Florida

Capital	Tallahassee
Population	15,982,378 Source: U.S. Census Bureau GCT-PH1-R. Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density (geographies ranked by total population): 2000 Data Set: Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data
Governor	Charlie Crist (R, to January 2011)
Entered the Union	March 3, 1845 as the 27th state
Motto	In God we trust
Nickname	Sunshine state
Flower	Orange Blossom
Bird	Mockingbird
Song	The Suwanee River (Old Folks at Home)
Professional Sports Teams (sports listing policy)	Miami Heat, Orlando Magic (Men's Basketball); Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Football); Florida Marlins (Baseball); Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning (Hockey)
Origin of Name	From the Spanish, meaning "feast of flowers"
Major Industries	Oranges, tourism, electrical equipment, phosphate rock mining
Historical Sites	St. Augustine, Fort Matanza National Monument, DeSoto National Memorial, Fort Jefferson National Monument
Points of Interest	Walt Disney World, EPCOT Center, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Everglades National Park, Busch Gardens, Key West, Sea World, Ormond-Daytona Beach, Universal Studios Florida
Bordering States	Florida borders Georgia and Alabama
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Follow these links to read articles about Florida from Encyclopedias and Almanacs:

• Encarta Concise Encyclopedia
• Columbia Encyclopedia
• Information Please Almanac

• My Florida.com: the Official Portal for the State of Florida.
  http://www.myflorida.com/
  This is the official website for the State of Florida.
• Florida Division of Library & Information Services
  http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/index.cfm
  Here is the homepage for the Florida State Library Agency.
• The Florida Historical Society
  http://www.florida-historical-soc.org/
  Here is the homepage for the Florida State Historical Society.
• Museum of Florida History
  http://dhr.dos.state.fl.us/museum/
  Here is the homepage for the Florida State History Museum.
• Florida State Archives
  http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/barm/fsa.html
  Here is the homepage for the Florida State Archives.
• Florida Recreation and Parks
  http://www.dep.state.fl.us/parks/
  Here is the homepage for Florida State Parks.
• Florida Tourism and Recreation
  http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/fgils/tourism.html
  Here is the official state tourism website for Florida.
• Visit Florida
  http://www.VISITFLORIDA.com
  Here is the official state travel website for Florida.
• Florida Kids
  http://dhr.dos.state.fl.us/kids/
  Here is the official Florida Kids web site!

• 50states.com: Florida
  http://www.50states.com/florida.htm
  The site provides a wealth of information about Florida. It includes everything from the highest point to county profile to climate.
• Things To Do in Florida
  http://www.thingstodo.com/states/FL/index.htm
  ThingsToDo.com is an online guide to information about Florida's entertainment, recreation, and travel, and includes the state's interesting facts, famous people, and special events.
• Roadside America: Florida Attractions
  http://www.roadsideamerica.com/map/fl.html
  Roadside America describes itself as an online guide to offbeat attractions. This site offers reviews of "weird sites along the highway" in Florida.
• Florida Smart: Your Florida Web Guide
  http://www.floridasmart.com/
  If you want to learn about facts, history, maps and even live webcams, check out this page for everything about Florida!
• FedStats: MapStat: United States: Florida
  http://www.fedstats.gov/qf/states/12000.html
  Fast access to statistics from more than 100 federal agencies on "economic and population trends, crime, education, health care, aviation safety, energy use, farm production and more" in Florida.

• Pelican Island was the first federal wildlife refuge in the U. S. It was established by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1903.
• The U. S. Navy Aeronautic Station in Pensacola was the first Navy training center for pilots. It was established in 1914.
• More passenger ships pass through Miami's port than any other city in the U. S.

• Jim Morrison (1943-1971) was the legendary lead singer of the band The Doors. His grave in Paris, France, has become a popular tourist attraction.
• Dwight Gooden, who was born November 16, 1964, in Tampa, is one of the best pitchers in baseball history. He currently plays for the New York Yankees.
• Charles and John Ringling, co-founders of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, were born in the late 1800s.
• Sidney Poitier was born in Miami on February 20, 1927. He was the first African-American actor to win an Oscar, which he won for the movie "Lilies of the Fields."