Information AboutFlorida |
in the Florida Keys .]] The State of Florida (/) is located in the Southeastern Region of the United States Of America . Most of the state is a large Peninsula with the Gulf Of Mexico on its west and the Atlantic Ocean on its east. Much of the state has a Humid Subtropical Climate , except for southern Florida, where the climate is Tropical .3 Florida was named by Juan Ponce De León , who landed on the peninsula on 2 April , 1513 , during Pascua Florida ( Spanish for "Flowery Easter," referring to the Easter Season ). HISTORY See Also: History of Florida See Also: Seminole Wars Florida in the American Civil War copper plate engraving of Florida Indians, Circa 1721 "Cérémonies et Coutumes Religieuses de tous les Peuples du Monde" (Private Collection of L.S. Morgan, St. Augustine Beach, Florida )]] Archaeological research indicates that Florida had been inhabited for thousands of years before any European settlements. Of the many indigenous peoples, the largest known were the Ais , the Apalachee , the Calusa , the Timucua and the Tocobago tribes. Juan Ponce de León, a Spanish Conquistador , named Florida in honor of his discovery of the land on April 2 , 1513, during Pascua Florida, a Spanish term for the Easter season. 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; according to one report, at least one indigenous tribesman who he encountered in Florida in 1513 spoke Spanish.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 Alternatively, the Spanish-speaking native might have been in contact with areas where Spanish settlements already existed, and Ponce de León was indeed the earliest European arrival to what came to be known as the Florida peninsula.) Over the following century, both the Spanish and French established settlements in Florida, with varying degrees of success. In 1559, Spanish Pensacola was established by Don Tristán De Luna Y Arellano 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 Huguenots founded Fort Caroline in modern-day Jacksonville in 1564, but the fort was conquered by forces from the new Spanish colony of St. Augustine the following year. After Huguenot leader Jean Ribault 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 Pedro Menéndez De Avilés 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 Catholics executed beside a river subsequently called '' Matanzas '' (Spanish for 'killings'). Later, St. Augustine came to serve as the capitals of the British and Spanish colonies of East and West 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 Jesuits and later with Franciscan friars. The local leaders ( Caciques ) 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 English colonies to the north and French colonies to the west. The English weakened Spanish power in the area by supplying their Creek Indian allies with firearms and urging them to raid the Timucuan and Apalachee 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 Castillo De San Marcos . The Spanish, meanwhile, encouraged slaves to flee the English-held Carolinas 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 Peace Of Paris (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 Minorca and Greece , but this project ultimately failed. Spain regained Florida after Britain's defeat by the American colonies and the subsequent Treaty Of Versailles in 1783. They offered land grants to anyone who settled the colony, and many Americans moved to the state. This Americanization resulted in 1819, by terms of the Adams-Onís Treaty , of Spain ceding Florida to the United States in exchange for the American renunciation of any claims on Texas and $5 million. On March 3 , 1845, Florida became the 27th state of the United States of America. On January 10 , 1861 , before the formal outbreak of the Civil War , Florida seceded from the Union ; ten days later, the state became a founding member of the Confederate States Of America . The war ended in 1865. On June 25 , 1868 , Florida's Congressional 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 air conditioning, made the state a haven, and migration from the Rust Belt and the Northeast sharply increased the population. Economic prosperity combined with Florida's sudden elevation in profile led to the Florida Land Boom Of The 1920s , which brought a brief period of intense land development before the Great Depression brought it all to a halt. Florida's economy would not fully recover until World War II . Today, with an estimated population over 18 million, Florida is the most populous state in the Southeastern United States, the second most populous state in the South behind Texas, and the fourth most populous in the United States. The Census Bureau estimates that "Florida, now the fourth most populous state, would edge past New York into third place in total population by 2011".U.S. Census Bureau News; “Florida, California and Texas to Dominate Future Population Growth, Census Bureau Reports”; April 21, 2005 http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/004704.html GEOGRAPHY Florida is situated mostly on a large peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Straits Of Florida . It extends to the northwest into a panhandle, extending along the northern Gulf of Mexico. It is bordered on the north by the states of Georgia and Alabama , and on the west, at the end of the panhandle, by Alabama. It is near the countries of the Caribbean , particularly the Bahamas and Cuba . 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. According to the National Drug Intelligence Center, Florida has 131 public airports, and more than over 700 private airports, airstrips, heliports, and seaplane bases.4 Florida is one of the largest states east of the Mississippi. Only Alaska and Michigan are larger in water area. At 345 feet (105 m) Above Mean Sea Level , Britton Hill is the highest point in Florida and the lowest highpoint of any U.S. state.5 Contrary to popular belief, however, Florida is not entirely "flat." Some places, such as Clearwater , 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, Sugarloaf Mountain , at 312 feet (95 m).6 Areas under control of the National Park Service include:
Areas under the control of the USDA United States Forest Service include:
See Also: List of Florida state parks Boundaries The state line begins in the Atlantic Ocean, traveling west, south, and north up the Thalweg of the Saint Mary's River . At the origin of that river, it then follows a straight line nearly due west and slightly north, to the point where the Confluence of the Flint River (from Georgia) and the Chattahoochee River (down the Alabama/Georgia line) used to form Florida's Apalachicola River. (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 Latitude 31°N to the Perdido River , then south along its thalweg to the Gulf via Perdido Bay. Florida is mostly at sea level. Climate See Also: Climate of Florida Climate change See Also: List of Florida hurricanes List of all-time high and low temperatures by state The climate of Florida is tempered somewhat by its proximity to water. Most of the state has a humid subtropical climate, except for the southern part below Lake Okeechobee which has a true tropical climate.7 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 November 25 , 1996 , 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 Precipitation than by temperature with mild to cool, relatively dry winters and autumns (the dry season) and hot, wet Springs and summers (the wet season). The Gulf Stream has a moderating effect on the climate, and although much of Florida commonly sees a high summer temperature over 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 °C), the mercury seldom exceeds 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 °C). The hottest temperature ever recorded in the state was 109 °F (43 °C), set on June 29 , 1931 in Monticello . The coldest was – 2 °F (−19 °C), on February 13 , 1899 , just 25 miles (40 km) away, in Tallahassee. 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 STS-95 on October 31 , 1998 ]] The Florida Keys, being surrounded by water, have a more tropical climate, with lesser variability in temperatures. At Key West , 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. Central Florida is known as the Lightning 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 Thunderstorm s 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 Gulf of Mexico and airflow from the Atlantic Ocean, pop up in the early afternoon and can bring heavy downpours, high winds, and sometimes Tornado es. Florida leads the United States in tornadoes per square mile, but these tornadoes do not typically reach the intensity of those in the Midwest and Great Plains . Hail often accompanies the most severe thunderstorms. Snow In Florida is a rare occurrence. During the Great Blizzard Of 1899 , Florida experienced Blizzard conditions. During that time, the Tampa Bay Area had "gulf-effect" Snow , similar to Lake-effect Snow .James A. Henry, Kenneth Michael Portier, Jan Coyne, ''The Climate and Weather of Florida'', Pineapple Press, 1994, p. 60. ISBN 1561640360. 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 Homestead . Snow Flurries fell on Miami Beach for the only time in recorded history. 1982's " Cold Sunday ," 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 2003 brought "ocean-effect" snow flurries to the Atlantic coast as far south as Cape Canaveral .8 .]] The 1993 Superstorm 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 Hurricane , and even brought Storm Surge s of six feet or more to regions of the Gulf coast. Although some storms have formed out of season, Tropical Cyclone s pose a severe threat during hurricane season, which lasts from June 1 to November 30 . Florida is the most hurricane-prone US state, with subtropical or tropical water on three sides and a lengthy coastline. It is rare for a hurricane season to pass without any impact in the state by at least a tropical storm. August to October is the most likely period for a hurricane in Florida. Florida saw a slew of destruction in 2004, when it was hit by a record four hurricanes. Hurricanes Charley ( August 13 ), Frances ( September 4 – 5), Ivan ( September 16 ), and Jeanne ( September 25 – 26) cumulatively cost the state's economy US$42 billion. In 2005, Hurricane Dennis ( July 10 ) became the fifth storm to strike Florida within eleven months. Later, Hurricane Katrina ( August 25 ) passed through South Florida and Hurricane Rita ( September 20 ) swept through the Florida Keys . Hurricane Wilma made landfall in Florida in the early morning of October 24 as a Category 3 hurricane, with the storm's eye hitting near Cape Romano , just south of Marco Island , according to the National Hurricane Center . Florida was the site of the second costliest weather disaster in U.S. history, Hurricane Andrew , which caused more than US$25 Billion in damage when it struck on August 24 , 1992 . In a long list of other infamous hurricane strikes are the 1926 Great Miami Hurricane , the 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane , the Labor Day Hurricane Of 1935 , Hurricane Donna in 1960, and Hurricane Opal in 1995. Environmental issues See Also: Environment of Florida Florida ranks forty-sixth in total energy consumption per capita, despite the heavy reliance on air conditioners and pool pumps. This includes coal, natural gas, petroleum, and retail electricity sales. It is estimated that only 1% of energy in the state is generated through renewable resources. Swartz, Kristi E (2007). ''Emission Concern Unites Industry, Advocates''. Harvard University: John F. Kennedy School of Government . Increasing landfill space is also an issue. St. Lucie County is planning to experiment with burning trash through Plasma Arc Gasification to generate energy and reduce landfill space. The experiment will be the largest of its kind in the world to date, and begin operation no later than 2009. If successful, experts estimate that the entire St. Lucie County landfill, estimated to contain 4.3 million tons of trash, will disappear within 18 years. Materials created in the energy production can also be used in road construction. {Link without Title} Some are concerned about the effects of Climate Change and blame it for the major hurricanes of 2004 and 2005; however, recent research suggests the storms are part of a natural cycle and not Global Warming . Many More Hurricanes To Come A globally consistent reanalysis of hurricane variability and trends NOAA Attributes Recent Increase In Hurricane Activity To Naturally Occurring Multi-Decadal Climate Variability In July 2007, Florida Governor Charlie Crist announced plans to sign executive orders that would impose strict new air-pollution standards in the state, with aims to reduce so called " Greenhouse-gas " emissions by 80 percent of 1990 levels by 2050. Crist's orders would set new emissions targets for power companies, automobiles and trucks, and toughen conservation goals for state agencies and require state-owned vehicles to use alternative fuels. Florida To Introduce Tough Greenhouse Gas Targets Red Tide has also been an issue on the Southwest coast of Florida. While there has been a great deal of conjecture over the cause of the toxic algae bloom, there is no evidence that it is being caused by pollution or that there has been an increase in the duration or frequency of red tides. Tide's toxins trouble lungs ashore Since their accidental importation from South America into North America in the 1930s, the Red Imported Fire Ant population has increased its territorial range to include most of the Southern United States , including Florida. They are more aggressive than most native ant species and have a painful sting. Spread and Control of Imported Fire Ants: Florida Environment radio DEMOGRAPHICS Population
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