Florida

There are 23 universities and colleges of state universities and 28 colleges Independent, 26 community colleges , eight law schools and four medical schools in Florida W 69 . The Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida is an association of 28 private educational institutions in the state, totaling more than 120,000 students in 2006 W 121 . In 2007, all universities in Florida had $ 1.6 billion for research, Teacher Professional Development funded by the federal government, Florida State, industry, the patronage and philanthropy W 122 . There are many centers of academic excellence in biotechnology , and renewable energy , the optical and materials science . Since 2000, Florida banned affirmative action in public universities 57 .
Institutions of higher education the most important are the Miami Dade College (167 000 students W 123 students), the University of Florida (51,700), the University of Central Florida (48,400) 124 W , which are among the largest in the United States. According to the Academic Ranking of World Universities by Shanghai Jiao Tong University , the University of Florida is the best in the state, it ranks 58 th in the world and the 39 th place in the United States (2008) 125 W .
The campus of the University of Florida in Gainesville is the largest and covers approximately 800 hectares W 124 . Founded in 1851 , the Florida State University in Tallahassee is the oldest of the state.

Florida (in English Florida) was named Pascua Florida by explorer Ponce de Leon on Easter in 1513, which means “Easter Flower” or “Easter flowers”.
History

Main article: History of Florida .
Pre-Columbian times
Indians in Florida. Burning Bernard Picart , 1721 to
We [who?] was long thought that the first settlers were descendants of peoples from Asia who entered North America by the Bering Strait then emerged between 20,000 and 15,000 BC. AD Today, experts [who?] rather favor the idea that the peninsula was inhabited by groups originating in Central America and to South America , who have arrived in Florida after passing through the Caribbean . [ref. required]
The Paléoaméricains entered on the present territory of Florida, there are about 12 000 years W 2 , W 3 , W 4 , during the Wisconsin glaciation . At that time, the sea level is less than a hundred meters to today. The peninsula of Florida was now twice as large W 2 , W 3 and knew a drier and cooler. A megafauna longer exists populated area ( saber-toothed tigers , giant armadillo , camel W 2 , etc.).. Given the lack of drinking water , the Indians living near sinkholes and ponds limestone . The prehistoric site of Page-Ladson revealed Native American artifacts including peaks of the Clovis culture 2 .
Around 8000 BC free ipad the climate causes a rise in mean sea level . The Florida weather becomes warmer and wetter. New Native American cultures based on gathering and fishing (archaic period) appear. The first sédentarisèrent Chrome Wire Shelving communities near coastlines from 5000 BC W 3 . The oldest semi-permanent camps are growing along the waterways. Native Americans create sambaquis , large deposits of shells undergoing fossilization chemical action of rain water. They are building mounds such as or. Some 14 000 burial mounds are scattered all over Florida. These mysterious mounds contain the remains of Indian leaders or religious figures, extended face towards the sun, and covered by other important members of the tribe, buried on the other hand the side facing the earth. The pottery clay appeared to 2000 BC W 4 archaic culture diversifies to 500 BC to give rise to regional cultures 3 weight loss pills . The people present in the northwest of the Florida Current are influenced by the Mississippian culture , while those who live south and east retain characteristics inherited from the archaic period. The cultivation of corn spreads north of a line from the Tampa Bay 4 . She arrives in the south of the peninsula to the fifth century BC W 4 The auctions online trade in food and develop with the other peoples of Southeast of North America .
At the xvi th century , the people of Florida should be between 100 000 W 4 350 000 inhabitants and divided into many villages and tribes. The conquistadores Spanish identified a hundred names of Native Americans: the best organized were the Apalachee . The Timucua lived in separate villages in the north-eastern and central W 3 . The Calusas occupied the south of the peninsula W 3 .
European colonization
Main articles: Spanish Florida and French Florida .
Juan Ponce de León.
Jean Ribault taking possession of the French Florida on behalf of the King of France in the presence of Indians Saturiwas in 1562.
The first European explorers were traveling near South Florida since 1499 5 . According to popular legend, the Spaniard Juan Ponce de Leon had discovered Florida looking for the Fountain of Youth 6 . He landed on the eastern coast of the peninsula between 2 and 8 April 1513 , probably near the present city of Saint Augustine W 2 , W 3 . He named the place ” La Pascua Florida ” , which means “flowery Easter” in reference to Palm Sunday 6 , 7 . He then routes to the south where he was wounded in a clash against the Calusas W 3 . He returned to Florida in 1521 to find gold and to evangelize the Indians. The institution he founded with about 200 settlers W 2 does not last because of repeated attacks by the Indians in which Ponce de Leon gives life, after being brought back to Cuba .
The expedition of Panfilo de Narvaez recognizes the west coast of Florida, but the Spaniard was killed in an Indian attack in 1528 . On 30 May 1539 , Hernando de Soto landed near present- Bradenton 5 W in the Bay of Tampa 8 and explore the interior. An attempt at colonization in Pensacola led by Tristan de Luna y Arellano in 1559 was finally abandoned in 1561 W 2 , W 3 .
In the race for colonies, France is interested in the North America from the xvi th century. The Huguenot French Jean Ribault approaches the east coast of Florida on 30 April 1562 and took possession of Florida on behalf of the King of France. He built the bastion Charlesfort to defend the new colony of French Florida . On 30 June 1564 , René de Laudonniere founded a second fort in French Florida, the Fort Caroline ( Jacksonville ) W 2 , W 4 .
On 8 September 1565 , the Spanish colony of San Augustine was founded by Pedro Menéndez de Avilés : it becomes the oldest colony of the United States continuously occupied by Europeans W 2 , W 3 , 7 . The Spanish priests, especially Jesuits and the Franciscans , began to build missions to evangelize the Indians and coach. The Spanish settlements in Florida are attacked by the French and the English of the xvi th to the xviii th century. The founding of Georgia in 1733 , the collapse of the missionary and the defeats of the Apalachee , the Spanish allies, to open the region to the English raids Keys . During the modern period ( XVI th – XVIII th century), European ships used during the Gulf Stream to return to Europe 6 , so the Florida Straits is a strategic crossing point. Several ships ran aground on reefs and islands are a haven for pirates and runaway slaves .
East Florida and West Florida in 1810
The Treaty of Paris (1763) ended the Seven Years War and significantly changes the map of the colonies of North America : Spain must cede Florida to the English. Most people, whether settlers or Native Americans, leaving the region W 2 . The British metropolis divides the territory into two entities: the East Florida , with its capital in St. Augustine (the first European settlement established on a sustainable basis in Florida) and West Florida with the main city Pensacola W 3 , and encourages the installation of new settlers especially in the eastern part, by offering trade privileges and land. During this period, the Indians creeks migrate to Florida to train people Seminole W 6 .
Florida is an issue of the American War of Independence (1775-1783). Unlike the Thirteen Colonies , it remains faithful to the English crown, and even welcomes refugee Loyalists W 3 . The Spanish captured Pensacola in 1781 and much of West Florida. The Treaty of Paris (1783) gives Florida to Spain, without specifying borders. The U.S. wants the old limit is taken before 1767. The Treaty of San Lorenzo confirms this choice by 1795 .
American sovereignty and Seminole wars
Main article: Territory of Florida and Seminole Wars .
Andrew Jackson was the first military governor of Florida
Florida was ceded to the United States by the Adams-Onis Treaty , signed February 22, 1819, and incorporated the territory 30 March 1822 . The capital is located in Tallahassee , halfway between St. Augustine and Pensacola W 2 . The first governor was Andrew Jackson was succeeded by William Duval 1822 W 3 , W 4 .
The American colonists developed a plantation economy similar to the Deep South . After the Seminole War (1814-1819), they are lobbying the U.S. government to move Indians. In 1832 , it signed the Treaty of Payne’s Landing with some of the leaders Seminole , promising them lands west of the Mississippi if they agree to leave Florida. Many Seminoles leave at that time, while those who are preparing to defend their land. In 1835 the U.S. Army arrived to enforce the treaty signed three years ago, triggering the Seminole War led by Osceola . After his arrest, negotiating cease-fires were started in 1837 . He died in captivity less than a year later. The war dragged on until 1842 and became the most expensive Indian wars of the xix th century . After the war, the Seminoles are mainly transported to the west of the Mississippi, only 300 of them are allowed to remain in the Everglades W 4 .
On 3 March 1845 , Florida became the 27 th State of the United States with the first Governor William Dunn wow gold Moseley W 2 . It adopts a seal in 1847 and two universities in 1851 W 3 . hcg diet plan The Third Seminole War (1855-1858) was conducted to overcome the resistance of the last Native Americans. At the end of the conflict, there remains a hundred Seminoles in Florida. Following an uprising in 1859 , 75 of them were deported to the west. The other, headed by Ar-pi-uck-i (Sam Jones) remain in the Everglades, refusing to leave the land of their ancestors. Today, their Chicago Criminal Attorney descendants are still present in the region.
On the eve of the Civil War , Florida is the least populated state in the southern U.S. , with about 140 400 inhabitants 9 , which 44% are slaves W 4 . Slavery is a political and economic importance to Florida growers. These opposing the Republican party and ideas abolitionists of the Northern States. During the U.S. presidential election in 1860 , they refuse to vote for Abraham Lincoln and Florida eventually secede from the Union by signing the order of 10 January 1861 W 2 , W 3 . She joined the Confederate States of America a few weeks later and is involved in the Civil War.
Civil War and Reconstruction (1860-1880)
Main article: American Civil War .
The Battle of Olustee was the largest battle fought in Florida during the Civil War
Given its demographic weight, Florida contributes to the war effort by more than its economy its workforce and its soldiers. It provides in particular meat, fish, cotton and salt to its allies W 2 . It is not a major strategic issue because of its peripheral location and low industrialization , so she knows less destruction than other Southern states W 2 . In areas controlled by the Yankees, that is to say the coast, the slaves are taking advantage of the civil war to flee their plantation . Some engage as sailors or soldiers in the Union Army W 7 .
The Yankees hold a blockade and occupy several maritime ports Florida to prevent the supply of the secessionist states. Southerners control most of the forts. John Milton , Governor of Florida at the time, organized a militia and strengthen the defense of his state. The Florida contingent of about 15 000 soldiers W 2 , W 4 . Most of these troops are fighting in Virginia and Florida Brigade stands especially during the Battle of Gettysburg .
In early 1862 , the government asks the Confederate army of General Braxton Bragg stationed in Pensacola to go to the Western Front. All that remains is that several independent companies and some infantry battalions receiving reinforcements from Georgia in 1864 . Florida is the scene of several clashes without decisive W 2 ( Battle of Santa Rosa Island , Battle of Natural Bridge , battle of Gainesville , Battle of Marianna ) is the main battle of Olustee .
The longer the conflict lasts, the more discontent grows Floridians against the conscription and requisitions. The deserters are more numerous and well organized to attack the Confederate patrols, launching raids against plantations or inform the Yankees. Approximately 2,000 Floridians W 2 , opposed to secession, even joining the ranks of the enemy.
In May 1865, the Union general Edward M. McCook is in charge to take control of Florida. It defies Colonel George Washington Scott , hoisted the flag of the United States on the state capitol in Tallahassee and reads the proclamation of emancipation of the slaves on May 12 W 3 . The Civil War is over in Florida, which was officially reinstated in the Union on 25 July 1868 . The war put Florida on the brink of bankruptcy, but the reconstruction effort attracting investors in the north. These trade finance, the construction industry, transport and tourism. The reconstruction begins and ends in 1877 W 3 .
View of Tallahassee in 1885
Florida gets a new constitution in 1868 , which reformed in 1885 W 3 . The elite Democratic reprent power in 1877 after several years of political struggle and violence of paramilitary groups to intimidate his opponents as well as blacks. Between 1885 and 1889 , the legislature of the state voting laws to prevent poor whites and African Americans from exercising their right to vote and to stand, as required by the U.S. Constitution . As in other Southern states, Congress in Florida is long dominated by the Democratic Party. It establishes a system of racial segregation by adopting the Jim Crow : Blacks are deprived of their citizenship and separated from whites in public places.
Segregation, migration and economic development (1880-1945)
Tampa Bay Hotel, a symbol of tourism development Cell Phone Accessories in the late xix th century in Florida
The tourism is a major industry in Florida and is favored by the construction of railways in the second half of the xix th century . Growth experienced by Florida Relevant Life Insurance during this period is largely based on the rapid development of its rail system. The primary sector is also experiencing significant growth in the last quarter of the xix th century, Florida specialized in animal husbandry, cultivation of citrus fruits , production of wood, cigars and phosphates W 2 . These products were transported to consumption centers northeast through the railway and merchant ships. During the Spanish-American War of 1898, Tampa , Miami and Jacksonville serve as points of embarkation to attack Cuba . After the war, thousands of soldiers returned home settled in Florida W 3 .

The lynchings and racial violence directed against blacks are increasing after the First World War . These tensions take radical forms (riots of Ocoee in 1920, Perry and Rosewood in 1922-1923). In 1935, the lynching of Claude Neal in Marianna causes a wave of indignation throughout the country W 3 . At the turn of the century, the boll weevil devastated cotton plantations. To escape persecution and discrimination , nearly 40,000 African Americans left Florida and settled in the cities of Northeast United States. This “Great Migration” of 1910-1940 years, which concerned all Southern states, also economic causes, because blacks could get better paying jobs in the industrial cities of the North who lacked labor W 8 .
The boom in rail and land of 1920 years resulting from the influx of foreign investment and benefits to cash advance online cities like Palm Beach and Miami . This momentum is broken by the hurricanes of 1926 and 1928, by the bursting of the bubble W 2 , W 3 , W 4 and especially by the Great Depression from 1929 . Yet it is in the year 1930 that are set up the first theme parks that are the hallmarks of Florida: Cypress Gardens (1936) near Winter Haven , Marineland (1938) near St. Augustine .
In 1933, U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt , who suffered an assassination attempt in Miami, sets up the New Deal to pull the country out of the Great Depression . In Florida, this program takes many forms such as the construction of the Cross-Florida Barge Canal . Major drainage of wetlands are being made ??to develop new agricultural land in the south of the peninsula W 9 . This region is so significant population growth by attracting Americans but also Canadians W 9 . It was not until the advent of the leisure society, in the year 1960 , moving to see the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando .
World War II and Cold War
Kennedy Space Center .
Despite hard times, the population of Florida increases to approximately Bankruptcy two million inhabitants in 1940. To this number is added each year some three million tourists (we currently lists forty million).
The Second World War marked a turning point in the economy of Florida: over one hundred Liberty Ships left the shipyards Wainwright Panama City W 3 . The federal government creates or strengthens military bases such as those in Pensacola , Eglin and MacDill . At the end of the war, the soldiers who trained on the beaches of Daytona Beach , in Miami and St. Petersburg , returning to the region to find work or to attend a university education given to demobilized soldiers as part of a federal plan of conversion. At the end of World War II, Florida is doing its best to attract large U.S. companies in the region. Between 1945 and 1954, built to accommodate tourists, more hotels in Miami than in the rest of the United States. The Cold War (1947-1991) emphasizes the development of military-industrial complex ; Florida becoming a major issue because of its proximity to the island Communist of Cuba . It hosts thousands of refugees Cuban W 2 . Miami gradually became a major economic centers of Latin America . Immigration also comes from Haiti and other countries of the Caribbean 2 W .
During the 1962 crisis , the region could be directly threatened by the Soviet nuclear missiles. As part of the competition with the Soviet Union and because of its location, Florida hosts the Patrick Air Force Base and spaceport in Cape Canaveral . In the year 1960 , the state moves to the rhythm of the conquest of space which contributes to its reputation and creates many jobs. The mission of Apollo 11 , launched from the Kennedy Space Center in July 1969, followed by millions of people worldwide. The sky of Florida also saw the explosion of the shuttle Challenger in 1986. With the end of the confrontation between two blocs, several military bases are closed.
Struggle for civil rights
The two decades following World War II were marked by the struggle for equality for African Americans in the southern United States . In 1944 , the Supreme Court of the United States banned the white primary system, which limits the voting rights of blacks W 2 . The Leader Harry Tyson Moore founded 50 branches of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for Florida. In 1951 , he died in the explosion of a bomb planted by militants of the Ku Klux Klan . Other attacks against blacks marked the years 1951-1952 in Florida 10 . In 1954, the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States prohibiting segregation in schools is not respected everywhere. Race riots take place at Jacksonville in 1960 and St. Augustine in the same year W 3 . The boycott of the buses in Tallahassee was organized by the Rev. Charles Kenzie Steele in 1956-1958 modeled on the events in Alabama . The movement against segregation had many Denver Divorce Lawyer supporters among the white population of the state, foremost among them is Thomas LeRoy Collins , Governor of Florida from 1955 to 1961 W 2 . Until the early 1960s , the beaches of Dade County are closed to blacks W 9 . Not until the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 for the recognition of equal rights between blacks and whites in the South. However, inequalities and tensions remain: several black neighborhoods of Miami experiencing race riots in Liberty City (May 1980, died 17 11 ) and Overtown (1982 and 1989).
Geography

Main article: Geography of Florida .
Situation
Location Map
Florida is a peninsula , long about 700 km south-east of U.S. 10 W . She walks to the south between the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Gulf of Mexico to the west.
It lies between 31 ° 0 ‘and 24 ° 33′ latitude north and 80 ° 03 ‘and 87 ° 50′ longitude west. Covering an area of 151 940 km 2 W 11 , Florida is the 22 th state in size and the second to the east of the Mississippi River . Its maximum width from east to west is about 580 km W 11 . It continues south through the archipelago of the Keys , and west through the Panhandle of Florida . It is located in the zone of the East ( Eastern Time , UTC-5 ).
Florida is bordered to the north by the U.S. states of Alabama and Georgia . The total perimeter of its borders is approximately 2 900 km W 11 . The peninsula has 1 926 km of coastline, more than any other state, except for the Alaska . It is separated from the Bahamas and Cuba by scrabble word finder the Straits of Florida . Key West (24 ° 33 ‘N) is the most southerly point of the continental United States .
Physical Geography
Coast and islands
The Keys are an archipelago in the South Florida
The coast of Florida extends some 930 km 1 12 , 13 . Considering the bays and headlands , the total length is approximately 13 600 km 14 . No other U.S. state except the Alaska has the longest coastline 15 , 16 . However, outside bays, the west coast port sites has little support because of the presence of shoals . The eastern shores offer only shallow 17 . Its layout is very irregular and bordered by lagoons ( Indian River , about 200 km long) and lidos . To the south, the navigation is rendered dangerous by the reefs and numerous wrecks lying at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico .
The coastline Florida has over 4500 islands W 12 , W STD Testing 13 . The archipelago of the Keys at the southern end, form a string of islands coral over 200 km long W 10 . The largest island is Key Largo ( 47 km long).
The east coast and the Northwest have many barrier islands and sandbanks that stretch and form arrows , sometimes over several tens of km 18 . The southern tip of the peninsula is bordered by salt marshes and mangroves , while the Keys are famous for their coral reefs . There are swamps and mudflats along the Big Bend Coast , between Pasco County and the Ochlockonee River 18 .
The tidal range is greater on the east coast with about 1.8 m against 0.6 m in the Gulf of Mexico 12 . The Gulf Stream is the ocean current that originates Florida Straits from the meeting of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean 19 . For some specialists, the Florida Current is part of the Gulf Stream stops at the Cape Hatteras 20 . The waters of the Gulf Stream are rather warm and nutrient-poor 21 . A warm current, the Loop Current , the Gulf of Mexico runs in the direction of clockwise 12 .
Relief
Topographic map of Florida.
Just 105 meters above sea level, Britton Hill is the culmination of Florida 22 , W 14 . The west coast belongs to all topographic Atlantic Plain ( Atlantic Coastal Plain ) that stretches to Canada . In central and north are the hills ( Florida Uplands ) with an average altitude varies between 30 and 105 meters . The western part of the coastal plain of the Gulf of Mexico ( Gulf Coastal Plain ). In case of increase in mean sea level, much of Florida disappear under water due to the flat topography and low altitudes W 15 .
Because Florida is far from the boundaries of tectonic plates , it is only slightly affected by the risk seismic and volcanic . Earthquakes are rare and of low magnitude , that of January 1879, which operates in the region of Saint Augustine , is felt to Daytona Beach , Tampa and Savannah . The earthquake of January 1880 in Cuba is perceived to Key West , that of 1886 in Charleston into the North Florida W 16 . In 2006, the tremors of an earthquake of magnitude 6, which is activated in the Gulf of Mexico 420 km southwest of Tampa, are felt in the south and center of the state, without causing a tsunami or major damage W 17 .
Climate [ change ]
Main article: Climates of the United States of America .
Given its small size and its lack of mountains, Florida has a climate marked by relatively homogeneous moisture in summer. The climate is influenced by maritime air masses and by the Gulf Stream . The majority of the state is in subtropical climate according to Köppen classification . Only the southern end is experiencing a tropical climate always warm. With 240 days of sunshine a year, Florida deserves its nickname of ” Sunshine State ” W 18 . However, it is possible to distinguish a relatively dry season in autumn and winter and a wet season the rest of the year. The region receives an average of 132 cm of rain per year, more than half between early June and late September (the month the most conducive to hurricanes ).
Almost daily from June to September, the storms are usually short-lived. In a frightening violence, they are accompanied by dangerous lightning and heavy rain, Phen375 Reviews hail and even tornadoes . The frequency of storms is one of the highest in the Discount Judaica products world (only the East African knows a higher rate).
The record heat of Florida is 43 ° C measured at Monticello on 29 June 1931 , Key West has the average annual temperature of the hottest U.S. and remains frost- W 19 . The record low is -19 ° C recorded in the area of Tallahassee on 13 February 1899 W 20 . The cold spells are rare. Snowfalls are extremely rare, but the 19 January 1977 snowstorm yet key cities of Homestead and Miami Beach .
Florida may also experience periods of drought accompanied by fire , as in 2000 21 W . The state is also famous for its storms , especially in the center, a region that has the highest impact of lightning in the United States W 22 .
Satellite image of Hurricane Andrew approaching the coast of Florida (1992).
But weather events are the most life insurance quotes violent tropical cyclones . Florida is in fact regularly in the path of hurricanes Cape Verde 23 W , which affect Florida from June to November. The population is prepared to face the tropical cyclones , called “hurricanes” in the basin of the Atlantic . A hurricane warning is issued when winds of over 120 km / h are expected within 24 hours. Evacuation organized by the authorities can limit the number of victims. Miami home and the National Hurricane Center ( NHC ), which gives warning of danger. Hurricanes are manifested by heavy rains, winds can reach speeds of 320 km / h , and on the coast, by a dangerous flood waters.
Officially, the hurricane season begins on 1 st June and ends November 30, although storms can occur outside this period, like that of March 1993. The Hurricane Andrew in August 1992 is the most destructive in the history of the state: it is 85 people and caused 30 billion of dollars of damage.
The areas north of Lake Okeechobee are marked by the humid subtropical climate W 24 . Annual temperatures are lower than in tropical regions, because of the winters and more severe cold waves coming from the north. The temperature distribution follows a gradient north to south. The rainfall varies from one region to another, and the Florida Panhandle region is the wettest of the year. The north-east and central regions (Lake Okeechobee 1161 mm / year W 25 ) receive less precipitation.
The tropical climate 24 W is present in the south of Lake Okeechobee. It is characterized by mild temperatures and warm all year round (about 25 ° C ) and monthly temperatures remain above 18 ° C . The temperature range is low and rainfall, with a maximum in summer. Winter is cooler and drier than the summer. The region is on the path of hurricanes during the summer. Of fronts cold rarely touch the area between late October and March.

Jacksonville

Key West

Miami

Pensacola
Click on a thumbnail to enlarge
Hydrology
With nearly 18% of its area under water N 1 , Florida is marked by the omnipresence of How to Unlock iPhone aquatic environments. It has nearly 1700 rivers W 12 , 23 , 7800 freshwater lakes 24 , 700 sources , 44 500 km 2 of wetlands W 21 . The longest river within the limits of Florida is the St. Johns , which flows into the Atlantic Ocean . The Suwannee River originates in the neighboring state of Georgia , through Florida and empties into the Gulf of Mexico .
Florida has the highest concentration of sources in the world W 26 . Most are located northwest of the State 22 . Some are hot as Warm Mineral Springs in Sarasota County ( 30 ° C ) W 26 .
An example of a sinkhole : Devil’s Hole
Florida has over 30,000 lakes W 12 , W 10 . The Lake Okeechobee is the largest with over 1 800 km 2 23 , W 12 and is shallow (between 4.5 and 6 meters ), suspension lift kits like most Florida lakes W 12 . The Lake George , the Lake Kissimmee and Lake Apopka are smaller. Others are artificial as the Lake Seminole , founded in 1957 by the Jim Woodruff Dam on the Apalachicola River . Most small lakes in Central Florida occupy sinkholes , that is to say, circular depressions measuring a few meters to several hundred meters, which are characteristic of regions karstic 22 .
Gentle slopes, the climate and nature of the basement of Florida explain the presence of wetlands, many of them have been drained by humans. The most famous is that of the Everglades (see ” natural environments “below).
Finally, groundwater plays an cash advance online important role in the geography of Florida : Everglades is part of a freshwater marsh fed by an aquifer karst 25 . Aquifers are layers of geological porous and permeable trap of ground water. In Florida, they are recharged during the wet season. The Floridian aquifer provides water to some 8.1 million people, that of Biscayne 4.5 million W 21 . They are exploited for the purposes of agriculture, industrial and tourist activities.
Geology
Main article: Geology of Florida .
Relief Map of Gulf of Mexico . The platform of Florida appears in the top right.
Sandy beach at Bahia Honda Key
Florida belongs to the North American plate . By its sedimentary, it relates to other parts of the Caribbean and to Central America 26 . It is the tip of a large plateau sediment called “platform of Florida” and only the north-western ( Panhandle ) belongs to the coastal plain of the Gulf of Mexico . The platform continues in the Gulf of Mexico to the Florida Escarpment, behind which the sea floor drops abruptly to 1800 m depth W 27 . To the south, the slope of the platform corresponds to the Keys and limits the Straits of Florida . To the east in the Atlantic Ocean, it is electronic cigarette review bordered by the escarpment of Florida- Bahamas .
The platform of Florida, which is an important part in the Gulf of Mexico, is 900 km long and 1 000 km wide: to land the Jurassic , the Cretaceous and Tertiary whose thickness ranges from 2.5 to 12 km . wedding rings It rests on a base oldest 27 W of igneous rocks ( Precambrian – Cambrian ) sedimentary ( Ordovician – Devonian ) and volcanic ( Triassic – Jurassic ) 28 W , the platform was gradually formed over the substrate by sedimentary deposits. During its geological history, dating back tens of millions of years, she was successively flooded and discovery in the cycles of transgression – regression marine 27 .
Northern State is composed of sedimentary layers formed from the rocky material derived from erosion of the Appalachians , the mountain range further north W 10 . The system of hills in central Florida is of ancient dunes 29 W and sediment once shaped by the erosion and wind 28 . The limestone rocks are most common in the soil of Florida. They are formed from sediment deposits in shelf seas during the interglacials , the mid- Jurassic in the middle of the Oligocene W 28 . They are organized in terraces and shaped karst : sinkholes , poljes , losses , resurgences , caves and caverns. Finally, the Keys are coral reefs 18 .
In 2005, Florida was the fourth State of the United States for the production of ore W 30 . The main ones are the chicago dui attorney phosphates , the sand and gravel , the ilmenite , the rutile W 30 and kaolin W 31 .
Two types of sand are present on the Florida beaches: white sand which dominates the quartz , formed from sediment eroded and transported by the Appalachian streams 29 W ; sand original carbonate in the Keys 29 . It is on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico found the finest sand 29 . The beaches of the Panhandle have the dunes to the highest, the smallest are in the Keys 30 .
Florida is known for the abundance and variety of fossils of vertebrates dating from the Eocene to Pleistocene W spa covers 32 , W 33 . The Myakka soil , a gray sand and one of the symbols of Florida, is the most common of the state covering an area of nearly 6 000 hcg km 2 W 34 .
Cities and urban planning
Florida’s population is predominantly urban in 1930 W 35 . Today, more than 85% of Floridians live in a city of over 2 500 inhabitants 35 W . In 2007, Jacksonville is the city of Florida’s most populous W 36 and in 2008 the largest urban area is that of Miami ( 5.4 million), which ranks seventh among cities in the U.S. and 60 th largest in auto insurance rates the world W 37 , W 38 .
Ybor City, Tampa neighborhood rehabilitated
In 2008, the first five cities in Florida represent more than 12 million people or 67% of the population of the state W 38 , W 39 , N 2 . This trend is representative of the metropolisation U.S. territory. Most of the largest cities are located on the coast . The urban network is relatively balanced, although dominated Miami. Two major urban areas are emerging: one on the southeast coast (from Homestead to Jupiter ), the other from St. Petersburg and Daytona Beach , to Orlando , along the Interstate 4 . Tallahassee , the capital of Florida is not the most populous city, a situation encountered in many U.S. states . As elsewhere in the Sun Belt , the Florida cities are experiencing population growth steadily since the 1960s. The rural exodus , the population growth and immigration have resulted in an increase in the number of urban dwellers and the urban sprawl .
The cities of Florida like other major U.S. cities: they include a business center with high-rise , surrounded by ghettos , warehouses and industrial and port areas. The suburbs , where middle-class white residents are connected to the center by highway and some rail lines N 3 . The municipalities are trying to bring back the middle classes in inner cities. This gentrification involves the rehabilitation of historic districts ( Ybor City in Tampa, Miami Beach Bins Architectural District ) and the creation of infrastructure for recreation and culture ( Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville , for example).
List of the top five metropolitan areas N 4 in Florida:
Rank in Florida Rank in the U.S. 38 W Name the largest city Population (2008) 38 W
A 7 Miami 5414792
2 19 Tampa 2733761
3 27 Orlando 2054574
4 40 Jacksonville 1313228
5 74 Bradenton 687 823
Natural environment and biota

Although the topography and climate of Florida is relatively homogeneous, the state has a large variety of natural environments. They are vulnerable to climate change, population pressure and pollution.
Major ecosystems
Forests cover almost half of the state W 41 . The pine trees are the most frequent and seven different species are present in Florida 31 . The woods are made ??of berry bushes, small oaks and palms of sand 32 . The pine trees generally grow on sandy soils and acid 33 . Because of low hills and nature of land, Florida has many areas of wetlands , the most famous is that of the Everglades . The marshes are the domain of symbolic alligators , turtles in Florida and bald cypress . They are areas of spawning for fish as food for wading birds .
The mangrove in the south of the peninsula, and the dunes of sand are among the ecosystems most vulnerable: they protect the coast against the onslaught of the waves and are breeding grounds for local wildlife. Marine environments provide biodiversity important: San Diego Homes For Rent they are dominated by seagrass beds of Thalassia testudinum growing on shallow W 42 . Those in the south are the most extensive in the world ( 5 500 km 2 ) W 42 . The Florida is also the only region of the continental U.S. to have nearly 6,000 coral reefs W 43 . Finally, it has a vast network of caves and caverns inhabited by animals adapted to darkness.
Flora
Main article: Flora Florida .
The climate of Florida, whose characteristics vary considerably from north to south, contributing to the incredible wealth of native flora.
It boasts 4200 species of plants and ferns W 44 . The subtropical rainforest is the natural environment typical of central and north. South of the peninsula, the vegetation is more like that of the Caribbean W 44 . Among the trees the most present are pine with longleaf pine and Pinus serotina . The marshes are also the habitat of cypress ponds and bald cypress . In order to best preserve its natural resources, Florida has three National Forests ( Apalachicola , Osceola and Ocala ) covering a total of nearly 4 667 km 2 W 45 . Finally, Florida also has about 2 000 km 2 of mangrove -covered red mangrove , the black mangrove and white mangrove W 46 .
All sorts of exotic plants introduced in Florida are threatening the survival of native species. These plants now account for 27% of existing varieties in the state and spread in nature to the detriment of native vegetation, so much so that several eradication programs have been established.
The plant state symbols are the orange W 47 , the palm sands W 48 and coreopsis W 49 .

Bald cypress

The oil palm

Mangrove swamp

Wetlands

Pine swamps
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Wildlife
Main article: Wildlife in Florida .
The Florida sun and mild winters are ideal for a wide range of fauna.
Florida has 250 fish species, 50 W , 498 species of birds 51 W , including 179 species that nest in Florida 13 and 1 500 species of vertebrates W 52 . Among the most endangered animals include the American crocodile , the green turtle , the Wood Stork , the ivory-billed woodpecker , the Florida panther , the deer Keys or the Florida manatee . The American alligator frequents freshwater marshes but is also found in rivers or lakes. The wetlands are home to many aquatic species ( pelicans , bald eagles , osprey …) and of wading birds ( snowy egrets , herons and great blue herons , flamingos …). Animal symbols of the State are the Florida Panther, the Mockingbird , the Heliconius charithonia , the largemouth bass , the Atlantic sailfish , Florida manatee, the porpoise and Pleuroploca gigantea . Thanks to the presence of many wetlands and its warm climate, the region is also a haven for many insects and especially for mosquitoes . From June to September (rainy season), several species of mosquitoes are really annoying and for residents and visitors 34 . Along the coast, they are rampant throughout the year.

American crocodile

Florida panther

Deer Keys

Florida Manatee

Heron

Baby alligators
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Environmental problems
The damage caused by the passage of Hurricane Katrina (2005)
Florida is particularly threatened by climate change : the hurricanes more frequent and more intense resulting in the destruction of reefs , forests, and the erosion of coastlines . A rise of six meters of sea level would cause flooding third of Florida W 53 . The droughts repeatedly increase the risk of forest fires and water shortages. Population pressure and the urbanization led to drainage of wetlands and declining water tables . Cave-ins multiply and degrade aquatic W 54 . The urban sprawl is causing the disappearance of natural habitats and the rise of incidents between people and alligators 35 . Economic development is the cause of pollution , competition for water resources, destruction of corals . Maritime recreation (sports, fishing) affect the marine life.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is the agency responsible for nature conservation for Florida. In 2004 the state legislature passed a budget of 98.4 million for the restoration of beaches W 30 . The State imposes restrictions and water plant desalination of sea water was built in 1993 in Tampa Bay to address the shortage 36 . In 2005, 40% of water withdrawals are for agriculture W 55 . There are plans to bring water from northern Florida to southern most populous 37 .
The state park system includes some 158 sites preserved W 56 . Florida is the only state east of the Mississippi River that has three national parks : the Everglades , Biscayne and Dry Tortugas . These are concentrated in the south of the peninsula and have the special protection of wetlands and sea.
Florida has a large number of protected areas (parks, forests, recreation areas, historic sites, etc.. ), some governed by the federal government, other State. Created to preserve the natural and cultural heritage of Florida while remaining accessible to the public, most of these areas offer visitors locksmith a wide variety of outdoor activities (hiking, swimming, horse riding, cycling, fishing, canoeing, camping, etc.).. Florida is the state that also has the largest number of golf courses (1086 courses in operation around the year 2000 38 ), which pose problems of consumption of land, water and pesticide pollution (due to of arsenic from MSMA and others).
Population

Main article: Demographics of Florida .
Population growth
Changes in the population of Florida (1830-2000).
Florida knows the third population growth of the country in absolute W 57 and seventh in percentage W 58 . Between 2000 and 2006, Florida’s population increased by 13.2% against 6.4% for the U.S. population 59 W . This increase in population leads to environmental problems: urban pressure, shortage of water, depletion of ecosystems , coastal concrete, etc.. Population growth is due to 12.5% ??in natural balance , while the migration contribute to 87.5% W 58 . Indeed, Florida is part of the Sun Belt attracts Americans and is a major focus of pastry immigration. In 2000 it had 16.7% of immigrants and 23.1% of people speaking a language other than English at home W 59 .
The first of them is Spanish ( 26.9% ), followed by French ( 2.2% ), the German ( 0.6% ) and the Italian ( 0.4% ). Article II , Section 9, of the Florida Constitution states that “the English is the official language of the State of Florida ” .
Population Distribution
Density map in Florida.
The population density in Florida, with 116 inhabitants / km 2 , is the eighth U.S. 60 W , a figure well above the national average, although it hides important disparities. The population is concentrated on the Atlantic coast and southwest around Tampa : 90% of its population lives within 30 km of shore. The interior is less populated than in cities such as Tallahassee and Gainesville , and some counties like Seminole , Orange and Polk . Regions with very low densities correspond to protected natural areas ( Everglades National Park , National Forests of Apalachicola and to Osceola for example). The coastline located between Clearwater and Panama City is less populated.
Demographic structure
The share of over 65 is 16.8% or 4.4 points higher than the national average W 59 . The growth of this group, however, tends to decrease since the end of the xx th century W 58 . Florida has the highest concentration of retired U.S. 60 W , which are attracted by the climate. Thousands of elderly people gather in Retirement Communities , in other words, neighborhoods developed exclusively for retirees: Sun City near Tampa is one example. It was built by Del Webb , developer Arizonans since 1960 and now has some 9300 inhabitants 39 . The proportion of under 19 decreased: it was 27.6% in 1980 and 25.3% in 2000 58 W . This demographic phenomenon will affect the workforce of the state in the future.
The mortality rate in Florida (9.6 per thousand in 2005) is higher than the national average ( 8.2 per thousand) W 61 . The Hispanics have a birth rate higher than the rest of the population N 5 . The fertility rate is 64.1 children per thousand women of childbearing age in 2004 (66.3 for the USA) W 63 .
Ethnic distribution
Composition of the population in% (2006) 59 W
Group: Florida United States
Whites 80.2 80.1
Black 15.8 12.8
Asian 2.3 4.5
Mestizo 1.3 1.6
Indians 0.4 A
Total 100 100
The majority of the population in Florida is white (the Hispanics are counted as white in the census ) but the share of whites tends to decrease slowly ( 85.3% in 1980 and 82.2% in 2000 W 58 ), as in the rest the United States.
There is a high proportion of Hispanics ( 20.2% Florida 14.8% national average of 59 W ) and it tends to increase W 58 . With 3.6 million people, the Hispanic community in Florida is the third largest behind that of California and Texas W 64 . It is concentrated in the south of the peninsula: Hispanics represent over 25% of the population in the counties of Miami-Dade , Collier , Hendry , De Soto , Hardee and Osceola W 65 . With over 1.4 million people ( 61.9% of the population 66 W ), the Miami-Dade County has the largest group of Hispanics in Florida W 67 .
Unlike the states of southwestern United States, the Cubans are the majority (833,000 in 2000 W 68 ) and not the Mexicans (364,000). They are concentrated in Greater Miami , especially in the districts of Little Havana and of Hialeah .
The Indians are only a small part of the Florida population and are divided into two main ethnic groups: the Seminole and Miccosukee W 2 . They work in the reservations and casinos in the state. There are six Indian reservations 69 W which are the three main Immokalee , Hollywood and Brighton .
By 1960, African Americans accounted for 18% of Florida’s population (880,186 people) W 70 . Their proportion decreased (see section History above). Today, many blacks are from Haiti . There is a Little Haiti , a neighborhood historically populated by Haitians, but which today is increasingly populated by Hispanics, north of Miami.
Society and religion
Florida’s population follows the national average in graduation rates of secondary education ( 79.9% ), the average per capita income ( $ 38,417 71 W ) and the rate of people living below the poverty line ( 11, 9% ) W 59 . The median income is significantly lower than that of the United States ( $ 40,900 against $ 44,334 ) W 59 . The rate of divorce in Florida ( 3.6 per thousand inhabitants) is slightly higher than the national average ( 3.5 per thousand population) and tends to decrease since the year 1990 W 72 . The community gay is present in the neighborhoods of South Beach (Miami) , Wilton Manors , a suburb of Fort Lauderdale , but especially to Key West , known for its liberalism and tolerance . In 2000, the Protestants were most numerous in Florida W 73 . In absolute ppi reclaim terms, the Church is the largest of Catholics ( 2.6 million), followed by the Southern Baptist Convention ( 1.3 million) W 73 . There are also some 628,485 Jews who concentrate in Miami Beach , Boca Raton and Fort electronic cigarette Lauderdale, and 31 661 Muslims W 73 .
With 6.2 murders per 100,000 inhabitants ( 5.6 national average), Florida State is not the most violent countries in the W 74 . West Palm Beach ( 22.6 per 100 000 inhabitants) and Miami ( 13.9 per 100 000 population) are the two cities most affected by the murders W 75 . In the county of Miami-Dade, the number of violent crimes (murder, rape, armed robbery) has declined since the year 1990 , while the population increased N 6 .
Policy

Main article: casino Government of Florida .
Institutions
The Capitol of Florida, Tallahassee
Florida is one of the fifty states of the United States and as such has its sovereignty in many areas such as police, education and civil cases 40 . The organization of institutions and citizens’ rights are defined by the Florida Constitution drafted in 1838 and amended several times. As at the national level, the powers are separated into three branches executive , legislative and judicial .
Map of counties in Florida.
The legislature is bicameral, with a Senate of 40 members and a House of Representatives of 120 members 13 W . It is responsible for passing the laws which, after being signed by the Governor, become statute ( Florida Statutes ). She serves on the Capitol of the State of Florida in Tallahassee .
The governor is popularly elected for four years and may not serve more than two successive terms. Its role is to enforce the law. He is the spokesman for the State and the Commander in Chief of the National Guard of Florida 41 t shirt design . He governs in cooperation with a lieutenant governor and a cabinet composed of the Attorney General , the Commissioner of Agriculture and Chief Financial Officer , all elected for four years. The Attorney General is responsible for advising the governor and the Legislature for legal affairs. The government has many agencies and organizations specializing in specific areas (environment, transport, education, etc.).. The sales taxes are the main revenue of the State of Florida.
The Florida Supreme Court is headed by a Chief Justice ( Chief Justice ) along with six other judges ( Justices ). It is the guardian of the Constitution of the State verifies the constitutionality of laws and acts as a court of appeal 42 .
Florida is divided into 67 counties that perform various local powers (police, justice, public works, sanitation, public assistance, etc.). 43 . Finally, the municipalities are the final administrative level. They often have the same powers as the county, except justice. They are usually run by a mayor and a council elected. They make decisions called ordinances and levy taxes. Their main source of revenue comes from taxes on properties.
Presidential elections
Presidential election results in Florida
Year Republican Democrat
2008 48.22% 4,045,624 50.96% 4,282,074
2004 52.10% 3,964,522 47.09% 3,583,544
2000 48.85% 2,912,790 48.84% 2,912,253
1996 42.32% 2,244,536 48.02% 2,546,870
1992 40.89% 2,173,310 39.00% 2,072,698
1988 60.87% 2,618,885 38.51% 1,656,701
1984 65.32% 2,730,350 34.66% 1,448,816
1980 55.52% 2,046,951 38.50% 1,419,475
1976 46.64% 1,469,531 51.93% 1,636,000
1972 71 91% 1,857,759 27.80% 718 117
1968 40.53% 886 804 30.93% 676 794
1964 48 85% 905 941 51 15% 948 540
1960 51 51% 795 476 48 49% 748 700
Florida is one of the swing states , that is to say the states in which neither major political parties , Democrat and Republican , dominates the popular vote. It is therefore a major issue in the presidential elections with its large number of electors 15 .
Between 1876 and 1948 , voters still predominantly voted for the Democratic candidate in presidential elections except that of 1928 ( Herbert Hoover ).
Since 1952 , voters chose the Republican candidate 11 times and the Democratic candidate four times ( 1964 , 1976 , 1996 and 2008 ).
The 2000 election was the subject of electoral and judicial imbroglio unprecedented between supporters of Democrat Al Gore and Republican George W. Bush , brother of Florida Governor Jeb Bush . The election was played at a few hundred votes in favor of George W. Bush, giving him the victory at the national level by the Supreme Court of the United States interposed. In 2004, George W. Bush re-elected with 52.10% of the vote against 47.09% for John Kerry .
During the 2008 U.S. presidential election , Barack Obama won the state key with 51% of the vote against John McCain ( 48.4% ), the Hispanics who voted overwhelmingly Democratic as they traditionally voted Republican.
A Republican State
Rick Scott , the governor of Florida (since January 2011 ).
After decades of domination Democrat , Florida has shifted markedly on the side of Republicans during the year 1980 . Since 1999 , the governors of Florida have always been Republicans.
The current governor is Republican Rick Scott since January 2011.
All major elected positions on the executive of Florida are now held by Republicans starting with the Lieutenant Governor Jennifer Carroll , the first woman and first African American to hold this office in Florida. In January 2011, Republican Jeff Atwater took over from Alex Sink , the last Democrat who held the date an official position in the government of Florida. The judges of the martial arts denver supreme court local, they were for those in office in November 2010, the majority appointed under the mandate of the independent and Republican Governor Charlie Crist .
Since 1994 , both houses in Florida are mostly Republican. During the session 2 011 – 2013 , the Senate is dominated by Republicans against 12 Democrats 28 77 W and 81 Republicans against 39 Democrats elected seats in the roadrage House of Representatives W 78 .
The cities of South Florida are more Democrats ( Miami , West Palm Beach , Fort Lauderdale , the Keys ) and the center rather than republican ( Orlando ). In Miami, for example, progressives ( liberals ) Democrats alongside ultra-conservative Republicans original Cuban . Apart from the liberal counties Miami-Dade , Broward and Palm Beach , the center of the electoral battle of 2000, the Democratic Party of Florida to manage a social conservative base captured by the Republican Party. Tampa , formerly Democratic stronghold, in today ‘ Today many Republican voters as Democrats.
Federal Representation
At the national level for the 112 th Congress of the United States (2011-2013), the two senators from Florida are the Democrat Bill Nelson and Republican Marco Rubio , while 19 Republicans and six Democrats representing Florida in the House of Representatives the United States .
Justice
The judicial system consists of a Supreme Court sitting in Tallahassee, five Courts of Appeal District ( District Courts of Appeals ), the circuit courts ( circuit courts ) and 67 counties over 69 W . Florida is one of 35 states applying the death penalty . She has conducted 66 executions since the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1979 W 79 . Executions are carried out by lethal injection at Florida State Prison ( Starke ) 44 .
Economy

Main article: Economy of Florida .
GDP Shares of Florida
Florida is the fourth State of the United States by its gross national product (GNP) 80 W , which amounts to 742.8 billion (end 2008) and represents just over 5% of U.S. GDP W 81 . Until the economic crisis of 2008-2009 , GDP Florida has experienced significant growth: between 1997 and 2007, it increased by 87% W 82 . The per capita income is $ 33,417 (base 2000) 82 W , ranking Florida to 20 th place in 50 states W 83 .
Florida’s economic strength is based on multiple assets. The workforce is large: 9.3 million people make up the workforce in December 2008 W 81 . However, the unemployment rate is above the national average ( 8.1% of the labor force in 2008 against 7.6% for all U.S. 81 W ).
Companies can count on a good network of universities and public transport . Florida is one of the few U.S. states that have established a minimum wage in 2004, which is adjusted on the inflation every six months. There is no income tax and sales tax amounts to 6% W 84 . The climate, beaches and leisure ppi reclaim offer attract white-collar workers . The location on the mainland of Florida is an interface between the two Americas. The frame of the state bank is solid, with Miami ‘s main financial center. All these advantages make Florida attractive to investors: with 39.3 billion of foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2008, Florida ranks in the top destinations of capital flows to the U.S. 85 W .
Primary sector
Sugarcane ( Pinellas County )
Despite the difficulties it encounters ( citrus canker , weather disasters), Florida Agriculture keeps a considerable weight by the direct and indirect jobs it generates, as well as for exports. Indeed, agriculture depends on upstream activities ( fertilizer from phosphates , biotechnology ), and downstream such as agribusiness . Agriculture has a large domestic market (densely populated northeastern United States). Florida has fertile soil, a long growing season and does not know the gel in its southern end 45 . There are very large farms (more than 2000 hectares ) specializing in fruits, vegetables, nursery plants to which it exports to markets in the north in winter and spring and sugarcane 46 . The horticulture and the livestock (mainly cattle) are other important activities. Florida ranks first national production of oranges ( 75% of U.S. output 10 W ) and grapefruit , the second for sugar cane, vegetables, fruits and horticultural W 69 . Despite its prominent place, the citrus is only a third of sales of agricultural products of the state. The forestry is 8.5 billion and 82 million trees planted W 69 .
Given the state of Florida between the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico , its economy is naturally turned towards the sea Florida has about 900 farms aquaculture W 86 raising catfish , ornamental fish, the shellfish ( oysters ) and crustaceans . The seafood industry web hosting is diverse: fish, shrimp , spiny lobster , etc.. Fisheries market generates annual sales of over $ 200 million.
In absolute terms, is the third Florida State energy consumption 87 W : the population is indeed large and domestic needs are important. However, energy consumption per capita is denver accident lawyer one of the lowest in the country ( 44 th out of 50), due to the low weight of the industries W 88 . Energy resources are scarce and Florida has to import most of its needs. It does not have a refinery W 88 . Natural gas comes from neighboring States of the Gulf of Mexico. Production hydropower is minimal W 88 . Three nuclear power plants are in operation. Florida produces 3.2% of renewable energy in the United States while the potential is relatively large ( solar , biofuels ) W 88 . On October 27, 2009, President Barack Obama opened the largest solar power plant in the United States in Miami. Equipped with more than 9000 signs, it will help to inform more than 3000 homes W 89 . The Florida Power & Light Company announced the opening in 2010 of a solar power plant of 180,000 mirrors W 90 . It is located on the east coast, north of Palm Beach County and will extend over 200 hectares W 90 .
In 2005, Florida is the fourth State of the United States for the production of ore W 30 . The main products are the phosphates (54 million in 2005), sand and gravel (64 million), the ilmenite , the rutile W 30 and kaolin W 31 . Today, between 75 and 80% of the phosphate used in the U.S. 30 W and 25% in the world comes from Florida 91 W : it is exported through the port of Tampa .
Secondary sector
Launch of Space Shuttle Challenger. Space Center in Cape Canaveral
Florida is not considered an industrial state: the heavy industries are few and the secondary sector accounts for only 8% of GDP. Industrial employment is concentrated in cities. Several industries are working in conjunction with the primary sector: wood processing, fruit juice , canning , refining sugar . The sector of construction and public works (BTP) is driven by population growth and tourism. Electrical and transport equipment (Tampa, Jacksonville, Orlando), clothing (Miami) activities are relatively dynamic W 10 .
Since the arrival of NASA at Cape Canaveral in the 1960s, the industry Aerospace has developed. Today it employs 23,000 people and produces $ 4.5 billion worth of goods and services 13 W .
Medical industries and biotechnology are also growing in major cities. Florida is the second U.S. state to the number of medical laboratories W 92 . More than 600 biotechnology companies ( Alachua County and Greater Miami – Fort Lauderdale ), the pharmacy and medical supplies 93 W work closely with universities.
Tertiary sector
The services account for 68% of GDP Florida W 92 . Corporations support communities and individuals, such as health and tourism, come to mind. They occupy about 30% of state employees and provide a quarter of the wealth produced. With a population Aging, health services are expected to soon be one of the highest rates of growth.
The public also has an important role in the economy of the state, employing about 15% of active people, including education, health and the military.
Real estate agencies and financial play a role. Real estate transactions in particular have affiliate marketing guide experienced tremendous growth due to the influx of new residents. The sector employs twice as many agents as the national average.
Tourism is the main activity of Florida 10 W , 69 W : it generates, in the year 2000 , $ 57 vps hosting billion W 13 . “The Sunshine State” has attracted some 86 million tourists in 2006 W 94 .
Walt Disney World Resort.
The tourist attractions in Florida are numerous: the tropical South offers warm, sunny winters. The seaside tourism is growing thanks to white sand beaches such as those of the Suncoast , but also with a large supply of transport infrastructure and hotels. The range of activities is wide, ranging from leisure and water sports to cultural tourism and ecological (natural parks). Tourists also come to enjoy hundreds of freshwater springs of the state: there are 15 state parks around sources that attract every year more than two million visitors W 95 . You can visit the Kennedy Space Center and watch the shuttle launch site.
Florida is with the California , the state with the largest theme park. Several parks are grouped into complex, the largest of all is the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, which covers 101 km 2 W 96 . The complex employs 65,000 people, includes four theme parks including a zoo and a park of future technologies ( EPCOT ), two water parks, 22 hotels, five golf courses and a commercial area. Orlando is the city’s busiest tourist the world and has the largest hotel capacity in the country 47 . Finally, Miami is the first port of cruises in the world 48 with more than 1.8 million shipments in 2007 W 97 .
Aerial photograph of the Port of Miami.
4000 bank branches are present in Florida and Miami is the second largest international banking center in the United States, behind New York W 92 .
The exports of goods account for 14.5 billion dollars in the first quarter of 2009, and imports 9.8 billion W cash advance online 81 . Florida ports export manufactured goods, vehicles, fertilizers, plastics and pharmaceuticals. They import of manufactured goods, energy and minerals. Florida is the gateway to the United States in the Latin America and accounts for nearly 40% of U.S. exports to that continent W 13 . The airports are 4.8 million tonnes and 7% of goods transported by aircraft to the U.S. 98 W . The shoreline hosts 14 deepwater ports with a total traffic of 121 million tons of goods W 98 . Tampa is the largest port in Florida by volume of goods 49 , W 99 .
Culture

Main article: Culture in Florida .
Architecture and Heritage
House of Wesley, a Florida family that has been enriched by the timber industry (late XIX th century State Park Eden Gardens ).
Don Cesar, St. Pete Beach.
Miami Beach Art Deco buildings.
The architecture of Florida follows the historical and economic of the “Sunshine State”. The many strengths present in Florida show that the region was an issue between the European colonial powers, then in the Indian wars conducted by the U.S. government. The Castillo de San Marcos and Fort Matanzas , built by the Spanish in the xviii th century in coquina are classified U.S. national monuments . The architecture of the xix th century reflects the economic developments in Florida in the northern half, growers and farmers are building beautiful homes in a style common to the Old South of the United States ( State Park Eden Gardens ). Of these plantations are still some ruins of a sugar mill ( State Historic Site Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins ) or boxes of slaves ( State Historic Park Bulow Plantation Ruins ). The proliferation of lighthouses on the coast reflects the maritime vocation of Florida: the higher the Ponce de Leon Inlet Light to Ponce Inlet .
In the years 1880-1920, investors and railway magnates built many hotels in eclectic architectural styles: Carl Graham Fisher in Miami Beach , Harold Stirling Vanderbilt in Palm Beach , Henry Bradley Plant in Tampa , Henry Morrison Flagler in St . Augustine . The neo-Moorish architecture is popular: Don Cesar (St. Pete Beach), Tampa Bay Hotel (Tampa), Ponce de Leon Hotel (St. Augustine). Other trends are Hispanic ( Coral Gables Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables ) or neo-Renaissance Mediterranean ( Villa Vizcaya in Miami).
The In-Between World Wars saw flourish style buildings Art Deco , especially in Miami and Miami Beach. Decorative elements in stucco and marble to the themes of the local flora and fauna so that the trend is called Tropical Art Deco . The walls are painted with pastel colors and decorated with geometric shapes, neon lights that shine at night. The eyebrow above the windows, to protect the interior of the sun, is a specialty of Miami 100 W . Florida has the buildings of the Prairie School , including the Veterans’ Memorial Library of Isabel Roberts ( St. Cloud ) and Pfeiffer Chapel , by Frank Lloyd Wright ( Lakeland ) are two famous examples.
There is a modern style unique to Miami: the Miami Modern Architecture , Morris Lapidus is one of the 100 day loans most prolific architects in Florida in the 1950s, he has many hotels in Miami Beach. The Sarasota School of Architecture is an architectural style dominated by regional Paul Rudolph in 1950 and belongs to the international style . Finally, among the great international architects who worked in Florida include the Japanese Arata Isozaki who built the Team Disney Building, near Orlando, or the Switzerland Bernard Tschumi who designed the Paul Cejas School of Architecture Building in Miami (2003).
As in other American cities, large cities have seen Florida rise of skyscrapers in the business centers . The outbreak was in Miami that such specialists were able to talk about ” manhattanisation ” . The Four Seasons Hotel Miami is the tallest building in Florida with its 242 meters . In recent years, Floridians have become aware of the need to preserve the architectural heritage of the state, threatened by developers. Many cities have historic districts ( Historic Districts in English) that attract tourists. In the late 1970s, under the leadership of Barbara Capitman, was created to preserve the League of Miami 100 W . In 2007, Florida is home to 39 National Historic Landmarks W 101 .
Film and Television
Main article: List of films shot in Florida .
Entrance to the Hollywood area of ??Universal Studios Florida.
At the beginning of XX th century, many directors of New York are attracted by the climate of Florida and low wages. They set up some thirty studios in Jacksonville that is quickly nicknamed ” Winter Film Capital of the World ” N 7 . Hundreds of silent films are well produced between 1908 and 1920 . But the film industry is halted by competition from Hollywood in California . All that remains of this golden age that a museum housed in the Norman studios in the neighborhood of Arlington, the Jacksonville Silent Film Museum 102 W .
Today, Florida is the third largest film production center in the United States. There are studios in two theme parks : Universal Studios Florida and Disney’s Hollywood Studios . Several historical movies on the Prohibition ( Some Like It Hot ), the Cuban missile crisis of 1962 ( thirteen days ) were shot in Florida. Many films have theme espionage ( Goldfinger , Casino Royale ) or space ( Apollo 13 , Contact ). The film takes place in Florida often belong to the genus or the police thriller : The Expert , Wild Things , Miami Vice – Miami Vice . Others are action movies like Bad Boys , 2 Fast 2 Furious , The Transporter 2 . In the register of comedy include Porky’s , Stranger Than Paradise , Something About Mary and My stepfather, my parents and me that take place all in the State. Given Sunday directed by Oliver Stone , evokes meanwhile the world of football . Many actors were born in Florida: Sidney Poitier , Faye Dunaway , Wesley Snipes or Danny Pino .
Among the TV shows that are set in Florida include: Flipper , The Golden Girls , Nip / Tuck , Miami Vice , CSI: Miami , Dexter are the best known.
Kitchen
Florida cuisine is a blend of diverse influences come from the Caribbean and of Latin America . It uses marine products (fish, crustaceans, shellfish), Cuba (rice, black beans, pork) and tropical (fruit), often identified by the spices . The citrus fruits (orange, lemon, grapefruit) chiropractic marketing are used in desserts but also in many sweet and sour dishes (chicken, fish, etc.).. Among the specialties of the region are the fudge (confectionery sugar, milk, butter, chocolate and banana ) and meat of alligator 50 . The restaurants also offer dishes from the Old American South ( gumbo , jambalaya ). Crustaceans are prepared in bisque and served as input. Agriculture provides fruit for cocktails and smoothies . The first vines were planted in Florida by the French in the xvi th century and developed by the Spanish then 51 , ??W 103 . Since 2006, the Key lime pie , a tart lime from the region of the Keys , has become a symbol of the state W 104 .
Cultural events and festivals
Main article: List of festivals in Florida .
The dynamism of culture in Florida is reflected in numerous events throughout the year. The festivals of music are held in major cities, especially in Jacksonville and Miami . Key West stands out as one of the literary capital of Florida, including its festival Hemingway Days Festival in honor of Ernest Hemingway 52 . The cities of South Florida organize a variety of parades celebrating the various communities in the region. The Florida State Fair is one of the oldest fairs and the largest of the state. Finally, there are many film festivals, including the Miami International Film Festival , which is visited annually by over 70,000 visitors W 105 .
Literature
Harriet Beecher Stowe.
Hemingway on grants his boat around 1950.
As the Indians did not leave written records dating from pre-Columbian times, the first elements of the literature on Spanish Florida are stories. At the xvi th century, explorers like Jean Ribault and René de Goulaine Laudonniere to leave evidence of French colonization. In the Enlightenment , the American and British travelers described the peninsula as well, the naturalist and poet William Bartram traveled to Florida between 1765 and 1777. He published an account of his adventures in 1791 in a book called Travels , in which he describes the customs of the Indians, environments and landscapes Florida W 106 . Another English traveler Bernard Romans wrote a Natural History of Florida and Civil (1776). Although he never lived permanently in Florida, the ornithologist John James Audubon painted birds of this region he explores Florida on several occasions in the 1830s 53 and published The Birds of America . Charles Vignoles publishes in his 1821 Observations on the Floridas .
Elizabeth Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811 – 1896), author of The Case of Uncle Tom , also described Florida in the late xix th century in Palmetto Leaves (1872). At the end of her book, she advocates for human rights, including African Americans W 107 . The first novel by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings , South Moon Under (1933), takes place at Cross Creek where you can still visit his house W 108 . But his most famous work, The Yearling (in French: Jody and the fawn , 1938), which tells the story of a boy who adopts an orphaned fawn, Florida, won the Pulitzer Prize of the Novel in 1939 and was later the subject of a film of the same name. In the late 1930s, Stetson Kennedy and Zora Neale Hurston worked for the Florida division of the Work Projects Administration (WPA) which committed writers W 3 . They committed both books about Florida, the first in Palmetto Country (1942) and Southern Exposure (1946), the second in her novel Their Eyes Were Watching God (1946). Both authors are known for their contributions to the folklore of Florida and their commitment to civil rights. Although a native of Alabama, the family of Zora Neale Hurston moved to Eatonville near Orlando. In his autobiography , Dust Tracks on a Road , Zora Neale Hurston claimed to have been born 109 W , the city hosts an annual festival in his honor.
Ernest Hemingway lived several years in Key West , in a house where John Dos Passos came several times with his wife. Hemingway wrote many novels, A Farewell to Arms , For Whom The Bell Tolls , Green Hills of Africa , The Snows of Kilimanjaro , Death in the Afternoon . The house was converted engagement ring into a museum in 1964 and classified National Historic Landmark in 1968 W 110 . Two works of the Nobel Prize for literature are set in Florida: Have and Have Not (1937) describes Key West and contraband between Cuba and Florida. The strange land tells how a writer and a girl renting a car in Miami roll to the west. Tennessee Williams is another great American writer who lived in Florida. His play Sweet Bird of Youth ( Sweet Bird of Youth , 1959) begins in a hotel room in St. pay day loan Cloud . The piece of Maxwell Anderson (1888-1959), Key Largo (1939) was adapted to film.
From the year 1960 , Miami became the center of the literature of the Cubans in exile, for example, Carlos Victoria up the action of his novel A Bridge in the night in the city in Florida 54 . Thomas McGuane (born 1939), written novels that are setting the Keys ( 32 ° C in the shade, Panama ). In Continents drift (1985), Russell Banks (born 1940) evokes the Haitian immigration in Florida. In 1990, John Updike (1932-2009) depicts the novel Rabbit in peace , the fourth volume of the famous series ” Rabbit Angstrom “, mostly in Florida in a fictional town, Deleon, inspired by Fort Myers 55 . Finally, the detective novel is the genre’s most prolific in Florida include writers such as John D. MacDonald , Alison Lurie , Elmore Leonard , Stuart M. Kaminsky , Carl Hiaasen , Patricia Cornwell or Tim Dorsey .
Media
The headquarters of the newspaper Miami Herald .
There is a large supply of newspapers in Miami: the main daily newspaper is The Miami Herald with a circulation of more than 260,000 copies on weekdays and employs approximately 1,400 people 111 W , 19 times he received the Pulitzer Prize and its influence goes far Beyond the South Florida because it is distributed in six countries in Latin America and the Caribbean W 111 . Version of Hispanic, El Nuevo Herald , is the second newspaper in Spanish the most widely read in the United States and takes 95 weeks to 000 W 112 . Other major Florida newspapers include the oldest of them, The Florida Times-Union , founded in 1864 , the Orlando Sentinel , with a daily circulation of more than 200,000 copies, or the St. Petersburg Times , which won the Pulitzer Prize six times. There is also a very active student press, with titles like The Beacon , The FAMUan or The Miami Hurricane .
Museums electronic cigarettes and libraries
Villa Vizcaya (Miami) houses an art museum.
Main article: List of museums in Florida .
The contemporary art is particularly well represented in Florida: Museums ( Miami Art Museum , Museum of Contemporary Art in North Miami , Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville ) and art galleries are concentrated in large cities. Miami has a contemporary art fair internationally recognized: Art Basel Miami Beach . The Salvador Dali Museum has the largest collection in the world of car transport the Spanish master at St. Petersburg W 113 .
There are also many museums devoted to science ( Miami Science Museum , Natural History Museum of Florida ), transportation (aviation, railways) and local history. Finally, the space mission of Florida is being honored at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Cape Canaveral . Aquariums ( SeaWorld Orlando , the Florida Aquarium ) and zoos ( Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens , Busch Gardens Africa , Disney’s Animal Kingdom , Miami Metrozoo ) are among the other attractions of the state.
Major libraries of the state Plastic Storage Containers are located in metropolitan areas: the library system has 47 branches in Miami and more than 3.5 payday loan million volumes W suspension lift kits 114 . The campuses are home to special libraries. The library of the Florida International University has more than 1.7 million volumes W 115 . The archives of the State of Florida located in Tallahassee.
Music
Musical diversity in Florida reflects the existence of different ethnic communities. The ritual music of Native Americans remain alive in the reserves . The legacy of African-American is found in ragtime and the cakewalk . The presence of Cubans and Haitians renews the genre of the peninsula from 1960 56 . In solar power the early 1970′s , the disco music of Miami has a significant success. Then, in the year one thousand nine hundred and eighty – 1 990 develop the Miami bass ( hip hop ), the death metal , the Florida breaks ( breakbeat ). Finally, Florida is one of the main places of techno music . In Miami, the Winter Music Conference is the largest event of dance music in the world and the city remains a favorite destination for DJ International.
Many singers and musicians were born in Florida include George Fisher , Gary US Bonds ( R & B ) Jim Morrison ( rock ), Thomas Earl Petty , Johnny Tillotson ( country music ), or Flo Rida ( rap ). Marilyn Manson and 2 Live Crew are among the groups from Florida’s best-known. Each of the cities have symphony orchestras . Finally, several songs evoke Florida: Old Folks at Home is the anthem of the State written by Stephen Foster in 1851 . The Blues Brothers sing Going back to Miami and Arthur H interpreter Under the sun of Miami .
Sports

Main article: Sport in Florida .
Major sports franchise based in Florida
Team Sport League Stage City Number of wins
Miami Dolphins Football NFL Sun Life Stadium Miami 2 (1972 and 1973)
Miami Heat Basketball NBA American Airlines Arena Miami 1 (2006)
Florida Marlins Baseball MLB Sun Life Stadium Miami 2 (1997 and 2003)
Florida Panthers Ice hockey NHL BankAtlantic Center Sunrise 0
Miami FC Soccer (Football) USL Tropical Park Stadium Miami 0
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Football NFL Raymond James Stadium Tampa 1 (2003)
Tampa Bay Rays Baseball MLB Tropicana Field St. Petersburg 0
Tampa Bay Lightning Ice hockey NHL St. Pete Times Forum Tampa 1 (2004)
Orlando Magic Basketball NBA Amway Arena Orlando 0
Jacksonville Jaguars Football NFL EverBank Field Jacksonville 0
The Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainseville can accommodate over 90,000 spectators for football games.
In addition to the prestigious teams (see table above), Florida has many small teams of baseball , football , basketball , ice hockey , soccer (football) and rugby XV . The universities have also recognized sports teams.
The football is, as elsewhere in the United States , one of the most followed sports in Florida. The Orange Bowl is played in Miami is the game of college football’s oldest, the first edition that took place in 1935 . In baseball, the spring training teams from Major League Baseball begins in mid-February ( Grapefruit League ).
The extent of coastal Florida is conducive to the development of water sports and water of all kinds: sport fishing , kayaking , catamaran , windsurfing are practiced as a sport and as recreation. The scuba diving to discover the coral reefs and numerous wrecks . The races are held off the coast and suspension lift kits Fort Lauderdale has the largest nautical event attracts some of the world that 125 000 people each year W 116 . Florida is with the California and Hawaii , home of Surfing America. Cocoa Beach is the birthplace of the most successful professional surfer in the history of the sport, Kelly Slater .
The main venue for motor racing is Daytona Beach . The Daytona International Speedway hosts including the 24 Hours of Daytona , an endurance race for sports cars held each year since 1966 . There is also a street circuit through the streets of St. Petersburg hosts the U.S. championship cars IndyCar Series at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, which takes place every year in the early season.
Daytona International Speedway.
The Rodeo ‘s Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee is the oldest in Florida. The horse racing is the opportunity to paris. The county of Palm Beach is known for playing polo , especially in the Palm Beach International Polo Club .
The tennis is one of the most popular sports in Florida. There are many training centers including the Nick Bollettieri forming international players. Tournaments Delray Beach and the Miami Masters is part of the circuit career ATP . The Open Miami and Amelia Island tournament included in the WTA .
With over 1250 golf Golf W 13 , Florida is the U.S. state with the best. They are concentrated in the county of Palm Beach . Many golfers choose to reside in Florida as Tiger Woods . The Professional Golfers’ Association and the Ladies Professional Golf Association organizes tournaments in Florida, the most prestigious The Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach .
In 2012, Miami will host the biggest wrestling event of the year, WrestleMania XXVIII . During this event, the actor, wrestler, ex-football player Dwayne Johnson known for The Rock will return to this city, his home town the same evening to face John Cena.