Florida

{{Main|History of Florida}}

The Paleo-Indians entered Florida at least 14,000 years ago.{{cite web|last=Dunbar |first=James S. |title=The pre-Clovis occupation of Florida: The Page-Ladson and Wakulla Springs Lodge Data |url=http://www.clovisinthesoutheast.net/dunbar.html |access-date=June 23, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141012043208/http://www.clovisinthesoutheast.net/dunbar.html |archive-date=October 12, 2014 }} By the 16th century, the earliest time for which there is a historical record, major groups of people living in Florida included the Apalachee of the Florida Panhandle, the Timucua of northern and central Florida, the Ais of the central Atlantic coast, the Mayaimi of the Lake Okeechobee area, the Tequesta of southeastern Florida, and the Calusa of southwest Florida.{{cite web |title=16th Century Settlements – Florida Department of State |url=https://dos.myflorida.com/florida-facts/florida-history/16th-century-settlements/ |website=dos.myflorida.com |access-date=12 November 2022}}

{{Main|New Spain|Spanish Florida|French and Indian War|Treaty of Paris (1763)|West Florida|East Florida|Indian Reserve (1763)|American Revolutionary War|Gulf Coast campaign|Treaty of Paris (1783)|Spanish West Florida}}

File:Chiaves-la-florida-1584.jpg (1539–1543)]]

File:Castillo de San Marcos Fort Panorama 1.jpg reflects the colors and shapes of the Cross of Burgundy and the subsequent Flag of Florida.]]

File:West Florida Map 1767.svg and West Florida during the British period of 1763 to 1783]]

Florida was the first region of what is now the contiguous United States to be visited and settled by Europeans. The earliest known European explorers came with Juan Ponce de León. Ponce de León spotted and landed on the peninsula on April 2, 1513. He named it Florida (colloquially la Florida) in recognition of the flowery, verdant landscape and because it was the Easter season, which the Spaniards called Pascua Florida (Festival of Flowers). The following day they came ashore to seek information and take possession of this new land.{{cite book|author=Jonathan D. Steigman|title=La Florida Del Inca and the Struggle for Social Equality in Colonial Spanish America|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QTjoOz7WMiIC&pg=PA33|date=September 25, 2005|publisher=University of Alabama Press|isbn=978-0-8173-5257-8|page=33|access-date=September 15, 2019|archive-date=February 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204071312/https://books.google.com/books?id=QTjoOz7WMiIC&pg=PA33|url-status=live}} The story that he was searching for the Fountain of Youth is mythical and appeared only long after his death.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0vr122VYG8 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/l0vr122VYG8 |archive-date=December 21, 2021 |url-status=live|title=Michael Francis: La historia entre Florida y España es de las más ricas de Estados Unidos|website=YouTube|date=May 23, 2012 |access-date=July 18, 2016}}{{cbignore}}

In May 1539, Hernando de Soto skirted the coast of Florida, searching for a deep harbor to land. He described a thick wall of red mangroves spread mile after mile, some reaching as high as {{convert|70|ft}}, with intertwined and elevated roots making landing difficult.Davidson, James West. After the Fact: The Art of Historical Detection Volume 1. Mc Graw Hill, New York 2010, Chapter 1, p. 7. Europeans introduced Christianity, cattle, horses, sheep, the Castilian language, and more to Florida.Proclamation, presented by Dennis O. Freytes, MPA, MHR, BBA, Chair/Facilitator, 500th Florida Discovery Council Round Table, VP NAUS SE Region; Chair Hispanic Achievers Grant Council Spain established several settlements in Florida, with varying degrees of success. In 1559, Don Tristán de Luna y Arellano established a settlement at present-day Pensacola, making it one of the first settlements in Florida, but it was mostly abandoned by 1561.

In 1564–1565, there was a French settlement at Fort Caroline, in present Duval County, which was destroyed by the Spanish.{{Cite book |last=Hoffman |first=Paul E. |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/20594668 |title=A New Andalucia and a Way to the Orient: the American Southeast During the Sixteenth Century |publisher=Louisiana State University Press |year=2004 |isbn=0-8071-1552-5 |location=Baton Rouge |pages=278 |oclc=20594668}} Today a reconstructed version of the fort stands in its location within Jacksonville.

In 1565, the settlement of St. Augustine (San Agustín) was established under the leadership of admiral and governor Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, creating what would become the oldest, continuously occupied European settlements in the continental U.S. and establishing the first generation of Floridanos and the Government of Florida.{{cite web|url=http://losfloridanos.org/|title=Los Floridanos|website=Los Floridanos|access-date=August 23, 2019|archive-date=November 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201114000917/http://www.losfloridanos.org/|url-status=live}} The marriage between Luisa de Abrego, a free black domestic servant from Seville, and Miguel Rodríguez, a white Segovian, occurred in 1565 in St. Augustine. It is the first recorded Christian marriage in the continental United States.{{citation|url=http://laflorida.org/florida-stories/|title=Luisa de Abrego: Marriage, Bigamy, and the Spanish Inquisition|publisher=University of South Florida|author=J. Michael Francis|work=La Florida |author1-link=J. Michael Francis|access-date=April 5, 2018|archive-date=February 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204110350/http://laflorida.org/florida-stories/|url-status=live}}

Some Floridanos married or had unions with Pensacola, Creek, or African women, both slave and free, and their descendants created a mixed-race population of mestizos and mulattoes. The Spanish encouraged slaves from the Thirteen Colonies to come to Florida as a refuge, promising freedom in exchange for conversion to Catholicism. King Charles II of Spain issued a royal proclamation freeing all slaves who fled to Florida and accepted conversion and baptism. Most went to the area around St. Augustine, but escaped slaves also reached Pensacola. St. Augustine had mustered an all-black militia unit defending Florida as early as 1683.{{citation|url=https://www.nps.gov/articles/sanctuary-in-the-spanish-empire.htm|title=Sanctuary in the Spanish Empire: An African American officer earns freedom in Florida|author=Gene Allen Smith, Texas Christian University|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=April 5, 2018|archive-date=January 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210110103703/https://www.nps.gov/articles/sanctuary-in-the-spanish-empire.htm|url-status=live}}

The geographical area of Spanish claims in Florida diminished with the establishment of English settlements to the north and French claims to the west. English colonists and buccaneers launched several attacks on St. Augustine in the 17th and 18th centuries, razing the city and its cathedral to the ground several times. Spain built the Castillo de San Marcos in 1672 and Fort Matanzas in 1742 to defend Florida's capital city from attacks, and to maintain its strategic position in the defense of the Captaincy General of Cuba and the Spanish West Indies.

In 1738, the governor of Florida Manuel de Montiano established Fort Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose near St. Augustine, a fortified town for escaped slaves to whom Montiano granted citizenship and freedom in return for their service in the Florida militia, and which became the first free black settlement legally sanctioned in North America.{{cite web|url=http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/underground/fl2.htm|title=Aboard the Underground Railroad—Fort Mose Site|first=Sarah Dillard|last=Pope|website=Nps.gov|access-date=July 19, 2016|archive-date=April 26, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140426210615/http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/underground/fl2.htm|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.fortmose.org/|title=Fort Mose Historical Society|access-date=July 18, 2016|archive-date=July 7, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160707201925/http://www.fortmose.org/|url-status=live}}

In 1763, Spain traded Florida to the Kingdom of Great Britain for control of Havana, Cuba, which had been captured by the British during the Seven Years' War. The trade was done as part of the 1763 Treaty of Paris which ended the Seven Years' War. Spain was granted Louisiana from France due to their loss of Florida. A large portion of the Florida population left, taking along large portions of the remaining Indigenous population with them to Cuba.{{cite web |author=Florida Center for Instructional Technology |url=http://fcit.usf.edu/Florida/docs/f/florbrit.htm |title=Floripedia: Florida: As a British territory |publisher=Fcit.usf.edu |access-date=October 2, 2009 |archive-date=December 13, 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121213002156/http://fcit.usf.edu/Florida/docs/f/florbrit.htm |url-status=live }} The British soon constructed the King's Road connecting St. Augustine to Georgia. The road crossed the St. Johns River at a narrow point called Wacca Pilatka, now the core of Downtown Jacksonville, and formerly referred to by the British name "Cow Ford", reflecting the fact that cattle were brought across the river there.{{cite book |title= Jacksonville's Architectural Heritage |last= Wood |first= Wayne |year= 1992 |publisher= University Press of Florida |isbn= 978-0-8130-0953-7|page= 22}}{{cite book |title= The Indian Miscellany |last= Beach |first= William Wallace |year= 1877 |publisher= J. Munsel|page= [https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_lqqAAAAAIAAJ/page/n126 125] |url= https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_lqqAAAAAIAAJ}}{{cite news|last=Wells|first=Judy|title=City had humble beginnings on the banks of the St. Johns|url=http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/030200/ent_S0302FIR.html|access-date=July 2, 2011|newspaper=The Florida Times-Union|date=March 2, 2000|archive-date=October 9, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009090448/http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/030200/ent_S0302FIR.html|url-status=live}}

The British divided and consolidated the Florida provinces (Las Floridas) into East Florida and West Florida, a division the Spanish Crown kept after the brief British period.A History of Florida. Caroline Mays Brevard, Henry Eastman Bennett p. 77 The British government gave land grants to officers and soldiers who had fought in the French and Indian War in order to encourage settlement. In order to induce settlers to move to Florida, reports of its natural wealth were published in England. A number of British settlers who were described as being "energetic and of good character" moved to Florida, mostly coming from South Carolina, Georgia and England. There was also a group of settlers who came from the colony of Bermuda. This was the first permanent English-speaking population in what is now Duval County, Baker County, St. Johns County and Nassau County. The British constructed good public roads and introduced the cultivation of sugar cane, indigo and fruits, as well as the export of lumber.A History of Florida. Caroline Mays Brevard, Henry Eastman BennettThe Land Policy in British East Florida. Charles L. Mowat, 1940

The British governors were directed to call general assemblies as soon as possible in order to make laws for the Floridas, and in the meantime they were, with the advice of councils, to establish courts. This was the first introduction of the English-derived legal system which Florida still has today, including trial by jury, habeas corpus and county-based government. Neither East Florida nor West Florida sent any representatives to Philadelphia to draft the Declaration of Independence. Florida remained a Loyalist stronghold for the duration of the American Revolution.Clark, James C.; "200 Quick Looks at Florida History" p. 20 {{ISBN|1561642002}}

Spain regained both East and West Florida after Britain's defeat in the Revolutionary War and the subsequent Treaty of Versailles in 1783, and continued the provincial divisions until 1821.{{cite web|url=https://fcit.usf.edu/florida/lessons/trnsfer/trnsfer1.htm|title=Transfer of Florida|website=fcit.usf.edu|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=December 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201206232047/https://fcit.usf.edu/florida/lessons/trnsfer/trnsfer1.htm|url-status=live}}

{{See also|Republic of East Florida|Seminole Wars|Adams–Onís Treaty|Florida Territory|Admission to the Union|List of U.S. states by date of admission to the Union}}

File:Remington A cracker cowboy.jpg by Frederic Remington {{small|(1861–1909)}}]]

Defense of Florida's northern border with the United States was minor during the second Spanish period. The region became a haven for escaped slaves and a base for Indian attacks against U.S. territories, and the U.S. pressed Spain for reform.

Americans of English and Scots Irish descent began moving into northern Florida from the backwoods of Georgia and South Carolina. Though technically not allowed by the government authorities, they were never able to effectively police the border region and the backwoods settlers from the United States would continue to immigrate into Florida unchecked. These migrants, mixing with the already present British settlers who had remained in Florida since the British period, would be the progenitors of the population known as Florida Crackers.Ste Claire, Dana (2006). Cracker: Cracker Culture in Florida History. University Press of Florida. {{ISBN|978-0-8130-3028-9}}

These American settlers established a permanent foothold in the area. The British settlers who had remained also resented Spanish governance, leading to a rebellion in 1810 and the establishment for ninety days of the so-called Free and Independent Republic of West Florida on September 23. After meetings beginning in June, rebels overcame the garrison at Baton Rouge (now in Louisiana) and unfurled the flag of the new republic: a single white star on a blue field. This flag would later become known as the "Bonnie Blue Flag".

In 1810, parts of West Florida were annexed by the proclamation of President James Madison, who claimed the region as part of the Louisiana Purchase. These parts were incorporated into the newly formed Territory of Orleans. The U.S. annexed the Mobile District of West Florida to the Mississippi Territory in 1812. Spain continued to dispute the area, though the United States gradually increased the area it occupied. In 1812, a group of settlers from Georgia, with de facto support from the U.S. federal government, attempted to overthrow the Floridan government in the province of East Florida. The settlers hoped to convince Floridians to join their cause and proclaim independence from Spain, but the settlers lost their tenuous support from the federal government and abandoned their cause by 1813.{{cite web|url=https://www.floridamemory.com/collections/constitution/|title=Florida's Early Constitutions—Florida Memory|access-date=July 16, 2017|archive-date=August 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827045025/https://www.floridamemory.com/collections/constitution/|url-status=live}}

Traditionally, historians argued that Seminoles based in East Florida began raiding Georgia settlements and offering havens for runaway slaves. The United States Army led increasingly frequent incursions into Spanish territory, including the 1817–1818 campaign against the Seminole Indians by Andrew Jackson that became known as the First Seminole War. The United States now effectively controlled East Florida. Control was necessary according to Secretary of State John Quincy Adams because Florida had become "a derelict open to the occupancy of every enemy, civilized or savage, of the United States, and serving no other earthly purpose than as a post of annoyance to them."Alexander Deconde, A History of American Foreign Policy (1963) p. 127

File:Seminole War in Everglades.jpg boat searching the Everglades for Seminoles (hiding in foreground) during the Second Seminole War, which lasted from 1835 to 1842]]

More recent historians describe that after U.S. independence, settlers in Georgia increased pressure on Seminole lands, and skirmishes near the border led to the First Seminole War (1816–1819). The United States purchased Florida from Spain by the Adams-Onis Treaty (1819) and took possession in 1821. The Seminole were moved out of their rich farmland in northern Florida and confined to a large reservation in the interior of the Florida peninsula by the Treaty of Moultrie Creek (1823). Passage of the Indian Removal Act (1830) led to the Treaty of Payne's Landing (1832), which called for the relocation of all Seminole to Indian Territory (now Oklahoma).Mahon, pp. 190–191. Some resisted, leading to the Second Seminole War, the bloodiest war against Native Americans in United States history. By 1842, most Seminoles and Black Seminoles, facing starvation, were removed to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River. Perhaps fewer than 200 Seminoles remained in Florida after the Third Seminole War (1855–1858), having taken refuge in the Everglades, from where they never surrendered to the US. They fostered a resurgence in traditional customs and a culture of staunch independence.Mahon, pp. 201–202

Florida had become a burden to Spain, which could not afford to send settlers or troops due to the devastation caused by the Peninsular War. Madrid, therefore, decided to cede the territory to the United States through the Adams–Onís Treaty, which took effect in 1821.{{cite book|last=Tebeau | first=Charlton W. | author-link=Charlton W. Tebeau | title=A History of Florida |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofflorida00char |url-access=registration | publisher=University of Miami Press | year=1971 | location=Coral Gables, Florida | pages=[https://archive.org/details/historyofflorida00char/page/114 114–118]| isbn=9780870241499 }} President James Monroe was authorized on March 3, 1821, to take possession of East Florida and West Florida for the United States and provide for initial governance.{{cite web|url=http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsl&fileName=003/llsl003.db&recNum=678|title=A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774–1875|website=Library of Congress|access-date=July 21, 2015|archive-date=January 24, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160124222705/http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsl&fileName=003%2Fllsl003.db&recNum=678|url-status=live}} On behalf of the U.S. government, Andrew Jackson, whom Jacksonville is named after, served as a military commissioner with the powers of governor of the newly acquired territory for a brief period.{{cite web|url=http://dos.myflorida.com/florida-facts/florida-history/florida-governors/andrew-jackson/|title=Andrew Jackson|publisher=Florida Department of State|access-date=July 18, 2016|archive-date=June 28, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628023909/http://dos.myflorida.com/florida-facts/florida-history/florida-governors/andrew-jackson/|url-status=live}} On March 30, 1822, the U.S. Congress merged East Florida and part of West Florida into the Florida Territory.{{cite web|url=http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsl&fileName=003/llsl003.db&recNum=695|title=A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774–1875|website=Library of Congress|access-date=July 21, 2015|archive-date=January 24, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160124222705/http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsl&fileName=003%2Fllsl003.db&recNum=695|url-status=live}}

By the early 1800s, Indian removal was a significant issue throughout the southeastern U.S. and also in Florida. In 1830, the U.S. Congress passed the Indian Removal Act and as settlement increased, pressure grew on the U.S. government to remove the Indians from Florida. Seminoles offered sanctuary to blacks, and these became known as the Black Seminoles, and clashes between whites and Indians grew with the influx of new settlers. In 1832, the Treaty of Payne's Landing promised to the Seminoles lands west of the Mississippi River if they agreed to leave Florida. Many Seminoles left at this time.

Some Seminoles remained, and the U.S. Army arrived in Florida, leading to the Second Seminole War (1835–1842). Following the war, approximately 3,000 Seminole and 800 Black Seminole were removed to Indian Territory. A few hundred Seminole remained in Florida in the Everglades.

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On March 3, 1845, only one day before the end of President John Tyler's term in office, Florida became the 27th state,{{cite web|url=http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsl&fileName=005/llsl005.db&recNum=779|title=A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774–1875|website=Library of Congress|access-date=July 21, 2015|archive-date=June 19, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150619031820/http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsl&fileName=005%2Fllsl005.db&recNum=779|url-status=live}} admitted as a slave state and no longer a sanctuary for runaway slaves. Initially its population grew slowly.{{cite web|url=https://population.us/fl/|title=Florida state population|website=population.us|access-date=May 19, 2019|archive-date=April 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418213105/https://population.us/fl/|url-status=live}}

As European settlers continued to encroach on Seminole lands, the United States intervened to move the remaining Seminoles to the West. The Third Seminole War (1855–1858) resulted in the forced removal of most of the remaining Seminoles, although hundreds of Seminole Indians remained in the Everglades.Tindall, George Brown, and David Emory Shi. (edition unknown) America: A Narrative History. W. W. Norton & Company. 412. {{ISBN|978-0-393-96874-3}}

The first settlements and towns in South Florida were founded much later than those in the northern part of the state. The first permanent European settlers arrived in the early 19th century. People came from the Bahamas to South Florida and the Keys to hunt for treasure from the ships that ran aground on the treacherous Great Florida Reef. Some accepted Spanish land offers along the Miami River. At about the same time, the Seminole Indians arrived, along with a group of runaway slaves. The area was affected by the Second Seminole War, during which Major William S. Harney led several raids against the Indians. Most non-Indian residents were soldiers stationed at Fort Dallas. It was the most devastating Indian war in American history, causing almost a total loss of population in Miami.

After the Second Seminole War ended in 1842, William English re-established a plantation started by his uncle on the Miami River. He charted the "Village of Miami" on the south bank of the Miami River and sold several plots of land. In 1844, Miami became the county seat, and six years later a census reported there were ninety-six residents in the area.[http://www.miamidade.gov/info/history.asp History of Miami-Dade county] retrieved January 26, 2006 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060110194202/http://www.miamidade.gov/info/history.asp |date=January 10, 2006 }} The Third Seminole War was not as destructive as the second, but it slowed the settlement of southeast Florida. At the end of the war, a few of the soldiers stayed.

{{Main|Florida in the American Civil War}}

{{See also|American Civil War|Reconstruction era}}File:Battle of Olustee.jpg during the American Civil War in 1864]]

American settlers began to establish cotton plantations in north Florida, which required numerous laborers, which they supplied by buying slaves in the domestic market. By 1860, Florida had only 140,424 people, of whom 44% were enslaved. There were fewer than 1,000 free African Americans before the American Civil War.[http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/collections/stats/histcensus/php/state.php Historical Census Browser, Retrieved October 31, 2007] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070823030234/http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/collections/stats/histcensus/php/state.php |date=August 23, 2007 }}

On January 10, 1861, nearly all delegates in the Florida Legislature approved an ordinance of secession,{{cite web |title=Ordinance of Secession, 1861 |url=https://www.floridamemory.com/exhibits/floridahighlights/secession/ |website=Florida Memory |publisher=State Library & Archives of Florida |access-date=October 22, 2019 |archive-date=July 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190712140709/https://www.floridamemory.com/exhibits/floridahighlights/secession/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web|url=http://www.americaslibrary.gov/jb/civil/jb_civil_florida_1.html|title=Florida Seceded! January 10, 1861{{!}}America's Story from America's Library|website=America's Library|access-date=November 14, 2017|archive-date=September 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170919112537/http://www.americaslibrary.gov/jb/civil/jb_civil_florida_1.html|url-status=live}} declaring Florida to be "a sovereign and independent nation"—an apparent reassertion to the preamble in Florida's Constitution of 1838, in which Florida agreed with Congress to be a "Free and Independent State". The ordinance declared Florida's secession from the Union, allowing it to become one of the founding members of the Confederate States.

The Confederacy received little military help from Florida; the 15,000 troops it offered were generally sent elsewhere. Instead of troops and manufactured goods, Florida did provide salt and, more importantly, beef to feed the Confederate armies. This was particularly important after 1864, when the Confederacy lost control of the Mississippi River, thereby losing access to Texas beef.{{cite web|url=https://www.floridamemory.com/onlineclassroom/floridacivilwar/|title=Florida in the Civil War|first=State Library and Archives of|last=Florida|website=Florida Memory|access-date=May 19, 2019|archive-date=April 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402212938/https://www.floridamemory.com/onlineclassroom/floridacivilwar/|url-status=live}}Taylor, R. (1988). Rebel Beef: Florida Cattle and the Confederate Army, 1862-1864. The Florida Historical Quarterly, 67(1), 15–31. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/30147921 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430043831/https://www.jstor.org/stable/30147921 |date=April 30, 2019 }} The largest engagements in the state were the Battle of Olustee, on February 20, 1864, and the Battle of Natural Bridge, on March 6, 1865. Both were Confederate victories.Taylor, Paul. (2012) Discovering the Civil War in Florida: A Reader and Guide (2nd edition). pp. 3–4, 59, 127. Sarasota, Fl.: Pineapple Press. The war ended in 1865.

Following the American Civil War, Florida's congressional representation was restored on June 25, 1868, albeit forcefully after Reconstruction and the installation of unelected government officials under the final authority of federal military commanders. After the Reconstruction period ended in 1876, white Democrats regained power in the state legislature. In 1885, they created a new constitution, followed by statutes through 1889 that disfranchised most blacks and many poor whites.{{cite book|author=Nancy A. Hewitt|title=Southern Discomfort: Women's Activism in Tampa, Florida, 1880s–1920s|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MbawYOvvUrkC&pg=PA22|year=2001|publisher=University of Illinois Press|isbn=978-0-252-02682-9|page=22|access-date=May 13, 2018|archive-date=February 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204020303/https://books.google.com/books?id=MbawYOvvUrkC&pg=PA22|url-status=live}}

In the pre-automobile era, railroads played a key role in the state's development, particularly in coastal areas. In 1883, the Pensacola and Atlantic Railroad connected Pensacola and the rest of the Panhandle to the rest of the state. In 1884 the South Florida Railroad (later absorbed by Atlantic Coast Line Railroad) opened full service to Tampa. In 1894 the Florida East Coast Railway reached West Palm Beach; in 1896 it reached Biscayne Bay near Miami. Numerous other railroads were built all over the interior of the state.

File:Don CeSar Hotel- St. Petersburg Beach, Florida (8410317737).jpg in St. Pete Beach, Florida, in 1928]]

Florida's economy has been based primarily upon agricultural products such as citrus fruits, strawberries, nuts, sugarcane and cattle.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fdacs.gov/Agriculture-Industry/Florida-Agriculture-Overview-and-Statistics|title=Florida Agriculture Overview and Statistics – Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services|website=www.fdacs.gov|access-date=January 24, 2021|archive-date=February 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203113521/https://www.fdacs.gov/Agriculture-Industry/Florida-Agriculture-Overview-and-Statistics|url-status=live}} The boll weevil devastated cotton crops during the early 20th century.{{Cite web |last=Palmer |first=Darryl |date=19 May 2014 |title=Boll Weevils and Beyond: Extension Entomology |url=https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/ifascomm/2014/05/19/boll-weevils-and-beyond-extension-entomology/ |access-date=14 December 2022 |website=University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Science}}{{Cite journal |last1=Lange |first1=Fabian |last2=Olmstead |first2=Alan |last3=Rhode |first3=Paul |date=September 2009 |title=The Impact of the Boll Weevil, 1892–1932 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40263940 |journal=The Journal of Economic History |volume=69 |issue=3 |pages=685–718 |doi=10.1017/S0022050709001090 |jstor=40263940 |s2cid=154646873 |issn=0022-0507 }}

Until the mid-20th century, Florida was the least-populous state in the southern United States. In 1900, its population was only 528,542, of whom nearly 44% were African American, the same proportion as before the Civil War.Historical Census Browser, 1900 Federal Census, University of Virginia [http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/collections/stats/histcensus/php/state/php] {{dead link|date=June 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}. Retrieved March 15, 2008. Forty thousand blacks, roughly one-fifth of their 1900 population levels in Florida, left the state in the Great Migration. They left due to lynchings and racial violence and for better opportunities in the North and the West.Rogers, Maxine D.; Rivers, Larry E.; Colburn, David R.; Dye, R. Tom & Rogers, William W. (December 1993), [http://mailer.fsu.edu/~mjones/rosewood/rosewood.html "Documented History of the Incident Which Occurred at Rosewood, Florida in January 1923"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080515152951/http://mailer.fsu.edu/~mjones/rosewood/rosewood.html |date=May 15, 2008 }}, p. 5. Retrieved April 9, 2011. Disfranchisement for most African Americans in the state persisted until the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s gained federal legislation in 1965 to enforce protection of their constitutional suffrage.

File:Rc17739 04.jpg]]

In response to racial segregation in Florida, a number of protests occurred in Florida during the 1950s and 1960s as part of the Civil Rights Movement. In 1956–1957, students at Florida A&M University organized a bus boycott in Tallahassee to mimic the Montgomery bus boycott and succeeded in integrating the city's buses.{{cite web |title=The Tallahassee Bus Boycott 1956-57 |url=https://www.floridamemory.com/learn/classroom/learning-units/civil-rights/tallahasseebusboycott/ |website=Florida Memory |access-date=February 11, 2021 |archive-date=May 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507015758/https://www.floridamemory.com/learn/classroom/learning-units/civil-rights/tallahasseebusboycott/ |url-status=live }} Students also held sit-ins in 1960 in protest of segregated seating at local lunch counters, and in 1964 an incident at a St. Augustine motel pool, in which the owner poured acid into the water during a demonstration, influenced the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.{{cite web |title=The Civil Rights Movement in Florida |url=https://www.floridamemory.com/learn/classroom/learning-units/civil-rights/ |website=Florida Memory |access-date=February 11, 2021 |archive-date=October 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024201945/https://www.floridamemory.com/learn/classroom/learning-units/civil-rights/ |url-status=live }}

Economic prosperity in the 1920s stimulated tourism to Florida and related development of hotels and resort communities. Combined with its sudden elevation in profile was the Florida land boom of the 1920s, which brought a brief period of intense land development. In 1925, the Seaboard Air Line broke the FEC's southeast Florida monopoly and extended its freight and passenger service to West Palm Beach; two years later it extended passenger service to Miami. Devastating hurricanes in 1926 and 1928, followed by the Great Depression, brought that period to a halt. Florida's economy did not fully recover until the military buildup for World War II.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

File:Miami Freedom Tower by Tom Schaefer.jpg, built in 1925, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.]]

In 1939, Florida was described as "still very largely an empty State."{{cite book|title=Florida. A Guide to the Southernmost State|date=1939|place=New York|author=Federal Writers' Project|publisher=Oxford University Press|page=7}} Subsequently, the growing availability of air conditioning, the climate, and a low cost of living made the state a haven. Migration from the Rust Belt and the Northeast sharply increased Florida's population after 1945.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

In the 1960s, many refugees from Cuba, fleeing Fidel Castro's communist regime, arrived in Miami at the Freedom Tower, where the federal government used the facility to process, document and provide medical and dental services for the newcomers. As a result, the Freedom Tower was also called the "Ellis Island of the South".{{cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/american_latino_heritage/freedom_tower.html|title=Freedom Tower—American Latino Heritage: A Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary|website=Nps.gov|access-date=May 14, 2018|archive-date=May 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180514142205/https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/american_latino_heritage/freedom_tower.html|url-status=live}} In recent decades, more migrants have come for the jobs in a developing economy.

File:Cinderella Castle.jpg opened on October 1, 1971, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee.]]

With a population of more than 18{{spaces}}million, according to the 2010 census, Florida is the most populous state in the southeastern United States and the third-most populous in the United States.{{cite web|url=https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/florida-is-now-officially-the-third-most-populous-state-6554486|title=Florida Is Now Officially the Third Most Populous State|first=Kyle|last=Munzenrieder|date=December 23, 2014|website=Miaminewtimes.com|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=May 3, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220503032134/https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/florida-is-now-officially-the-third-most-populous-state-6554486|url-status=live}} The population of Florida has boomed in recent years with the state being the recipient of the largest number of out-of-state movers in the country as of 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/florida-population-boom-taxes|title=Florida to see population boom over coming years as SALT deductions remain capped|first=Brittany De|last=Lea|date=August 9, 2019|website=FOXBusiness|access-date=September 6, 2019|archive-date=September 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190906062556/https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/florida-population-boom-taxes|url-status=live}} Florida's growth has been widespread, as cities throughout the state have continued to see population growth.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/adammillsap/2018/06/06/floridas-population-is-booming-but-should-we-worry-about-income-growth/|title=Florida's Population Is Booming—But Should We Worry About Income Growth?|first=Adam|last=Millsap|website=Forbes|access-date=September 6, 2019|archive-date=September 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190905224515/https://www.forbes.com/sites/adammillsap/2018/06/06/floridas-population-is-booming-but-should-we-worry-about-income-growth/|url-status=live}}

In 2012, the killing of Trayvon Martin, a young black man, by George Zimmerman in Sanford drew national attention to Florida's stand-your-ground laws, and sparked African American activism, including the Black Lives Matter movement.{{cite web |author=Nicole Chavez |title=George Zimmerman lawsuit reminds us of how significant the Trayvon Martin case was for a divided country |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/05/us/trayvon-martin-shooting-race-in-america/index.html |website=CNN Digital |access-date=February 11, 2021 |date=December 5, 2019 |archive-date=December 5, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191205212730/https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/05/us/trayvon-martin-shooting-race-in-america/index.html |url-status=live }}

After Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in September 2017, a large population of Puerto Ricans began moving to Florida to escape the widespread destruction. Hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans arrived in Florida after Maria dissipated, with nearly half of them arriving in Orlando and large populations also moving to Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/17/us/puerto-ricans-orlando.html|title=A Great Migration From Puerto Rico Is Set to Transform Orlando|date=November 17, 2017|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=May 14, 2018|archive-date=December 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201212145235/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/17/us/puerto-ricans-orlando.html|url-status=live}}

File:Pulse fence memorials.jpg left on the fence of the Pulse nightclub in Orlando in 2016]]

A handful of high-profile mass shootings have occurred in Florida in the 21st century. In June 2016, a gunman killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando. It is the deadliest incident in the history of violence against LGBT people in the United States, as well as the deadliest terrorist attack in the U.S. since the September 11 attacks in 2001, and it was the deadliest mass shooting by a single gunman in U.S. history until the 2017 Las Vegas shooting. In February 2018, 17 people were killed in a school shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, leading to new gun control regulations at both the state and federal level.{{cite web |last1=Andone |first1=Dakin |title=Parkland students turned from victims to activists and inspired a wave of new gun safety laws |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/11/us/parkland-change-gun-control-legislation/index.html |website=CNN |date=February 11, 2019 |access-date=February 11, 2021 |archive-date=February 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209163535/https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/11/us/parkland-change-gun-control-legislation/index.html |url-status=live }}

On June 24, 2021, a condominium in Surfside, Florida, near Miami collapsed, killing at least 97 people.{{Cite web|last=|date=July 16, 2021|title=97 dead as recovery effort at collapsed Florida condo nears end|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/7/16/97-dead-as-recovery-effort-at-collapsed-florida-condo-nears-end|access-date=July 17, 2021|website=Al Jazeera|language=en-US|archive-date=July 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210717012610/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/7/16/97-dead-as-recovery-effort-at-collapsed-florida-condo-nears-end|url-status=live}} The Surfside collapse is tied with the Knickerbocker Theatre collapse as the third-deadliest structural engineering failure in United States history, behind the Hyatt Regency walkway collapse and the collapse of the Pemberton Mill.{{cite web |last1=Spocchia |first1=Gina |title=Hyatt Regency walkway collapse: 40 years ago today one of America's deadliest structural collapses took place |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/hyatt-regency-walkway-collapse-kansas-b1885876.html |work=The Independent |date=July 17, 2021 |access-date=July 25, 2021 |archive-date=July 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210725205115/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/hyatt-regency-walkway-collapse-kansas-b1885876.html |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=The Surfside collapse is reminiscent of other tragic construction failures in the United States |url=https://www.thebharatexpressnews.com/the-surfside-collapse-is-reminiscent-of-other-tragic-construction-failures-in-the-united-states/ |publisher=The Baharat Express News |access-date=July 25, 2021 |archive-date=September 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210917084705/https://www.thebharatexpressnews.com/ |url-status=live }}

{{Main|Geography of Florida}}

{{See also|List of counties in Florida|List of places in Florida|List of municipalities in Florida|List of islands of Florida|List of Florida state parks}}

Much of Florida is on a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean and the Straits of Florida. Spanning two time zones, it extends to the northwest into a panhandle, extending along the northern Gulf of Mexico. It is bordered on the north by Georgia and Alabama, and on the west, at the end of the panhandle, by Alabama. It is the only state that borders both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Florida also is the southernmost of the 48 contiguous states, Hawaii being the only one of the fifty states reaching farther south. Florida is west of the Bahamas and {{convert|90|mi}} north of Cuba. Florida is one of the largest states east of the Mississippi River, and only Alaska and Michigan are larger in water area. The water boundary is {{convert|3|nmi|mi km}} offshore in the Atlantic Ocean{{cite web|url=http://coastalmanagement.noaa.gov/mystate/docs/StateCZBoundaries.pdf |title=State Coastal Zone Boundaries |author=Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |date=July 1, 2011 |access-date=October 28, 2011 |archive-date=October 15, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015013333/http://coastalmanagement.noaa.gov/mystate/docs/StateCZBoundaries.pdf |url-status=live}} and {{convert|9|nmi|mi km}} offshore in the Gulf of Mexico.

At {{convert|345|ft|0}} above mean sea level, Britton Hill is the highest point in Florida and the lowest highpoint of any U.S. state.{{cite web|url=http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/UW268 |title=The Florida Environment: An Overview |date=July 2007 |last1=Main |first1=Martin B. |last2=Allen |first2=Ginger M. |publisher=University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences |access-date=January 23, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101204183859/http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw268 |archive-date=December 4, 2010 |url-status=dead}} Much of the state south of Orlando lies at a lower elevation than northern Florida, and is fairly level. Much of the state is at or near sea level. Some places, such as Clearwater have promontories that rise {{convert|50|to|100|ft|m|0|abbr=on}} above the water. Much of Central and North Florida, typically {{convert|25|mi|0|abbr=on}} or more away from the coastline, have rolling hills with elevations ranging from {{convert|100|to|250|ft|m|0|abbr=on}}. The highest point in peninsular Florida (east and south of the Suwannee River), Sugarloaf Mountain, is a {{convert|312|ft|0|adj=on}} peak in Lake County.{{cite web|url=http://www.dot.state.fl.us/EMO/ScenicHWY/designated/greenmountain.htm|title=Green Mountain Scenic Byway |publisher=Florida Department of Transportation |access-date=January 23, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080306190416/http://www.dot.state.fl.us/emo/scenichwy/designated/greenmountain.htm |archive-date=March 6, 2008}} On average, Florida is the flattest state in the United States.{{cite web|author=Megan Garber|title=Science: Several U.S. States, Led by Florida, Are Flatter Than a Pancake|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/03/science-several-us-states-led-by-florida-are-flatter-than-a-pancake/284348/|website=The Atlantic|date=March 11, 2014|access-date=March 7, 2017|archive-date=February 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204070340/https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/03/science-several-us-states-led-by-florida-are-flatter-than-a-pancake/284348/|url-status=live}}

File:Florida topographic map-en.svg

Lake Okeechobee, the largest lake in Florida, is the tenth-largest natural freshwater lake among the 50 states of the United States and the second-largest natural freshwater lake contained entirely within the contiguous 48 states, after Lake Michigan.{{cite web |author=Heather S. Henkel |url=http://sofia.usgs.gov/virtual_tour/lakeokee/index.html |title=SOFIA Virtual Tour – Lake Okeechobee |publisher=Sofia.usgs.gov |date=2010-04-15 |access-date=2011-11-27 |archive-date=2011-05-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110518213153/http://sofia.usgs.gov/virtual_tour/lakeokee/index.html |url-status=dead }} The longest river within Florida is the St. Johns River, at {{convert|310|miles|km}} long. The drop in elevation from its headwaters South Florida to its mouth in Jacksonville is less than {{convert|30|feet|m}}.

{{Main|Climate of Florida}}

{{See also|List of Florida hurricanes|U.S. state temperature extremes}}

File:Spalmetto2.JPG, flourishes in Florida's overall warm climate.]]

File:Koppen-Geiger Map v2 USA Florida 1991–2020.svg map of climate zones in Florida.]]

The climate of Florida is tempered somewhat by the fact that no part of the state is distant from the ocean. North of Lake Okeechobee, the prevalent climate is humid subtropical (Köppen: Cfa), while areas south of the lake (including the Florida Keys) have a true tropical climate (Köppen: Aw, Am, and Af).{{cite web |url=http://www.uwsp.edu/geO/faculty/ritter/geog101/textbook/climate_systems/climate_classification.html |title=Wet/Dry Tropical Climate |author=Ritter, Michael |publisher=University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point |access-date=July 18, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101124064306/http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/geog101/textbook/climate_systems/climate_classification.html |archive-date=November 24, 2010 |url-status=dead }} Mean high temperatures for late July are primarily in the low 90s Fahrenheit (32–34{{spaces}}°C). Mean low temperatures for early to mid-January range from the low 40s Fahrenheit (4–7{{spaces}}°C) in north Florida to above {{convert|60|°F|0}} from Miami on southward. With an average daily temperature of {{convert|70.7|°F|1}}, it is the warmest state in the U.S.{{cite web|url=http://www.currentresults.com/Weather/US/average-annual-state-temperatures.php|title=Average Annual Temperature for Each US State|publisher=Current Results Nexus|access-date=August 19, 2011|archive-date=August 27, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110827213807/http://www.currentresults.com/Weather/US/average-annual-state-temperatures.php|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.currentresults.com/Weather-Extremes/US/hottest-states.php|title=Hottest States in the US—Current Results|website=Currentresults.com|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=April 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220409042831/https://www.currentresults.com/Weather-Extremes/US/hottest-states.php|url-status=live}}

In the summer, high temperatures in the state rarely exceed {{convert|100|°F|1}}. Several record cold maxima have been in the 30s °F (−1 to 4{{spaces}}°C) and record lows have been in the 10s (−12 to −7{{spaces}}°C). These temperatures normally extend at most a few days at a time in the northern and central parts of Florida. South Florida rarely dips below freezing.{{cite web|url=https://www.weather.gov/mfl/about_cold|title=Cold Weather Hazards|website=National Weather Service Miami, Florida|access-date=June 19, 2018|archive-date=June 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619190115/https://www.weather.gov/mfl/about_cold|url-status=live}} The hottest temperature ever recorded in Florida was {{convert|109|°F|0}}, which was set on June 29, 1931, in Monticello. The coldest temperature was {{convert|-2|°F|0}}, on February 13, 1899, just {{convert|25|mi|0}} away, in Tallahassee.{{cite web|url=http://floridadisaster.org/kids/temperatures.htm |title=Hazardous Weather: A Florida Guide—Temperatures |publisher=FloridaDisaster.org |access-date=October 9, 2016 |archive-date=June 19, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160619061514/http://www.floridadisaster.org/kids/temperatures.htm |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.mymanatee.org/home/government/departments/public-safety/emergency-management/breaking-news/archived-news/temperature-extremes.html |title=Temperature Extremes |date=June 11, 2012 |website=Mymanatee.org |access-date=October 9, 2016 |archive-date=September 7, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160907103512/http://www.mymanatee.org/home/government/departments/public-safety/emergency-management/breaking-news/archived-news/temperature-extremes.html |url-status=live }}

Due to its subtropical and tropical climate, Florida rarely receives measurable snowfall.{{cite web|url=https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/has-it-ever-snowed-in-florida.html|title=Has It Ever Snowed in Florida?|website=Worldatlas.com|date=October 25, 2017|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=April 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220409042831/https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/has-it-ever-snowed-in-florida.html|url-status=live}} On rare occasions, a combination of cold moisture and freezing temperatures can result in snowfall in the farthest northern regions like Jacksonville, Gainesville or Pensacola. Frost, which is more common than snow, sometimes occurs in the panhandle.{{cite web|url=http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/weather/fl-reg-chance-of-frost-20180101-story.html|title=Brrrrr! South Florida may see frost by week's end|first=Anne|last=Geggis|website=Sun-sentinel.com|date=January 2, 2018 |access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=November 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112192143/https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/weather/fl-reg-chance-of-frost-20180101-story.html|url-status=live}} The USDA Plant hardiness zones for the state range from zone 8a (no colder than {{convert|10|°F|0|disp=or}}) in the inland western panhandle to zone 11b (no colder than {{convert|45|°F|0|disp=or}}) in the lower Florida Keys.{{cite web|last=United States National Arboretum|title=Florida Hardiness Zones|url=http://publicserver2.sjrwmd.com/waterwise/hardiness_zones.html|publisher=St Johns River Water Management District|access-date=March 25, 2011|archive-date=July 16, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716160957/http://publicserver2.sjrwmd.com/waterwise/hardiness_zones.html|url-status=live}} Fog also occurs all over the state or climate of Florida.{{cite web|url=https://miami.cbslocal.com/tag/dense-fog-advisory/|title=Dense Fog Advisory|website=miami.cbslocal.com|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=February 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204013850/https://miami.cbslocal.com/tag/dense-fog-advisory/|url-status=live}}

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.{{cite web|url=http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mlb/ltgcenter/ltgmain.html |title=Lightning Information Center |publisher=National Weather Service |access-date=January 23, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509093118/http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mlb/ltgcenter/ltgmain.html |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |url-status=live }} Florida has one of the highest average precipitation levels of any state,{{cite web |url=http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/data/usclimate/pcp.state.19712000.climo |title=Total Precipitation in inches by month |publisher=NOAA |access-date=March 31, 2013 |archive-date=April 21, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130421024731/http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/data/usclimate/pcp.state.19712000.climo |url-status=live }} in large part because afternoon thunderstorms are common in much of the state from late spring until early autumn.{{cite web|url=http://climatecenter.fsu.edu/topics/thunderstorms|title=Thunderstorms—Florida Climate Center|website=climatecenter.fsu.edu|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=July 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130703125718/http://climatecenter.fsu.edu/topics/thunderstorms|url-status=live}} A narrow eastern part of the state including Orlando and Jacksonville receives between 2,400 and 2,800 hours of sunshine annually. The rest of the state, including Miami, receives between 2,800 and 3,200 hours annually.{{cite web |url=https://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/maps/pdf/NAM_US_THEM_AnnualSun.pdf |title=united states annual sunshine map |publisher=HowStuffWorks, Inc |access-date=July 16, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191212162419/https://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/maps/pdf/NAM_US_THEM_AnnualSun.pdf |archive-date=December 12, 2019 |url-status=dead }}

Florida leads the United States in tornadoes per area (when including waterspouts),{{Cite news |url=http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2007/jul/01/waterspouts_common_coastal_florida_summer/?breaking_news |title=Waterspouts common off coastal Florida in summer |last=Aten |first=Tim |date=July 1, 2007 |work=Naples Daily News |access-date=January 23, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205104954/http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2007/jul/01/waterspouts_common_coastal_florida_summer/?breaking_news |archive-date=December 5, 2010 |url-status=dead }} but they do not typically reach the intensity of those in the Midwest and Great Plains. Hail often accompanies the most severe thunderstorms.{{cite web|url=https://miami.cbslocal.com/tag/hail-storm/|title=Hail Storm|website=miami.cbslocal.com|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=February 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204070125/https://miami.cbslocal.com/tag/hail-storm/|url-status=live}}

Hurricanes pose a severe threat each year from June{{spaces}}1 to November 30, particularly from August to October. Florida is the most hurricane-prone state, with subtropical or tropical water on a lengthy coastline. Of the category{{spaces}}4 or higher storms that have struck the United States, 83% have either hit Florida or Texas.{{Cite news |title=Florida is US lightning capital| work =Florida Today Factbook |page= 34 |date=March 28, 2009}}

From 1851 to 2006, Florida was struck by 114 hurricanes, 37 of them major—category{{spaces}}3 and above. It is rare for a hurricane season to pass without any impact in the state by at least a tropical storm.{{cite web|url=https://www.tripsavvy.com/how-often-do-hurricanes-hit-florida-3266726|title=How Often Hurricanes Make Landfall in Florida|website=Tripsavvy.com|access-date=November 6, 2021|archive-date=April 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416092628/https://www.tripsavvy.com/how-often-do-hurricanes-hit-florida-3266726|url-status=dead}}

In 1992, Florida was the site of what was then the costliest weather disaster in U.S. history, Hurricane Andrew, which caused more than $25{{spaces}}billion in damages when it struck during August; it held that distinction until 2005, when Hurricane Katrina surpassed it, and it has since been surpassed by six other hurricanes. Andrew is the second-costliest hurricane in Florida's history.{{cite web|url=http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/keynotes/keynotes_0817_andrew25.html|title=The 25th Anniversary of Hurricane Andrew|website=Aoml.noaa.gov|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=August 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806144021/https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/keynotes/keynotes_0817_andrew25.html|url-status=live}}

{{Further|Fauna of Florida|List of invasive species in Florida}}

File:Anhingatrailalligator.png in the Everglades]]

File:Manatee with calf.PD - colour corrected.jpg]]

Florida is host to many types of wildlife, including:

• Marine mammals: bottlenose dolphin, short-finned pilot whale, North Atlantic right whale, West Indian manatee
• Mammals: Florida panther, northern river otter, mink, eastern cottontail rabbit, marsh rabbit, raccoon, striped skunk, squirrel, white-tailed deer, Key deer, bobcats, red fox, gray fox, coyote, wild boar, Florida black bear, nine-banded armadillos, Virginia opossum
• Reptiles: eastern diamondback and pygmy rattlesnakes, gopher tortoise, green and leatherback sea turtles,{{cite web|url=http://myfwc.com/research/wildlife/sea-turtles/nesting/leatherback/|title=Leatherback Nesting in Florida|website=myfwc.com|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=October 31, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031144319/https://myfwc.com/research/wildlife/sea-turtles/nesting/leatherback/|url-status=live}} brown anoles, and eastern indigo snake. In 2012, there were about one million American alligators and 1,500 crocodiles.{{Cite news | first=Curtis | last=Morgan | title=Crocs crawl back to coast | url=http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/mh-crocodiles-rebound-20120408,0,5816687.story | newspaper=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages=8B | date=April 9, 2012 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120410234242/http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/mh-crocodiles-rebound-20120408,0,5816687.story | archive-date=April 10, 2012 }}
• Birds: peregrine falcon,{{Cite news | first=Keith | last=Winston | title=Predator animals rebound | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20131224/COLUMNISTS0410/312240021/Keith-Winsten-Predator-animals-rebound | newspaper=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages=7B | date=December 24, 2013 | access-date=December 29, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150316133407/http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20131224/COLUMNISTS0410/312240021/Keith-Winsten-Predator-animals-rebound | archive-date=March 16, 2015 | url-status=dead }} bald eagle, American flamingo,{{cite web|url=https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/03/birds-animals-flamingos-florida-native/|title=Surprising Origin of American Flamingos Discovered|date=March 10, 2018|website=News.nationalgeographic.com|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=June 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141057/https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/03/birds-animals-flamingos-florida-native/|url-status=dead}} crested caracara, snail kite, osprey, white and brown pelicans, sea gulls, whooping and sandhill cranes, roseate spoonbill, American white ibis, Florida scrub jay (state endemic), and others. One subspecies of wild turkey, Meleagris gallopavo osceola, is found only in Florida.C. Michael Hogan. 2008. [http://www.globaltwitcher.com/artspec_information.asp?thingid=2199 Wild turkey: Meleagris gallopavo, GlobalTwitcher.com, ed. N. Stromberg] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170725174654/http://www.globaltwitcher.com/artspec_information.asp?thingid=2199 |date=July 25, 2017 }} The state is a wintering location for many species of eastern North American birds.

:As a result of climate change, there have been small numbers of several new species normally native to cooler areas to the north: snowy owls, snow buntings, harlequin ducks, and razorbills. These have been seen in the northern part of the state.{{Cite news | first=Keith | last=Winsten | title='Snow' bird species in South | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20140107/NEWS01/301070029/Keith-Winsten-Snow-bird-species-show-up-far-south | newspaper=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages=7B | date=January 7, 2014 | access-date=January 7, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109080920/http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20140107/NEWS01/301070029/Keith-Winsten-Snow-bird-species-show-up-far-south | archive-date=January 9, 2014 | url-status=dead }}

• Invertebrates: carpenter ants, termites, American cockroach, Africanized bees, the Miami blue butterfly, and the grizzled mantis.

Florida also has more than 1,500 nonnative animal species.{{cite web|title=Biological Control of Invasive Insect Pests of Crops and Native Flora in Florida|url=https://reeis.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/0220406-biological-control-of-invasive-insect-pests-of-crops-and-native-flora-in-florida.html|website=Usda.gov/|access-date=June 3, 2018|archive-date=February 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204010914/https://reeis.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/0220406-biological-control-of-invasive-insect-pests-of-crops-and-native-flora-in-florida.html|url-status=live}} Some exotic species living in Florida include the Burmese python, green iguana, veiled chameleon, Argentine black and white tegu, peacock bass, Mayan cichlid, lionfish, white-nosed coati, rhesus macaque, vervet monkey, Cuban tree frog, cane toad, Indian peafowl, monk parakeet and tui parakeet. Some of these nonnative species do not pose a threat to any native species, but some do threaten the native species of Florida by living in the state and eating them.{{cite web|url=http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/|title=Nonnative Species|website=myfwc.com|access-date=May 17, 2018|archive-date=February 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210213223709/https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/|url-status=dead}}

{{Further|Florida mangroves|List of invasive plant species in Florida}}

File:Red mangrove-everglades natl park.jpg]]

The state has more than {{convert|26000|mi2}} of forests, covering about half of the state's land area.{{Cite news| first=Jim | last=Waymer | title=Florida forests help roll out toilet paper | url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/environment/2020/03/31/coronavirus-fuels-forestry-florida/5088495002/ | newspaper=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages=1A,10A | date=April 1, 2020 | access-date=April 4, 2020 | archive-date=April 3, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200403034807/https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/environment/2020/03/31/coronavirus-fuels-forestry-florida/5088495002/ | url-status=live}}

There are about 3,000 types of wildflowers in Florida.{{cite web|url=http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/native-plants.html|title=Native Plants—University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences|website=gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=February 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210201054720/https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/native-plants.html|url-status=live}} This is the third-most diverse state in the union, behind California and Texas, both larger states.{{Cite news | first=Maria | last=Sonnenberg | title=Florida's flowers | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20130921/SPACES/309210025/Florida-s-flowers-brighten-fields | newspaper=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | page=1D | date=September 21, 2013 | access-date=September 21, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150316122002/http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20130921/SPACES/309210025/Florida-s-flowers-brighten-fields | archive-date=March 16, 2015 | url-status=dead }} In Florida, wild populations of coconut palms extend up the East Coast from Key West to Jupiter Inlet, and up the West Coast from Marco Island to Sarasota. Many of the smallest coral islands in the Florida Keys are known to have abundant coconut palms sprouting from coconuts deposited by ocean currents. Coconut palms are cultivated north of south Florida to roughly Cocoa Beach on the East Coast and the Tampa Bay area on the West Coast.{{cite web|url=http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg043|title=The Coconut Palm in Florida|first=Timothy K. Broschat and Jonathan H.|last=Crane|date=April 4, 2018|website=edis.ifas.ufl.edu|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=February 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209151103/https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg043|url-status=live}}

On the east coast of the state, mangroves have normally dominated the coast from Cocoa Beach southward; salt marshes from St. Augustine northward. From St. Augustine south to Cocoa Beach, the coast fluctuates between the two, depending on the annual weather conditions. All three mangrove species flower in the spring and early summer. Propagules are produced from late summer through early autumn.{{cite web |url=https://www.nhmi.org/mangroves/rep.htm |title= Reproductive Strategies of Mangroves|author= |date= |website=Newfound Harbor Marine Institute |publisher=Seacamp Association |access-date=15 November 2023 |quote=}} Florida mangrove plant communities covered an estimated {{convert|430,000|to|540,000|acre|km2}} in Florida in 1981. Ninety percent of the Florida mangroves are in southern Florida, in Collier, Lee, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.

{{Main|Florida Reef}}

File:Fish and corals in John Pennekamp Marine Park (2351507031).jpg near Key Largo]]

The Florida Reef is the only living coral barrier reef in the continental United States.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/05/04/the-largest-coral-reef-in-the-continental-u-s-is-dissolving-into-the-ocean/|title=The biggest coral reef in the continental U.S. is dissolving into the ocean|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=February 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204230141/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/05/04/the-largest-coral-reef-in-the-continental-u-s-is-dissolving-into-the-ocean/|url-status=live}} It is also the third-largest coral barrier reef system in the world, after the Great Barrier Reef and the Belize Barrier Reef.{{cite web|url=https://www.coris.noaa.gov/portals/florida.html|title=NOAA CoRIS—Regional Portal—Florida|first=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|last=US Department of Commerce|website=www.coris.noaa.gov|access-date=May 19, 2019|archive-date=June 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190605144359/https://www.coris.noaa.gov/portals/florida.html|url-status=live}} The reef lies a little bit off of the coast of the Florida Keys. A lot of the reef lies within John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, which was the first underwater park in the United States.{{cite web|url=http://pennekamppark.com/about/|title=About—Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park|website=pennekamppark.com|access-date=May 19, 2019|archive-date=February 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206001403/http://pennekamppark.com/about/|url-status=live}} The park contains a lot of tropical vegetation, marine life, and seabirds. The Florida Reef extends into other parks and sanctuaries as well including Dry Tortugas National Park, Biscayne National Park, and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Almost 1,400 species of marine plants and animals, including more than 40 species of stony corals and 500 species of fish, live on the Florida Reef.{{cite web|url=https://archive.usgs.gov/archive/sites/sofia.usgs.gov/publications/circular/1134/esns/frt.html|title=SOFIA—Circular 1134—the Natural System—Florida Reef Tract|website=archive.usgs.gov|access-date=May 19, 2019|archive-date=July 31, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731171706/https://archive.usgs.gov/archive/sites/sofia.usgs.gov/publications/circular/1134/esns/frt.html|url-status=dead}} The Florida Reef, being a delicate ecosystem like other coral reefs, faces many threats including overfishing, plastics in the ocean, coral bleaching, rising sea levels, and changes in sea surface temperature.

{{Main|Environment of Florida}}

{{See also|Environmental issues in Florida}}

File:Florida_flamingos.jpg]]

File:Gator and Python.jpg and an invasive Burmese python in Everglades National Park]]

Florida is a low per capita energy user. {{As of|2008}}, it is estimated that approximately 4% of energy in the state is generated through renewable resources. Florida's energy production is 6% of the U.S. total energy output, while total production of pollutants is lower, with figures of 6% for nitrogen oxide, 5% for carbon dioxide, and 4% for sulfur dioxide. Wildfires in Florida occur at all times of the year.{{cite web|url=https://www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/Florida-Forest-Service/Wildland-Fire/Current-Wildfire-Conditions2|title=Current Wildfire Conditions / Wildland Fire / Florida Forest Service / Divisions & Offices / Home—Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services|website=Freshfromflorida.com|access-date=October 23, 2018|archive-date=February 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190202084929/https://www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/Florida-Forest-Service/Wildland-Fire/Current-Wildfire-Conditions2|url-status=dead}}

All potable water resources have been controlled by the state government through five regional water authorities since 1972.{{cite web |url=http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=Ch0373/SEC503.HTM&Title=- |title=Florida Statutes |publisher=Leg.state.fl.us |access-date=November 4, 2011 |archive-date=October 31, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051031235651/http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=Ch0373%2FSEC503.HTM&Title=- |url-status=live }}

Red tide has been an issue on the southwest coast of Florida, as well as other areas. 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. Red tide is now killing off wildlife or Tropical fish and coral reefs putting all in danger.{{cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2018/8/30/17795892/red-tide-2018-florida-gulf-sarasota-sanibel-okeechobee|title=Why Florida's red tide is killing fish, manatees, and turtles|website=Vox.com|date=August 30, 2018|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=April 16, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220416182027/https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2018/8/30/17795892/red-tide-2018-florida-gulf-sarasota-sanibel-okeechobee|url-status=live}}

The Florida panther is close to extinction. A record 23 were killed in 2009, mainly by automobile collisions, leaving about 100 individuals in the wild. The Center for Biological Diversity and others have therefore called for a special protected area for the panther to be established. Manatees are also dying at a rate higher than their reproduction.{{cite web|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/article217064995.html|title=More manatees have died in Florida so far this year than in all of 2017. Here's why|website=Miamiherald.com|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=August 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818015949/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/article217064995.html|url-status=live}} American flamingos are rare to see in Florida due to being hunted in the 1900s, where it was to a point considered completely extirpated. Now the flamingos are reproducing toward making a comeback to South Florida since it is adamantly considered native to the state and also are now being protected.{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2018/03/06/590378419/floridas-long-lost-wild-flamingos-were-hiding-in-plain-sight|title=Florida's Long-Lost Wild Flamingos Were Hiding in Plain Sight|website=Npr.org|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=April 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220409042832/https://www.npr.org/2018/03/06/590378419/floridas-long-lost-wild-flamingos-were-hiding-in-plain-sight|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/article213645084.html|title=Now that we agree these flamingos are Florida natives, it's time to protect them, experts say|website=Miamiherald.com|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=August 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827235207/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/article213645084.html|url-status=live}}

Much of Florida has an elevation of less than {{convert|12|ft}}, including many populated areas. Therefore, it is susceptible to rising sea levels associated with global warming.{{cite news|title=Goodbye, Miami|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/why-the-city-of-miami-is-doomed-to-drown-20130620|access-date=June 21, 2013|newspaper=Rolling Stone|date=June 20, 2013|author=Jeff Goodell|archive-date=May 10, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180510050815/https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/why-the-city-of-miami-is-doomed-to-drown-20130620|url-status=live}} The Atlantic beaches that are vital to the state's economy are being washed out to sea due to rising sea levels caused by climate change. The Miami Beach area, close to the continental shelf, is running out of accessible offshore sand reserves.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/25/us/where-sand-is-gold-the-coffers-are-running-dry-in-florida.html|title=Where Sand Is Gold, the Reserves Are Running Dry|date=August 25, 2013|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=February 16, 2017|archive-date=November 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112023518/https://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/25/us/where-sand-is-gold-the-coffers-are-running-dry-in-florida.html|url-status=live}} Elevated temperatures can damage coral reefs, causing coral bleaching. The first recorded bleaching incident on the Florida Reef was in 1973. Incidents of bleaching have become more frequent in recent decades, in correlation with a rise in sea surface temperatures. White band disease has also adversely affected corals on the Florida Reef.Precht and Miller:243–44, 245, 247–48, 249{{break}}[http://serc.fiu.edu/wqmnetwork/boyerj/pubs/NOAA%20Coral%20Florida%20Keys2008.pdf The State of Coral Reef Ecosystems of the Florida Keys] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100811125654/http://serc.fiu.edu/wqmnetwork/boyerj/pubs/NOAA%20Coral%20Florida%20Keys2008.pdf|date=August 11, 2010}} Accessed December 17, 2010

{{Main|Geology of Florida}}

File:Floridakeys-nasa.jpg as seen from a satellite, in December 2003{{cite web|url=http://www.keyshistory.org/keysgeology.html|title=History of Keys Geology|first=Jerry|last=Wilkinson|website=Keyshistory.org|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=November 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109050819/http://www.keyshistory.org/keysgeology.html|url-status=live}}]]

The Florida peninsula is a porous plateau of karst limestone sitting atop bedrock, known as the Florida Platform.

The largest deposits of potash in the United States are found in Florida. The largest deposits of rock phosphate in the country are found in Florida. Most of this is in Bone Valley.{{cite web|url=http://baysoundings.com/the-real-cost-of-fertilizer/|title=The Real Cost of Fertilizer|last=Parsons|first=Victoria|date=Spring 2011|work=Bay Soundings|access-date=June 21, 2014|archive-date=March 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150324093433/http://baysoundings.com/the-real-cost-of-fertilizer/|url-status=live}}

Extended systems of underwater caves, sinkholes and springs are found throughout the state and supply most of the water used by residents.{{cite web|url=http://www.floridasprings.org/expedition/wakulla/protectingwakulla/springshedmap/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110211052546/http://www.floridasprings.org/expedition/wakulla/protectingwakulla/springshedmap/|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 11, 2011|title=Florida Springs, Springs in Florida, Florida Cave Diving—Florida's Springs: Protecting Nature's Gems—Florida DEP—Springshed Map|date=February 11, 2011|access-date=May 19, 2019}} The limestone is topped with sandy soils deposited as ancient beaches over millions of years as global sea levels rose and fell. During the last glacial period, lower sea levels and a drier climate revealed a much wider peninsula, largely savanna. While there are sinkholes in much of the state, modern sinkholes have tended to be in West-Central Florida.{{cite web|url=http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/circ1182/pdf/15WCFlorida.pdf|title=Sinkholes, West-Central Florida. A link between surface water and ground water|last=Tihansky|first=Ann B.|publisher=U.S. Geological Survey, Tampa, Florida|access-date=June 21, 2014|archive-date=October 25, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111025021733/http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/circ1182/pdf/15WCFlorida.pdf|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/maps/galleries/sinkholes/index.php|title=Sinkhole Maps of Florida Counties|year=2007|work=Florida Center for Instructional Technology, College of Education|publisher=University of South Florida|access-date=June 21, 2014|archive-date=April 10, 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130410000535/http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/maps/galleries/sinkholes/index.php|url-status=live}} Everglades National Park covers {{convert|1509000|acre|km2}}, throughout Dade, Monroe, and Collier counties in Florida.{{cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/upload/NPIndex2012-2016.pdf|title=The National Parks: Index 2012–2016 |website=nps.gov |publisher=National Park Service |page=47 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113065657/https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/upload/NPIndex2012-2016.pdf |archive-date=13 November 2018 |url-status=live |access-date=November 19, 2018}} The Everglades, an enormously wide, slow-flowing river encompasses the southern tip of the peninsula. Sinkhole damage claims on property in the state exceeded a total of $2{{spaces}}billion from 2006 through 2010.{{Cite news|title=State Farm seeks 28% rate hike |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-16/state-farm-seeks-rate-hikes-in-property-insurance.html |newspaper=Florida Today |location=Melbourne, Florida |page=8B |date=February 16, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110219145835/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-16/state-farm-seeks-rate-hikes-in-property-insurance.html |archive-date=February 19, 2011}} Winter Park Sinkhole, in central Florida, appeared May 8, 1981. It was approximately 350 feet (107{{spaces}}m) wide and 75 feet (23{{spaces}}m) deep. It was one of the largest recent sinkholes to form in the United States. It is now known as Lake Rose.{{Cite news |author=Huber, Red |date=November 13, 2012 |title=Looking back at Winter Park's famous sinkhole |newspaper=Orlando Sentinel |url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/os-fla360-looking-back-at-winter-parks-famous-sinkhole-20121113-story.html |access-date=May 9, 2022 |archive-date=January 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117021354/https://www.orlandosentinel.com/os-fla360-looking-back-at-winter-parks-famous-sinkhole-20121113-story.html |url-status=live }} The Econlockhatchee River (Econ River for short) is an {{convert|87.7|km|mi|sp=us|adj=mid|-long|order=flip}}U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. [http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ The National Map] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329155652/http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/|date=March 29, 2012}}, accessed April 21, 2011 north-flowing blackwater tributary of the St. Johns River, the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida. The Econ River flows through Osceola, Orange, and Seminole counties in Central Florida, just east of the Orlando Metropolitan Area (east of State Road 417). It is a designated Outstanding Florida Waters.(2013-01-02). [http://sjrwmd.com/middlestjohnsriver/econriver.html "Econlockhatchee River"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170705021846/http://www.sjrwmd.com/middlestjohnsriver/econriver.html |date=July 5, 2017 }}. Saint Johns River Water Management District. Retrieved on August 4, 2014.

Earthquakes are rare because Florida is not located near any tectonic plate boundaries.{{cite web|url=https://www.decodedscience.org/florida-earthquake-history-tectonic-setting/52225|title=Florida's Earthquake History and Tectonic Setting|date=January 23, 2015|website=Decodedscience.org|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=September 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180903151028/https://www.decodedscience.org/florida-earthquake-history-tectonic-setting/52225|url-status=live}}

File:Florida counties.jpg

{{div col |colwidth=15em}}

• Florida Panhandle
• Emerald Coast
• Forgotten Coast
• North Florida
• Pensacola metropolitan area
• Tallahassee metropolitan area
• North Central Florida
• Big Bend
• Nature Coast
• North Florida
• Gainesville metropolitan area
• Northeast Florida
• First Coast
• Jacksonville metropolitan area
• North Florida
• Central West Florida
• Nature Coast
• Tampa Bay area
• Florida Suncoast
• Central Florida
• Greater Orlando
• Central East Florida
• Deltona–Daytona Beach–Ormond Beach metropolitan area
• Surf Coast/Fun Coast/Halifax Area
• Space Coast
• Treasure Coast
• Southwest Florida
• Florida Heartland
• Florida Everglades
• Florida Suncoast
• Sarasota metropolitan area
• Ten Thousand Islands
• South Florida
• Everglades
• Gold Coast
• Florida Keys
• Miami metropolitan area

{{div col end}}

{{See also|List of metropolitan areas of Florida|List of municipalities in Florida|List of urbanized areas in Florida (by population)}}

The largest metropolitan area in the state as well as the entire southeastern United States is the Miami metropolitan area, with about 6.06{{spaces}}million people. The Tampa Bay area, with more than 3.02{{spaces}}million, is the second-largest; the Orlando metropolitan area, with more than 2.44{{spaces}}million, is third; and the Jacksonville metropolitan area, with more than 1.47{{spaces}}million, is fourth.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/adammillsap/2018/03/23/big-metro-areas-in-florida-keep-getting-bigger/|title=Big Metro Areas in Florida Keep Getting Bigger|first=Adam|last=Millsap|website=Forbes.com|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=April 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220409042852/https://www.forbes.com/sites/adammillsap/2018/03/23/big-metro-areas-in-florida-keep-getting-bigger/|url-status=live}}

Florida has 22 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Forty-three of Florida's 67 counties are in an MSA.

The legal name in Florida for a city, town or village is "municipality". In Florida there is no legal difference between towns, villages and cities.{{cite web|url=http://www.floridaleagueofcities.com/Resources.aspx?CNID%3D877 |title=Local Government Vocabulary |website=Florida League of Cities |access-date=May 15, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110234408/http://www.floridaleagueofcities.com/Resources.aspx?CNID=877 |archive-date=November 10, 2013 }}

Florida is a highly urbanized state, with 89 percent of its population living in urban areas in

2000, compared to 79 percent across the U.S.{{cite web |url=https://www.bebr.ufl.edu/sites/default/files/FloridaPop2005_0.pdf |title=Population data |publisher=bebr.ufl.edu |date=2005 |access-date=November 9, 2019 |archive-date=December 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191212162431/https://www.bebr.ufl.edu/sites/default/files/FloridaPop2005_0.pdf |url-status=live }}

In 2012, 75% of the population lived within {{convert|10|miles}} of the coastline.{{Cite news| first=Hank | last=Fishkind | title=Beaches are critically important to us | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20131109/COLUMNISTS0707/311090013/Hank-Fishkind-Beaches-critically-important-us | newspaper=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages=4B | date=November 9, 2013 | access-date=November 11, 2013 | archive-date=March 16, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150316123809/http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20131109/COLUMNISTS0707/311090013/Hank-Fishkind-Beaches-critically-important-us | url-status=live}}

{{Largest cities

| country = Florida

| stat_ref = Source:{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/about/rdo.html|title=2020 Decennial US Census|publisher=2020 US Census|date=November 2021|access-date=November 26, 2021|archive-date=December 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211208195041/https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/about/rdo.html|url-status=live}}

| list_by_pop =

| div_name =

| div_link = Counties of Florida{{!}}County

| city_1 = Jacksonville, Florida{{!}}Jacksonville

| div_1 = Duval County, Florida{{!}}Duval

| pop_1 = 949,611

| img_1 = Nächtliche Skyline von Jacksonville, Florida.JPG

| city_2 = Miami, Florida{{!}}Miami

| div_2 = Miami-Dade County, Florida{{!}}Miami-Dade

| pop_2 = 442,241

| img_2 = Brickell skyline 2012.jpg

| city_3 = Tampa, Florida{{!}}Tampa

| div_3 = Hillsborough County, Florida{{!}}Hillsborough

| pop_3 = 384,959

| img_3 = Downtown Tampa Skyline.jpg

| city_4 = Orlando, Florida{{!}}Orlando

| div_4 = Orange County, Florida{{!}}Orange

| pop_4 = 307,573

| img_4 = Lake Eola Park in Orlando 01.jpg

| city_5 = St. Petersburg, Florida{{!}}St. Petersburg

| div_5 = Pinellas County, Florida{{!}}Pinellas

| pop_5 = 258,308

| img_5 =

| city_6 = Hialeah, Florida{{!}}Hialeah

| div_6 = Miami-Dade County, Florida{{!}}Miami-Dade

| pop_6 = 223,109

| img_6 =

| city_7 = Port St. Lucie, Florida{{!}}Port St. Lucie

| div_7 = St. Lucie County, Florida{{!}}St. Lucie

| pop_7 = 204,851

| img_7 =

| city_8 = Tallahassee, Florida{{!}}Tallahassee

| div_8 = Leon County, Florida{{!}}Leon

| pop_8 = 196,169

| img_8 =

| city_9 = Cape Coral, Florida{{!}}Cape Coral

| div_9 = Lee County, Florida{{!}}Lee

| pop_9 = 194,016

| img_9 =

| city_10 = Fort Lauderdale, Florida{{!}}Fort Lauderdale

| div_10 = Broward County, Florida{{!}}Broward

| pop_10 = 182,760

| img_10 =

| city_11 = Pembroke Pines, Florida{{!}}Pembroke Pines

| div_11 = Broward County, Florida{{!}}Broward

| pop_11 = 171,178

| img_11 =

| city_12 = Hollywood, Florida{{!}}Hollywood

| div_12 = Broward County, Florida{{!}}Broward

| pop_12 = 153,067

| img_12 =

| city_13 = Gainesville, Florida{{!}}Gainesville

| div_13 = Alachua County, Florida{{!}}Alachua

| pop_13 = 141,085

| img_13 =

| city_14 = Miramar, Florida{{!}}Miramar

| div_14 = Broward County, Florida{{!}}Broward

| pop_14 = 134,721

| img_14 =

| city_15 = Coral Springs, Florida{{!}}Coral Springs

| div_15 = Broward County, Florida{{!}}Broward

| pop_15 = 134,394

| img_15 =

| city_16 = Palm Bay, Florida{{!}}Palm Bay

| div_16 = Brevard County, Florida{{!}}Brevard

| pop_16 = 119,760

| img_16 =

| city_17 = West Palm Beach, Florida{{!}}West Palm Beach

| div_17 = Palm Beach County, Florida{{!}}Palm Beach

| pop_17 = 117,415

| img_17 =

| city_18 = Clearwater, Florida{{!}}Clearwater

| div_18 = Pinellas County, Florida{{!}}Pinellas

| pop_18 = 117,292

| img_18 =

| city_19 = Lakeland, Florida{{!}}Lakeland

| div_19 = Polk County, Florida{{!}}Polk

| pop_19 = 112,641

| img_19 =

| city_20 = Pompano Beach, Florida{{!}}Pompano Beach

| div_20 = Broward County, Florida{{!}}Broward

| pop_20 = 112,046

| img_20 =

}}

{{Main|Demographics of Florida}}

{{See also|Culture of Florida}}

File:Florida population density 2020.png

File:Cuban American men playing dominoes in Little Havana Miami, Florida.jpg men playing dominoes in Miami's Little Havana. In 2010, Cubans made up 34.4% of Miami's population and 6.5% of Florida's.{{cite web|url = http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_SF1_QTP10|archive-url = https://archive.today/20200212214535/http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_SF1_QTP10|url-status = dead|archive-date = February 12, 2020|title = Miami, Florida Race and Hispanic or Latino Origin: 2010 Census Summary File 1|access-date = October 27, 2015|website = American FactFinder|publisher = US Census Bureau}}]]

{{US Census population

| 1830 = 34730

| 1840 = 54477

| 1850 = 87445

| 1860 = 140424

| 1870 = 187748

| 1880 = 269493

| 1890 = 391422

| 1900 = 528542

| 1910 = 752619

| 1920 = 968470

| 1930 = 1468211

| 1940 = 1897414

| 1950 = 2771305

| 1960 = 4951560

| 1970 = 6789443

| 1980 = 9746324

| 1990 = 12937926

| 2000 = 15982378

| 2010 = 18801310

| 2020 = 21538187

| estimate = 23372215

| estref = {{Cite web |title=QuickFacts: Florida |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/FL | website=Census.gov | publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=December 20, 2024}}

| estyear = 2024

| footnote = Sources: 1910–2020{{cite web |title=Historical Population Change Data (1910-2020) |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/dec/popchange-data-text.html |website=Census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=May 1, 2021 |archive-date=April 29, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210429012609/https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/dec/popchange-data-text.html |url-status=dead }}

}}

The U.S. Census Bureau estimated that the population of Florida was 21,477,737 on July 1, 2019, a 14.24% increase since the 2010 United States census.{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/FL,US/PST045219|title=Table 1. Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2019|date=January 29, 2019|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=January 4, 2019|archive-date=June 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610161658/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/FL,US/PST045219|url-status=live}} The population of Florida in the 2010 census was 18,801,310.{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=12|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130814015143/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=12|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 14, 2013|title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search|author=Website Services & Coordination Staff (WSCS)|website=census.gov|access-date=July 21, 2015}} Florida was the seventh fastest-growing state in the U.S. in the 12-month period ending July 1, 2012.{{cite web|last=Weissmann|first=Jordan|title=The Fastest-Growing States in America (and Why They're Booming)|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/12/the-fastest-growing-states-in-america-and-why-theyre-booming/266541/|website=The Atlantic|access-date=August 14, 2014|date=December 22, 2012|archive-date=May 25, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525081826/https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/12/the-fastest-growing-states-in-america-and-why-theyre-booming/266541/|url-status=live}} In 2010, the center of population of Florida was located between Fort Meade and Frostproof. The center of population has moved less than {{convert|5|mi|0}} to the east and approximately {{convert|1|mi|1}} to the north between 1980 and 2010 and has been located in Polk County since the 1960 census.{{cite web|title=Florida's Population Center Migrates through History|url=http://www.bebr.ufl.edu/articles/floridas-population-center-migrates-through-history|publisher=University of Florida Bureau of Economic and Business Research|access-date=August 14, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130814015104/http://www.bebr.ufl.edu/articles/floridas-population-center-migrates-through-history|archive-date=August 14, 2013}} The population exceeded 19.7{{spaces}}million by December 2014, surpassing the population of the state of New York for the first time, making Florida the third most populous state.{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/395312/florida-leaves-new-york-behind-its-rear-view-mirror-john-fund|title=Florida Leaves New York Behind in Its Rear-View Mirror |date=December 23, 2014|website=National Review |first1= John |last1=Fund |access-date=October 23, 2018|archive-date=May 25, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525200510/http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/395312/florida-leaves-new-york-behind-its-rear-view-mirror-john-fund|url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2014/12/23/florida-surpasses-ny-as-3rd-most-populous-state.html|title=Florida surpasses NY as 3rd most populous state |first=Jacob|last=Pramuk|date=December 23, 2014|website=CNBC |access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=April 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190405224242/https://www.cnbc.com/2014/12/23/florida-surpasses-ny-as-3rd-most-populous-state.html|url-status=live}} The Florida population was 21,477,737 residents or people according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2019 Population Estimates Program.{{cite web|url=https://www.florida-demographics.com/|title=Florida Demographics—Get Current Census Data for Florida|website= florida-demographics.com|access-date=May 19, 2019|archive-date=October 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181024232311/https://www.florida-demographics.com/|url-status=live}} By the 2020 census, its population increased to 21,538,187.

In 2010, undocumented immigrants constituted an estimated 5.7% of the population. This was the sixth highest percentage of any U.S. state.{{efn|Behind Nevada, Arizona, New Jersey, California and Texas}} There were an estimated 675,000 illegal immigrants in the state in 2010.{{Cite news|first=Matt |last=Reed |title=E-Verify best way to find illegals |url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110118/COLUMNISTS0207/101180318/1086/Matt+Reed++Fearmongering+on+E-Verify+shields+illegals |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140504000756/http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110118/COLUMNISTS0207/101180318/1086/Matt%2BReed%2B%2BFearmongering%2Bon%2BE-Verify%2Bshields%2Billegals |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 4, 2014 |work=Florida Today |location=Melbourne, Florida |page=1B |date=January 18, 2011 }} Florida has banned sanctuary cities.{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/09/politics/sanctuary-city-bans-states/index.html|title=Florida is about to ban sanctuary cities. At least 11 other states have, too|first=Catherine E.|last=Shoichet|website=CNN|date=May 9, 2019|access-date=September 3, 2019|archive-date=June 16, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190616132746/https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/09/politics/sanctuary-city-bans-states/index.html|url-status=live}}

The top countries of origin for Florida's immigrants were Cuba, Haiti, Colombia, Mexico and Jamaica in 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/immigrants-florida|title=Immigrants in Florida|date=January 2015 }}

According to HUD's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 25,959 homeless people in Florida.{{Cite web |title=2007-2022 PIT Counts by State |url=https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huduser.gov%2Fportal%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fxls%2F2007-2022-PIT-Counts-by-State.xlsx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/2022-AHAR-Part-1.pdf|title=The 2022 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress}}

File:Ethnic Origins in Florida.png

In 2010, 6.9% of the population (1,269,765) considered themselves to be of only American ancestry (regardless of race or ethnicity).{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |title=Florida Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=October 27, 2015 |archive-date=December 27, 1996 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961227012639/https://www.census.gov/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |title=Florida: Selected Social Characteristics in the United States—2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=October 27, 2015 |archive-date=December 27, 1996 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961227012639/https://www.census.gov/ |url-status=live }} Many of these were of English or Scotch-Irish descent, whose families have lived in the state for so long they choose to identify as having "American" ancestry or do not know their ancestry.{{cite web |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=&_geoContext=&_street=&_county=&_cityTown=&_state=04000US12&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010 |title=Florida Factstreet |publisher=US Census Bureau |access-date=December 3, 2007 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212052421/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=&_geoContext=&_street=&_county=&_cityTown=&_state=04000US12&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010 |archive-date=February 12, 2020 |url-status=dead }}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SVoAXh-dNuYC&pg=PA57|title=Sharing the Dream: White Males in Multicultural America|first=Dominic|last=Pulera|date=October 20, 2004|publisher=A&C Black|access-date=October 23, 2018|via=Google Books|isbn=9780826416438|archive-date=September 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907093623/https://books.google.com/books?id=SVoAXh-dNuYC&pg=PA57|url-status=live}}Reynolds Farley, 'The New Census Question about Ancestry: What Did It Tell Us?', Demography, Vol. 28, No. 3 (August 1991), pp. 414, 421.Stanley Lieberson and Lawrence Santi, 'The Use of Nativity Data to Estimate Ethnic Characteristics and Patterns', Social Science Research, Vol. 14, No. 1 (1985), pp. 44–6.Stanley Lieberson and Mary C. Waters, 'Ethnic Groups in Flux: The Changing Ethnic Responses of American Whites', Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 487, No. 79 (September 1986), pp. 82–86.Mary C. Waters, Ethnic Options: Choosing Identities in America (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1990), p. 36. In the 1980 United States census, the largest ancestry group reported in Florida was English with 2,232,514 Floridians claiming they were of English or mostly English American ancestry.{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/censusdata/files/pc80-s1-10/tab03.pdf |title=Ancestry of the Population by State: 1980—Table 3 |access-date=November 4, 2011 |archive-date=February 24, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120224233043/http://www.census.gov/population/www/censusdata/files/pc80-s1-10/tab03.pdf |url-status=live }} Some of their ancestry dated to the original Thirteen Colonies.

{{as of|2010}}, those of (non-Hispanic white) European ancestry accounted for 57.9% of Florida's population. Out of the 57.9%, the largest groups were 12.0% German (2,212,391), 10.7% Irish (1,979,058), 8.8% English (1,629,832), 6.6% Italian (1,215,242), 2.8% Polish (511,229), and 2.7% French (504,641). White Americans of all European backgrounds are present in all areas of the state. In 1970, non-Hispanic whites constituted nearly 80% of Florida's population. Those of English and Irish ancestry are present in large numbers in all the urban/suburban areas across the state. Some native white Floridians, especially those who have descended from long-time Florida families, may refer to themselves as "Florida crackers"; others see the term as a derogatory one. Like whites in most other states of the southern U.S., they descend mainly from English and Scots-Irish settlers, as well as some other British American settlers.David Hackett Fischer, Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America, New York: Oxford University Press, 1989, pp.633–639

As of 2010, those of Hispanic or Latino ancestry accounted for 22.5% (4,223,806) of Florida's population. Out of the 22.5%, the largest groups were 6.5% (1,213,438) Cuban, and 4.5% (847,550) Puerto Rican.{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |title=Florida Hispanic or Latino by Type: 2010 Census Summary File 1 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=October 26, 2015 |archive-date=December 27, 1996 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961227012639/https://www.census.gov/ |url-status=live }} Florida's Hispanic population includes large communities of Cuban Americans in Miami and Tampa, Puerto Ricans in Orlando and Tampa, and Mexican/Central American migrant workers. The Hispanic community continues to grow more affluent and mobile. Florida has a large and diverse Hispanic population, with Cubans and Puerto Ricans being the largest groups in the state. Nearly 80% of Cuban Americans live in Florida, especially South Florida where there is a long-standing and affluent Cuban community.{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_SF1_QTP10&prodType=table|title=American FactFinder—Results|author=Data Access and Dissemination Systems (DADS)|website=census.gov|access-date=July 21, 2015|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212213707/http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_SF1_QTP10&prodType=table|archive-date=February 12, 2020|url-status=dead}} Florida has the second-largest Puerto Rican population after New York, as well as the fastest-growing in the U.S.{{cite web|url=http://content.usatoday.com/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=thedailyjournal&sParam=53490820.story|title=Thedailyjournal—Puerto Rico's population exodus is all about jobs|website=usatoday.com|access-date=July 21, 2015|archive-date=September 4, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904011425/http://content.usatoday.com/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=thedailyjournal&sParam=53490820.story|url-status=live}} Puerto Ricans are more widespread throughout the state, though the heaviest concentrations are in the Orlando area of Central Florida.{{cite web|url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/brinkmann-on-business/os-bz-puerto-rico-numbers-20180105-story.html|title=How many Puerto Ricans have moved to Florida? State's numbers questioned|first=Paul|last=Brinkmann|website=Orlandosentinel.com|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=February 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203014108/https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/brinkmann-on-business/os-bz-puerto-rico-numbers-20180105-story.html|url-status=live}} Florida has one of the largest and most diverse Hispanic/Latino populations in the country, especially in South Florida around Miami, and to a lesser degree Central Florida. Aside from the dominant Cuban and Puerto Rican populations, there are also large populations of Mexicans, Colombians, Venezuelans and Dominicans, among numerous other groups, as most Latino groups have sizable numbers in the state.

{{as of|2010}}, those of African ancestry accounted for 16.0% of Florida's population, which includes African Americans. Out of the 16.0%, 4.0% (741,879) were West Indian or Afro-Caribbean American. During the early 1900s, black people made up nearly half of the state's population. In response to segregation, disfranchisement and agricultural depression, many African Americans migrated from Florida to northern cities in the Great Migration, in waves from 1910 to 1940, and again starting in the later 1940s. They moved for jobs, better education for their children and the chance to vote and participate in society. By 1960, the proportion of African Americans in the state had declined to 18%. Conversely, large numbers of northern whites moved to the state.{{cite web |url=https://depts.washington.edu/moving1/Florida.shtml |title= Florida Migration History 1850-2018|last=Gregory |first= James |date= |website=Civil Rights and Labor History Consortium |publisher=University of Washington |access-date=19 November 2023 |quote=}} Today, large concentrations of black residents can be found throughout Florida. Aside from blacks descended from African slaves brought to the southern U.S., there are also large numbers of blacks of West Indian, recent African, and Afro-Latino immigrant origins, especially in the Miami/South Florida area.{{cite web|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/article18228377.html|title=As Caribbean immigration rises, Miami's black population becomes more foreign|website=Miamiherald.com|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=September 12, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210912173415/https://www.miamiherald.com/article18228377.html|url-status=live}} Florida has the largest West Indian population of any state, originating from many Caribbean countries, with Haitian Americans being the most numerous.

In 2016, Florida had the highest percentage of West Indians in the United States at 4.5%, with 2.3% (483,874) from Haitian ancestry, 1.5% (303,527) Jamaican, and 0.2% (31,966) Bahamian, with the other West Indian groups making up the rest.{{cite web|url=https://censusreporter.org/data/table/?table=B04006&geo_ids=04000US12&primary_geo_id=04000US12#valueType%7Cpercentage|title=Grid View: Table B04006—Census Reporter|website=censusreporter.org|access-date=October 10, 2017|archive-date=February 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204014540/https://censusreporter.org/data/table/?table=B04006&geo_ids=04000US12&primary_geo_id=04000US12#valueType%7Cpercentage|url-status=live}}

{{as of|2010}}, those of Asian ancestry accounted for 2.4% of Florida's population.

As of 2011, Florida contains the highest percentage of people over 65 (17.3%) in the U.S.{{cite web |url=http://247wallst.com/2011/05/10/the-states-with-the-oldest-and-youngest-residents/3/ |title=The States with the Oldest And Youngest Residents |author=Michael B. Sauter |author2=Douglas A. McIntyre |date=May 10, 2011 |publisher=wallst.com |access-date=January 24, 2015 |archive-date=October 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010090050/http://247wallst.com/2011/05/10/the-states-with-the-oldest-and-youngest-residents/3/ |url-status=live }} There were 186,102 military retirees living in the state in 2008. About two-thirds of the population was born in another state, the second-highest in the U.S.{{cite web |url=http://www.democracynow.org/2009/4/6/a_ponzi_state_univ_of_south |title="A Ponzi State"—Univ. of South Florida Professor Examines the Economic Crisis in Florida |author=Amy Goodman |date=April 6, 2009 |website=Democracy Now! |access-date=April 12, 2010 |archive-date=November 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109033730/https://www.democracynow.org/2009/4/6/a_ponzi_state_univ_of_south |url-status=live }}

In 2020, Hispanic and Latinos of any race(s) made up 26.5% of the population, while Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders made up 0.1% of all Broward County residents.{{cite web |title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Florida |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/FL/RHI825216#viewtop |website=Census Bureau QuickFacts |access-date=April 2, 2018 |archive-date=February 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204041614/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/FL/RHI825216#viewtop |url-status=live }}

{{See also|Demographics of Florida#Languages|Miami accent}}

In 1988, English was affirmed as the state's official language in the Florida Constitution. Spanish is also widely spoken, especially as immigration has continued from Latin America.{{cite web|url=https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/immigrants-florida|title=Immigrants in Florida|date=January 1, 2015|website=Americanmigrationcouncil.org|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=February 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204011518/https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/immigrants-florida|url-status=live}} About 20% percent of the population speaks Spanish as their first language, while 27% speaks a mother language other than English. More than 200 first languages other than English are spoken at home in the state.{{cite web|url=http://www.mla.org/map_data|title=Florida|publisher=Modern Language Association|access-date=August 11, 2013|archive-date=December 1, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071201170638/http://www.mla.org/map_data|url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=The Status of English Language Learners in Florida: Trends and Prospects |last=MacDonald |first=Victoria M. |publisher=Education Policy Research Unit, Arizona State University |date=April 2004 |access-date=May 24, 2013 |url=http://www.collier.k12.fl.us/ell/docs/Status%20of%20ELL%20in%20Florida.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140209171845/http://www.collier.k12.fl.us/ell/docs/Status%20of%20ELL%20in%20Florida.pdf |archive-date=February 9, 2014 |url-status=dead }}

The most common languages spoken in Florida as a first language in 2010 are:

• 73% English
• 20% Spanish
• 2% Haitian Creole
• Other languages less than 1% each

File:Church of the Little Flower.jpg in Coral Gables]]

File:Hindu Temple Tampa.jpeg in Tampa]]

Florida is mostly Christian (70%), although there is a large irreligious and relatively significant Jewish community. Protestants account for almost half of the population, but the Catholic Church is the largest single denomination in the state mainly due to its large Hispanic population and other groups like Haitians. Protestants are very diverse, although Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals and nondenominational Protestants are the largest groups. Smaller Christian groups include The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Jehovah's Witnesses. There is also a sizable Jewish community in South Florida. This is the largest Jewish population in the southern U.S. and the third-largest in the U.S. behind those of New York and California.{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/US-Israel/usjewpop.html |title=Jewish Population of the United States, by State (2011) |encyclopedia=Jewish Virtual Library |access-date=September 13, 2013 |archive-date=January 21, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170121170748/http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/US-Israel/usjewpop.html |url-status=live }}

In 2010, the three largest denominations in Florida were the Catholic Church, the Southern Baptist Convention, and the United Methodist Church.{{cite web |url=http://www.thearda.com/rcms2010/r/s/12/rcms2010_12_state_adh_2010.asp |title=The Association of Religion Data Archives | State Membership Report |publisher=www.thearda.com |access-date=November 15, 2013 |archive-date=December 2, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202224254/http://www.thearda.com/rcms2010/r/s/12/rcms2010_12_state_adh_2010.asp |url-status=live }}

The Pew Research Center survey in 2014 gave the following religious makeup of Florida:Pew Research Center, [http://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/state/florida/ "Religious Landscape Study: Florida"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124100357/https://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/state/florida/ |date=November 24, 2020 }}

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|title = Religion in Florida (2014){{cite web|url=http://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/state/florida/|title=Religious Landscape Study|date=May 11, 2015|publisher=Pew Forum|access-date=June 7, 2015|archive-date=November 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124100357/https://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/state/florida/|url-status=live}}

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{{bar percent|Protestant|purple|46}}

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{{bar percent|Nothing in Particular|pink|17}}

{{bar percent|Agnostic|#A020F0|4}}

{{bar percent|Atheist|red|3}}

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{{Main|Government of Florida}}

{{See also|List of governors of Florida|United States congressional delegations from Florida|List of United States senators from Florida|Florida Cabinet}}

File:Old and New Florida State Capitol, Tallahassee, East view 20160711 1.jpg in Tallahassee]]

The basic structure, duties, function, and operations of the government of the State of Florida are defined by the Florida Constitution, which establishes the basic law of the state and guarantees various rights and freedoms of the people. As with the American federal government and all other state governments, Florida's government consists of three separate branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The legislature enacts bills, which, if signed by the governor, become law.

The Florida Legislature comprises the Florida Senate, which has 40 members, and the Florida House of Representatives, which has 120 members. The governor of Florida is Ron DeSantis. The Florida Supreme Court consists of a chief justice and six justices.

Florida has 67 counties. Some reference materials may show only 66 because Duval County is consolidated with the City of Jacksonville. There are 379 cities in Florida (out of 411) that report regularly to the Florida Department of Revenue, but there are other incorporated municipalities that do not. The primary revenue source for cities and counties is property tax; properties with unpaid taxes are subject to tax sales, which are held at the county level in May and are highly popular, due to the extensive use of online bidding sites.

The state government's primary revenue source is sales tax. Florida is one of eight states that do not impose a personal income tax.

There were 800 federal corruption convictions from 1988 to 2007, more than any other state.{{Cite news|title=Editorial:Culture of corruption |url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110107/OPINION/110106021/Our-Views-Culture-of-corruption-Jan-7- |work=Florida Today |location=Melbourne, Florida |page=1A |date=January 7, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140107202129/http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110107/OPINION/110106021/Our-Views-Culture-of-corruption-Jan-7- |archive-date=January 7, 2014 }}

In a 2020 study, Florida was ranked as the 11th hardest state for citizens to vote in.{{cite journal |last1=J. Pomante II |first1=Michael |last2=Li |first2=Quan |title=Cost of Voting in the American States: 2020 |journal=Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy |date=December 15, 2020 |volume=19 |issue=4 |pages=503–509 |doi=10.1089/elj.2020.0666 |s2cid=225139517 |doi-access=free }} In April 2022, the legislature passed and the governor signed a new election law prohibiting Floridians from using ranked-choice voting in all federal, state and municipal elections.{{cite news|title=Florida, Tennessee Ban Ranked-Choice Voting Despite Citizen Support|url=https://reason.com/2022/04/28/florida-tennessee-ban-ranked-choice-voting-despite-citizen-support/|author=Shackford, Scott|date=April 28, 2022|work=Reason|access-date=April 30, 2022|archive-date=April 29, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220429232815/https://reason.com/2022/04/28/florida-tennessee-ban-ranked-choice-voting-despite-citizen-support/|url-status=live}}

Florida retains the death penalty. Authorized methods of execution include the electric chair and lethal injection.{{Cite web|url=https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/executions/methods-of-execution|title=Methods of Execution|website=Death Penalty Information Center}}

{{Further|Elections in Florida|Politics of Florida|Political party strength in Florida|United States presidential elections in Florida}}

From 1952 to 1964, most voters were registered Democrats, but the state voted for the Republican presidential candidate in every election except for 1964. The following year, Congress passed and President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965, providing for oversight of state practices and enforcement of constitutional voting rights for African Americans and other minorities in order to prevent the discrimination and disenfranchisement which had excluded most of them for decades from the political process.

From the 1930s through much of the 1960s, Florida was essentially a one-party state dominated by white conservative Democrats, who together with other Democrats of the Solid South, exercised considerable control in Congress. They have gained slightly less federal money from national programs than they have paid in taxes.{{cite web|url=https://files.taxfoundation.org/legacy/docs/ftsbs-timeseries-20071016-.pdf|title=Alabama : Federal Taxes Paid vs. Federal Spending Received : 1981–present|website=Files.taxfoundation.org|access-date=October 23, 2018|archive-date=April 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190412030238/https://files.taxfoundation.org/legacy/docs/ftsbs-timeseries-20071016-.pdf|url-status=live}} Since the 1970s, conservative white voters in the state have largely shifted from the Democratic to the Republican Party. Though the majority of registered voters in Florida were Democrats,{{cite web|url=http://dos.myflorida.com/elections/data-statistics/voter-registration-statistics/voter-registration-monthly-reports/voter-registration-current-by-county/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024133158/http://dos.myflorida.com/elections/data-statistics/voter-registration-statistics/voter-registration-monthly-reports/voter-registration-current-by-county/|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 24, 2016|title=Voter Registration—Current by County—Division of Elections—Florida Department of State|date=October 24, 2016}} it continued to support Republican presidential candidates through 2004, except in 1976 and 1996, when the Democratic nominee was from the South.

In the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections, Barack Obama carried the state as a northern Democrat, attracting high voter turnout, especially among the young, independents, and minority voters, of whom Hispanics comprise an increasingly large proportion. 2008 marked the first time since 1944, when Franklin D. Roosevelt carried the state for the fourth time, that Florida was carried by a Northern Democrat for president.

The first post-Reconstruction era Republican elected to Congress from Florida was William C. Cramer in 1954 from Pinellas County on the Gulf Coast, where demographic changes were underway. In this period, African Americans were still disenfranchised by the state's constitution and discriminatory practices; in the 19th century, they had made up most of the Republican Party. Cramer built a different Republican Party in Florida, attracting local white conservatives and transplants from northern and midwestern states. In 1966, Claude R. Kirk Jr. was elected as the first post-Reconstruction Republican governor, in an upset election. In 1968, Edward J. Gurney, also a white conservative, was elected as the state's first post-reconstruction Republican US senator. In 1970, Democrats took the governorship and the open US Senate seat and maintained dominance for years.

Florida is sometimes considered a bellwether state in presidential elections because every candidate who won the state from 1996 until 2016 won the election.{{cite web |last1=Chris |first1=Moody |title=Florida is the true US presidential election bellwether state |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/1/florida-is-the-uss-true-presidential-election-bellwether |website=www.aljazeera.com |access-date=February 11, 2021 |archive-date=November 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201117071439/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/1/florida-is-the-uss-true-presidential-election-bellwether |url-status=live }} The 2020 election broke that streak when Donald Trump won Florida but lost the election.

In 1998, Democratic voters dominated areas of the state with a high percentage of racial minorities and transplanted white liberals from the northeastern United States, known colloquially as "snowbirds". South Florida and the Miami metropolitan area became dominated by both racial minorities and white liberals. Because of this, the area has consistently voted as one of the most Democratic areas of the state. The Daytona Beach area is similar demographically and the city of Orlando has a large Hispanic population, which has often favored Democrats. Republicans, made up mostly of white conservatives, have dominated throughout much of the rest of Florida, including Jacksonville and the panhandle and particularly in the more rural and suburban areas. This is characteristic of its voter base throughout the Deep South.

The fast-growing I-4 corridor area, which runs through Central Florida and connects the cities of Daytona Beach, Orlando, and Tampa/St. Petersburg, has had a fairly even breakdown of Republican and Democratic voters. The area has often been seen as a merging point of the conservative northern portion of the state and the liberal southern portion, making it the biggest swing area in the state. Since the late 20th century, the voting results in this area, containing 40% of Florida voters, has often determined who will win the state in federal presidential elections.

Historically, the Democratic Party maintained an edge in voter registration, both statewide and in the state's three most populous counties, Miami-Dade County, Broward County, and Palm Beach County.{{when|date=March 2022}}

In 2000, George W. Bush won the U.S. presidential election by a margin of 271–266 in the Electoral College. Of the 271 electoral votes for Bush, 25 were cast by electors from Florida. The Florida results were contested and a recount was ordered by the court, with the results settled in a Supreme Court decision, Bush v. Gore.

Reapportionment following the 2010 United States census gave the state two more seats in the House of Representatives.Leary, Alex: [http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/national/article1141209.ece "Florida gains two U.S. House seats in Census"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101224164152/http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/national/article1141209.ece |date=December 24, 2010 }}, St. Petersburg Times, December 21, 2010 The legislature's redistricting, announced in 2012, was quickly challenged in court, on the grounds that it had unfairly benefited Republican interests. In 2015, the Florida Supreme Court ruled on appeal that the congressional districts had to be redrawn because of the legislature's violation of the Fair District Amendments to the state constitution passed in 2010; it accepted a new map in early December 2015.

The political make-up of congressional and legislative districts has enabled Republicans to control the governorship and most statewide elective offices, and 17 of the state's 27 seats in the 2012 House of Representatives.{{cite news|last=Pear|first=Robert|title=Elections 2012, State Results|url=http://elections.nytimes.com/2012/results/states/florida|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=April 15, 2013|archive-date=February 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210220151058/https://www.nytimes.com/elections/2012/results/states/florida.html|url-status=live}} Florida has been listed as a swing state in presidential elections since 1952, voting for the losing candidate only twice in that period of time.

File:Florida Presidential Election Results 2024.svg by county in Florida {{leftlegend|#4389E3|Democratic}}{{leftlegend|#AA0000|Republican}}]]

In the closely contested 2000 election, the state played a pivotal role.See [https://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/00-949.ZPC.html Bush v. Gore] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015060335/https://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/00-949.ZPC.html |date=October 15, 2007 }}, 531 U.S. 98 (2000)See also [https://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/00-836.ZPC.html Bush v. Palm Beach County Canvassing Board] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126125832/https://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/00-836.ZPC.html |date=January 26, 2021 }}, 531 U.S. 70 (2000).Cf. Fla. Stat. § 103.011 ([http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=Ch0103/SEC011.HTM&Title=-%3E2000-%3ECh0103-%3ESection%20011#0103.011 web version] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220409043143/http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=Ch0103%2FSEC011.HTM&Title=-%3E2000-%3ECh0103-%3ESection%20011#0103.011 |date=April 9, 2022 }}) ("Votes cast for the actual candidates for President and Vice President shall be counted as votes cast for the presidential electors supporting such candidates. The Department of State shall certify as elected the presidential electors of the candidates for President and Vice President who receive the highest number of votes.") Out of more than 5.8{{spaces}}million votes for the two main contenders Bush and Al Gore, around 500 votes separated the two candidates for the all-decisive Florida electoral votes that landed Bush the election win. Florida's felony disenfranchisement law is more severe than most European nations or other American states. A 2002 study in the American Sociological Review concluded that "if the state's 827,000 disenfranchised felons had voted at the same rate as other Floridians, Democratic candidate Al Gore would have won Florida—and the presidency—by more than 80,000 votes."[https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/02/maryland-felon-voting/462000/ Matt Ford, "Restoring Voting Rights for Felons in Maryland"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170421090255/https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/02/maryland-felon-voting/462000/ |date=April 21, 2017 }}, The Atlantic, February 9, 2016, accessed March 23, 2016

In 2008, delegates of both the Republican Florida primary election and Democratic Florida primary election were stripped of half of their votes when the conventions met in August due to violation of both parties' national rules.

In the 2010 elections, Republicans solidified their dominance statewide, by winning the governor's mansion, and maintaining firm majorities in both houses of the state legislature. They won four previously Democratic-held seats to create a 19–6 Republican majority delegation representing Florida in the federal House of Representatives.

In 2010, more than 63% of state voters approved the initiated Amendments{{spaces}}5 and{{spaces}}6 to the state constitution, to ensure more fairness in districting. These have become known as the Fair District Amendments. As a result of the 2010 United States Census, Florida gained two House of Representative seats in 2012. The legislature issued revised congressional districts in 2012, which were immediately challenged in court by supporters of the above amendments.

The court ruled in 2014, after lengthy testimony, that at least two districts had to be redrawn because of gerrymandering. After this was appealed, in July 2015 the Florida Supreme Court ruled that lawmakers had followed an illegal and unconstitutional process overly influenced by party operatives, and ruled that at least eight districts had to be redrawn. On December 2, 2015, a 5–2 majority of the Court accepted a new map of congressional districts, some of which was drawn by challengers. Their ruling affirmed the map previously approved by Leon County Judge Terry Lewis, who had overseen the original trial. It particularly makes changes in South Florida. There are likely to be additional challenges to the map and districts.[http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article47576450.html Mary Ellen Klas, "Florida Supreme Court approves congressional map drawn by challengers"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314023536/http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article47576450.html |date=March 14, 2016 }}, Tampa Bay Times, December 2, 2015, accessed December 11, 2016

According to The Sentencing Project, the effect of Florida's felony disenfranchisement law is such that in 2014, "[m]ore than one in ten Floridians—and nearly one in four African-American Floridians—are [were] shut out of the polls because of felony convictions", although they had completed sentences and parole/probation requirements.Brent Staples, "Florida Leads the Pack—in Felon Disenfranchisement", The New York Times, November 7, 2014, accessed March 23, 2016

The state switched back to the GOP in the 2016 presidential election, and again in 2020, when Donald Trump headed the party's ticket both times. 2020 marked the first time Florida sided with the eventual loser of the presidential election since 1992.

In the 2018 elections, the ratio of Republican to Democratic representation fell from 16:11 to 14:13. The U.S. Senate election between Democratic incumbent senator Bill Nelson and then governor Rick Scott was close, with 49.93% voting for the incumbent and 50.06% voting for the former governor. Republicans also held onto the governorship in a close race between Republican candidate Ron DeSantis and Democratic candidate Andrew Gillum, with 49.6% voting for DeSantis and 49.3% voting for Gillum. In 2022, incumbent Governor DeSantis won reelection by a landslide against Democrat Charlie Crist. The unexpectedly large margin of victory led many pundits to question Florida's perennial status as a swing state, and instead identify it as a red state.{{Cite web |last=Narea |first=Nicole |date=2022-11-11 |title=It's official: Florida is a red state |url=https://www.vox.com/midterm-elections-2022/2022/11/11/23452549/midterm-elections-2022-results-florida-republicans-red-wave-swing-state |access-date=2022-11-22 |website=Vox |language=en}}

In November 2021, for the first time in Florida's history, the total number of registered Republican voters exceeded the number of registered Democrats.[http://www.floridapoliticalreview.com/the-collapse-of-the-florida-democratic-party/ "The Collapse of the Florida Democratic Party"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220104183733/http://www.floridapoliticalreview.com/the-collapse-of-the-florida-democratic-party/ |date=January 4, 2022 }}, Florida Political Review, January 4, 2022, accessed January 12, 2022

{{See also|Law of Florida}}

File:Florida Supreme Court Building 2011.jpg building in Tallahassee]]

In 1972, the state made personal injury protection auto insurance mandatory for drivers, becoming the second in the U.S. to enact a no-fault insurance law.{{cite web|url=http://archive.flsenate.gov/data/publications/2006/senate/reports/interim_reports/pdf/2006-102bilong.pdf|title=Florida's Motor Vehicle : No-Fault Law : Report Number 2006-102|website=Archive.flsenate.gov|access-date=October 23, 2018|archive-date=July 29, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729182151/http://archive.flsenate.gov/data/Publications/2006/Senate/reports/interim_reports/pdf/2006-102bilong.pdf|url-status=live}} The ease of receiving payments under this law is seen as precipitating a major increase in insurance fraud.{{cite web|title=Personal Injury Protection (PIP)|url=http://www.flsenate.gov/PublishedContent/Session/2012/InterimReports/2012-203bi.pdf|date=August 2011|publisher=The Florida Senate, Committee on Banking and Insurance|access-date=February 9, 2012|archive-date=January 5, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120105105520/http://flsenate.gov/PublishedContent/Session/2012/InterimReports/2012-203bi.pdf|url-status=live}} Auto insurance fraud was the highest in the U.S. in 2011, estimated at close to $1{{spaces}}billion.{{cite web|title=Corruption at Miami-Dade auto accident clinics creates huge financial burden on drivers|url=http://www.unitedautocourtsreport.com/blog/?p=558|date=January 15, 2012|website=United Auto Courts Report|publisher=United Auto Insurance Co.|access-date=February 9, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120515012653/http://www.unitedautocourtsreport.com/blog/?p=558|archive-date=May 15, 2012|url-status=dead}} Fraud is particularly centered in the Miami-Dade and Tampa areas.{{Cite news |url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/os-pip-governor-20120126,0,2175419.story |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20170525200505/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-01-26/business/os-pip-governor-20120126_1_auto-injury-insurance-costs-auto-insurance-law |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 25, 2017 |title=Scott says PIP program 'has to be fixed' |author=Deslatte, Aaron |date=January 26, 2012 |work=Orlando Sentinel }}{{Cite news|url=http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/01/25/2608553/scott-backed-bill-to-combat-fraud.html |title=Scott-backed bill to combat fraud advances in House |author=Mitchell, Tia |date=January 25, 2012 |work=Miami Herald |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120211135709/http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/01/25/2608553/scott-backed-bill-to-combat-fraud.html |archive-date=February 11, 2012 }}{{Cite news |url=http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/content/house-version-pip-reform-gets-scott-endorsement |title=House version of PIP reform gets Scott endorsement |date=January 25, 2012 |work=Tampa Bay Times |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130323031404/http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/content/house-version-pip-reform-gets-scott-endorsement |archive-date=March 23, 2013 }}

Capital punishment is applied in Florida.{{cite web|url=http://www.religioustolerance.org/execut3.htm|title=Facts about capital punishment—the death penalty|website=www.religioustolerance.org|access-date=May 19, 2019|archive-date=July 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170713215816/http://www.religioustolerance.org/execut3.htm|url-status=live}} If a person committing a predicate felony directly contributed to the death of the victim then the person will be charged with murder in the first degree. The only two sentences available for that statute are life imprisonment and the death penalty.The Florida Statutes.{{cite web|title=FL sentencing guidelines|url=http://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2010/775.082|publisher=FL Senate|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=November 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124075255/https://flsenate.gov/laws/statutes/2010/775.082|url-status=live}} If a person commits a predicate felony, but was not the direct contributor to the death of the victim then the person will be charged with murder in the second degree. The maximum prison term is life. In 1995, the legislature modified Chapter 921 to provide that felons should serve at least 85% of their sentence.{{cite news | first=Andrew | last=Knapp | title=Crime rate decreases 5.5% | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20101016/NEWS01/10160312/1006/Crime+rate+decreases+5.5+percent | newspaper=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages=1B | date=October 16, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140712134439/http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20101016/NEWS01/10160312/1006/Crime+rate+decreases+5.5+percent | archive-date=July 12, 2014 | url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0900-0999/0921/Sections/0921.002.html |title=The 2010 Florida Statutes |date=October 16, 2010 |publisher=State of Florida |access-date=May 9, 2022 |archive-date=February 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204070340/http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0900-0999%2F0921%2FSections%2F0921.002.html |url-status=live }}

Florida approved its lottery by amending the constitution in 1984. It approved slot machines in Broward and Miami-Dade County in 2004. It has disapproved casinos (outside of sovereign Seminole and Miccosukee tribal areas) three times: 1978, 1986, and 1994.{{Cite news | first=Mike | last=Haridopolos | title=Legislature aims to rewrite gaming rules. 'Complex' issue affects billions of dollars in state revenue | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20140311/COLUMNISTS0205/303110004/Legislature-aims-rewrite-state-gaming-rules | newspaper=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages=1A | date=March 11, 2014 | access-date=March 11, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924051235/http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20140311/COLUMNISTS0205/303110004/Legislature-aims-rewrite-state-gaming-rules | archive-date=September 24, 2015 | url-status=dead }}

Tax is collected by the Florida Department of Revenue.

{{Main|Economy of Florida|Agriculture in Florida}}

File:City of Miami, FL. USA (50751668348).jpg in Miami contains the largest concentration of international banks in the United States.]]

File:PensacolaBeach and Condos.jpg]]

The economy of the state of Florida is the fourth-largest in the United States, with a $1.647{{spaces}}trillion gross state product (GSP) as of 2024. If Florida were a sovereign nation (2024), it would rank as the world's 15th-largest economy according to the International Monetary Fund, ahead of Spain and behind South Korea.{{cite web |title=GDP by State |url=https://www.bea.gov/data/gdp/gdp-state |access-date=March 26, 2021 |website=GDP by State | U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) |publisher=Bureau of Economic Analysis |archive-date=August 17, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180817010902/https://www.bea.gov/data/gdp/gdp-state |url-status=live }}https://www.bea.gov/sites/default/files/2021-06/qgdpstate0621.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210820201411/https://www.bea.gov/sites/default/files/2021-06/qgdpstate0621.pdf |date=August 20, 2021 }} Bureau of Economic Analysis – Full release and tables Gross Domestic Product by State, 1st Quarter 2021. Retrieved July 4, 2021.{{cite web |date=October 2021 |title=World Economic Outlook Database, October 2021 |url=https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/weo-database/2021/October/weo-report?c=512,914,612,171,614,311,213,911,314,193,122,912,313,419,513,316,913,124,339,638,514,218,963,616,223,516,918,748,618,624,522,622,156,626,628,228,924,233,632,636,634,238,662,960,423,935,128,611,321,243,248,469,253,642,643,939,734,644,819,172,132,646,648,915,134,652,174,328,258,656,654,336,263,268,532,944,176,534,536,429,433,178,436,136,343,158,439,916,664,826,542,967,443,917,544,941,446,666,668,672,946,137,546,674,676,548,556,678,181,867,682,684,273,868,921,948,943,686,688,518,728,836,558,138,196,278,692,694,962,142,449,564,565,283,853,288,293,566,964,182,359,453,968,922,714,862,135,716,456,722,942,718,724,576,936,961,813,726,199,733,184,524,361,362,364,732,366,144,146,463,528,923,738,578,537,742,866,369,744,186,925,869,746,926,466,112,111,298,927,846,299,582,487,474,754,698,&s=NGDPD,&sy=2021&ey=2021&ssm=0&scsm=1&scc=0&ssd=1&ssc=0&sic=0&sort=country&ds=.&br=1 |access-date=January 10, 2022 |website=IMF.org |publisher=International Monetary Fund |archive-date=January 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220103115846/https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/weo-database/2021/October/weo-report?c=512,914,612,171,614,311,213,911,314,193,122,912,313,419,513,316,913,124,339,638,514,218,963,616,223,516,918,748,618,624,522,622,156,626,628,228,924,233,632,636,634,238,662,960,423,935,128,611,321,243,248,469,253,642,643,939,734,644,819,172,132,646,648,915,134,652,174,328,258,656,654,336,263,268,532,944,176,534,536,429,433,178,436,136,343,158,439,916,664,826,542,967,443,917,544,941,446,666,668,672,946,137,546,674,676,548,556,678,181,867,682,684,273,868,921,948,943,686,688,518,728,836,558,138,196,278,692,694,962,142,449,564,565,283,853,288,293,566,964,182,359,453,968,922,714,862,135,716,456,722,942,718,724,576,936,961,813,726,199,733,184,524,361,362,364,732,366,144,146,463,528,923,738,578,537,742,866,369,744,186,925,869,746,926,466,112,111,298,927,846,299,582,487,474,754,698,&s=NGDPD,&sy=2021&ey=2021&ssm=0&scsm=1&scc=0&ssd=1&ssc=0&sic=0&sort=country&ds=.&br=1 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=GDP (Current US$) |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD?locations=US&most_recent_value_desc=true |access-date=July 28, 2021 |website=The World Bank |archive-date=July 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210728204255/https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD?locations=US&most_recent_value_desc=true |url-status=live }} In the 20th century, tourism, industry, construction, international banking, biomedical and life sciences, healthcare research, simulation training, aerospace and defense, and commercial space travel have contributed to the state's economic development.{{cite book |last1=Stronge |first1=William B. |title=The sunshine economy : an economic history of Florida since the Civil War |date=2008 |publisher=University Press of Florida |location=Gainesville |isbn=978-0813032016 |url=https://nsuworks.nova.edu/hcbe_facbooks/185/ |access-date=12 November 2022}}

Tourism is a large portion of Florida's economy. Florida is home to the world's most visited theme park, the Magic Kingdom.{{cite web|url=https://aecom.com/wp-content/uploads/documents/reports/AECOM-Theme-Index-2022.pdf |title=Museum Index 2022|website=aecom.com|access-date=29 September 2023}} Florida is also home to the largest single-site employer in the United States, Walt Disney World.{{Cite web|url=https://disneyconnect.com/disneyworld/|title=Walt Disney World External Affairs|website=Walt Disney World External Affairs}} PortMiami is the largest passenger port in the world and one of the largest cargo ports in the United States.{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/cruises/galleries/the-worlds-busiest-cruise-ports/|title=The 15 cities with the most cruise tourists – where does Venice rank?|date=July 28, 2017|website=The Telegraph}} Beach towns have many visitors too as Florida is known around the world for its beaches.

Agriculture is another large part of the Florida economy. Florida is the number one grower of oranges for juice,{{cite web |title=The U.S. and World Situation: Citrus |url=http://www.fas.usda.gov/htp/horticulture/citrus/2004%20Citrus.pdf |website=USDA |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120604113031/http://www.fas.usda.gov/htp/horticulture/citrus/2004%20Citrus.pdf |archive-date=4 June 2012 |date=April 2004}} mangoes,{{Cite web|url=https://www.growingproduce.com/fruits/more-florida-mangoes-please-scientists-are-working-on-it/|title=More Florida Mangoes, Please! Scientists Are Working on It|first=Paul|last=Rusnak|date=March 27, 2021}} fresh tomatoes,{{Cite web|url=https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FE1027|title=FE1027/FE1027: The US Tomato Industry: An Overview of Production and Trade|website=edis.ifas.ufl.edu}} sugar,{{Cite web|url=https://www.sugars.com/does-the-us-grow-all-the-sugar-it-consumes|title=Does the US Grow All the Sugar It Consumes?|date=March 29, 2021|website=www.sugars.com}} sweet corn, green beans,{{cite web |title=Corn, Green Bean Prices Rise After Florida Freezes |url=http://calorielab.com/labnotes/20101231/green-bean-prices-sweet-corn-florida-freeze-damage/ |website=calorielab.com |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120707024227/http://calorielab.com/labnotes/20101231/green-bean-prices-sweet-corn-florida-freeze-damage/ |archive-date=7 July 2012}} beans, cucumbers, watermelons, and more.{{Cite web|url=https://stacker.com/florida/most-valuable-crops-grown-florida|title=Most valuable crops grown in Florida|website=Stacker}} Florida is also the second biggest producer of strawberries, avocadoes, grapefruit, and peppers in the U.S.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wtsp.com/article/life/welcome-to-florida/plant-city-florida-strawberry-festival/67-7876c747-a445-4f8e-aef8-b9694d55f1c6|title=How Plant City became the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World|date=March 3, 2022|website=wtsp.com}}

Other large sectors of Florida's economy include finance, government and military (especially in Jacksonville and Pensacola),"State-by-State Listing of Major U.S. Military Bases—Florida". Archived from the original on December 8, 2010. Retrieved July 6, 2009. healthcare, aerospace (especially in the Space Coast), mining (especially for phosphate in Bone Valley), fishing, trade, real estate, and tech (especially in Miami, Orlando, and Tampa in the 2020s).

{{Main|Transportation in Florida}}

{{Further|Florida State Highway System|List of state roads in Florida|County roads in Florida}}

Florida's highway system contains {{convert|1495|mi|abbr=on}} of interstate highway, and {{convert|10601|mi|abbr=on}} of non-interstate highway, such as state highways and U.S. Highways. Florida's interstates, state highways, and U.S. Highways are maintained by the Florida Department of Transportation.{{cite web| title=Transportation Data and Analytics Office | url=http://www.fdot.gov/statistics/hwysys/ | website=Florida Department of Transportation | date=September 4, 2018 | access-date=September 14, 2018 | archive-date=September 14, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914084552/http://www.fdot.gov/statistics/hwysys/ | url-status=live}}

In 2011, there were about 9,000 retail gas stations in the state. Floridians consumed 21{{spaces}}million gallons of gasoline daily in 2011, ranking it third in national use behind California and Texas.{{Cite news | first=R. Norman | last=Moody | title=Guidelines tight to drive a fuel tanker | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110130/NEWS01/101300318/Beachline-huge-artery-tankers | newspaper=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | page=2A | date=January 30, 2011 | access-date=February 19, 2011 | archive-date=September 24, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924035917/http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110130/NEWS01/101300318/Beachline-huge-artery-tankers | url-status=live }}

As of 2024, motorists in Florida have one of the highest rates of car insurance in the U.S.{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2024/02/19/car-insurance-price-by-state/72617803007/ |title=Car insurance prices soar even as inflation eases. Which states have the highest rates? |work=USA Today |last=Lee |first=Medora |date=19 February 2024 |access-date=March 31, 2024}}{{cite news |url=https://www.forbes.com/advisor/car-insurance/rates-by-state/ |title=Car Insurance Rates By State 2024 |work=Forbes |last=Gusner |first=Penny |date=2 January 2024 |access-date=March 31, 2024}} 24% are uninsured.{{cite web|url=http://www.ircweb.org/news/ircum2011_042111.pdf |title=Recession Marked by Bump in Uninsured Motorists |access-date=November 4, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110902084352/http://www.ircweb.org/News/IRCUM2011_042111.pdf |archive-date=September 2, 2011 }}

Drivers between 15 and 19 years of age averaged 364 car crashes a year per ten thousand licensed Florida drivers in 2010. Drivers 70 and older averaged 95 per 10,000 during the same time frame. A spokesperson for the non-profit Insurance Institute stated "Older drivers are more of a threat to themselves."{{Cite news|first=Britt |last=Kennerley |title=Olde drivers take fewer risks |url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110918/NEWS01/109180309/Aging-out-driver-s-seat |newspaper=Florida Today |location=Melbourne, Florida |page=11A |date=September 18, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927042854/http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110918/NEWS01/109180309/Aging-out-driver-s-seat |archive-date=September 27, 2011 }}

Intercity bus travel, which utilizes Florida's highway system, is provided by Greyhound, Megabus, and Amtrak Thruway.

Before the construction of routes under the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, Florida began construction of a long cross-state toll road, Florida's Turnpike. The first section, from Fort Pierce south to the Golden Glades Interchange was completed in 1957. After a second section north through Orlando to Wildwood (near present-day The Villages), and a southward extension around Miami to Homestead, it was finished in 1974.

File:SunshineSkywayBridge-4SC 6643-15.jpg over Tampa Bay, part of Florida's interstate system]]

Florida's primary interstate routes include:

• {{jct|country=USA|I|4}}, which spans 133 miles, bisects the state, connecting Tampa, Lakeland, Orlando, and Daytona Beach, connecting with I-75 in Tampa and I-95 in Daytona Beach.
• {{jct|state=FL|I|10}}, which spans 362 miles in Florida, traverses the panhandle, connecting Pensacola, Tallahassee, Lake City, and Jacksonville, with interchanges with I-75 in Lake City and I-95 in Jacksonville. It is the southernmost east–west interstate in the United States terminating in Santa Monica with a total length of 2460 miles.
• {{jct|state=FL|I|75}}, which spans 470 miles in Florida, enters the state near Lake City ({{convert|45|mi}} west of Jacksonville) and continues southward through Gainesville, Ocala, Tampa's eastern suburbs, Bradenton, Sarasota, Fort Myers and Naples, where it crosses the "Alligator Alley" as a toll road to Fort Lauderdale before turning southward and terminating in Hialeah/Miami Lakes having interchanges with I-10 in Lake City and I-4 in Tampa. It is the second longest north–south interstate with a total length of 1786 miles and terminates at the Canadian border at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
• {{jct|state=FL|I|95}}, which spans 382 miles in Florida, enters the state near Jacksonville and continues along the Atlantic Coast through Daytona Beach, the Melbourne/Titusville, Palm Bay, Vero Beach, Fort Pierce, Port Saint Lucie, Stuart, West Palm Beach, and Fort Lauderdale, before terminating in Downtown Miami. It has interchanges with I-10 in Jacksonville and I-4 in Daytona Beach, and there are four auxiliary routes associated with the interstate. It is the longest north–south interstate with a total length of 1924 miles and terminates at the Canadian border northeast of Houlton, Maine.

{{See also|List of airports in Florida|Aviation in Florida}}

File:Orlando International Airport terminal from arriving airplane.jpg, the busiest airport in the state with 44.6{{spaces}}million total passengers in 2017{{cite web |title=Orlando International Airport Busiest in Florida with Record Passenger Traffic in 2017 |url=https://www.orlandoairports.net/press/2018/02/06/orlando-international-airport-busiest-florida-record-passenger-traffic-2017/ |website=Orlando International Airport (MCO) |publisher=Greater Orlando Aviation Authority |date=February 6, 2018 |access-date=March 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200104055904/https://orlandoairports.net/press/2018/02/06/orlando-international-airport-busiest-florida-record-passenger-traffic-2017/ |archive-date=January 4, 2020 |url-status=dead }}]]

Florida has 131 public airports.{{cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/archive/ndic/pubs5/5169/overview.htm |title=Florida Drug Threat Assessment-Overview |publisher=National Drug Intelligence Center |access-date=July 18, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090831002548/http://www.usdoj.gov/ndic/pubs5/5169/overview.htm |archive-date=August 31, 2009 |url-status=live }} Florida's seven large hub and medium hub airports, as classified by the FAA,{{cite web |url=https://www.faa.gov/airports/planning_capacity/passenger_allcargo_stats/passenger/media/cy17-all-enplanements.pdf |title=Calendar Year 2017 Enplanements at All Airports (Primary, Non-primary Commercial Service, and General Aviation) by State and Airport, Updated 7 October 2018 |access-date=November 9, 2019 |archive-date=January 11, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190111213629/https://www.faa.gov/airports/planning_capacity/passenger_allcargo_stats/passenger/media/cy17-all-enplanements.pdf |url-status=live }} are the following:

File:Brightline train at Fort Lauderdale station.jpg train at Fort Lauderdale's Brightline station]]

• Brightline is a diesel–electric higher-speed rail system.{{cite web|url=https://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0672|title=All Aboard Florida—Miami to Orlando Passenger Rail Service|website=Federal Railroad Authority|access-date=February 17, 2015|archive-date=June 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170628032825/https://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0672|url-status=live}} Service runs from MiamiCentral station in downtown Miami to the Orlando International Airport Intermodal Terminal in Orlando with stops in West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, and Aventura.
• Florida is also served by Amtrak, operating numerous lines throughout, connecting the state's largest cities to points north in the United States and Canada. The busiest Amtrak train stations in Florida in 2011 were: Sanford (259,944), Orlando (179,142), Tampa Union Station (140,785), Miami (94,556), and Jacksonville (74,733).{{cite web |url= http://www.amtrak.com/pdf/factsheets/FLORIDA11.pdf |title= Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2011, State of Florida |publisher= Amtrak |access-date= April 20, 2016 |archive-date= September 16, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160916015130/https://www.amtrak.com/pdf/factsheets/FLORIDA11.pdf |url-status= live }} Sanford, in Greater Orlando, is the southern terminus of the Auto Train, which originates at Lorton, Virginia, south of Washington, D.C. Until 2005, Orlando was also the eastern terminus of the Sunset Limited, which travels across the southern United States via New Orleans, Houston, and San Antonio to its western terminus of Los Angeles. Florida is served by two additional Amtrak trains (the Silver Star and the Silver Meteor), which operate between New York City and Miami. MiamiCentral in Greater Downtown Miami and the Miami Intermodal Center near Miami International Airport are major hubs for rapid transit, commuter rail, intercity rail, and buses.

{{Further|Transportation in South Florida}}

File:Miami Metrorail Hitachi train 20190117.jpg, the state's only rapid transit system. About 15% of Miami residents use public transit daily.]]

File:Newskyway.jpg, one of the few people mover systems in use in the U.S. today, especially outside of an airport setting]]

• Miami: Miami's public transportation is served by Miami-Dade Transit that runs Metrorail, a heavy rail rapid transit system, Metromover, a people mover train system in Downtown Miami, and Metrobus, Miami's bus system. Metrorail runs throughout Miami-Dade County and has two lines and 23 stations connecting to Downtown Miami's Metromover and Tri-Rail. Metromover has three lines and 21 stations throughout Downtown Miami. Outside of Miami-Dade County, public transit in the Miami metropolitan area is served by Broward County Transit and Palm Tran; intercounty commuter rail service is provided by Tri-Rail, with 18 stations including the region's three international airports.{{cite web|url=https://www.miamidade.gov/transit/metrorail.asp|title=Metrorail—Miami-Dade County|first=Miami-Dade County Online|last=Services|website=Miamidade.gov|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=January 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190111065006/http://www.miamidade.gov/transit/metrorail.asp|url-status=live}}
• Orlando: Orlando is served by the SunRail commuter train, which runs on a {{convert|32|mi}} ({{convert|61|mi}} when complete) line including four stops in downtown. Lynx bus serves the greater Orlando area in Orange, Seminole, and Osceola counties.{{cite web|url=http://sunrail.com/|title=SunRail—A Better Way To Go|website=sunrail.com|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=January 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126145254/https://sunrail.com/|url-status=live}}
• Tampa: Tampa and its surrounding area use the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority system ("HART"). In addition, downtown Tampa has continuous trolley services in the form of a heritage trolley powered by Tampa Electric Company. Pinellas County and St. Petersburg provide similar services through the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority or "PSTA". The beaches of Pinellas County also have a continuous trolley bus. Downtown St. Petersburg has a trolley system.{{cite web|url=http://www.gohart.org/|title=Home—Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority|website=Gohart.org|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=February 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210214071818/http://www.gohart.org/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.psta.net/|title=Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority—PSTA|website=Psta.net|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=April 23, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220423081919/https://www.psta.net/|url-status=live}}
• Jacksonville: Jacksonville is served by the Jacksonville Skyway, an automated people mover monorail connecting the Florida State College downtown campus, the Northbank central business district, Convention Center, and Southbank locations. The system includes eight stops connected by two lines. JTA bus has 180 vehicles with 56 lines.{{cite web|url=https://www.jtafla.com/schedules/skyway/|title=Jacksonville Transportation Authority—Skyway|website=Jtafla.com|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=October 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019035036/https://www.jtafla.com/schedules/skyway/|url-status=live}}

{{See also|List of hospitals in Florida|Abortion in Florida}}

File:Aerial-Picture-of-Jackson-e1445995779731.jpg in the Miami Health District, the primary teaching hospital of the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami]]

There were 2.7{{spaces}}million Medicaid patients in Florida in 2009. The governor has proposed adding $2.6{{spaces}}billion to care for the expected 300,000 additional patients in 2011. The cost of caring for 2.3{{spaces}}million clients in 2010 was $18.8{{spaces}}billion.{{Cite news|first=MacKenzie |last=Ryan |title=Qualifying for care a minefield |url=http://www.fdhc.state.fl.us/Medicaid/deputy_secretary/recent_presentations/florida_medicaid_020410.pdf |work=Florida Today |location=Melbourne, Florida |page=3A |date=December 26, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205061359/http://www.fdhc.state.fl.us/Medicaid/deputy_secretary/recent_presentations/florida_medicaid_020410.pdf |archive-date=December 5, 2010 }} This is nearly 30% of Florida's budget.{{Cite news | first=James | last=Marshal | title=Sunday debate: No: Longtime official lost touch with voters | url=http://m.floridatoday.com/news.jsp?key=369240&rc=op | work=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | page=19A | date=December 26, 2010 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130821050729/http://m.floridatoday.com/news.jsp?key=369240&rc=op | archive-date=August 21, 2013 }} Medicaid paid for 60% of all births in Florida in 2009. The state has a program for those not covered by Medicaid.

In 2013, Florida refused to participate in providing coverage for the uninsured under the Affordable Care Act, colloquially called Obamacare. The Florida legislature also refused to accept additional Federal funding for Medicaid, although this would have helped its constituents at no cost to the state. As a result, Florida is second only to Texas in the percentage of its citizens without health insurance.{{cite web |publisher=United States Census Bureau |title=Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2013 |url=https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2014/demo/p60-250.html |website=Census.gov |access-date=12 November 2022}}

In 2022, the largest hospital network in Florida is HCA Healthcare{{Cite web|url=https://nasdaq.com/articles/hca-healthcare-hca-to-build-new-hospitals-in-florida|title=HCA Healthcare (HCA) to Build New Hospitals in Florida|date=2021-12-03|website=Nasdaq|access-date=2023-07-19}} and the second largest is AdventHealth.{{Cite web|url=https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/local/flagler/2019/01/02/florida-hospital-is-now-adventhealth/6400897007/|title=Florida Hospital is now AdventHealth|last=Ross|first=Nikki|date=2019-01-02|website=The Daytona Beach News-Journal|access-date=2023-07-19}}{{Cite web|url=https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/health-news-florida/2022-03-10/floridas-hospital-systems-remained-profitable-in-2020-despite-pandemic-report-says|title=Florida's hospital systems remained profitable in 2020 despite pandemic, report says|last=Bruner|first=Katrine|date=2022-03-10|website=wusf Public Media|access-date=2023-07-19}}

In 2023, the largest hospitals in Florida were Jackson Memorial Hospital, AdventHealth Orlando, Tampa General Hospital, UF Health Shands Hospital and Baptist Hospital of Miami.{{Cite web|url=https://bizjournals.com/tampabay/subscriber-only/2023/01/06/largest-hospitals-in-florida.html|title=Largest Hospitals in Florida|last=Erickson|first=Chris|date=2023-01-06|website=Tampa Bay Business Journal|url-access=subscription|access-date=2023-07-20}}

Mayo Clinic hosts one of its three major U.S. campuses in Jacksonville. The practice specializes in treating difficult cases through tertiary care and destination medicine.

Within Florida, certain cities are recognized for presenting challenges to allergy sufferers. For example, Sarasota has been ranked as 13th nationally for pollen counts in some assessments of US cities. {{cite web | url=https://www.allergyx.us/allergy-watch/allergies-and-asthma-in-florida/ | title=Allergies and Asthma in Florida | publisher=AllergyX | date=2025 | access-date=2025-03-21}} Orlando is also frequently listed among the Top 20 "Allergy Capitals" in the United States, attributed in part to year-round allergens exacerbated by urban greenery. Miami is noted for elevated mold spore levels, particularly following hurricane events, which can worsen allergy symptoms for sensitive individuals.

{{See also|Architecture of Miami|Architecture of Jacksonville}}

File:SouthBeachMiamiBeach.jpg in South Beach, built during the 1920s and 1930s]]

Florida has the largest collection of Art Deco and Streamline Moderne buildings, both in the United States and in the entire world, most of which are located in the Miami metropolitan area, especially Miami Beach's Art Deco District, constructed as the city was becoming a resort destination.{{cite web |url=http://www.bassmuseum.org/miami |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101122110824/http://www.bassmuseum.org/miami |archive-date=November 22, 2010 |url-status=dead |title=Miami Beach |work=Bass Museum of Art }} A unique architectural design found only in Florida is the post-World War{{spaces}}II Miami Modern, which can be seen in areas such as Miami's MiMo Historic District.{{cite web|url=https://www.miamiandbeaches.com/things-to-do/attractions/tour-miami-modern-buildings-in-south-beach-s-art-d|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180918160712/https://www.miamiandbeaches.com/things-to-do/attractions/tour-miami-modern-buildings-in-south-beach-s-art-d|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 18, 2018|title=Tour Miami's Art Deco District—MiamiAndBeaches.com—Miami and The Beaches|date=September 18, 2018|access-date=May 19, 2019}}

Being of early importance as a regional center of banking and finance, the architecture of Jacksonville displays a wide variety of styles and design principles. Many of the state's earliest skyscrapers were constructed in Jacksonville, dating as far back as 1902,{{cite web |url= http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2008-mar-a-century-of-floridas-tallest-skyscrapers |title= A Century of Florida's Tallest Skyscrapers |author= Ennis Davis |date= March 6, 2008 |publisher= Metro Jacksonville |access-date= April 12, 2016 |archive-date= May 25, 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170525200929/http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2008-mar-a-century-of-floridas-tallest-skyscrapers |url-status= live }} and last holding a state height record from 1974 to 1981.{{cite web |url= http://www.emporis.com/buildings/118945/wells-fargo-center-jacksonville-fl-usa |title= Wells Fargo Center, Jacksonville |publisher= Emporis |access-date= April 12, 2016 |archive-date= May 9, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160509205636/http://www.emporis.com/buildings/118945/wells-fargo-center-jacksonville-fl-usa |url-status= usurped }} The city is endowed with one of the largest collections of Prairie School buildings outside of the Midwest.{{cite web |url= http://www.prairieschooltraveler.com/html/fl/lost/Lost-Treasures.html |title= Jacksonville's Lost Treasures |author= Wayne W. Wood |publisher= Prairie School Traveler |access-date= April 23, 2016 |archive-date= May 25, 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170525200928/http://www.prairieschooltraveler.com/html/fl/lost/Lost-Treasures.html |url-status= live }} Jacksonville is also noteworthy for its collection of Mid-Century modern architecture.{{cite web |url=https://jaxhistory.wordpress.com/tag/mid-century-modern/ |title=When Does Modern Architecture Become Historic? |publisher=Jacksonville Historical Society |access-date=April 23, 2016 |archive-date=August 26, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826232827/https://jaxhistory.wordpress.com/tag/mid-century-modern/ |url-status=live }}

Some sections of the state feature architectural styles including Spanish revival, Florida vernacular, and Mediterranean Revival.{{cite news|url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20090423/COLUMNISTS0207/904230319/1086|title=Official: Design rules haven't cost Palm Bay new businesses|access-date=June 1, 2009|work=Florida Today|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130825042936/http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20090423/COLUMNISTS0207/904230319/1086|archive-date=August 25, 2013}} A notable collection of these styles can be found in St. Augustine, the oldest continuously occupied European-established settlement within the borders of the United States.{{cite web| url=http://www.nps.gov/nr//travel/geo-flor/24.htm| title=Florida: St. Augustine Town Plan Historic District| publisher=National Park Service| access-date=May 8, 2016| archive-date=April 30, 2015| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150430164443/http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/geo-flor/24.htm| url-status=live}}

{{Main|Education in Florida}}

{{See also|List of colleges and universities in Florida|List of high schools in Florida|List of school districts in Florida}}

File:FSUWestcottBuilding-2.jpg in Tallahassee]]

File:Shalala Student Center.jpg in Coral Gables]]

File:UCFlibrary.jpg in Orlando]]

File:Florida International University.jpg in Miami]]

File:USF Marshall Center Running of the Bulls.JPG in Tampa]]

File:UF SignatureShot.jpg in Gainesville]]

In 2020, Florida was ranked the third best state in the U.S. for K-12 education, outperforming other states in 15 out of 18 metrics in Education Week{{'}}s 2020 Quality Counts report.{{Cite web |last=Solodev |date=October 16, 2020 |title=Florida Moves Up in National Ranking |url=https://www.fldoe.org/newsroom/latest-news/florida-moves-up-in-national-ranking.stml |access-date=June 28, 2022 |website=www.fldoe.org |language=en}} In terms of K-12 Achievement, which measures progress in areas such as academic excellence and graduation rates, the state was graded "B−" compared to a national average of C. Florida's higher education was ranked first and pre-K-12 was ranked 27th best nationwide by U.S. News & World Report.{{cite web|url= https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/rankings/education|title= Rankings|website= www.usnews.com|access-date= April 13, 2021|archive-date= April 13, 2021|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210413110230/https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/rankings/education|url-status= live}}

Florida spent $8,920 for each student in 2016, and was 43rd in the U.S. in expenditures per student.{{cite web|url=http://www.governing.com/gov-data/education-data/state-education-spending-per-pupil-data.html|title=Education Spending Per Student by State|website=Governing.com|date=February 9, 2012|access-date=August 14, 2018|archive-date=July 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180702004654/http://www.governing.com/gov-data/education-data/state-education-spending-per-pupil-data.html|url-status=live}}

Florida's primary and secondary school systems are administered by the Florida Department of Education. School districts are organized within county boundaries. Each school district has an elected Board of Education that sets policy, budget, goals, and approves expenditures. Management is the responsibility of a Superintendent of schools.

The Florida Department of Education is required by law to train educators in teaching English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).{{cite web|url=http://www.fldoe.org/aala/lulac.asp |title=League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) et al. vs. State Board of Education et al. Consent Decree |publisher=United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida |date=August 14, 1990 |access-date=May 24, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130617222621/http://www.fldoe.org/aala/lulac.asp |archive-date=June 17, 2013 }}

While Florida's public schools suffer from more than 5,000 unoccupied teacher positions, according to Karla Hernández, teacher and president of United Teachers of Dade, decisions made by the DeSantis administration will make the situation worse. She referred to its blocking of an Advanced Placement African American studies course,{{cite web | url=https://www.newsweek.com/ron-desantis-administration-defends-banning-african-american-studies-class-florida-1775151 | title=DeSantis Admin Defends Banning African American Studies Class | publisher=newsweek | date=January 19, 2023 | access-date=12 February 2023 | author=JON JACKSON}} book bans and removing some lessons in courses as "really scary moments in the state of Florida".{{cite web | url=https://www.newsweek.com/ron-desantis-scary-actions-will-exacerbate-teacher-shortage-educator-1777365 | title=Ron DeSantis' 'Scary' Actions Will 'Exacerbate' Teacher Shortage: Educator | publisher=Newsweek | work=FATMA KHALED | date=January 29, 2023 | access-date=12 February 2023 | author=FATMA KHALED}}

In 2023, the state of Florida approved a public school curriculum including videos produced by conservative advocacy group PragerU, likening climate change skeptics to those who fought Communism and Nazism, implying renewable energy harms the environment, and saying global warming occurs naturally. DeSantis has called climate change "leftwing stuff".{{cite news |last1=Milman |first1=Oliver |title=Videos denying climate science approved by Florida as state curriculum |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/10/florida-ron-desantis-climate-vidoes-school-curriculum |newspaper=The Guardian |date=10 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811045427/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/10/florida-ron-desantis-climate-vidoes-school-curriculum |archive-date=11 August 2023 |url-status=live }}

In August 2023, restrictions have been placed on the teaching of Shakespearean plays and literature by Florida teachers in order to comply with state law.{{cite news |last=Patterson |first=Jeff |title='Teachers are frightened': Hillsborough schools putting restrictions on Shakespeare to avoid sexual content |url=https://www.wfla.com/news/hillsborough-county/teachers-are-frightened-hillsborough-schools-putting-restrictions-on-shakespeare-to-avoid-sexual-content |date=August 8, 2023 |work=WFLA-TV |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20230814010856/https://www.wfla.com/news/hillsborough-county/teachers-are-frightened-hillsborough-schools-putting-restrictions-on-shakespeare-to-avoid-sexual-content/ |archive-date=August 14, 2023 |access-date=August 13, 2023 }}{{cite news |last=Lichtenberg |first=Drew |title=Make Shakespeare Dirty Again |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/13/opinion/shakespeare-canceled-schools.html |date=August 13, 2023 |work=The New York Times |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20230813105514/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/13/opinion/shakespeare-canceled-schools.html |archivedate=August 13, 2023 |accessdate=August 13, 2023 }}{{cite news |last=Lichtenberg |first=Drew |title=Shakespeare's 'Sublimely, Disturbingly Smutty Effect' Must Endure |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/10/opinion/canceled-shakespeare-schools.html |date=September 10, 2023 |work=The New York Times |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20230910112044/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/10/opinion/canceled-shakespeare-schools.html |archivedate=September 10, 2023 |accessdate=September 11, 2023}}

The State University System of Florida was founded in 1905, and is governed by the Florida Board of Governors. During the 2019 academic year, 346,604 students attended one of these twelve universities.{{cite web |url=https://www.flbog.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020_SYSTEM_Accountability_Plan_Final.pdf |title=Accountability plan |date=2020 |website=www.flbog.edu |access-date=April 13, 2021 |archive-date=May 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517034242/https://www.flbog.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020_SYSTEM_Accountability_Plan_Final.pdf |url-status=live }} In 2016, Florida charged the second lowest tuition in the U.S. for four-year programs, at $26,000 for in-state students and $86,000 for out-of-state students; this compares with an average of $34,800 for in-state students.{{cite news |url=https://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2017/03/daily-chart |title=Higher education in Britain is still good value compared with America |access-date=March 2, 2017 |date=March 2, 2017 |website=Economist |archive-date=March 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170302042820/http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2017/03/daily-chart |url-status=live }}

As of 2020, three Florida universities are among the top 10 largest universities by enrollment in the United States: The University of Central Florida in Orlando (2nd), the University of Florida in Gainesville (4th), and Florida International University in Miami (8th).

The Florida College System comprises 28 public community and state colleges with 68 campuses spread out throughout the state. In 2016, enrollment exceeded 813,000 students.{{cite web |url=http://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/15267/urlt/FactBook2016.pdf |title=Factbook |date=2016 |website=www.fldoe.org |access-date=April 13, 2021 |archive-date=May 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515220255/https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/15267/urlt/FactBook2016.pdf |url-status=live }}

The Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida is an association of 30 private, educational institutions in the state.{{cite web |url=http://www.icuf.org/ |title=Official website of ICUF |publisher=Icuf.org |access-date=November 4, 2011 |archive-date=May 29, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100529013848/http://icuf.org/ |url-status=live }} This Association reported that their member institutions served more than 158,000 students in the fall of 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://icuf.org/|title=ICUF – Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida|access-date=March 9, 2021|archive-date=February 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224210120/https://icuf.org/|url-status=live}}

The University of Miami in Coral Gables is one of the top private research universities in the U.S. Florida's first private university, Stetson University in DeLand, was founded in 1883.

As of 2023, three universities in Florida are members of the Association of American Universities: University of Florida, University of Miami and University of South Florida.{{Cite web |url=https://www.aau.edu/sites/default/files/AAU-Files/Who-We-Are/AAU%20Member%20Universities%20listed%20by%20year_updated%202023.pdf |title=Our Members |date=November 20, 2024 |publisher=Associate of American Universities}}

{{Main|Sports in Florida}}

{{See also|Sports teams in Florida}}

File:American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL, jjron 29.03.2012.jpg in Miami]]

File:BankAtlanticCenterCrop.JPG in Sunrise]]

File:LoanDepot Park.jpg in Little Havana, home field of the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball]]

File:Green flag at Daytona.JPG, home to various auto racing events, including the Daytona 500]]

Florida has three NFL teams, two MLB teams, two NBA teams, two NHL teams, and two MLS teams. Florida gained its first permanent major-league professional sports team in 1966 when the American Football League added the Miami Dolphins. Florida has given professional sports franchises some subsidies in the form of tax breaks since 1991.{{Cite news|first=Michael |last=Peltier |title=Lawmaker's bill would fine teams that black out games |url=http://www.cbs12.com/news/nfl-4736484-fasano-teams.html |newspaper=Florida Today |location=Melbourne, Florida |pages=4B |date=November 5, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117104716/http://www.cbs12.com/news/nfl-4736484-fasano-teams.html |archive-date=January 17, 2013 }}

About half of all Major League Baseball teams conduct spring training in the state, with teams informally organized into the "Grapefruit League". Throughout MLB history, other teams have held spring training in Florida.

NASCAR (headquartered in Daytona Beach) begins all three of its major auto racing series in Florida at Daytona International Speedway in February, featuring the Daytona 500. Daytona also has the Coke Zero Sugar 400 NASCAR race weekend in August. NASCAR also has a race weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead in October. The 24 Hours of Daytona is one of the world's most prestigious endurance auto races. The Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and Grand Prix of Miami have held IndyCar races as well.

Florida is a major golf hub. The PGA of America is headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, the PGA Tour is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach (a Jacksonville suburb) and the LPGA is headquartered in Daytona Beach. The Players Championship, WGC-Cadillac Championship, Arnold Palmer Invitational, Honda Classic and Valspar Championship are PGA Tour rounds.

Florida has teams in all five American major league sports. Florida's most recent major-league team, Inter Miami, began play in MLS in 2020.[https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/01/29/miami-mls-expansion-team-begin-play-2020 "Miami MLS expansion team to begin play in 2020"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204011959/https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/01/29/miami-mls-expansion-team-begin-play-2020 |date=February 4, 2021 }}, MLSsoccer.com, January 29, 2018.

The Miami Masters is an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 and WTA Premier tennis event, whereas the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships is an ATP World Tour 250 event.

There are minor league baseball, football, basketball, ice hockey, soccer and indoor football teams based in Florida.{{cite web|url=https://www.stateofflorida.com/professional-sports.aspx|title=State of Florida.com—Florida Professional Sports Teams|website=Stateofflorida.com|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=October 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181023200533/https://www.stateofflorida.com/professional-sports.aspx|url-status=live}} Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is the largest football stadium in Florida, the 12th-largest stadium in college football, and the 18th-largest stadium in the world, as measured by its official seating capacity of 88,548—though, it has often held over 90,000 for Florida's home football games.

Florida's universities have a number of collegiate sport programs. Major college football programs include the Florida State Seminoles and Miami Hurricanes of the Atlantic Coast Conference, and the Florida Gators of the Southeastern Conference.{{cite web|url=https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2018/8/22/17717562/florida-college-football-history-coaches-explain|title=Florida's 7 FBS head coaches explain college football's most chaotic state|website=Sbnation.com|date=August 22, 2018|access-date=May 9, 2022|archive-date=April 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220409043332/https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2018/8/22/17717562/florida-college-football-history-coaches-explain|url-status=live}} Since 1996, Florida has added four additional teams to the ranks of Division I FBS: UCF Knights, South Florida Bulls, Florida Atlantic Owls and FIU Panthers.

{{Main|List of Florida state symbols}}

File:Orange juice-State beverage of Florida.jpg, the state beverage]]

File:Florida_license_plate_In_God_We_Trust.jpg" motto on Florida license plate with an orange blossom, the state flower]]

File:Florida panther (7013874693).jpg, the state animal]]

File:Jamaican tall Coconuts.JPG, the state palm tree, in St. Petersburg]]

The majority of the symbols were chosen after 1950; only the two oldest symbols—the state flower (chosen in 1909), and the state bird (chosen in 1927)—are not listed in the 2010 Florida Statutes.{{cite web |url=http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?Mode=View%20Statutes&Submenu=1&Tab=statutes&CFID=33448909&CFTOKEN=67441032 |title=The 2010 Florida Statutes |publisher=Florida Legislature |access-date=May 21, 2011 |archive-date=May 17, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110517120206/http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?Mode=View%20Statutes&Submenu=1&Tab=statutes&CFID=158130341&CFTOKEN=97891679 |url-status=dead }}

{{div col|colwidth=20em}}

• Amphibian: Barking tree frog
• Animal: Florida panther
• Anthem: "Florida (Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky)"
• Beverage: Orange juice
• Bird: Northern mockingbird
• Bird: American flamingo
• Festival: "Calle Ocho-Open House 8"
• Fish{{break}}(fresh water): Florida largemouth bass
• Fish{{break}}(salt water): Atlantic sailfish
• Flower: Orange blossom
• Fruit: Orange
• Gem: Moonstone
• Horse: Florida Cracker Horse
• Insect: Zebra longwing
• Mammal{{break}}(salt water): Common bottlenose dolphin
• Mammal{{break}}(marine): Florida manatee
• Motto: "In God We Trust"
• Nickname: The Sunshine State
• Palm Tree: Coconut palm
• Pie: Key lime pie
• Play: Cross and Sword
• Reptile: American alligator
• Reptile{{break}}(salt water): Loggerhead sea turtle
• Rodeo: Silver Spurs Rodeo
• Shell: Horse conch
• Soil: Myakka soil
• Song: "Old Folks at Home"
• State day/week: Pascua Florida
• Stone: Agatized coral
• Tortoise: Gopher tortoise
• Tree: Sabal palmetto
• Wildflower: Tickseed

{{div col end}}

{{clear}}

{{Portal|Florida|United States}}

• Index of Florida-related articles
• List of people from Florida
• Outline of Florida
• Ships named Florida

{{notelist}}

{{reflist|refs=

{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1870e-02.pdf |title=Compendium of the Ninth Census:Population, with race |publisher=US Census Bureau |page=14 |access-date=December 3, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100808224024/http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1870e-02.pdf |archive-date=August 8, 2010 |url-status=live }}

{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080627165012/http://internationalaffairs.flgov.com/pdf/sister.pdf |archive-date=June 27, 2008 |publisher=State of Florida|url=http://internationalaffairs.flgov.com/pdf/sister.pdf|title=Florida Sister City/Sister State Directory 2001|year=2001 |access-date=August 19, 2010}}

{{cite web |url=http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=FL |title=State Energy Profiles: Florida |publisher=U.S. Department of Energy |access-date=January 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080107073030/http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=FL |archive-date=January 7, 2008 |url-status=dead }}

{{cite web|url=http://www.sercc.com/cgi-bin/sercc/cliMAIN.pl?fl6997 |title=Pensacola FAA ARPT, Florida—Climate Summary |publisher=Southeast Regional Climate Center |access-date=January 26, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080118011757/http://www.sercc.com/cgi-bin/sercc/cliMAIN.pl?fl6997 |archive-date=January 18, 2008 |url-status=live }}

{{cite web |url=https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Constitution#A2S09 |title=Article 2, Section 9, Constitution of the State of Florida |publisher=State of Florida |access-date=September 14, 2018 |date=1988 |archive-date=September 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914203652/https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Constitution#A2S09 |url-status=live }}

{{cite web|url=http://dhr.dos.state.fl.us/museum/collections/governors/about.cfm?id=43 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202150529/http://dhr.dos.state.fl.us/museum/collections/governors/about.cfm?id=43 |archive-date=December 2, 2008 |title=Claude Roy Kirk, Jr. |publisher=Office of Cultural and Historic Programs, State of Florida |access-date=February 26, 2008}}

{{Cite news|first=Will |last=Hobson |title=County Medicaid tab rises, could get worse |url=http://www.newsherald.com/articles/tab-80645-city-worse.html |work=The Miami Herald |date=January 16, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110817132244/http://www.newsherald.com/articles/tab-80645-city-worse.html |archive-date=August 17, 2011 |url-status=live }}

{{Cite news |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D01E4DD1E39F930A15756C0A960958260 |title=E. J. Gurney, 82, Senator Who Backed Nixon |last=Thomas |first=Robert McG Jr. |date=May 23, 1996 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=February 26, 2008 |archive-date=September 19, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080919042856/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D01E4DD1E39F930A15756C0A960958260 |url-status=live }}

{{cite web|url=http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/states/sep_sum/html/pdf/rank_use_per_cap.pdf |title=Energy Consumption by Source and Total Consumption per Capita, Ranked by State, 2004 |publisher=U.S. Department of Energy |access-date=January 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100115102441/http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/states/sep_sum/html/pdf/rank_use_per_cap.pdf |archive-date=January 15, 2010 |url-status=live }}

{{cite web|url=http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/UW208 |first=Ginger M. |last=Allen |author2=Main, Martin B |title=Florida's Geological History |date=May 2005 |website=Florida Cooperative Extension Service |publisher=University of Florida |access-date=January 20, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101204183821/http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw208 |archive-date=December 4, 2010 |url-status=live }}

{{cite web |url=http://www.270towin.com/states/Florida |title=Florida |date=January 2, 2010 |publisher=270towin.com |access-date=January 2, 2010 |archive-date=January 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128211209/https://www.270towin.com/states/florida |url-status=live }}

{{cite web|title=Historical Census Browser: 1960 US Census |website=University of Virginia, Geospatial and Statistical Data Center |publisher=University of Virginia Library |year=2004 |url=http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/collections/stats/histcensus/php/start.php?year=V1960 |access-date=August 29, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070808165831/http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/collections/stats/histcensus/php/start.php?year=V1960 |archive-date=August 8, 2007 }}

{{cite web|url=http://www.hoovers.com/chemical-manufacturing---agricultural-/--ID__161--/free-ind-fr-profile-basic.xhtml |title=Industry overview |date=March 25, 2010 |work=First research |publisher=Hoover's |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100214155711/http://www.hoovers.com/chemical-manufacturing---agricultural-/--ID__161--/free-ind-fr-profile-basic.xhtml |archive-date=February 14, 2010 }}

From the 1601 publication by the pre-eminent historian of 16th-century Spanish exploration in America, Antonio de Herrera y Tordesillas, in {{Cite book|title=Names on the Land: A Historical Account of Place-Naming in the United States |url=https://archive.org/details/namesofland0000unse |url-access=registration |last= Stewart|first=George |author-link=George R. Stewart|year=1945 |publisher= Random House|location=New York |pages= [https://archive.org/details/namesofland0000unse/page/11 11]–12 |isbn=978-1-59017-273-5}}

{{Cite news|first=Peter |last=Slevin |title=New Arizona law puts police in 'tenuous' spot |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/29/AR2010042904970.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |location=Washington, D.C. |page=A4 |date=April 30, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110131615/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/29/AR2010042904970.html |archive-date=November 10, 2012 |url-status=live }}

{{Cite news |url=http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/dec/29/16-record-number-panthers-killed-vehicles-2009/ |title=Record number of panthers killed by vehicles in 2009 |last=Williams Hale |first=Leslie |work=Naples News |date=December 29, 2009 |access-date=January 1, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205105129/http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/dec/29/16-record-number-panthers-killed-vehicles-2009/ |archive-date=December 5, 2010 |url-status=dead }}

{{Cite news|title=Retired Military Personnel| work=The Intercom| publisher=Military Officers Association of Cape Canaveral|location=Patrick Air Force Base, Florida|page= 4|date=June 2009}}

{{Cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/12/politics/12VOTE.html | title=Study of Disputed Florida Ballots Finds Justices Did Not Cast the Deciding Vote | newspaper=The New York Times | first1=Ford | last1=Fessenden | first2=John M. | last2=Broder | date=November 12, 2001 | access-date=February 16, 2017 | archive-date=August 31, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160831061950/http://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/12/politics/12VOTE.html | url-status=live }}

{{Cite news|title=Florida's Split: Will It Play in the Panhandle?|last=Navarro|first=Mireya|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C01E1D81330F932A1575AC0A96E958260|date=September 21, 1998|access-date=May 2, 2010|archive-date=February 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210220154033/https://www.nytimes.com/1998/09/21/us/florida-s-split-will-it-play-in-the-panhandle.html|url-status=live}}

{{cite web|title=As I-4 corridor goes, so goes Florida |last=Lengell |first=Sean |website=The Washington Times |url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20080128/NATION/3421225/1001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080131084327/http://washingtontimes.com/article/20080128/NATION/3421225/1001 |archive-date=January 31, 2008 |url-status=live }}

{{Cite news|url=https://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2005/03/28/tides_toxins_trouble_lungs_ashore/ |title=Tide's toxins trouble lungs ashore |last=Daley |first=Beth |work=The Boston Globe |date=March 28, 2005 |access-date=December 3, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216042000/http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2005/03/28/tides_toxins_trouble_lungs_ashore/ |archive-date=February 16, 2012 |url-status=live }}

{{cite web |url=http://election.dos.state.fl.us/voterreg/registration.asp |title=Voter Registration by Party Affiliation and County |date=January 2008 |publisher=Florida Department of State |access-date=February 26, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111124083756/http://election.dos.state.fl.us/voterreg/registration.asp |archive-date=November 24, 2011 |url-status=dead }}

{{Cite news |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E03EFDF1131F934A15753C1A9659C8B63 |title=William C. Cramer, 81, a Leader of G.O.P. Resurgence in South |last=Saxon |first=Wolfgang |date=October 27, 2003 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=February 26, 2008 |archive-date=September 19, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080919042944/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E03EFDF1131F934A15753C1A9659C8B63 |url-status=live }}

{{cite web|url=https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/2000_certificates/vote_florida.html |title=Florida Certificate of Vote |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110919083339/http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/2000_certificates/vote_florida.html |archive-date=September 19, 2011 |url-status=live }}

{{cite web|url=https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/votes/2000.html |title=U.S. Electoral College |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101121105847/http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/votes/2000.html |archive-date=November 21, 2010 |url-status=live }}

}}

• Mahon, John K.; Brent R. Weisman (1996). "Florida's Seminole and Miccosukee Peoples". In Gannon, Michael (Ed.). The New History of Florida, pp. 183–206. University Press of Florida. {{ISBN|0-8130-1415-8}}.

• Viviana Díaz Balsera and Rachel A. May (eds.), La Florida: Five Hundred Years of Hispanic Presence. Gainesville, Florida: University Press of Florida, 2014.
• Dunn, Hampton., and Paul Eugen Camp. Collecting Florida: the Hampton Dunn Collection and Other Floridiana, Special Collections Department, University of South Florida Libraries. Tampa Florida: University of South Florida Libraries, 2006.
• Michael Gannon (ed.), The History of Florida. Gainesville, Florida: University Press of Florida, 2013.
• Levine Jacki. 2023. Once Upon a Time in Florida : Stories of Life in the Land of Promises. St. Petersburg FL: Florida Humanities.

{{Sister project links|Florida|voy=Florida}}

• {{oweb}}
• [https://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/states/florida/index.html Florida State Guide, from the Library of Congress]
• [http://www.floridamemory.com/ Florida Memory Project]. Over 300,000 photographs and documents from the State Library & Archives of Florida.
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20130502174501/http://floridamemory.com/collections/spanishlandgrants/ Online collection of the Spanish Land Grants]
• [http://www.usgs.gov/state/state.asp?State=FL USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Florida]
• {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20090116204405/http://www.protectingourwater.org/ Florida Rivers and Watersheds—Florida DEP]}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120814085519/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/12000.html U.S. Census Bureau]
• [http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/state-fact-sheets/state-data.aspx?StateFIPS=12&StateName=Florida Economic and farm demographics fact sheet from the USDA] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818121524/http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/state-fact-sheets/state-data.aspx?StateFIPS=12&StateName=Florida |date=August 18, 2016 }}
• [https://www.eia.gov/state/?sid=FL Energy & Environmental Data For Florida]
• [http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/bfly/zebra_longwing.htm Heliconius charitonia, zebra longwing]. Florida state butterfly, on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures web site.
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120515123847/http://cake.fiu.edu/Trends/ TerraFly Property Value and Aerial Imagery Spatio-temporal animation Real Estate Trends in Florida]
• [http://godort.libguides.com/floridadbs List of searchable databases produced by Florida state agencies] hosted by the [https://web.archive.org/web/20091013010530/http://wikis.ala.org/godort/index.php/Main_Page American Library Association Government Documents Roundtable]

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{{s-ttl|title=List of U.S. states by date of statehood|years=Admitted on March 3, 1845 (27th)}}

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{{Geographic location

| Northwest = {{flag|Alabama}}

| North = {{flag|Georgia (U.S. state)|name=Georgia}}

| Northeast =

| West = Gulf of Mexico

| Centre = {{flag|Florida}}: Outline • Index

| East = Atlantic Ocean

| Southwest =

| South = Straits of Florida{{break}}Pinar del Río, Artemisa, Havana, Mayabeque and Matanzas {{flag|Cuba}}

| Southeast = Bimini, Grand Cay and West Grand Bahama, {{flag|The Bahamas}}

}}

{{Navboxes

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Category:1845 establishments in the United States

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Category:States and territories established in 1845

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