Quick Facts
Geographical facts
- Total Area - 65,758 square miles
- Total land area - 53,625 square miles
- Total water area - 12,133 square miles
- Rank among states in total area - 22nd
- Length north and south - 447 miles (St. Marys River to Key West)
- Width east and west - 361 miles (Atlantic Ocean to Perdido River)
- Distance from Pensacola to Key West - 792 miles (by road)
- Highest Natural Point - 345 feet
- Geographic Center - 12 miles northwest of Brooksville, Hernando County
- Coastline - 1,350 statute miles
- Tidal shoreline (general) - 2,276 statute miles
- Beaches - 663 miles
- Longest River - St. Johns, 273 miles
- Largest Lake - Lake Okeechobee, 700 square miles
- Largest county - Palm Beach, 2,578 square miles
- Smallest county - Union, 245 square miles
- Number of lakes (greater than 10 acres) - about 7,700
- Number of first-magnitude springs - 33
- Number of islands (greater than 10 acres) - about 4,500
Historical facts
- First permanent European settlement - 1565, St. Augustine, by Spain
- Acquired from Spain as a U.S. Territory - 1821
- Admitted as 27th state of the U.S. - March 3, 1845
Current facts
- Capital - Tallahassee
- Population 2019 (estimate) - 21,477,737 (Rank 3rd)
- Population 2010 - 18,801,310 (Rank 4th)
- Population 2000 - 15,982,378
- Population 1990 - 12,937,926
- Population growth rate 2000-2019 - 14.2%
- Most populous metropolitan area 2019 - Miami-Ft. Lauderdale-Pompano Beach: 6,166,488 (estimate - Ranked 7th in the US)
- Most populous metropolitan area 2010 - Miami-Ft. Lauderdale-Pompano Beach: 5,564,635
- Most populous County 2019 - Miami-Dade County: 2,716,940 (estimate)
- Most populous County 2010 - Miami-Dade County: 2,496,435 [actual]
- Number of counties - 67
- Form of government - Governor and cabinet consisting of Attorney General, Chief Financial Officer and Commissioner of Agriculture
- State sales tax - 6%
- State income tax - None
- Legislature - 120 house districts, 40 senate districts, 27 congressional districts
Sources:
The Florida Handbook, Allen Morris, Joan Perry Morris, and the Florida House of Representatives. © 2014. Florida Statistical Abstract, 2012
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection