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The State of Florida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States of America. Most of the state is a large peninsula with the Gulf of Mexico on its west and the Atlantic Ocean on its east. Most of the state has a humid subtropical climate, except for southern Florida, where the climate borders on tropical and the Florida Keys, which have a tropical climate. Florida was named by Juan Ponce de León, who landed on the peninsula on 2 April 1513, during Pascua Florida (Spanish for “Flowery Easter,” referring to the Easter season). Florida’s economy relies heavily on tourism. Florida is situated mostly on a large peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Straits of Florida. It extends to the northwest into a panhandle, extending along the northern Gulf of Mexico. It is bordered on the north by the states of Georgia and Alabama, and on the west, at the end of the panhandle, by Alabama. It is near the countries of the Caribbean, particularly the Bahamas and Cuba. Florida’s extensive coastline made it a perceived target during World War II, so the government built airstrips all around the state. Today approximately 400 airports are still in service due to the coastal geography of the state. Florida is one of the largest states east of the Mississippi. Only Alaska and Michigan are larger in water area.
At 345 feet (105 m) above mean sea level, Britton Hill is the highest point in Florida and the lowest highpoint of any U.S. state. Contrary to popular belief, however, Florida is not entirely “flat.” Some places, such as Clearwater, feature vistas that rise 50 to 100 feet (15–30 m) above the water. Much of the interior of Florida, typically 25 miles (40 km) or more away from the coastline, features hills with elevations ranging from 100 to 250 feet (30–76 m) in many locations. Lake County holds the highest point of peninsular Florida, Sugarloaf Mountain, at 312 feet (95 m).

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Greg Norman's Southern Cross Developments Selects River Rim Ranch

Greg Norman’s Southern Cross Developments, proprietor of the exclusive “Norman Estates” real estate brand, is pleased to announce that River Rim Ranch in Teton Valley, Idaho will be the location for its newest project, the “Norman Ranch Estates. [Read More]

Local News from Florida Today via Yahoo! News

Lawyer: Enhance DVD of confession

Sep 6, 2008 5:40 am

Two DVDs containing an alleged triple-murderer's confession during two hours of police interrogation were played Friday in a hearing that questions their admissibility as evidence in his pending trial...

Belle taking bronze in sea turtle marathon

Sep 6, 2008 5:40 am

Belle o'Brevard's quest for marathon gold is so far amounting only to a bronze-medal effort in the Tour de Turtles.

In H-Canal, fish helping fish

Sep 6, 2008 5:40 am

The H-Canal algae blooms are back this summer. They've taken over the canal, and residents worry a fish kill is on the way. "The weeds will die at the first cold spell," said Bob Bret, who l...

Brevard anxious about Ike

Sep 6, 2008 5:26 am

Hanna bypassed Brevard County, and Hurricane Ike has a storm-numb Space Coast hoping for another miss. Gov. Charlie Crist declared a state of emergency Friday, in anticipation of Ike, a major hurrican...

Honor has outhouse restorer over the moon

Sep 6, 2008 5:26 am

The man overseeing reconstruction of a ramshackle "four-holer" outhouse in Cocoa is garnering national attention for his privy-preservation exploits. Shawn Beckwith, a project manager with T...

Surfers exult in Hanna's rough waves

Sep 6, 2008 5:25 am

SATELLITE BEACH -- Hanna huffed and puffed at sea, without major erosion or other consequences here. But its swells just blew away the surfers. "Vicious," said Cliff Dibble, 24, of Satellite...

Palm Bay helps with fire, flood

Sep 5, 2008 12:10 pm

PALM BAY -- The city council approved aid Thursday night for the victims of May's wildfires, along with a post-disaster strategic plan following Tropical Storm Fay. The council also discussed giving s...

Fears of flooding rise as storms approach

Sep 5, 2008 5:28 am

Stacked-up sandbags, carved-up beaches and roiled-up rip currents could be Hanna's main legacies along the Space Coast today. But Ike, Josephine and a system of "disturbed weather" between A...

Six orders to boil water remain in effect after Fay

Sep 5, 2008 5:28 am

Tropical Storm Fay still has Brevardians boiling over -- and over -- to cleanse their water of potentially sickening microbes. Two weeks after the tropical storm drenched the Space Coast with two feet...

Residents hope for best, get sandbags just in case

Sep 5, 2008 5:28 am

Patricia O'Berry of Port St. John came through Tropical Storm Fay relatively unscathed, except for a few downed tree limbs in her yard.

Local News from Miami Herald via Yahoo! News

Next Dade schools chief likely to come internally

Sep 6, 2008 3:35 am

As Superintendent Rudy Crew's tenure appears headed for an end, his replacement will almost certainly come from inside the system.

BankUnited no longer well-capitalized

Sep 5, 2008 11:00 pm

BankUnited Financial, Florida's largest bank, is no longer considered ''well-capitalized'' by regulators and will be restricted from accepting deposits through brokers. Shares in the Coral Gables-base...

How to prepare your business for a storm

Sep 5, 2008 8:45 pm

You should have completed your major hurricane preparations -- installing a generator and arranging for vital services such as alternate delivery systems after a disaster -- before the hurricane seaso...

2 elderly women sexually assaulted in Hallandale Beach

Sep 5, 2008 7:45 pm

Police are on the lookout for a man suspected of sexually assaulting two elderly women in their Hallandale Beach homes. The first incident happened Aug. 28, when a man broke into a home and attacked t...

Caribbean braces for Hurricane Ike

Sep 5, 2008 7:35 pm

Water-weary residents in the Caribbean waited Friday to see which direction Ike would take. Having already gone through Tropical Storm Hanna, many hoped the mighty Category 3 Ike would move farther no...

Riley: Miami Heat rookie `embarrassed'

Sep 5, 2008 6:16 pm

Heat President Pat Riley called guard Mario Chalmers' expulsion from this week's NBA rookie transition program ''an embarrassment,'' but said it likely won't result in disciplinary action from the tea...

Miami-Dade mayor: Be ready in case Ike strikes

Sep 5, 2008 6:05 pm

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez, stressing the importance of hurricane preparedness, urged residents to listen to authorities and monitor local media during the weekend.

Point Blank's shares fall on denial of Army deal

Sep 5, 2008 5:50 pm

Shares of Pompano Beach defense contractor Point Blank Solutions plunged Friday after the company said it was eliminated from consideration for a huge contract with the U.S. Army.

Fuel distributors prepare for looming Ike

Sep 5, 2008 5:15 pm

With Hurricane Ike possibly just days away from menacing South Florida, officials on Friday reported no issues with local fuel supplies.

Continental adds $15 charge for first checked bag

Sep 5, 2008 4:50 pm

Continental Airlines said it will charge some coach customers $15 for the first checked bag after determining the fee didn't erode demand at other carriers and would help counter elevated fuel costs.

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Top 138 most popular retirement CITIES in Florida:

• ALVA
• APOLLO BEACH
• APOPKA
• ARCADIA
• BARTOW
• BIG PINE KEY
• BONITA SPRINGS
• BOYNTON BEACH
• BRADENTON
• BRANDON
• BROOKSVILLE
• BRYCEVILLE
• CAPE CORAL
• CLEARWATER
• CLEARWATER BEACH
• CLERMONT
• CRYSTAL RIVER
• DADE CITY
• DAVENPORT
• DAYTONA BEACH
• DELAND
• DELRAY BEACH
• DELTONA
• DESTIN
• DOVER
• DUNEDIN
• EDGEWATER
• ELKTON
• ELLENTON
• ESTERO
• EUSTIS
• FERNANDINA BEACH
• FLAGLER BEACH
• FORT LAUDERDALE
• FORT MYERS
• FORT MYERS BEACH
• FORT PIERCE
• FRUITLAND PARK
• GAINESVILLE
• GIBSONTON
• GRAND ISLAND
• GREEN COVE SPRINGS
• HAINES CITY
• HIALEAH
• HOMESTEAD
• HOMOSASSA
• HOWEY IN THE HILLS
• HUDSON
• JACKSONVILLE
• JUPITER
• KEY LARGO
• KISSIMMEE
• LAKE ALFRED
• LAKE HELEN
• LAKE MARY
• LAKE PLACID
• LAKE WALES
• LAKE WORTH
• LAKELAND
• LAND O LAKES
• LARGO
• LEESBURG
• LEHIGH ACRES
• LITHIA
• LONG KEY
• LUTZ
• MELBOURNE
• MIAMI
• MIAMI BEACH
• MIDDLEBURG
• MILTON
• MIMS
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• MOUNT DORA
• MULBERRY
• NAPLES
• NAVARRE
• NEW PORT RICHEY
• NOKOMIS
• NORTH FORT MYERS
• NORTH PORT
• OCALA
• OCOEE
• ODESSA
• OKAHUMPKA
• ORANGE PARK
• ORLANDO
• ORMOND BEACH
• OVIEDO
• PALM BEACH GARDENS
• PALM CITY
• PALM COAST
• PALM HARBOR
• PALMETTO
• PARRISH
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• POMPANO BEACH
• PORT CHARLOTTE
• PORT ORANGE
• PORT SAINT LUCIE
• PUNTA GORDA
• RIVERVIEW
• ROCKLEDGE
• SAFETY HARBOR
• SAINT AUGUSTINE
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• SAN ANTONIO
• SANFORD
• SARASOTA
• SATSUMA
• SEBRING
• SEFFNER
• SEMINOLE
• SORRENTO
• SPRING HILL
• STUART
• SUN CITY CENTER
• TALLAHASSEE
• TAMPA
• TARPON SPRINGS
• TAVARES
• THONOTOSASSA
• VENICE
• VERO BEACH
• WESLEY CHAPEL
• WEST PALM BEACH
• WILDWOOD
• WIMAUMA
• WINDERMERE
• WINTER GARDEN
• WINTER HAVEN
• WINTER SPRINGS
• YULEE
• ZELLWOOD
• ZEPHYRHILLS

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