ] and the largest city is ]. | |||
| ==Geography== | |||
| {{further|]}} | |||
| Florida is situated mostly on a large ] between the ], the ], and the ]. It extends to the northwest into a ], extending along the northern ]. It is bordered on the north by the states of ] and ], and on the west, at the end of the panhandle, by Alabama. It is near the countries of the ], particularly the ] and ]. Florida's extensive coast line made it a perceived target during World War II, so the government built airstrips all around the state. Today approximately 400 airports are still in service due to the coastal geography of the state.{{cn}} Florida is one of the largest states east of the Mississippi. Only ] and] are larger in water area. | |||
| At 345 feet (105 m) ], ] 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 ], 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 hills with elevations ranging from 100 to 250 feet (30–76 m) in many locations. Lake County holds the highest point of peninsular Florida, ], at 312 feet (95 m). | |||
| Areas under control by the ] include: | |||
| *], near ] | |||
| *], near ] | |||
| *], near ] | |||
| *], in ] | |||
| *], in ] | |||
| *], at ] | |||
| *] | |||
| *], at ] | |||
| *], in ] | |||
| *], near ] | |||
| *], in ] | |||
| Areas under the control of the USDA ] include: | |||
| *] along the east bank of the ], | |||
| *] near ], | |||
| *] in ], and | |||
| *] in ]. | |||
| ''See also'' ] | |||
| ===Boundaries=== | |||
| The state line begins in the ], traveling west, south, and north up the ] of the ]. At the origin of that river, it then follows a straight line nearly due west and slightly north, to the point where the ] of the ] (from Georgia) and the ] (down the Alabama/Georgia line) used to form Florida's ]. (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 ] 31°N to the ], then south along its thalweg to the Gulf via Perdido Bay. | |||
| ===Climate=== | |||
| ] | |||
| The climate of Florida is tempered somewhat by its proximity to water. Most of the state has a ], except for the southern tip which borders on tropical and the ] which have a true ]. 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 ], ], 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 ] than by temperature with mild to cool, relatively dry ]s and ]s (the dry season) and hot, wet ] and ]s (the wet season). The ] has a moderating effect on the climate, and although much of Florida commonly sees a high summer temperature over 90 degrees ] (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 ], ] in ]. The coldest was –2°F (−19 °C), on ], ], just 25 miles (40 km) away, in ]. 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. | |||
| ] Shuttle Mission ] on ], ].]] | |||
| The Florida Keys, being surrounded by water, have a more tropical climate, with lesser variability in temperatures. At ], 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. ] is known as the ] 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 ] 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 ] and airflow from the ], pop up in the early afternoon and can bring heavy downpours, high winds, and sometimes ]es. Florida leads the United States in tornadoes per square mile, but these tornadoes do not typically reach the intensity of those in the ] and ]. ] often accompanies the most severe thunderstorms. | |||
| ]] is a rare occurrence. During the ], Florida experienced ] conditions. During that time, the ] had "gulf-effect" ], similar to ].{{fact}} 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 January 19th 1977, when snow fell over much of the state in different times of the month, as far south as ]. Snow ] fell on ] for the only time in recorded history. 1982's "]," 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 ] brought "ocean-effect" snow flurries to the Atlantic coast as far south as ]. | |||
| The ] 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 ], and even brought ]s of six feet or more to regions of the Gulf coast. | |||
| Although some storms have formed out of season, ]s pose a threat during hurricane season, which lasts from ] to ]. Florida saw a slew of destruction in 2004, when it was hit by a record four hurricanes. Hurricanes ] (]), ] (]–]), ] (]), and ] (]–]) cumulatively cost the state's economy US$42 billion. In 2005, ] (]) became the fifth storm to strike Florida within eleven months. Later, ] (]) passed through ] and ] (]) swept through the ]. ] made landfall in Florida in the early morning of ] as a ] hurricane, with the storm's eye hitting near ], just south of ], according to the ]. | |||
| Florida was the site of the second costliest weather disaster in U.S. history, ], which caused more than US$25 ] in damage when it struck on ], ]. In a long list of other infamous hurricane strikes are the 1926 ], the ], the ], ] in 1960, and ] in 1995. | |||
| {{see also|List of Florida hurricanes|List of all-time high and low temperatures by state}} | |||
| ===Environmental issues=== | |||
| {{weasel}} | |||
| Coinciding with the fact that it is the fourth most populous state in the United States, Florida is also the fifth-largest producer of ].{{cn}} Climatologists and scientists debate<ref>The ] in detail.</ref> whether ] is to blame for an increase in the number of strong hurricanes. The scientists ] and ] of the ] 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 that 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:{{lopsided}} | |||
| :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 ]s. 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 ]s, parts of the ] ], or ]'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." Even a small rise that inundated part of the ] would result in increased salt water intrusion into the ], contaminating southern Florida's drinking water supply. | |||
| ==History== | |||
| {{main|History of Florida}} | |||
| Archaeological finds indicate that Florida had been inhabited for thousands of years before any European settlements. Of the many indigenous peoples, the largest known were the ], the ], the ], the ] and the ] tribes. ], a Spanish ], named Florida in honor of his discovery of the land on ] ], during ], a Spanish term for the ]. 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 ].<ref>Smith, Hale G., and Marc Gottlob. 1978. "Spanish-Indian Relationships: Synoptic History and Archaeological Evidence, 1500-1763." In ''Tacachale: Essays on the Indians of Florida and Southeastern Georgia during the Historic Period.'' Edited by Jerald Milanich and Samuel Proctor. Gainesville, Florida: University Presses of Florida. ISBN 0-8130-0535-3</ref>. 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 ] established settlements in Florida, with varying degrees of success. In 1559, Spanish ] was established by Don ] 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 ] founded ] in modern-day ] in 1564, but this fort was conquered by forces from the new Spanish colony of ] the following year. After Huguenot leader ] 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 ] 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 ] executed beside a river subsequently called '']'' (] for 'killings'). St. Augustine came to serve as the capitals of the British and Spanish colonies of ] and ] 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 ] and later with ] friars. The local leaders (]) 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 ] colonies to the north and ] colonies to the west. The English weakened Spanish power in the area by supplying their ] allies with firearms and urging them to raid the ]n and ] 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 ]. | |||
| The Spanish, meanwhile, encouraged slaves to flee the English-held ] 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 ] (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 ] and ], but this project ultimately failed. Spain regained Florida after Britain's defeat by the American colonies and the subsequent ]. Finally, in 1819, by terms of the ], Spain ceded Florida to the United States in exchange for the American renunciation of any claims on ]. | |||
| ==Statehood== | |||
| On ] ], Florida became the 27th state of the United States of America. On ] ], before the formal outbreak of the ], Florida seceded from the ]; ten days later, the state became a founding member of the ]. The war ended in 1865. On ], ], Florida's ] 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 ], made the state a haven, and migration from the ] and the Northeast sharply increased the population. Economic prosperity combined with Florida's sudden elevation in profile led to the ], which brought a brief period of intense land development before the ] brought it all to a halt. Florida's economy would not fully recover until ]. Today, Florida is the second most populous state in the South behind ],the largest in the southeast and the fourth most populous in the United States with over eighteen million people. | |||
| ==Government== | |||
| {{main|Government of Florida}} | |||
| ] | |||
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| |+ '''Presidential elections results''' | |||
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| |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''55.52%''' ''2,046,951 | |||
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| |} | |||
| The basic structure, duties, function, and operations of the government of the State of Florida are defined and established by the ], 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 ], become ]. | |||
| The ] is comprised of the ], which has 40 members, and the ], which has 120 members. The current ] is ] ]. | |||
| The ] consists of a Chief Justice and six Justices. | |||
| ] | |||
| Florida was traditionally a ] state; at one time, of all Floridians were registered Democrats. In the last decades of the twentieth century, the realignment of the "]" has led many conservative Democrats of Florida to vote with the Republican Party. This tendency, combined with explosive population growth, which has brought many ] 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 ], and one of the state's two ] seats. The disputed ] was extremely close. Because of the state's population and number of electoral votes, political analysts consider it to be a key ] in ] elections. The ] area, once a major center of Democratic ] support, is now almost evenly split between registered Republicans and Democrats, making it part of the important ] Corridor swing region. | |||
| {{see also|List of counties in Florida|List of cities in Florida|List of Florida Governors|U.S. presidential election, 2000, in Florida|U.S. presidential election, 2004, in Florida}} | |||
| ==Economy== | |||
| ] from ].]] | |||
| The gross state product of Florida in 2005 was $596 billion. Personal income was $30,098 per capita, ranking 26th in the nation. | |||
| ] makes up the largest sector of the state economy. Warm weather and hundreds of miles of beaches attract about 60 million visitors to the state every year. ]s, especially in the ] area, make up a significant portion of tourism; the huge ] consists of four ]s and more than 20 hotels in ], and together with ], ], ], and other major parks drives state tourism. The ] and ] (famous as a ] site) are also tourism centers. | |||
| The second largest industry is ]. ] ], especially ]s, are a major part of the economy, and Florida produces by far the majority of citrus fruit grown in the U.S.–in 2006 67 percent of all citrus, 74 percent of oranges, 54 percent of ], and 58 percent of ]s. About 95 percent of commercial orange production in the state is destined for processing (mostly as ], the official ]). ] continues to be an issue of concern. ] also continues to be a major agricultural crop. Other products include ]. The ] is a major center for agriculture. The environmental impact of agriculture—especially ] is a major issue in Florida today. | |||
| ], concentrated in the ], is the state's third-largest industry. The state produces about 75 percent of the phosphate required by farmers in the United States and 25 percent of the world supply, with about 95 percent used for agriculture (90 percent for ] and 5 percent for ] feed supplements) and 5 percent used for other products. | |||
| Since the arrival of the ] ] on ] (most notably ]) in 1962, Florida has developed a sizeable ]. | |||
| The state was one of the few states to not have a state ] law until 2004, when voters passed a constitutional amendment establishing a state minimum wage and mandating that it be adjusted for inflation every six months. Currently, the minimum wage in the state of Florida is $6.67. | |||
| ] in the Florida Keys]] | |||
| Historically, Florida's economy was based upon cattle farming and agriculture (especially ], ], ]es, and ]). 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 ] ''(])''. 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 ] rate is 6% . Local governments may levy an additional local option sales tax of up to 1.5%. A locale's ] 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== | |||
| ===Population=== | |||
| {{Unreferenced|date=January 2007}} | |||
| {{Histpop | |||
| | ] | 34,730 | - | |||
| | ] | 54,477 | 56.9%<br> | |||
| | ] | 87,445 | 60.5%<br> | |||
| | ] | 140,424 | 60.6%<br> | |||
| | ] | 187,748 | 33.7%<br> | |||
| | ] | 269,493 | 43.5%<br> | |||
| | ] | 391,422 | 45.2%<br> | |||
| | ] | 528,542 | 35.0%<br> | |||
| | ] | 752,619 | 42.4%<br> | |||
| | ] | 968,470 | 28.7%<br> | |||
| | ] | 1,468,211 | 51.6%<br> | |||
| | ] | 1,897,414 | 29.2%<br> | |||
| | ] | 2,771,305 | 46.1%<br> | |||
| | ] | 4,951,560 | 78.7%<br> | |||
| | ] | 6,789,443 | 37.1%<br> | |||
| | ] | 9,746,324 | 43.6%<br> | |||
| | ] | 12,937,926 | 32.7%<br> | |||
| | ] | 15,982,378 | 23.5%<br> | |||
| | 2006 estimate | 18,089,888 | 13.2%<br> | |||
| }} | |||
| The ] of Florida is located in ], in the town of ] . As of 2006, Florida's population stands at 18,089,888 an increase of over 13% from 2000. Florida continues to be one of the fastest growing states in the nation due to its high job growth, mild climate, and relatively low cost of living. | |||
| As Florida experiences a major population boom, most of its rural areas and cities are too experiencing changes. Most of Florida's land is being changed from rural to urban areas, helping to compensate for the population increase. From the year 2000 to 2006, Florida had a 13% increase, which was the second most in the nation. As Florida's land develops, the population sees tremendous changes and growth. | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| {{US Demographics}} | |||
| The largest reported ancestries in the 2000 Census were ] (11.8%), ] (10.3%), ] (9.2%), ] (8%) and ] (6.3%). | |||
| ===Ten largest cities in Florida=== | |||
| {| class="wikitable" | |||
| |- | |||
| ! City !! 2000 !! 2006 | |||
| |- | |||
| |] ||735,617 ||782,623 | |||
| |- | |||
| |] ||362,470 ||386,614 | |||
| |- | |||
| |] ||303,447 ||333,040 | |||
| |- | |||
| |] ||248,232 ||249,079 | |||
| |- | |||
| |] ||226,419 ||220,485 | |||
| |- | |||
| |] ||185,951 ||204,985 | |||
| |- | |||
| |] ||152,397 ||170,824 | |||
| |- | |||
| |] ||150,624 ||158,500 | |||
| |- | |||
| |] ||137,427 ||150,685 | |||
| |- | |||
| |] ||139,357 ||146,687 | |||
| |- | |||
| |} | |||
| Before the ], when ] was legal, and during the ] era that followed, ] made up nearly half of the state's population.<ref name=censusbrowser>Historical Census Browser at the University of Virginia (URL accessed 26 August 2006).</ref> Their proportion declined over the next century, as many moved north in the ] 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 ], ] and ]), the ] area, and ] (where their numbers have been bolstered by significant immigration from ] and ]). | |||
| Florida's ] population includes large communities of ]s in ] and ], Puerto Ricans in Tampa and ], and ] migrant workers in inland West-Central and South Florida. The Hispanic community continues to grow more affluent and mobile: between the years of ] and ], ] in ], which is largely suburban in character, had the fastest Hispanic population growth rate of any county in the United States. | |||
| ] of all ethnicities are present in all areas of the state. Those of Irish and ] ancestry are present in large numbers in the coastal cities. There is a large ] population in ], a large ] population in the ] area, a sizeable and historic ] community in the ] 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 "]." | |||
| Persons from Florida are known properly as "Floridians" or as "Floridans". | |||
| ===Languages=== | |||
| As of 2000, 76.91 percent of Florida residents age 5 and older speak only ] at home, while 16.46 percent speak ]. ] (predominantly ]) are spoken by 1.38 percent, followed by ] at 0.83 percent, ] at 0.59 percent and ] at 0.44 percent . Florida's climate makes it a popular state for immigrants. Florida's public education system identifies over 200 first languages other than English spoken in the homes of students. In 1990 the League of Unitled Latin American Citizens (LULAC) won a class action lawsuit against the state Department of Education that required educators to be trained in teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). | |||
| Article II, Section 9, of the ] 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: | |||
| *], 82% | |||
| **], 54% | |||
| ***], 19% | |||
| ***], 6% | |||
| ***], 4% | |||
| ***], 3% | |||
| ***], 3% | |||
| ***], 3% | |||
| ***Other Protestant, 16% | |||
| **], 26% | |||
| **], 1% | |||
| *], 4% | |||
| *], 1% | |||
| *Non-Religious, 14% | |||
| ==Education== | |||
| ].]] | |||
| 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. <!-- This should be easy to source. --> | |||
| Florida public schools have consistently ranked in the bottom 25 percent of many national surveys and average test-score rankings.{{Fact}} Many education surveys are not scientific, but measure prestige. ] ] has been criticized by many Florida educators for a program that penalizes underperforming schools (as indicated by ]s, most prominently the ]) 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 ]). <!-- Several different things are mixed together here, and all need to be sourced. --> | |||
| In 2000, the governor and the state legislature abolished the ], which long had governed the ], 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. <sup></sup> In 2002, former governor and then ] ] (]) led a ]-amendment ballot referendum designed to restore the board-of-regents system. Voters responded by creating the ]; however, each university still maintains a Board of Trustees which work under this new, overseeing Board of Governors. <!-- This section still needs sources for most of its content. --> | |||
| ==Transportation== | |||
| <!-- Unsourced image removed: ] ]] --> | |||
| ===Highways=== | |||
| Florida's ], ] and ] are maintained by the ]. | |||
| 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 ] and ]. | |||
| Florida's primary interstate routes include: | |||
| *], which bisects the state, connecting ], ], ], and ], having junctions with I-95 at Daytona Beach and I-75 at Tampa. | |||
| *], which traverses the panhandle, connecting ], ], ] and ], having junctions with I-95 at Jacksonville and I-75 at Lake City. | |||
| *], which enters the state near Lake City (45 miles west of ]) and continues southward through ], ], Tampa's eastern suburbs, ], ], and ] to ], where it crosses the "]" as a ] to ] before turning southward and terminating in ]/] having junctions with I-10 at Lake City and I-4 at Tampa. | |||
| *], which enters the state near Jacksonville and continues along the Atlantic Coast through Daytona Beach, ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ] before terminating in ], having junctions with I-10 at Jacksonville and I-4 at Daytona Beach. | |||
| Florida's secondary interstate routes include: | |||
| *], a spur from I-10 into downtown Pensacola. | |||
| *], which connects I-275 to southern downtown ]. | |||
| *], an extension of Miami's Airport Expressway (]); a spur eastward from I-95 to ]. | |||
| *], a sixty-mile (100 km) westward loop from I-75 north of ], over the ], through St. Petersburg, to ] and downtown Tampa, reconnecting with I-75 in Tampa's northern suburbs. | |||
| *], a partial beltway around Jacksonville that will loop completely around the city by 2007. | |||
| *], which connects I-275 to northern downtown St. Petersburg. | |||
| *], an extension of Miami's Dolphin Expressway (]); a spur eastward from I-95 to Miami Beach. | |||
| *], which connects I-75, I-95, ] and ]. | |||
| Florida has several ]s, totaling 515 miles (830 km) of the state highway system. Major toll roads include: | |||
| *I-75, as it passes through the ] between Naples and Fort Lauderdale has been ] as a toll road from its original construction as ] | |||
| *], 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 ] | |||
| For more information about the myriad secondary toll expressways in Florida, see articles detailing roads maintained by the ], the ], and the ]. | |||
| ===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 ] to oversee the project; however, in 2004, Governor ] 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 ], originally formed to implement the high-speed-rail amendment, has vowed to find a way to implement the system without the amendment. | |||
| ] service exists in Florida: ], in ], is the southern terminus of the ], which originates at ], south of ]. Orlando is also the eastern terminus of the ], which travels across the southern United States via ], ], and ] to its western terminus of ]. Florida is served by two additional Amtrak trains (the ] and the ]), which operate between ] and ]. | |||
| ===Public transportation=== | |||
| ] systems exist in many major cities. ] has an automated guideway people-mover system, as well as a 22-mile ], and most cities have ] service. In the South Florida Metropolitan area, train service is provided by ]; this service has a southern terminus in Miami and a northern terminus in ]. It has been proposed that the northern terminus be extended north as far as ] in ], but no progress has been made. Tri-Rail provides local bus service from its stations. | |||
| ] and its surrounding area use the ] system, called "HARTLINE" or simply "HART" for short. In addition, downtown Tampa has continuous trolley services. The beaches of ] also have a continuous trolley bus. | |||
| ] 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 ] (22,390,285), ] (31,008,453), ] (34,128,048) and ] (19,045,390). | |||
| Secondary airports, with annual passenger traffic exceeding 5 million in 2005, include ] (5,741,652), ] (West Palm Beach) (7,014,237) and ] (Fort Myers) (7,518,169). | |||
| Other smaller, regional airports with commercial service (with passengers served in 2005, where available) include those at ] (615,841), ], ] (345,788), ], ] (466,367) ,], ] (382,551), ] (1,638,605), ] (1,337,571), ] (596,510) and ] (1,129,947). ] (1,649,237) is primarily served by international charter airlines.<ref> URL retrieved ], ]</ref> | |||
| ==Metropolitan areas== | |||
| {{seealso|List of urbanized areas in Florida (by population)}} | |||
| ] | |||
| Florida has nineteen ]s (MSAs) defined by the ] (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 ] and ]. 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 ] to ]. 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. | |||
| <table> | |||
| <tr> | |||
| <td style = "width:20px"> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;width:420px">'''Metropolitan Statistical Areas'''</td> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;text-align:right">'''2005 Population'''</td> | |||
| </tr> | |||
| <tr> | |||
| <td style = "width:20px"> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;width:420px">]</td> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;text-align:right">549,442</td> | |||
| </tr> | |||
| <tr> | |||
| <td style = "width:20px"> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;width:420px">]</td> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;text-align:right">494,649</td> | |||
| </tr> | |||
| <tr> | |||
| <td style = "width:20px"> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;width:420px">]</td> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;text-align:right">188,939</td> | |||
| </tr> | |||
| <tr> | |||
| <td style = "width:20px"> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;width:420px">]</td> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;text-align:right">256,985</td> | |||
| </tr> | |||
| <tr> | |||
| <td style = "width:20px"> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;width:420px">]</td> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;text-align:right">1,277,763</td> | |||
| </tr> | |||
| <tr> | |||
| <td style = "width:20px"> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;width:420px">]</td> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;text-align:right">541,840</td> | |||
| </tr> | |||
| <tr> | |||
| <td style = "width:20px"> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;width:420px">]</td> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;text-align:right">5,422,200</td> | |||
| </tr> | |||
| <tr> | |||
| <td style = "width:20px"> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;width:420px">]</td> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;text-align:right">317,788</td> | |||
| </tr> | |||
| <tr> | |||
| <td style = "width:20px"> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;width:420px">]</td> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;text-align:right">304,926</td> | |||
| </tr> | |||
| <tr> | |||
| <td style = "width:20px"> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;width:420px">]</td> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;text-align:right">1,861,707</td> | |||
| </tr> | |||
| <tr> | |||
| <td style = "width:20px"> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;width:420px">]<br> </td> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;text-align:right">531,970</td> | |||
| </tr> | |||
| <tr> | |||
| <td style = "width:20px"> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;width:420px">]</td> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;text-align:right">161,721</td> | |||
| </tr> | |||
| <tr> | |||
| <td style = "width:20px"> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;width:420px">]</td> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;text-align:right">439,877</td> | |||
| </tr> | |||
| <tr> | |||
| <td style = "width:20px"> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;width:420px">]<br> </td> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;text-align:right">381,033</td> | |||
| </tr> | |||
| <tr> | |||
| <td style = "width:20px"> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;width:420px">]</td> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;text-align:right">154,030</td> | |||
| </tr> | |||
| <tr> | |||
| <td style = "width:20px"> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;width:420px"> ]</td> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;text-align:right">673,035</td> | |||
| </tr> | |||
| <tr> | |||
| <td style = "width:20px"> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;width:420px"> ]</td> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;text-align:right">130,043</td> | |||
| </tr> | |||
| <tr> | |||
| <td style = "width:20px"> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;width:420px">]</td> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;text-align:right">334,886</td> | |||
| </tr> | |||
| <tr> | |||
| <td style = "width:20px"> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;width:420px">]</td> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;text-align:right">2,589,637</td> | |||
| </tr> | |||
| </table> | |||
| ==Important cities and towns== | |||
| ]]] | |||
| <!-- Unsourced image removed: ]]] --> | |||
| ]]] | |||
| ]]] | |||
| ]]] | |||
| ]]] | |||
| ]]] | |||
| {{main|List of cities in Florida|Florida locations by per capita income}} | |||
| <table> | |||
| <tr> | |||
| <td style = "vertical-align:top;width:200px"> | |||
| '''City Population > 700,000''' | |||
| *] | |||
| '''City Population > 300,000 | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| '''City Population > 200,000''' | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| '''City Population > 100,000''' | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| '''City Population > 75,000''' | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| </td><td style = "vertical-align:top;width:200px"> | |||
| '''City Population > 50,000''' | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| '''City Population > 25,000''' | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| </td><td style = "vertical-align:top;width:200px"> | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| </td></tr></table> | |||
| ==Sports== | |||
| Although Florida is the traditional home to ]'s ], 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 ] added the ] in ]. The state now has three ] teams, two ] teams, two ] teams, and two ] teams. With two of its most historically-important teams, Florida is one of the most important markets for the ]. Florida also hosts a variety of minor league ], ], ], ], ] and ] teams. | |||
| {| class="wikitable" | |||
| !Club | |||
| !Sport | |||
| !League | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |] | |||
| |] | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Football | |||
| |National Football League | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Football | |||
| |National Football League | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |] | |||
| |] | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Basketball | |||
| |National Basketball Association | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |] | |||
| |] | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Ice hockey | |||
| |National Hockey League | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |] | |||
| |] | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Baseball | |||
| |Major League Baseball | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |] | |||
| |] | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Arena football | |||
| |Arena Football League | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Arena football | |||
| |Arena Football League | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Baseball | |||
| |] | |||
| ] | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Baseball | |||
| |] | |||
| ] | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Baseball | |||
| |] | |||
| ] | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Baseball | |||
| |] | |||
| ] | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Baseball | |||
| |] | |||
| ] | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Baseball | |||
| |] | |||
| ] | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Baseball | |||
| |] | |||
| ] | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Baseball | |||
| |] | |||
| ] | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Baseball | |||
| |] | |||
| ] | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Baseball | |||
| |] | |||
| ] | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Baseball | |||
| |] | |||
| ] | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Baseball | |||
| |] | |||
| ] | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Baseball | |||
| |] | |||
| ] | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |] | |||
| |] | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Soccer | |||
| |] | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Soccer | |||
| |USL Premier Development League | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Soccer | |||
| |USL Premier Development League | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Soccer | |||
| |USL Premier Development League | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Soccer | |||
| |USL Premier Development League | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Soccer | |||
| |] | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Soccer | |||
| |W-League | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Soccer | |||
| |W-League | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Soccer | |||
| |] | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Soccer | |||
| |Women’s Premier Soccer League | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Soccer | |||
| |Women’s Premier Soccer League | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Soccer | |||
| |Women’s Premier Soccer League | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Soccer | |||
| |Women’s Premier Soccer League | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Soccer | |||
| |Women’s Premier Soccer League | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Soccer | |||
| |] | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Soccer | |||
| |Florida Elite Soccer League | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Soccer | |||
| |Florida Elite Soccer League | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Soccer | |||
| |Florida Elite Soccer League | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Soccer | |||
| |Florida Elite Soccer League | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Ice hockey | |||
| |] | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Ice hockey | |||
| |] | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Ice hockey | |||
| |Southern Professional Hockey League | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Ice hockey | |||
| |East Coast Hockey League | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Basketball | |||
| |] | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Basketball | |||
| |American Basketball Association | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Basketball | |||
| |American Basketball Association | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Basketball | |||
| |American Basketball Association | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Basketball | |||
| |American Basketball Association | |||
| |- | |||
| |} | |||
| ===Spring training=== | |||
| Florida is the traditional home for Major League Baseball spring training, with teams informally organized into the "]." ], Florida hosts the following major league teams for spring training: | |||
| {| class="wikitable" | |||
| !Club | |||
| !Location | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Walt Disney World | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Fort Lauderdale | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Fort Myers | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Sarasota | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Winter Haven | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Lakeland | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Jupiter | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Kissimmee | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Vero Beach | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Fort Myers | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Port St. Lucie | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Tampa | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Clearwater | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Bradenton | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Jupiter | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |St. Petersburg | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Dunedin | |||
| |- | |||
| |] | |||
| |Viera | |||
| |} | |||
| ===Auto-racing tracks=== | |||
| ] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| ==State symbols== | |||
| ] | |||
| *Nickname: "The Sunshine State" | |||
| *State Motto: "In God we trust" | |||
| *State Bird: ] | |||
| *State Flower: ] - (Citrus sinensis) | |||
| *State Insect: ] | |||
| *State Song: "] (])" by Stephen C. Foster | |||
| *State Tree: ] | |||
| *State Reptile: ] | |||
| *State Animal: ] | |||
| *State Marine Mammal: ] | |||
| *State Saltwater Mammal: ] | |||
| *State Drink: ] | |||
| *State Fruit: ] | |||
| *State Shell: ] (The great band shell) | |||
| *State Saltwater Fish: ] | |||
| *State Freshwater Fish: Florida ] | |||
| *State Pie: ] | |||
| *State Gem: ] | |||
| == 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, Crested Caracara, Snail Kite, Osprey, Pelicans, Sea Gulls, Whooping & Sandhill Cranes, ], ] (State ]), and many more. '''Note''' : Florida is a winter home for most of eastern North America's birds. | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *The ] was named in honor of the state. | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| State Agencies | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| ==References== | |||
| <div class="references-small"> | |||
| <references/> | |||
| </div> | |||
| ==External links== | |||
| {{sisterlinks|Florida}} | |||
| * {{wikitravel}} | |||
| * | |||
| * Over 300,000 photographs and documents from the State Library & Archives of Florida | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| {{Florida}} | |||
| {{United States}} | |||
| {{Confederate2}} | |||
| {{coor title d|28|N|81.5|W|region:US-FL_type:state}} | |||
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Revision as of 21:41, 7 February 2007
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