Most of Florida is a large
peninsula, sticking out of the southeast corner of
the United States, with the
Gulf of Mexico on its west side and
the Atlantic Ocean on its east.
It is bordered on the north by the states of Georgia
and Alabama,
and is near several Caribbean countries, particularly the
Bahamas and Cuba.
The Florida peninsula is a
porous plateau of limestone sitting atop bedrock.
Extended systems of underwater caves, sinkholes and springs
are found throughout.
These supply most of the water used by residents.
The Everglades, an enormously wide,
very slow~flowing river encompasses
the southern tip of the peninsula.
Britton Hill, at 345 feet (105 m) above sea level,
is the highest point in Florida and the
lowest high~point anywhere in the U.S.
Archaeological research indicates that Florida had been
inhabited for thousands of years before any European settlements.
European explorer
Juan Ponce de León arrived
on April 2, 1513,
during Pascua Florida (Spanish: "Flowery Easter").
Since that day, the land has been known as "La Florida".
On March 3, 1845, Florida became the 27th state of the USA.
With an estimated population over 18 million,
Florida is now the most populous state in
the Southeastern United States,
the 2nd most populous state in the South behind Texas,
and the 4th most populous in the U.S.
WEATHER
Much of the state has a humid subtropical climate,
tempered somewhat by its proximity to water.
Southern Florida has a
tropical climate.
The Florida Keys,
about 1700 islands off the southern tip of the peninsula, have even
more tropical climate, with lesser variability in temperatures.
Temperatures rarely exceed 90 ° F (32 ° C) in the summer, nor do
they fall below 60 ° F (16 ° C) in the winter. Frost has never
been reported in the Keys.
Cold fronts can occasionally bring high winds and cool to cold
temperatures to the entire state during late fall
and winter.
Seasons in Florida
are actually determined more by precipitation than by temperature.
There are 2 main weather patterns; mild, cool, mostly dry winters
and autumns (the dry season) and hot, wet springs and
summers (the wet season).
The hottest temperature ever recorded in the state
was 109 ° F (43 ° C). The coldest
was -2 ° F (-19 ° C).
Florida's nickname is the "Sunshine State",
but severe weather is a common occurrence in the state.
Known as the lightning capital of the
United States, Florida experiences
more lightning strikes than anywhere else in the country.
Florida has the highest average precipitation of any state.
Thunderstorms are common from late spring until early autumn.
Caused by collisions between airflow from the Gulf of Mexico
and airflow from the Atlantic Ocean, thunderstorms
pop up in the early afternoon and bring heavy downpours,
high winds, hail and often tornadoes or waterspouts.
Snow in Florida is very rare.
Florida is the most hurricane~prone state,
with warm open water on 3 sides and a
long coastline.
Cyclones pose a severe threat during hurricane season,
which lasts from June 1 to Nov 30, but between
August to October is the most likely period for superstorms.
ECONOMY
The Florida Chamber of Commerce
is the state's most powerful federation of employers,
chambers of commerce and grassroots associations,
representing more than 139 thousand members.
The members are responsible for more
than 3 million employees.
The Chamber unites Florida's business community with its
powerful political tools,
working aggressively within the legislative,
judicial, and executive branches of state government to
advocate legislation critical to the continued improvement
of Florida's business climate and sustained economic development
across the state.
They are committed to fighting for jobs and defeating
legislation threatening Florida's free enterprise system.
Historically, Florida's economy
was primarily based upon farming
(cattle, sugarcane, citrus, tomatoes, and strawberries).
By the early 1900s, fully~developed railroad systems led people
to move in, drawn by the weather and local economies.
From then on, tourism boomed, fueling a cycle of development
that overwhelmed a great deal of farmland.
Tourism now makes up the largest sector of the Florida economy.
Many beach towns are popular tourist destinations,
particularly during winter months.
Agriculture has become the 2nd largest industry.
Citrus fruit, especially oranges, are a major part of that sector.
Florida produces the majority of
citrus fruit grown in the U.S.
Other products include sugarcane and celery.
Phosphate mining is the 3rd largest industry.
Florida produces about 75%
of the phosphate required by the United States
and 25% of the world supply.
Because of NASA launch sites at Cape Canaveral,
Florida has developed a sizable aerospace industry.
The state has seen a recent boom in medical and bio~tech industries
throughout its major metropolitan areas.
Commercial fishing and water~based tourist activities
(sports fishing and diving) are
key industries along the west coast.
Florida is one of 9 states that do not
impose a personal income tax.
SCHOOLS
Florida's public primary and
secondary schools are administered by the
Florida Department of Education.
The State University System of Florida
manages and funds Florida's 11 public universities.
The Florida Community Colleges System manages and funds
Florida's 28 community colleges.
Florida also has many private universities.
The Office of Student Financial Assistance,
within the Florida Department of Education,
administers a variety of post~secondary educational
state~funded grants and scholarships.
They provide an abundance of financial~aid information.
information to students, parents,
and professionals.
For more details please contact the
Florida Department of Education.
HOSPITALITY
Warm weather and hundreds of miles of beaches attract about
60 million visitors to the state every year.
Amusement parks, especially in the Orlando area,
make up a significant portion of tourism.
Walt Disney World is the largest vacation
resort on the planet.
The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association is the most
influential trade associations in Florida.
FRLA represents the entire hospitality industry,
including hotels, motels, inns, restaurants and thousands
of suppliers to the industry.
For more details please contact
Florida State Tourism.
NEWS
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