Florida
Florida is a state in the south-eastern United States, located on the Gulf of Mexico. It borders Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. The Bahamas are located to the east, and Cuba to the south. The state's most-populous city is Jacksonville, and the state capital is Tallahassee.
Prior to colonisation, the area was home to the Apalachee, the Timucua, the Ais, and the Calusa peoples. The first European to set foot there was the Spanish conquistador, Juan Ponce de León, in 1513. He named the region La Florida for its lush greenery. It was the first area in the U.S. to be permanently settled by Europeans, and was a territory of Spain, until ceded to the U.S. in 1819. It was made a state in 1845, and was the location of the Seminole Wars. It was a slave state, and one of the Confederacy during the Civil War.
It has the longest coastline in the contiguous United States, and has more than 4,510 islands. It has several unique ecosystems, including the Everglades National Park. The Florida Reef is the only living coral barrier reef in the continental United States, and the third-largest coral barrier reef system in the world. It is a major tourist destination, famous for its theme parks and beachs, and the location of the Kennedy Space Center.
Founding Date
1845
Type
State
Population
22,610,726
Inhabitant Demonym
Floridian
Included Locations
Owning Organization