Florida
Geography
Florida, officially the State of Florida, is located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, and to the south by the Straits of Florida and Cuba. Florida is the 22nd-most extensive (65,755 sq mi or 170,300 km2), the 3rd-most populous (21,477,737 inhabitants), and the 8th-most densely populated (384.3/sq mi or 148.4/km2) of the U.S. states.
History
The earliest known European explorers came with the Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de León. Ponce de León spotted and landed on the peninsula on April 2, 1513. He named it La Florida in recognition of the verdant landscape and because it was the Easter season, which the Spaniards called Pascua Florida (Festival of Flowers). The Spanish colonization began with the establishment of St. Augustine, which is the oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement in the continental U.S.
Economy
Florida's economy relies heavily on tourism, agriculture, and transportation, which developed in the late 19th century. Florida is also renowned for amusement parks, oranges, the Kennedy Space Center, and as a popular destination for retirees. Florida is the largest producer of citrus fruit in the United States, and the state's warm climate and long growing season make it ideally suited for agriculture.
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. In 2010, school districts in the densely populated counties of Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, and Orange counties received the most state funding.
Culture
Florida's culture is a reflection of influences and multiple inheritance; Native American, European American, Hispanic and Latino, and African American heritages can be found in the architecture and cuisine. Florida has attracted many writers such as Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Ernest Hemingway and Tennessee Williams, and continues to attract celebrities and athletes. It is internationally known for golf, tennis, auto racing, and water sports.