Florida

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State of Florida

Flag of Florida Seal of Florida Also called: Sunshine State Saying(s): In God We Trust
Official language(s)	English
Capital	Tallahassee
Largest city	Jacksonville
Largest metro area	Miami
Area	Ranked 22nd
- Total	65,795[1] sq mi (170,304[1] 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
Number of people	Ranked 4th
- Total (2000)	17,789,864
- Density	309/sq mi  117.3/km² (8th)
- Average income	$41,171 (36th)
Height above sea level
- Highest point	Britton Hill[2] 345 ft  (105 m)
- Average	98 ft  (30 m)
- Lowest point	Atlantic Ocean[2] 0 ft  (0 m)
Became part of the U.S.	March 3, 1845 (27th)
Governor	Charlie Crist (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	Fla., FL, US-FL
Web site	www.myflorida.com

Florida is a state in the southeastern part of the United States. It is a peninsula, which means that water surrounds the state on three of four possible sides. To the west is the Gulf of Mexico, to the south is the Florida Straits, and to the east is the Atlantic Ocean.

The beach at Bahia Honda, an island at the southern tip of Florida.

[change] Cities in Florida

The capital of Florida is Tallahassee, and Jacksonville is the state's largest city. Tallahassee is in the part of Florida called the panhandle, or the thin part. There are other big cities in Florida, like Tampa, Orlando and Miami. Orlando is home to many amusement and theme parks, like the four parks of the Walt Disney World Resort, Sea World and Universal Orlando. Millions of tourists visit Orlando each year. There is also Busch Gardens in Tampa. Destin is another very popular tourist attraction.

Launch of the U.S. Space Shuttle Columbia in 1981, from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

[change] Sunshine State

Florida is called the Sunshine State. The reason for this nickname is its warm temperature. During the summer, temperatures may rise up to as high as 109 degrees Fahrenheit. Its average temperature is much warmer than many of the other states, but during winter, temperatures may occasionally fall below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. In Florida there are many palm trees. Palm trees grow in places that have a warm climate and a lot of sunshine. Florida has both a rainy season and a dry season. Florida does not have four separate seasons.

Florida's sunny climate also attracts visitors. The summer is a great opportunity to surf the waves and enjoy the beaches. The most popular sport in Florida is fishing. A lot of people also like to visit the beaches on the west side of Florida, such as near Tampa.

[change] References