Florida Info
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Capital
City: Tallahassee
Economy: Tourism, agriculture,
industry.
Language Description: English,
Spanish.
Passport/Visa U.S.: Canadians
need to show proof of citizenship (including a photo ID) to enter the U.S.
and re-enter Canada. (We recommend a passport.) Reconfirm your travel document
requirements with your carrier prior to departure.
Population: 15,111,245
Religion: Christian (Roman
Catholic, Protestant), but most major religions are represented.
Time Zone: 5-6 hours behind
Greenwich Mean Time (-5 and -6 GMT). Daylight Saving Time is observed from
the first Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October
Voltage Requirements: 110
volts
Florida's Flag:
On a white field emblazoned with a Confederacy red X and the state seal,
Florida's flag represents the land of sunshine, flowers, palm trees, rivers
and lakes. The seal features a brilliant sun, a cabbage palmetto tree, a
steamboat sailing and a Native American Seminole woman scattering flowers.
History of Florida:
In 1513, Ponce De Leon, seeking the mythical “Fountain
of Youth,” discovered and named Florida, claiming it for Spain. Later,
Florida would be held at different times by Spain and England until Spain
finally sold it to the United States in 1819. (Incidentally, France established
a colony named Fort Caroline in 1564 in the state that was to become Florida.)
Florida's early-19th-century history as a U.S. territory was marked by wars
with the Seminole Indians that did not end until 1842, although a treaty
was actually never signed. One of the nation's fastest-growing states, Florida's
population has gone from 2.8 million in 1950 to more than 12.9 million in
1990. Florida's economy rests on a solid base of tourism (in 1992 the state
entertained more than 40.5 million visitors from all over the world), manufacturing,
agriculture, and international trade. In recent years, oranges, grapefruit,
and tomatoes led Florida's agricultural-product list, followed by vegetables,
potatoes, melons, strawberries, sugar cane, dairy products, cattle and calves,
and forest products. Major tourist attractions are Miami Beach, Palm Beach,
St. Augustine (founded in 1565, thus the oldest permanent city in the U.S.),
Daytona Beach, and Fort Lauderdale on the East Coast. West Coast resorts
include Sarasota, Tampa, Key West, and St. Petersburg. The Orlando area,
where Disney World is located on a 27,000-acre site, is Florida's most popular
tourist destination. Also drawing many visitors are the NASA Kennedy Space
Center's Spaceport USA, located in the town of Kennedy Space Center, Everglades
National Park, and the Epcot Center.
Other Florida Links:
Education
in Florida
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Florida City and County Management Association
Florida League of Cities
Visit Florida Inc. - Florida Division of
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