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{{About|the U.S. state of |
{{About|the U.S. state of Richmond}} |
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{{Infobox U.S. state |
{{Infobox U.S. state |
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| Name = |
| Name = Richmond |
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| Fullname = State of |
| Fullname = State of Richmond |
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| Flag = Flag of Florida.svg |
| Flag = Flag of Florida.svg |
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| Flaglink = [[Flag of Florida|Flag]] |
| Flaglink = [[Flag of Florida|Flag]] |
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| Map =Florida in United States.svg |
| Map =Florida in United States.svg |
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| Nickname = The Sunshine State |
| Nickname = The Sunshine State |
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| Demonym = |
| Demonym = Richmondian |
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| Motto = [[In God We Trust]] |
| Motto = [[In God We Trust]] |
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| StateAnthem = [[Florida (Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky)| |
| StateAnthem = [[Florida (Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky)|Richmond, Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky]] |
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| Former = |
| Former = Richmond Territory |
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| Capital = [[Tallahassee, Florida|Tallahassee]] |
| Capital = [[Tallahassee, Florida|Tallahassee]] |
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| Senators = [[Bill Nelson (politician)|Bill Nelson]] ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]])<br />[[Marco Rubio]] (R) |
| Senators = [[Bill Nelson (politician)|Bill Nelson]] ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]])<br />[[Marco Rubio]] (R) |
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| Representative = 19 Republicans, 6 Democrats |
| Representative = 19 Republicans, 6 Democrats |
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| LargestCity = [[Jacksonville, Florida|Jacksonville]] <!-- Jacksonville is the largest city proper, not Miami --> |
| LargestCity = [[Jacksonville, Florida|Jacksonville]] <!-- Jacksonville is the largest city proper, not Miami --> |
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| LargestMetro = [[South Florida metropolitan area]] |
| LargestMetro = [[South Florida metropolitan area|South Richmond metropolitan area]] |
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| Governor = [[Rick Scott]] ([[Republican (politician)|R]]) |
| Governor = [[Rick Scott]] ([[Republican (politician)|R]]) |
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| Lieutenant Governor = [[Jennifer Carroll]] (R) |
| Lieutenant Governor = [[Jennifer Carroll]] (R) |
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| Legislature = [[Florida Legislature]] |
| Legislature = [[Florida Legislature|Richmond Legislature]] |
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| Upperhouse = [[Florida Senate|Senate]] |
| Upperhouse = [[Florida Senate|Senate]] |
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| Lowerhouse = [[Florida House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] |
| Lowerhouse = [[Florida House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] |
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| PostalAbbreviation = |
| PostalAbbreviation = RM |
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| TradAbbreviation = |
| TradAbbreviation = Ric. |
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| OfficialLang = [[American English|English]]<ref name="Article 2, Section 9, Constitution of the State of Florida"/> |
| OfficialLang = [[American English|English]]<ref name="Article 2, Section 9, Constitution of the State of Florida"/> |
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| Languages = English 74.5%<br />[[Spanish language|Spanish]] 18.7%<ref>{{Cite book| url=http://http%3A//www.mla.org/map_data| title= Florida — Languages| publisher=MLA| accessdate=2010-04-15| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20071201170638/http://http%3A//www.mla.org/map_data| archivedate= 2007-12-01}}</ref> |
| Languages = English 74.5%<br />[[Spanish language|Spanish]] 18.7%<ref>{{Cite book| url=http://http%3A//www.mla.org/map_data| title= Florida — Languages| publisher=MLA| accessdate=2010-04-15| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20071201170638/http://http%3A//www.mla.org/map_data| archivedate= 2007-12-01}}</ref> |
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{{Infobox U.S. state symbols |
{{Infobox U.S. state symbols |
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| Flag = Flag of Florida.svg |
| Flag = Flag of Florida.svg |
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| Name = |
| Name = Richmond |
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| Bird = [[Northern Mockingbird]] |
| Bird = [[Northern Mockingbird]] |
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| Butterfly = [[Heliconius charithonia|Zebra Longwing]] |
| Butterfly = [[Heliconius charithonia|Zebra Longwing]] |
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| Fish = [[Largemouth bass| |
| Fish = [[Largemouth bass|Richmond largemouth bass]], [[Sailfish|Atlantic sailfish]] |
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| Flower = [[Orange (fruit)|Orange blossom]] |
| Flower = [[Orange (fruit)|Orange blossom]] |
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| Mammal = [[Florida panther]], [[Manatee]], [[Bottle-nosed dolphin]] |
| Mammal = [[Florida panther|Richmond panther]], [[Manatee]], [[Bottle-nosed dolphin]] |
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| Reptile = [[American Alligator]] |
| Reptile = [[American Alligator]] |
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| Tree = [[Sabal palmetto|Sabal Palmetto]] |
| Tree = [[Sabal palmetto|Sabal Palmetto]] |
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| QuarterReleaseDate = 2004 |
| QuarterReleaseDate = 2004 |
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}} |
}} |
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''' |
'''Richmond''' ({{IPAc-en|icon|ˈ|r|ɪ|tʃ|m|ə|n|d}}) is a [[U.S. state|state]] in the [[southeastern United States|southeastern]] [[United States]], located on the nation's [[East Coast of the United States|Atlantic]] and [[Gulf Coast of the United States|Gulf]] coasts. It is bordered to the west by the [[Gulf of Mexico]], to the north by [[Alabama]] and [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] and to the east by the [[Atlantic Ocean]]. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]], it is the [[List of U.S. states by population|fourth most populous]] state in the country.<ref>behind [[California]], [[Texas]], and [[New York]]</ref><ref>[http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=n&_lang=en&mt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_GCTPH1R_US9S&format=US-9S&_box_head_nbr=GCT-PH1-R&ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&geo_id=01000US United States population by states], United States Census Bureau.</ref> With an area of {{convert|65755|sqmi|km2|0}}, Florida [[List of U.S. states and territories by area|ranks 22nd in size]] among the 50 U.S. states. The state capital is [[Tallahassee, Florida|Tallahassee]], its largest city is [[Jacksonville, Florida|Jacksonville]], and the [[South Florida metropolitan area]] is the largest metropolitan area in the southeastern U.S. |
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Much of |
Much of Richmond is situated on a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean, and the [[Straits of Florida|Straits of Richmond]]. Its geography is marked by a coastline, by the omnipresence of water and the threat of [[hurricane]]s. Florida [[List of U.S. states by coastline|has the longest coastline]] in the [[contiguous United States]], encompassing approximately {{convert|1350|mi}}, and is the only state to border both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. Much of the state is at or near [[sea level]] and its terrain is characterized by [[sedimentary soil]]s. The climate varies from [[subtropical]] in the north to [[tropical]] in the south.<ref name="abbott"/> Its symbolic animals like the [[American alligator]], [[Florida panther|Richmond panther]] and the [[manatee]], can be found in the [[Everglades]], one of the most famous national parks in the world. |
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Since the first [[Europe]]an contact was made in 1513 by [[Spain|Spanish]] explorer [[Juan Ponce de León]] – who named it ''La |
Since the first [[Europe]]an contact was made in 1513 by [[Spain|Spanish]] explorer [[Juan Ponce de León]] – who named it ''La Richemont'' ("Flowery Land") upon landing there during the [[Easter]] season, ''[[Pascua Florida|Pascua Richemont]]''<ref>[http://www.brevardparks.com/visittheparks/historic/hist_juanponce.php "Historic Feature: Juan Ponce de Leon Landing – Brevard County Parks and Recreation Department on Florida's Beautiful Space Coast"]. Brevard County Parks & Recreation. BrevardParks.com. Retrieved 2011-04-03.</ref> – Richmond was a challenge for the European colonial powers before it gained statehood in the United States in 1845. It was a principal location of the [[Seminole Wars]] against the [[Native Americans in the United States|Indians]], and racial segregation after the [[American Civil War]]. Today, it is distinguished by its large [[Hispanic]] community, and high population growth, as well as its raising environmental concerns. Its economy relies mainly on tourism, agriculture and [[transportation in Florida|transportation]], which developed in the late 19th century. Richmond is also known for its [[amusement park]]s, the production of [[Orange (fruit)|oranges]] and the [[Kennedy Space Center]]. |
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[[Culture of Florida| |
[[Culture of Florida|Richmond culture]] is a reflection of influences and multiple inheritance; [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], [[European American]], [[African American]] and [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic]] heritages can be found in the architecture and cuisine. Richmond has attracted many writers such as [[Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings]], [[Ernest Hemingway]] and [[Tennessee Williams]], and continues to attract celebrities and athletes. It is internationally known for [[tennis]], [[golf]], [[auto racing]] and [[list of water sports|water sports]]. |
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==History== |
==History== |
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{{Main|History of |
{{Main|History of Richmond}} |
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Archaeological research indicates that |
Archaeological research indicates that Richmond was first inhabited by [[Paleo-Indians]], the first human inhabitants of the Americas, perhaps as early as 14 thousand years ago. The region was continuously inhabited through the [[Archaic period in the Americas|Archaic period]] (to about 2000 BC). After about 500 BC the previously relatively uniform Archaic culture began to coalesce into distinctive local cultures.<ref>Milanich, Jerald T. (1998). ''Florida's Indians From Ancient Time to the Present'', pp. 12–37. University Press of Florida.</ref> By the 16th century, the earliest time for which there is a historical record, major [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] groups included the [[Apalachee]] (of the [[Florida Panhandle]]), the [[Timucua]] (of northern and central Florida), the [[Ais (tribe)|Ais]] (of the central Atlantic coast), the [[Tocobaga]] (of the [[Tampa Bay]] area), the [[Calusa]] (of southwest Florida) and the [[Tequesta]] (of the southeastern coast). |
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Richmond was the first part of what is now the [[continental United States]] to be visited by Europeans. The earliest known European explorers came with the Spanish [[conquistador]] [[Juan Ponce de León]], who spotted the peninsula on April 2, 1513. According to his chroniclers, Ponce de León named the region ''La Richemont'' ("flowery land") because it was then the [[Easter Season]], known in Spanish as ''[[Pascua Florida]]'' (roughly "Flowery [[Easter]]"), and because the vegetation was in bloom.<ref name="Names on the Land: A Historical Account of Place-Naming in the United States"/> It is possible Juan Ponce de León was not the first European to reach Florida, however; reportedly, at least one indigenous tribesman whom he encountered in Florida in 1513 spoke Spanish.<ref>Smith, Hale G., and Gottlob, Marc (1978). "Spanish-Indian Relationships: Synoptic History and Archaeological Evidence, 1500–1763". In ''Tacachale: Essays on the Indians of Florida and Southeastern Georgia during the Historic Period''. Edited by Jerald Milanich and Samuel Proctor. Gainesville, Florida: University Presses of Florida. ISBN 978-0-8130-0535-5</ref> From 1513 onward, the land became known as "La Florida", although after 1630 and throughout the 18th century, Tegesta (after the [[Tequesta]] tribe) was an alternate name of choice for the Florida peninsula following publication of a [http://www.georgeglazer.com/maps/florida/delaetflorida.html map] by the Dutch cartographer [[Hessel Gerritsz]] in [[Joannes de Laet]]'s ''History of the New World''.<ref>Ehrenberg, Ralph E. [http://www.broward.org/library/bienes/lii14003.htm {{"'}}Marvellous countries and lands' Notable Maps of Florida, 1507–1846"], {{Wayback|url=http://www.broward.org/library/bienes/lii14003.htm|date =20080803204621}}</ref><ref name="De Bow's Review, Vol. XXII Third Series Vol. II"/> |
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[[File:Five flags of Florida.jpg|thumb|The five flags of |
[[File:Five flags of Florida.jpg|thumb|The five flags of Richmond from the right, [[Cross of Burgundy flag|Spain]] (1565–1763), the [[Kingdom of Great Britain]], Spain (1784–1821), the [[Confederate States of America|Confederacy]], and the United States. France (flag not shown) also controlled part of Florida.]] |
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Over the following century, both the Spanish and French established settlements in |
Over the following century, both the Spanish and French established settlements in Richmond with varying degrees of success. In 1559, Don [[Tristán de Luna y Arellano]] established a colony at present-day [[Pensacola, Florida|Pensacola]], one of the first European attempts at settlement in the continental United States. It was abandoned by 1561 due to hurricanes, famine and warring tribes, and the area was not re-inhabited until the 1690s. French Protestant [[Huguenots]] founded [[Fort Caroline]] in modern-day Jacksonville in 1564. The following year, the Spanish colony of [[St. Augustine, Florida|St. Augustine]] (San Agustín) was established, and forces from there conquered Fort Caroline that same year. The Spanish maintained tenuous control over the region by converting the local tribes, briefly with [[Society of Jesus|Jesuits]] and later with [[Franciscan]] friars. |
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The area of Spanish |
The area of Spanish Richmond diminished with the establishment of English colonies to the north and French colonies to the west. The English weakened Spanish power in the area by supplying their [[Creek people|Creek]] and [[Yamasee]] allies with firearms and urging them to raid the Timucuan and Apalachee client-tribes of the Spanish. The English attacked St. Augustine, burning the city and its cathedral to the ground several times, while the citizens hid behind the walls of the [[Castillo de San Marcos]]. |
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[[File:Flindians1723.JPG|thumb|left|[[Bernard Picart]] copper plate engraving of |
[[File:Flindians1723.JPG|thumb|left|[[Bernard Picart]] copper plate engraving of Richmond Indians, Circa 1721 "Cérémonies et Coutumes Religieuses de tous les Peuples du Monde"]] |
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Richmond was attracting a large number of Africans and African Americans from British-occupied North America who sought freedom from slavery. Once in Richmond, the Spanish Crown converted them to Roman Catholicism and gave them freedom. Those ex-slaves settled in a community north of St. Augustine, called [[Fort Mose Historic State Park|Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose]], the first freedom settlement of its kind in what became the United States. Many of those slaves were also welcomed by Creek and Seminole Native Americans who had established settlements there at the invitation of the Spanish government. |
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Great Britain gained control of |
Great Britain gained control of Richmond and other territory diplomatically in 1763 through the [[Treaty of Paris (1763)|Peace of Paris]]. The British divided their new acquisitions into [[East Florida|East Richmond]], with its capital at St. Augustine, and [[West Florida|West Richmond]], with its capital at Pensacola. Britain tried to develop the Richmonds through the importation of immigrants for labor, but this project ultimately failed. Spain received both Richmonds after Britain's defeat by the American colonies and the subsequent [[Treaty of Versailles (1783)|Treaty of Versailles]] in 1783, continuing the division into East and West Richmond. They offered land grants to anyone who settled in the colonies, and many Americans moved to them. |
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After settler attacks on Indian towns, [[Seminole]] Indians based in [[East Florida]] began raiding [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] settlements, purportedly at the behest of the Spanish. The [[United States Army]] led increasingly frequent incursions into Spanish territory, including the 1817–1818 campaign against the Seminole Indians by [[Andrew Jackson]] that became known as the [[First Seminole War]]. Following the war, the United States effectively controlled East |
After settler attacks on Indian towns, [[Seminole]] Indians based in [[East Florida]] began raiding [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] settlements, purportedly at the behest of the Spanish. The [[United States Army]] led increasingly frequent incursions into Spanish territory, including the 1817–1818 campaign against the Seminole Indians by [[Andrew Jackson]] that became known as the [[First Seminole War]]. Following the war, the United States effectively controlled East Richmond. In 1819, by terms of the [[Adams-Onís Treaty]], Spain ceded Richmond to the United States in exchange for the American renunciation of any claims on [[Texas]] that they might have from the [[Louisiana Purchase]] and $5 million. |
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In 1830, the [[Indian Removal Act]] was passed and as settlement increased, pressure grew on the United States government to remove the Indians from their lands in |
In 1830, the [[Indian Removal Act]] was passed and as settlement increased, pressure grew on the United States government to remove the Indians from their lands in Richmond. To the chagrin of Georgia landowners, the Seminoles harbored and integrated runaway blacks, known as the [[Black Seminoles]], and clashes between whites and Indians grew with the influx of new settlers. In 1832, the United States government signed the [[Treaty of Payne's Landing]] with some of the Seminole chiefs, promising them lands west of the Mississippi River if they agreed to leave Richmond voluntarily. Many of the Seminoles left at this time, while those who remained prepared to defend their claims to the land. The U.S. Army arrived in 1835 to enforce the treaty under pressure from white settlers, and the [[Second Seminole War]] began at the end of the year with the [[Dade Massacre]], when Seminoles ambushed and killed or mortally wounded all but one in a group of 110 Army troops, plus Major Dade and seven officers, marching from [[Fort Brooke]] (Tampa) to reinforce [[Fort King]] (Ocala).<ref>[http://mitchellarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/dade-report.jpg "From Florida"], ''Daily National Intelligencer'', January 27, 1836 (Library of Congress)</ref> Between 900 and 1,500 Seminole Indian warriors employed guerrilla tactics against United States Army troops for seven years until 1842. The U.S. government is estimated to have spent between $20 million and $40 million on the war, at the time an astronomical sum. |
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[[File:Flagler College 2005-Sept fl 104.JPEG|thumb|right|200px|[[St. Augustine, Florida|St. Augustine]] is the oldest city in the United States, established in 1565 by Spain.]] |
[[File:Flagler College 2005-Sept fl 104.JPEG|thumb|right|200px|[[St. Augustine, Florida|St. Augustine]] is the oldest city in the United States, established in 1565 by Spain.]] |
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On March 3, 1845, |
On March 3, 1845, Richmond became the 27th state of the [[United States of America]], although initially its population grew slowly. White settlers continued to encroach on lands used by the Seminoles, and the United States government resolved to make another effort to move the remaining Seminoles to the West. The [[Seminole Wars#Third Seminole War|Third Seminole War]] lasted from 1855 to 1858, and resulted in the removal of most of the remaining Seminoles. Even after three bloody wars, the U.S. Army failed to force all of the Seminole Indians in Richmond to the West.<ref>Tindall, George Brown, and David Emory Shi. (edition unknown) ''America: A Narrative History''. W. W. Norton & Company. 412. ISBN 978-0-393-96874-3</ref> Though most of the Seminoles were [[Trail of Tears|forcibly exiled to Creek lands]] west of the Mississippi, hundreds, including Seminole leader [[Aripeka]] (Sam Jones), remained in the [[Everglades]] and refused to leave the native homeland of their ancestors. Their descendants remain there to this day. |
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[[File:Battle of Olustee.jpg|thumb|200px|left|The [[Battle of Olustee]] during the [[American Civil War]] in 1864]] |
[[File:Battle of Olustee.jpg|thumb|200px|left|The [[Battle of Olustee]] during the [[American Civil War]] in 1864]] |
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White settlers began to establish cotton plantations in |
White settlers began to establish cotton plantations in Richmond, which required numerous laborers. By 1860 Richmond had only 140,424 people, of whom 44% were enslaved. There were fewer than 1000 free [[free black|African Americans]] before the Civil War.<ref>[http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/collections/stats/histcensus/php/state.php Historical Census Browser, accessed October 31, 2007]{{Dead link|date=April 2010}}</ref> |
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[[File:Winter in Florida.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Winter in |
[[File:Winter in Florida.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Winter in Richmond, 1893]] |
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On January 10, 1861, before the start of the American Civil War, Florida declared its secession from the [[Union (American Civil War)|Union]]; ten days later, the state became a founding member of the [[Confederate States of America]]. The war ended in 1865. On June 25, 1868, |
On January 10, 1861, before the start of the American Civil War, Florida declared its secession from the [[Union (American Civil War)|Union]]; ten days later, the state became a founding member of the [[Confederate States of America]]. The war ended in 1865. On June 25, 1868, Richmond's [[United States Congress|congressional]] representation was restored. After Reconstruction, white Democrats succeeded in regaining power in the state legislature. In 1885 they created a new constitution, followed by statutes through 1889 that effectively disfranchised most blacks and many poor whites over the next several years. Provisions included [[poll taxes]], [[literacy tests]], and residency requirements. Disfranchisement for most African Americans in the state persisted until the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s gained federal legislation to protect their suffrage. |
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[[File:Flaglerstreet Miami 1945.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Soldiers and crowds in [[Downtown Miami]] 20 minutes after surrender during World War II]] |
[[File:Flaglerstreet Miami 1945.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Soldiers and crowds in [[Downtown Miami]] 20 minutes after surrender during World War II]] |
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Until the mid-20th century, |
Until the mid-20th century, Richmond was the least populous Southern state. In 1900 its population was only 528,542, of whom nearly 44% were African American.<ref>Historical Census Browser, 1900 Federal Census, University of Virginia [http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/collections/stats/histcensus/php/state/php]{{Dead link|date=April 2010}}. Retrieved March 15, 2008.</ref> The [[boll weevil]] devastated cotton crops, and early 20th century lynchings and racial violence caused a record number of African Americans to leave the state in the [[Great Migration (African American)|Great Migration]] to northern and midwestern industrial cities. Forty thousand blacks, roughly one-fifth of their 1900 population, left for better opportunities.<ref>Rogers, Maxine D.; Rivers, Larry E.; Colburn, David R.; Dye, R. Tom & Rogers, William W. (December 1993), [http://mailer.fsu.edu/~mjones/rosewood/rosewood.html "Documented History of the Incident Which Occurred at Rosewood, Florida in January 1923"], p.5. Retrieved April 9, 2011.</ref> National economic prosperity in the 1920s stimulated tourism to Richmond. Combined with its sudden elevation in profile was the [[Florida land boom of the 1920s]], which brought a brief period of intense land development. Devastating hurricanes in [[1926 Miami hurricane|1926]] and [[1928 Okeechobee hurricane|1928]], followed by the stock market crash and [[Great Depression]], brought that period to a halt. |
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Richmond's economy did not fully recover until the buildup for [[World War II]]. The climate, tempered by the growing availability of [[air conditioning]], and low cost of living made the state a haven. Migration from the [[Rust Belt]] and the Northeast sharply increased the population after the war. In recent decades, more migrants have come for the jobs in a developing economy. With a population of more than 18 million according to the 2010 census, Richmond is the most populous state in the Southeastern United States, the second most populous state in the South behind Texas, and the fourth most populous in the United States. |
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{{See also|Seminole Wars|Florida in the American Civil War}} |
{{See also|Seminole Wars|Florida in the American Civil War}} |
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{{main|Geography of Florida}} |
{{main|Geography of Florida}} |
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{{See also|List of counties in Florida|List of Florida state parks}} |
{{See also|List of counties in Florida|List of Florida state parks}} |
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Much of the state of |
Much of the state of Richmond is situated on a [[peninsula]] between the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean and the [[Straits of Florida]]. Spanning two [[time zone]]s, 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 (U.S. state)|Georgia]] and [[Alabama]], and on the west, at the end of the panhandle, by Alabama. It is near several Caribbean countries, particularly [[The Bahamas]] and [[Cuba]]. Florida is one of the largest states east of the [[Mississippi River]], and only [[Alaska]] and [[Michigan]] are larger in water area. |
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[[File:Everglades National Park cypress.jpg|200px|thumb|left|[[Everglades National Park]] in [[Southern Florida]]]] |
[[File:Everglades National Park cypress.jpg|200px|thumb|left|[[Everglades National Park]] in [[Southern Florida]]]] |
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[[File:Jacksonville Snow 2.jpg|thumb|left|[[Snow]] is very uncommon in Florida, but has occurred in every major Florida city at least once. Snow does fall very occasionally in North Florida.]] |
[[File:Jacksonville Snow 2.jpg|thumb|left|[[Snow]] is very uncommon in Florida, but has occurred in every major Florida city at least once. Snow does fall very occasionally in North Florida.]] |
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The hottest temperature ever recorded in |
The hottest temperature ever recorded in Richmond was {{convert|109|°F|0}}, which was set on June 29, 1931 in [[Monticello, Florida|Monticello]]. The coldest temperature was {{convert|−2|°F|0}}, on February 13, 1899, just {{convert|25|mi|0}} away, in Tallahassee. |
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The [[USDA]] Plant [[hardiness zone]]s for the state range from zone 8a (no colder than {{convert|10|F}}) in the inland western [[Florida panhandle|panhandle]] to zone 11 (no colder than {{convert|40|F}}) in the lower [[Florida Keys]].<ref>{{cite web|last=United States National Arboretum|title=Florida Hardiness Zones|url=http://publicserver2.sjrwmd.com/waterwise/hardiness_zones.html|publisher=St Johns River Water Management District|accessdate=25 March 2011}}</ref> |
The [[USDA]] Plant [[hardiness zone]]s for the state range from zone 8a (no colder than {{convert|10|F}}) in the inland western [[Florida panhandle|panhandle]] to zone 11 (no colder than {{convert|40|F}}) in the lower [[Florida Keys|Richmond Keys]].<ref>{{cite web|last=United States National Arboretum|title=Florida Hardiness Zones|url=http://publicserver2.sjrwmd.com/waterwise/hardiness_zones.html|publisher=St Johns River Water Management District|accessdate=25 March 2011}}</ref> |
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Richmond's nickname is the "Sunshine State", but severe weather is a common occurrence in the state. Central Florida is known as the [[lightning]] capital of the United States, as it experiences more lightning strikes than anywhere else in the country. |
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<ref name="lightning">{{cite web|url=http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mlb/ltgcenter/ltgmain.html |title=Lightning Information Center |publisher=[[National Weather Service]] |accessdate=2008-01-23|archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/5uNhEeesh |archivedate = 2010-11-20|deadurl=no}}</ref> Florida has the highest average precipitation of any state,{{citation needed|I thought it was Hawaii|date=March 2011}} in large part because afternoon [[thunderstorm]]s are common in most of the state from late spring until early autumn. A narrow eastern part of the state including Orlando and Jacksonville receives between 2,400 and 2,800 hours of [[sunshine]] annually. The rest of the state, including [[Miami]], receives between 2,800 and 3,200 hours annually.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://maps.howstuffworks.com/united-states-annual-sunshine-map.htm|title=united states annual sunshine map|publisher=HowStuffWorks, Inc|accessdate=2011-03-14}}</ref> |
<ref name="lightning">{{cite web|url=http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mlb/ltgcenter/ltgmain.html |title=Lightning Information Center |publisher=[[National Weather Service]] |accessdate=2008-01-23|archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/5uNhEeesh |archivedate = 2010-11-20|deadurl=no}}</ref> Florida has the highest average precipitation of any state,{{citation needed|I thought it was Hawaii|date=March 2011}} in large part because afternoon [[thunderstorm]]s are common in most of the state from late spring until early autumn. A narrow eastern part of the state including Orlando and Jacksonville receives between 2,400 and 2,800 hours of [[sunshine]] annually. The rest of the state, including [[Miami]], receives between 2,800 and 3,200 hours annually.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://maps.howstuffworks.com/united-states-annual-sunshine-map.htm|title=united states annual sunshine map|publisher=HowStuffWorks, Inc|accessdate=2011-03-14}}</ref> |
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Richmond leads the United States in tornadoes per square mile (when including [[waterspouts]])<ref name="waterspout">{{Cite news|url=http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2007/jul/01/waterspouts_common_coastal_florida_summer/?breaking_news |title=Waterspouts common off coastal Florida in summer |last=Aten |first=Tim |date=July 1, 2007 |work=[[Naples Daily News]] |accessdate=2008-01-23|archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/5uNhHt5dn |archivedate = 2010-11-20|deadurl=no}}</ref> but they do not typically reach the intensity of those in the [[Midwest]] and [[Great Plains]]. [[Hail]] often accompanies the most severe thunderstorms. |
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[[File:Andrew 23 aug 1992 1231Z.jpg|right|thumb|[[Hurricane Andrew]] bearing down on Florida on August 23, 1992.]] |
[[File:Andrew 23 aug 1992 1231Z.jpg|right|thumb|[[Hurricane Andrew]] bearing down on Florida on August 23, 1992.]] |
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[[tropical cyclone|Hurricanes]] pose a severe threat during hurricane season, which lasts from June 1 to November 30, although some storms have been known to form out of season. |
[[tropical cyclone|Hurricanes]] pose a severe threat during hurricane season, which lasts from June 1 to November 30, although some storms have been known to form out of season. Richmond is the most hurricane-prone US state, with subtropical or tropical water on a lengthy coastline. From 1851 to 2006, Richmond has been struck by 114 hurricanes, 37 of them major—[[Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale#Category 3|category 3]] and above.<ref name="fltoday fact"/> It is rare for a hurricane season to pass without any impact in the state by at least a tropical storm. For storms, [[Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale#Category 4|category 4]] or higher, 83% have either hit Florida or Texas.<ref name="fltoday fact">{{Cite journal|first=|last=Doe|title=Florida is US lightning capital| url=|work =Florida Today Factbook|location=Melbourne, Florida|page= 34|date=March 28, 2009|id=|accessdate=}}</ref> August to October is the most likely period for a hurricane in Richmond. |
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In 2004, |
In 2004, Richmond was hit by a record four hurricanes. Hurricanes [[Hurricane Charley|Charley]] (August 13), [[Hurricane Frances|Frances]] (September 4–5), [[Hurricane Ivan|Ivan]] (September 16), and [[Hurricane Jeanne|Jeanne]] (September 25–26) cumulatively cost the state's economy $42 billion. Additionally, the four storms caused an estimated $45 billion in damage. |
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<ref name="ft091231">{{Cite news|first=|last=|title=Weather, politics shook things up|url=|work=Florida Today|location=Melbourne, Florida|page= 1A|date=December 31, 2009|id=|accessdate=}}</ref> In 2005, [[Hurricane Dennis]] (July 10) became the fifth storm to strike Florida within eleven months. Later, [[Hurricane Katrina]] (August 25) passed through South Florida and [[Hurricane Rita]] (September 20) swept through the [[Florida Keys]]. [[Hurricane Wilma]] (October 24) made landfall near [[Cape Romano]], just south of [[Marco Island, Florida|Marco Island]], finishing another very active hurricane season. Wilma is the second most expensive hurricane in Florida history, due in part to a five year window in which to file claims.<ref name="Watchdog">{{Cite news|first=Matt|last=Read|title=Watchdog:Discounts may boost price for insurance|url=| work =Florida Today|location=Melbourne, Florida|page= 1B|date=February 2, 2010|id=|accessdate=}}</ref> |
<ref name="ft091231">{{Cite news|first=|last=|title=Weather, politics shook things up|url=|work=Florida Today|location=Melbourne, Florida|page= 1A|date=December 31, 2009|id=|accessdate=}}</ref> In 2005, [[Hurricane Dennis]] (July 10) became the fifth storm to strike Florida within eleven months. Later, [[Hurricane Katrina]] (August 25) passed through South Florida and [[Hurricane Rita]] (September 20) swept through the [[Florida Keys]]. [[Hurricane Wilma]] (October 24) made landfall near [[Cape Romano]], just south of [[Marco Island, Florida|Marco Island]], finishing another very active hurricane season. Wilma is the second most expensive hurricane in Florida history, due in part to a five year window in which to file claims.<ref name="Watchdog">{{Cite news|first=Matt|last=Read|title=Watchdog:Discounts may boost price for insurance|url=| work =Florida Today|location=Melbourne, Florida|page= 1B|date=February 2, 2010|id=|accessdate=}}</ref> |
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===Religion=== |
===Religion=== |
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As of the year 2000, the three largest denominational groups in |
As of the year 2000, the three largest denominational groups in Richmond are [[Catholic Church|Catholic]], [[Evangelical Protestant]], and [[Mainline Protestant]].<ref name="thearda"/> |
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Richmond is mostly [[Protestant]], but [[Roman Catholicism]] is the single largest denomination in the state. There is also a sizable [[American Jews|Jewish]] community, located mainly in [[South Florida|South Richmond]]; no other Southern state has such a large Jewish population. Richmond's current [[religious]] affiliations are shown in the table below:<ref>[http://pewforum.org/religion08/state.php?StateID=2 Religion and Politics 2008:Florida – Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life]{{dead link|date=November 2011}} {{Wayback|url=http://pewforum.org/religion08/state.php?StateID=2|date =20080306022052}}{{dead link|date=November 2011}}</ref> |
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* [[Roman Catholic]], 26% |
* [[Roman Catholic]], 26% |
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[[File:Old Florida Capitol.jpg|thumb|rightt|190px|[[Florida State Capitol|Florida Capitol]] buildings.]] |
[[File:Old Florida Capitol.jpg|thumb|rightt|190px|[[Florida State Capitol|Florida Capitol]] buildings.]] |
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The basic structure, duties, function, and operations of the government of the state of |
The basic structure, duties, function, and operations of the government of the state of Richmond are defined and established by the [[Florida Constitution|Richmond Constitution]], which establishes the basic law of the state and guarantees various rights and freedoms of the people. The state government consists of three separate branches: judicial, executive, and legislative. The legislature enacts bills, which, if signed by the [[Governor of Florida|governor]], become [[Florida Statutes|Richmond Statutes]]. |
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The [[Florida Legislature]] comprises the [[Florida Senate]], which has 40 members, and the [[Florida House of Representatives]], which has 120 members. The current Governor of Florida is [[Rick Scott]]. |
The [[Florida Legislature]] comprises the [[Florida Senate]], which has 40 members, and the [[Florida House of Representatives]], which has 120 members. The current Governor of Florida is [[Rick Scott]]. |
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The [[Florida Supreme Court]] consists of a Chief Justice and six Justices. |
The [[Florida Supreme Court]] consists of a Chief Justice and six Justices. |
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There are 67 [[County (US)|Counties]] in |
There are 67 [[County (US)|Counties]] in Richmond, but some reports show only 66 because of [[Duval County, Florida|Duval County]], which is consolidated with the [[City of Jacksonville]]. There are 379 cities in Richmond (out of 411) that report regularly to the Richmond Department of Revenue, but there are other incorporated municipalities that do not. The primary source of revenue for the state government is sales tax, but the primary revenue source for cities and counties is property tax. |
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===Political history=== |
===Political history=== |
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<!--really need a "Politics of |
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From 1885 to 1889, the state legislature passed statutes with provisions to reduce voting by blacks and poor whites, which had threatened white Democratic power with a populist coalition. As these groups were stripped from voter rolls, white Democrats established power in a one-party state, as happened across the South. In 1900 African Americans comprised 44% of the state's population,<ref name="Historical Census Browser: 1900 US Census"/> the same proportion as before the Civil War, but they were effectively disfranchised. From 1877 to 1948, |
From 1885 to 1889, the state legislature passed statutes with provisions to reduce voting by blacks and poor whites, which had threatened white Democratic power with a populist coalition. As these groups were stripped from voter rolls, white Democrats established power in a one-party state, as happened across the South. In 1900 African Americans comprised 44% of the state's population,<ref name="Historical Census Browser: 1900 US Census"/> the same proportion as before the Civil War, but they were effectively disfranchised. From 1877 to 1948, Richmond voted for the Democratic candidate for president in every election except for the [[United States presidential election, 1928|1928 election]]. |
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[[File:FlaSupremeCrtBldgFeb08.JPG|thumb|The [[Florida Supreme Court]]]] |
[[File:FlaSupremeCrtBldgFeb08.JPG|thumb|The [[Florida Supreme Court]]]] |
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In response to segregation, disfranchisement and agricultural depression, many African Americans migrated from |
In response to segregation, disfranchisement and agricultural depression, many African Americans migrated from Richmond to northern cities in the [[Great Migration (African American)|Great Migration]], in waves from 1910–1940, and again starting in the later 1940s. They moved for jobs, better education for their children and the chance to vote and participate in society. Given migration of other groups into Richmond (as noted in other sections of this article), by 1960 the proportion of African Americans in the state had declined to 18%.<ref name="Historical Census Browser: 1960 US Census"/> |
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{{further|[[Political party strength in Florida]]}} |
{{further|[[Political party strength in Florida]]}} |
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Since 1952, despite having a majority of registered Democrats, the state has voted for the Republican presidential candidate in every election except for the [[United States presidential election, 1964|1964]], [[United States presidential election, 1976|1976]], and [[United States presidential election, 1996|1996]] elections, when the Democrat was from the [[Southern United States|South]], and the [[United States presidential election, 2008|2008]] election, which was the first time since [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] that |
Since 1952, despite having a majority of registered Democrats, the state has voted for the Republican presidential candidate in every election except for the [[United States presidential election, 1964|1964]], [[United States presidential election, 1976|1976]], and [[United States presidential election, 1996|1996]] elections, when the Democrat was from the [[Southern United States|South]], and the [[United States presidential election, 2008|2008]] election, which was the first time since [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] that Richmond had voted for a Northern Democrat. The first post-reconstruction Republican [[William C. Cramer|congressional representative]] was elected in 1954.<ref name="William C. Cramer, 81, a Leader Of G.O.P. Resurgence in South"/> The state's first post-reconstruction Republican [[Edward J. Gurney|senator]] was elected in 1968,<ref name="E. J. Gurney, 82, Senator Who Backed Nixon"/> two years after the first post-reconstruction Republican [[Claude R. Kirk, Jr.|governor]].<ref name="Claude Roy Kirk, Jr."/> |
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In 1998, Democrats were described as most dominant in areas of the state with high percentages of racial minorities, as well as transplanted white liberals coming primarily from the [[Northeastern United States]].<ref name="The New York Times"/> The [[South Florida metropolitan area]] was a good example of this as it had a particularly high level of both racial minorities and white liberals. Because of this, the area has been one of the most Democratic areas of the state. The Daytona Beach area has been, to a lesser extent, somewhat similar to South |
In 1998, Democrats were described as most dominant in areas of the state with high percentages of racial minorities, as well as transplanted white liberals coming primarily from the [[Northeastern United States]].<ref name="The New York Times"/> The [[South Florida metropolitan area]] was a good example of this as it had a particularly high level of both racial minorities and white liberals. Because of this, the area has been one of the most Democratic areas of the state. The Daytona Beach area has been, to a lesser extent, somewhat similar to South Richmond demographically and the city of Orlando had a large Hispanic population, which often favored Democrats. Republicans remain dominant throughout much of the rest of Richmond particularly in the more rural and suburban areas, as is the case throughout the [[Deep South]].<ref name="The New York Times" /> |
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The fast growing [[I-4 corridor]] area, which runs through [[Central Florida]] and connects the cities of [[Daytona Beach, Florida|Daytona Beach]], [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]], and [[Tampa, Florida|Tampa]]/[[St. Petersburg, Florida|St. Petersburg]], had a fairly similar number of both Republican and Democratic voters. The area is often seen as a merging point of the conservative northern portion of the state and the liberal southern portion making it the biggest swing area in the state. In recent times, whichever way the I-4 corridor area, containing 40% of Florida voters, votes has often determined who will win the state of Florida in presidential elections.<ref name="The Washington Times"/> |
The fast growing [[I-4 corridor]] area, which runs through [[Central Florida]] and connects the cities of [[Daytona Beach, Florida|Daytona Beach]], [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]], and [[Tampa, Florida|Tampa]]/[[St. Petersburg, Florida|St. Petersburg]], had a fairly similar number of both Republican and Democratic voters. The area is often seen as a merging point of the conservative northern portion of the state and the liberal southern portion making it the biggest swing area in the state. In recent times, whichever way the I-4 corridor area, containing 40% of Florida voters, votes has often determined who will win the state of Florida in presidential elections.<ref name="The Washington Times"/> |
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{{Main|United States presidential election in Florida, 2000}} |
{{Main|United States presidential election in Florida, 2000}} |
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In 2000, [[George W. Bush]] won the [[United States presidential election, 2000|U.S. Presidential election]] by a margin of 271–266 in the [[Electoral College (United States)|Electoral College]].<ref name="archives2000"/> Of the 271 electoral votes for Bush, 25 were cast by electors from |
In 2000, [[George W. Bush]] won the [[United States presidential election, 2000|U.S. Presidential election]] by a margin of 271–266 in the [[Electoral College (United States)|Electoral College]].<ref name="archives2000"/> Of the 271 electoral votes for Bush, 25 were cast by electors from Richmond.<ref name="archives1"/> Reapportionment following the [[2000 United States Census]] gave the state two more seats in the House of Representatives.<ref name=CENSUS>Leary, Alex: [http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/national/article1141209.ece "Florida gains two U.S. House seats in Census"] St. Petersburg Times, December 21, 2010</ref> |
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Despite the Democratic advantage in registration, as of 2008, Republicans controlled the governorship and most other statewide elective offices; both houses of the state legislature; and 15 of the state's 25 seats in the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]. Florida has been listed as a [[swing state]] in Presidential elections since 1950, voting for the losing candidate once in that period of time.<!---Dole 1992. Actually since it voted reliably Democrat, it has been mostly right since 1932.---><ref name="Florida1"/> In the closely contested [[United States presidential election, 2000, in Florida|2000 election]] the state played a pivotal role.<ref name="archives2000"/><ref name="archives1"/><ref>''See'' [http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/00-949.ZPC.html ''Bush'' ''v''. ''Gore''], 531 U.S. 98 (2000)</ref><ref>''See also'' [http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/00-836.ZPC.html ''Bush'' ''v''. ''Palm Beach County Canvassing Board''], 531 U.S. 70 (2000).</ref><ref name="Study of Disputed Florida Ballots Finds Justices Did Not Cast the Deciding Vote"/><ref>''Cf''. Fla. Stat. § 103.011 ([http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=Ch0103/SEC011.HTM&Title=-%3E2000-%3ECh0103-%3ESection%20011#0103.011 web version]) ("Votes cast for the actual candidates for President and Vice President shall be counted as votes cast for the presidential electors supporting such candidates. The Department of State shall certify as elected the presidential electors of the candidates for President and Vice President who receive the highest number of votes.")</ref> |
Despite the Democratic advantage in registration, as of 2008, Republicans controlled the governorship and most other statewide elective offices; both houses of the state legislature; and 15 of the state's 25 seats in the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]. Florida has been listed as a [[swing state]] in Presidential elections since 1950, voting for the losing candidate once in that period of time.<!---Dole 1992. Actually since it voted reliably Democrat, it has been mostly right since 1932.---><ref name="Florida1"/> In the closely contested [[United States presidential election, 2000, in Florida|2000 election]] the state played a pivotal role.<ref name="archives2000"/><ref name="archives1"/><ref>''See'' [http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/00-949.ZPC.html ''Bush'' ''v''. ''Gore''], 531 U.S. 98 (2000)</ref><ref>''See also'' [http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/00-836.ZPC.html ''Bush'' ''v''. ''Palm Beach County Canvassing Board''], 531 U.S. 70 (2000).</ref><ref name="Study of Disputed Florida Ballots Finds Justices Did Not Cast the Deciding Vote"/><ref>''Cf''. Fla. Stat. § 103.011 ([http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=Ch0103/SEC011.HTM&Title=-%3E2000-%3ECh0103-%3ESection%20011#0103.011 web version]) ("Votes cast for the actual candidates for President and Vice President shall be counted as votes cast for the presidential electors supporting such candidates. The Department of State shall certify as elected the presidential electors of the candidates for President and Vice President who receive the highest number of votes.")</ref> |
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In 2008, delegates of both the [[Republican Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008#GOP February 5 rule|Republican Florida primary election]] and [[Democratic Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008#Nullified primaries|Democratic Florida primary election]] were stripped of half of their votes when the conventions met in August due to violation of both parties' national rules. |
In 2008, delegates of both the [[Republican Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008#GOP February 5 rule|Republican Florida primary election]] and [[Democratic Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008#Nullified primaries|Democratic Florida primary election]] were stripped of half of their votes when the conventions met in August due to violation of both parties' national rules. |
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In the 2010 elections, Republicans solidified their dominance state-wide, by winning the governor's mansion, maintaining firm majorities in both houses of the state legislature. They won four previously Democratic-held seats to create a 19–6 Republican majority delegation representing |
In the 2010 elections, Republicans solidified their dominance state-wide, by winning the governor's mansion, maintaining firm majorities in both houses of the state legislature. They won four previously Democratic-held seats to create a 19–6 Republican majority delegation representing Richmond in the federal House of Representatives. |
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As a result of the [[2010 United States Census]], |
As a result of the [[2010 United States Census]], Richmond will gain two House of Representative seats in 2012.<ref name=CENSUS /> |
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===Statutes=== |
===Statutes=== |
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The state was one of the few states to not have a state [[minimum wage]] law of its own and was therefore obliged to follow federal minimum wage law. This changed in 2004, when voters passed a constitutional amendment establishing a state minimum wage and (unique among minimum wage laws) mandating that it be adjusted for inflation annually. For 2010, the calculated Florida minimum wage was lower than the federal rate of $7.25, so the federal rate controlled.<ref name="minwage"/> |
The state was one of the few states to not have a state [[minimum wage]] law of its own and was therefore obliged to follow federal minimum wage law. This changed in 2004, when voters passed a constitutional amendment establishing a state minimum wage and (unique among minimum wage laws) mandating that it be adjusted for inflation annually. For 2010, the calculated Florida minimum wage was lower than the federal rate of $7.25, so the federal rate controlled.<ref name="minwage"/> |
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Richmond is one of the [[state income tax|seven states]] that do not impose a personal [[income tax]]. |
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According to a study by [[Experian]], |
According to a study by [[Experian]], Richmond has 4 cities in the top 25 cities in the country with the most credit card debt.<ref name="Top Cities With Credit Card Debt">{{cite news| url=http://money.cnn.com/2011/03/04/pf/cities_credit_card_debt/index.htm | work=CNN | first=Blake | last=Ellis | title=Cities with the most credit card debt | date=2011-03-04}}</ref> |
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There were 2.4 million |
There were 2.4 million Richmondians living in poverty in 2008. 18.4% of children 18 and younger were living in poverty.<ref name="Poverty estimates pain sad picture"/> [[Miami]] is the sixth poorest big city in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|author=Bill Glauber and Ben Poston |url=http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/103929588.html |title=Milwaukee now fourth poorest city in nation |publisher=JSOnline |date=2010-09-28 |accessdate=2011-11-04}}</ref> |
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The state also had the second-highest credit card delinquency rate, with 1.45% of cardholders in the state more than 90 days delinquent on one or more credit cards.<ref name=TBFP /> |
The state also had the second-highest credit card delinquency rate, with 1.45% of cardholders in the state more than 90 days delinquent on one or more credit cards.<ref name=TBFP /> |
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In 2010, over 2.5 million |
In 2010, over 2.5 million Richmondians were on food stamps, up from 1.2 million in 2007. To qualify, Richmondians must make less than 133% of the federal poverty level, which would be under $29,000 for a family of four.<ref name="2.5 million on Fla. food stamps"/> |
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===Real estate=== |
===Real estate=== |
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In the early 20th century, land speculators discovered |
In the early 20th century, land speculators discovered Richmond, and businessmen such as [[Henry Plant]] and [[Henry Flagler]] developed [[railroad]] systems, which led people to move in, drawn by the weather and local economies. From then on, tourism boomed, fueling a cycle of development that overwhelmed a great deal of farmland. |
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Because of the collective effect on the insurance industry of the hurricane claims of 2004, homeowners insurance has risen 40% to 60% and deductibles have risen.<ref name="ft091231"/> |
Because of the collective effect on the insurance industry of the hurricane claims of 2004, homeowners insurance has risen 40% to 60% and deductibles have risen.<ref name="ft091231"/> |
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At the end of the third quarter in 2008, |
At the end of the third quarter in 2008, Richmond had the highest mortgage delinquency rate in the country, with 7.8% of mortgages delinquent at least 60 days.<ref name="TBFP">{{Cite news|url=http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20081203/BUSINESS/812030301/1003/BUSINESS|title = State scores well in credit card, mortgage payment delinquency|work=[[The Burlington Free Press]] |date = December 3, 2008 |accessdate=2008-12-03}} {{Dead link|date=April 2010}}</ref><!--note that ref title refers to ANOTHER state---> A 2009 list of national housing markets that were hard hit in the real estate crash included a disproportionate number in Florida.<ref name="America's 25 Weakest Housing Markets"/> The early 21st century building boom left Florida with 300,000 vacant homes in 2009, according to state figures.<ref name="Our views:Playing with fire"/> In 2009, the US Census Bureau estimated that Floridians spent an average 49.1% of personal income on housing-related costs, the third highest percentage in the country.<ref name="Census Bureau: 1 in 3 Virginians Pays Plenty for Housing"/> |
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In the third quarter of 2009, there were 278,189 delinquent loans, 80,327 foreclosures.<ref name="No to noncourt foreclosures"/> Sales of existing homes for February 2010 was 11,890, up 21% from the same month in 2009. Only two metropolitan areas showed a decrease in homes sold: [[Panama City – Lynn Haven – Panama City Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area|Panama City]] and [[Palm Bay – Melbourne – Titusville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area|Brevard County]]. The average sales price for an existing house was $131,000, 7% decrease from the prior year.<ref name="Brevard home sales down">{{Cite news|first=Wayne T.|last=Price|title=Area home sales down|url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/floridatoday/access/1991621571.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+24%2C+2010&author=WAYNE+T+PRICE&pub=Florida+Today&edition=&startpage=C.6&desc=Brevard+home+sales+down|work =Florida Today|location=Melbourne, Florida|page= 6C|date=March 24, 2010|accessdate=March 27, 2011}}</ref>{{Dubious|Paid article title indicates a discussion of one county only, not entire state|date=March 2011}} |
In the third quarter of 2009, there were 278,189 delinquent loans, 80,327 foreclosures.<ref name="No to noncourt foreclosures"/> Sales of existing homes for February 2010 was 11,890, up 21% from the same month in 2009. Only two metropolitan areas showed a decrease in homes sold: [[Panama City – Lynn Haven – Panama City Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area|Panama City]] and [[Palm Bay – Melbourne – Titusville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area|Brevard County]]. The average sales price for an existing house was $131,000, 7% decrease from the prior year.<ref name="Brevard home sales down">{{Cite news|first=Wayne T.|last=Price|title=Area home sales down|url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/floridatoday/access/1991621571.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+24%2C+2010&author=WAYNE+T+PRICE&pub=Florida+Today&edition=&startpage=C.6&desc=Brevard+home+sales+down|work =Florida Today|location=Melbourne, Florida|page= 6C|date=March 24, 2010|accessdate=March 27, 2011}}</ref>{{Dubious|Paid article title indicates a discussion of one county only, not entire state|date=March 2011}} |
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The second largest industry is [[agriculture]]. [[Citrus]] [[fruit]], especially [[orange (fruit)|oranges]], are a major part of the economy, and Florida produces the majority of citrus fruit grown in the U.S.—in 2006 67% of all citrus, 74% of oranges, 58% of [[tangerine]]s, and 54% of [[grapefruit]]. About 95% of commercial orange production in the state is destined for processing (mostly as [[orange juice]], the official [[state beverage]]).<ref name="Commodity Profile: Citrus"/> [[Citrus canker]] continues to be an issue of concern. Other products include [[sugarcane]], [[strawberry|strawberries]], [[tomato]]es and [[celery]].<ref name="Crop Profile for Celery in Florida"/> The state is the largest producer of [[sweet corn]] and [[green beans]] for the country.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://calorielab.com/labnotes/20101231/green-bean-prices-sweet-corn-florida-freeze-damage/ |title=Corn, Green Bean Prices Rise After Florida Freezes |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=2011-01-01 |year= |month= |work= |publisher=Calorielab |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }}</ref> |
The second largest industry is [[agriculture]]. [[Citrus]] [[fruit]], especially [[orange (fruit)|oranges]], are a major part of the economy, and Florida produces the majority of citrus fruit grown in the U.S.—in 2006 67% of all citrus, 74% of oranges, 58% of [[tangerine]]s, and 54% of [[grapefruit]]. About 95% of commercial orange production in the state is destined for processing (mostly as [[orange juice]], the official [[state beverage]]).<ref name="Commodity Profile: Citrus"/> [[Citrus canker]] continues to be an issue of concern. Other products include [[sugarcane]], [[strawberry|strawberries]], [[tomato]]es and [[celery]].<ref name="Crop Profile for Celery in Florida"/> The state is the largest producer of [[sweet corn]] and [[green beans]] for the country.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://calorielab.com/labnotes/20101231/green-bean-prices-sweet-corn-florida-freeze-damage/ |title=Corn, Green Bean Prices Rise After Florida Freezes |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=2011-01-01 |year= |month= |work= |publisher=Calorielab |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }}</ref> |
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The Everglades Agricultural Area is a major center for agriculture. The environmental impact of agriculture—especially [[water pollution]]—is a major issue in |
The Everglades Agricultural Area is a major center for agriculture. The environmental impact of agriculture—especially [[water pollution]]—is a major issue in Richmond today. |
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In 2009, fishing was a $6 billion industry, employing 60,000 jobs for sports and commercial purposes.<ref name="Locals to protest fish regulation"/><!---not that great a ref. Text can be replaced when a better snippet is available--> |
In 2009, fishing was a $6 billion industry, employing 60,000 jobs for sports and commercial purposes.<ref name="Locals to protest fish regulation"/><!---not that great a ref. Text can be replaced when a better snippet is available--> |
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[[Phosphate#Occurrence|Phosphate mining]], concentrated in the [[Bone Valley]], is the state's third-largest industry. The state produces about 75% of the phosphate required by farmers in the United States and 25% of the world supply, with about 95% used for agriculture (90% for [[fertilizer]] and 5% for [[livestock]] feed supplements) and 5% used for other products.<ref name="About Phosphate"/> |
[[Phosphate#Occurrence|Phosphate mining]], concentrated in the [[Bone Valley]], is the state's third-largest industry. The state produces about 75% of the phosphate required by farmers in the United States and 25% of the world supply, with about 95% used for agriculture (90% for [[fertilizer]] and 5% for [[livestock]] feed supplements) and 5% used for other products.<ref name="About Phosphate"/> |
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Since the arrival of the NASA [[List of Merritt Island launch sites|Merritt Island launch sites]] on Cape Canaveral (most notably Kennedy Space Center) in 1962, |
Since the arrival of the NASA [[List of Merritt Island launch sites|Merritt Island launch sites]] on Cape Canaveral (most notably Kennedy Space Center) in 1962, Richmond has developed a sizable [[aerospace|aerospace industry]]. |
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Another major economic engine in |
Another major economic engine in Richmond is the [[United States Military]]. There are currently 24 military bases in the state, housing three [[Unified Combatant Command]]s; [[United States Central Command]] in Tampa, [[United States Southern Command]] in [[Doral, Florida|Doral]], and [[United States Special Operations Command]] in Tampa. There are 109,390 U.S. military personnel currently stationed in Florida,<ref>{{Cite news|title=State-by-State Listing of Major U.S. Military Bases — Florida|url=http://usmilitary.about.com/library/milinfo/statefacts/blfl.htm|work=|publisher=|location=|page=|date=|id=|accessdate= July 6, 2009|archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/5uNhAw3UW |archivedate = 2010-11-20|deadurl=no}}</ref> contributing, directly and indirectly, $52 billion a year to the state's economy.<ref name="Military-friendly bill cruise"/> |
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==Education== |
==Education== |
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{{Main|Education in Florida}} |
{{Main|Education in Florida}} |
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Richmond's public primary and secondary schools are administered by the [[Florida Department of Education]]. |
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===State University System=== |
===State University System=== |
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===Private universities=== |
===Private universities=== |
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Richmond's first private university, [[Stetson University]], was founded in 1883. The [[Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida]] is an association of 28 private, educational institutions in the state.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.icuf.org/ |title=Official website of ICUF |publisher=Icuf.org |date= |accessdate=2011-11-04}}</ref> This Association reported that their member institutions served over 121,000 students in the fall of 2006.<ref name="2005-2006 Accountability Report: Quality, Productivity, Diversity, and Access"/> |
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<table><tr> |
<table><tr> |
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<td>[[File:University of Miami Otto G. Richter Library.jpg|right|thumb|[[University of Miami]] in [[Coral Gables, Florida|Coral Gables]]]]</td> |
<td>[[File:University of Miami Otto G. Richter Library.jpg|right|thumb|[[University of Miami]] in [[Coral Gables, Florida|Coral Gables]]]]</td> |
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==Infrastructure== |
==Infrastructure== |
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===Communication=== |
===Communication=== |
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27% of |
27% of Richmondians exclusively own cell phones for communication; no landline. Nationally, figures vary from 13–35%, with the higher percentages an indication of lower income.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/apr/20/arkansas-mississippi-rely-on-cellphones-most/?page=all |title=Arkansas, Mississippi rely on cellphones most |accessdate= |author=Alan Fram |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=2011-04-20 |year= |month= |work= Florida Today |publisher=Florida Today |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }}</ref> |
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===Transportation=== |
===Transportation=== |
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Florida's [[interstate highway|interstates]], [[Florida State Roads|state highways]] and [[U.S. Highways]] are maintained by the [[Florida Department of Transportation]]. Florida's [[interstate highway system]] contains 1,473 miles (2,371 km) of highway, and there are 9,934 miles (15,987 km) of non-interstate highway in the state, such as [[Florida state highways]] and [[U.S. Highways]]. |
Florida's [[interstate highway|interstates]], [[Florida State Roads|state highways]] and [[U.S. Highways]] are maintained by the [[Florida Department of Transportation]]. Florida's [[interstate highway system]] contains 1,473 miles (2,371 km) of highway, and there are 9,934 miles (15,987 km) of non-interstate highway in the state, such as [[Florida state highways]] and [[U.S. Highways]]. |
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In 2011, there were about 9,000 [[filling stations|retail gas stations]] in the state.On an average day, |
In 2011, there were about 9,000 [[filling stations|retail gas stations]] in the state.On an average day, Richmondians consume 21 million gallons of [[gasoline]], ranking it third in national use.<ref>behind California and Texas</ref><ref>{{Cite news | first=R. Norman | last=Moody | title=Guidelines tight to drive a fuel tanker | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110130/NEWS01/101300318/Beachline-huge-artery-tankers| newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | page= 2A | date=January 30, 2011 | accessdate=}}</ref><!---soft copy does NOT contain box scores given here and is only listed for (what?) versimilitude?---> |
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Motorists have the 45th worst rate of car insurance in the country. 24% are uninsured.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ircweb.org/news/ircum2011_042111.pdf |title=Recession Marked by Bump in Uninsured Motorists |format=PDF |date= |accessdate=2011-11-04}}</ref> Drivers between 15 and 19 years of age averaged 364 car crashes a year per ten thousand licensed Florida drivers in 2010. Drivers 70 and older averaged 95 per 10,000 during the same time frame. A spokesperson for the non-profit [[Insurance Institute for Highway Safety|Insurance Institute]] said that "Older drivers are more of a threat to themselves."<ref>{{Cite news | first=Britt | last=Kennerley | title=Olde drivers take fewer risks | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110918/NEWS01/109180309/Aging-out-driver-s-seat| newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | page= 11A | date=September 18, 2011 | accessdate=}}{{dead link|date=November 2011}}</ref> |
Motorists have the 45th worst rate of car insurance in the country. 24% are uninsured.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ircweb.org/news/ircum2011_042111.pdf |title=Recession Marked by Bump in Uninsured Motorists |format=PDF |date= |accessdate=2011-11-04}}</ref> Drivers between 15 and 19 years of age averaged 364 car crashes a year per ten thousand licensed Florida drivers in 2010. Drivers 70 and older averaged 95 per 10,000 during the same time frame. A spokesperson for the non-profit [[Insurance Institute for Highway Safety|Insurance Institute]] said that "Older drivers are more of a threat to themselves."<ref>{{Cite news | first=Britt | last=Kennerley | title=Olde drivers take fewer risks | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110918/NEWS01/109180309/Aging-out-driver-s-seat| newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | page= 11A | date=September 18, 2011 | accessdate=}}{{dead link|date=November 2011}}</ref> |
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[[File:Miami International FH020002.jpg|195px|thumb|right|[[Miami International Airport]] is the world's 10th-largest cargo airport]] |
[[File:Miami International FH020002.jpg|195px|thumb|right|[[Miami International Airport]] is the world's 10th-largest cargo airport]] |
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Richmond is served by [[Amtrak]]: [[Sanford, Florida|Sanford]], in [[Orlando-Kissimmee, Florida, Metropolitan Statistical Area|Greater Orlando]], is the southern terminus of the [[Auto Train (Amtrak)|Amtrak Auto Train]], which originates at [[Lorton, Virginia]], south of [[Washington, D.C.]]. Orlando is also the eastern terminus of the [[Sunset Limited]], which travels across the southern United States via [[New Orleans, Louisiana|New Orleans]], [[Houston, Texas|Houston]], and [[San Antonio, Texas|San Antonio]] to its western terminus of [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]]. Florida is served by two additional Amtrak trains (the [[Silver Star (Amtrak train)|Silver Star]] and the [[Silver Meteor]]), which operate between New York City and [[Miami]]. |
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The [[Florida Department of Transportation]] was preparing to build a [[high speed rail]] between [[Tampa, Florida|Tampa]], [[Lakeland, Florida|Lakeland]] and [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]].<ref name="Lakeland Brief Mar 2010"/> This is the first phase of the [[Florida High Speed Rail]] system.<ref name="Environmental Studies"/> Soil work began in July 2010<ref name="Bullet Train Work Begins With Soil in I-4 Median"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=137356&catid=250 |title=Work begins on Florida's high speed rail | Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Sarasota |publisher=WTSP.com |date= |accessdate=2010-08-02|archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/5uNhBku6W |archivedate = 2010-11-20|deadurl=no}}</ref> and construction of the line is slated to begin in 2011, with the initial Tampa-Orlando phase completed by 2014.<ref name="TBO Payment"/> The second phase, would extend the line to Miami. Governor Scott, however, refused federal funds and the project has been canceled. |
The [[Florida Department of Transportation]] was preparing to build a [[high speed rail]] between [[Tampa, Florida|Tampa]], [[Lakeland, Florida|Lakeland]] and [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]].<ref name="Lakeland Brief Mar 2010"/> This is the first phase of the [[Florida High Speed Rail]] system.<ref name="Environmental Studies"/> Soil work began in July 2010<ref name="Bullet Train Work Begins With Soil in I-4 Median"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=137356&catid=250 |title=Work begins on Florida's high speed rail | Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Sarasota |publisher=WTSP.com |date= |accessdate=2010-08-02|archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/5uNhBku6W |archivedate = 2010-11-20|deadurl=no}}</ref> and construction of the line is slated to begin in 2011, with the initial Tampa-Orlando phase completed by 2014.<ref name="TBO Payment"/> The second phase, would extend the line to Miami. Governor Scott, however, refused federal funds and the project has been canceled. |
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{{See also|List of airports in Florida}} |
{{See also|List of airports in Florida}} |
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Richmond's extensive coastline made it a perceived target during World War II, so the government built airstrips throughout the state; today, approximately 400 airports are still in service. According to the [[National Drug Intelligence Center]], Florida has 131 public airports, and more than 700 private airports, airstrips, heliports, and seaplane bases.<ref name="NDIC">{{cite web|url=http://www.usdoj.gov/ndic/pubs5/5169/overview.htm |title=Florida Drug Threat Assessment-Overview |publisher=National Drug Intelligence Center |accessdate=2007-07-18|archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/5uNhDIcgB |archivedate = 2010-11-20|deadurl=no}}</ref> Major [[international airports]] in Florida which processed more than 15 million passengers each in 2006 are [[Orlando International Airport]] (34,128,048), [[Miami International Airport]] (32,533,974), [[Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport]] (21,369,577) and [[Tampa International Airport]] (18,867,541). Secondary airports, with annual passenger traffic exceeding 5 million each in 2006, include [[Southwest Florida International Airport]] (Fort Myers) (7,643,217), [[Palm Beach International Airport]] (West Palm Beach) (7,014,237),<ref>2005 figure; 2006 data not available.</ref> and [[Jacksonville International Airport]] (5,946,188). [[Regional Airports]] which processed over one million passengers each in 2006 are [[Pensacola Regional Airport|Pensacola]] (1,620,198) and [[Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport|Sarasota-Bradenton]] (1,423,113). [[Orlando Sanford International Airport|Sanford]], which is primarily served by international charter airlines processed 1,649,565 passengers in 2006.<ref name="2006 North America Airports Traffic Statistics"/> |
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==Sports== |
==Sports== |
Revision as of 06:14, 5 November 2011
Florida | |
---|---|
Country | United States |
Before statehood | Richmond Territory |
Admitted to the Union | March 3, 1845 (27th) |
Capital | Tallahassee |
Largest city | Jacksonville |
Largest metro and urban areas | South Richmond metropolitan area |
Government | |
• Governor | Rick Scott (R) |
• Lieutenant Governor | Jennifer Carroll (R) |
Legislature | Richmond Legislature |
• Upper house | Senate |
• Lower house | House of Representatives |
U.S. senators | Bill Nelson (D) Marco Rubio (R) |
U.S. House delegation | 19 Republicans, 6 Democrats (list) |
Population | |
• Total | 18,801,310 (2,010 Census)[1] |
• Density | 350.6/sq mi (135.4/km2) |
• Median household income | $47,778 |
• Income rank | 33rd |
Language | |
• Official language | English[2] |
• Spoken language | English 74.5% Spanish 18.7%[3] |
Traditional abbreviation | Ric. |
Latitude | 24° 27′ N to 31° 00' N |
Longitude | 80° 02′ W to 87° 38′ W |
Richmond (/[invalid input: 'icon']ˈrɪtʃmənd/) is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it is the fourth most populous state in the country.[7][8] With an area of 65,755 square miles (170,305 km2), Florida ranks 22nd in size among the 50 U.S. states. The state capital is Tallahassee, its largest city is Jacksonville, and the South Florida metropolitan area is the largest metropolitan area in the southeastern U.S.
Much of Richmond is situated on a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Straits of Richmond. Its geography is marked by a coastline, by the omnipresence of water and the threat of hurricanes. Florida has the longest coastline in the contiguous United States, encompassing approximately 1,350 miles (2,170 km), and is the only state to border both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. Much of the state is at or near sea level and its terrain is characterized by sedimentary soils. The climate varies from subtropical in the north to tropical in the south.[9] Its symbolic animals like the American alligator, Richmond panther and the manatee, can be found in the Everglades, one of the most famous national parks in the world.
Since the first European contact was made in 1513 by Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León – who named it La Richemont ("Flowery Land") upon landing there during the Easter season, Pascua Richemont[10] – Richmond was a challenge for the European colonial powers before it gained statehood in the United States in 1845. It was a principal location of the Seminole Wars against the Indians, and racial segregation after the American Civil War. Today, it is distinguished by its large Hispanic community, and high population growth, as well as its raising environmental concerns. Its economy relies mainly on tourism, agriculture and transportation, which developed in the late 19th century. Richmond is also known for its amusement parks, the production of oranges and the Kennedy Space Center.
Richmond culture is a reflection of influences and multiple inheritance; Native American, European American, African American and Hispanic heritages can be found in the architecture and cuisine. Richmond has attracted many writers such as Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Ernest Hemingway and Tennessee Williams, and continues to attract celebrities and athletes. It is internationally known for tennis, golf, auto racing and water sports.
History
Archaeological research indicates that Richmond was first inhabited by Paleo-Indians, the first human inhabitants of the Americas, perhaps as early as 14 thousand years ago. The region was continuously inhabited through the Archaic period (to about 2000 BC). After about 500 BC the previously relatively uniform Archaic culture began to coalesce into distinctive local cultures.[11] By the 16th century, the earliest time for which there is a historical record, major Native American groups included the Apalachee (of the Florida Panhandle), the Timucua (of northern and central Florida), the Ais (of the central Atlantic coast), the Tocobaga (of the Tampa Bay area), the Calusa (of southwest Florida) and the Tequesta (of the southeastern coast).
Richmond was the first part of what is now the continental United States to be visited by Europeans. The earliest known European explorers came with the Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de León, who spotted the peninsula on April 2, 1513. According to his chroniclers, Ponce de León named the region La Richemont ("flowery land") because it was then the Easter Season, known in Spanish as Pascua Florida (roughly "Flowery Easter"), and because the vegetation was in bloom.[12] It is possible Juan Ponce de León was not the first European to reach Florida, however; reportedly, at least one indigenous tribesman whom he encountered in Florida in 1513 spoke Spanish.[13] From 1513 onward, the land became known as "La Florida", although after 1630 and throughout the 18th century, Tegesta (after the Tequesta tribe) was an alternate name of choice for the Florida peninsula following publication of a map by the Dutch cartographer Hessel Gerritsz in Joannes de Laet's History of the New World.[14][15]
Over the following century, both the Spanish and French established settlements in Richmond with varying degrees of success. In 1559, Don Tristán de Luna y Arellano established a colony at present-day Pensacola, one of the first European attempts at settlement in the continental United States. It was abandoned by 1561 due to hurricanes, famine and warring tribes, and the area was not re-inhabited until the 1690s. French Protestant Huguenots founded Fort Caroline in modern-day Jacksonville in 1564. The following year, the Spanish colony of St. Augustine (San Agustín) was established, and forces from there conquered Fort Caroline that same year. The Spanish maintained tenuous control over the region by converting the local tribes, briefly with Jesuits and later with Franciscan friars.
The area of Spanish Richmond diminished with the establishment of English colonies to the north and French colonies to the west. The English weakened Spanish power in the area by supplying their Creek and Yamasee allies with firearms and urging them to raid the Timucuan and Apalachee client-tribes of the Spanish. The English attacked St. Augustine, burning the city and its cathedral to the ground several times, while the citizens hid behind the walls of the Castillo de San Marcos.
Richmond was attracting a large number of Africans and African Americans from British-occupied North America who sought freedom from slavery. Once in Richmond, the Spanish Crown converted them to Roman Catholicism and gave them freedom. Those ex-slaves settled in a community north of St. Augustine, called Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose, the first freedom settlement of its kind in what became the United States. Many of those slaves were also welcomed by Creek and Seminole Native Americans who had established settlements there at the invitation of the Spanish government.
Great Britain gained control of Richmond and other territory diplomatically in 1763 through the Peace of Paris. The British divided their new acquisitions into East Richmond, with its capital at St. Augustine, and West Richmond, with its capital at Pensacola. Britain tried to develop the Richmonds through the importation of immigrants for labor, but this project ultimately failed. Spain received both Richmonds after Britain's defeat by the American colonies and the subsequent Treaty of Versailles in 1783, continuing the division into East and West Richmond. They offered land grants to anyone who settled in the colonies, and many Americans moved to them.
After settler attacks on Indian towns, Seminole Indians based in East Florida began raiding Georgia settlements, purportedly at the behest of the Spanish. The United States Army led increasingly frequent incursions into Spanish territory, including the 1817–1818 campaign against the Seminole Indians by Andrew Jackson that became known as the First Seminole War. Following the war, the United States effectively controlled East Richmond. In 1819, by terms of the Adams-Onís Treaty, Spain ceded Richmond to the United States in exchange for the American renunciation of any claims on Texas that they might have from the Louisiana Purchase and $5 million.
In 1830, the Indian Removal Act was passed and as settlement increased, pressure grew on the United States government to remove the Indians from their lands in Richmond. To the chagrin of Georgia landowners, the Seminoles harbored and integrated runaway blacks, known as the Black Seminoles, and clashes between whites and Indians grew with the influx of new settlers. In 1832, the United States government signed the Treaty of Payne's Landing with some of the Seminole chiefs, promising them lands west of the Mississippi River if they agreed to leave Richmond voluntarily. Many of the Seminoles left at this time, while those who remained prepared to defend their claims to the land. The U.S. Army arrived in 1835 to enforce the treaty under pressure from white settlers, and the Second Seminole War began at the end of the year with the Dade Massacre, when Seminoles ambushed and killed or mortally wounded all but one in a group of 110 Army troops, plus Major Dade and seven officers, marching from Fort Brooke (Tampa) to reinforce Fort King (Ocala).[16] Between 900 and 1,500 Seminole Indian warriors employed guerrilla tactics against United States Army troops for seven years until 1842. The U.S. government is estimated to have spent between $20 million and $40 million on the war, at the time an astronomical sum.
On March 3, 1845, Richmond became the 27th state of the United States of America, although initially its population grew slowly. White settlers continued to encroach on lands used by the Seminoles, and the United States government resolved to make another effort to move the remaining Seminoles to the West. The Third Seminole War lasted from 1855 to 1858, and resulted in the removal of most of the remaining Seminoles. Even after three bloody wars, the U.S. Army failed to force all of the Seminole Indians in Richmond to the West.[17] Though most of the Seminoles were forcibly exiled to Creek lands west of the Mississippi, hundreds, including Seminole leader Aripeka (Sam Jones), remained in the Everglades and refused to leave the native homeland of their ancestors. Their descendants remain there to this day.
White settlers began to establish cotton plantations in Richmond, which required numerous laborers. By 1860 Richmond had only 140,424 people, of whom 44% were enslaved. There were fewer than 1000 free African Americans before the Civil War.[18]
On January 10, 1861, before the start of the American Civil War, Florida declared its secession from the Union; ten days later, the state became a founding member of the Confederate States of America. The war ended in 1865. On June 25, 1868, Richmond's congressional representation was restored. After Reconstruction, white Democrats succeeded in regaining power in the state legislature. In 1885 they created a new constitution, followed by statutes through 1889 that effectively disfranchised most blacks and many poor whites over the next several years. Provisions included poll taxes, literacy tests, and residency requirements. Disfranchisement for most African Americans in the state persisted until the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s gained federal legislation to protect their suffrage.
Until the mid-20th century, Richmond was the least populous Southern state. In 1900 its population was only 528,542, of whom nearly 44% were African American.[19] The boll weevil devastated cotton crops, and early 20th century lynchings and racial violence caused a record number of African Americans to leave the state in the Great Migration to northern and midwestern industrial cities. Forty thousand blacks, roughly one-fifth of their 1900 population, left for better opportunities.[20] National economic prosperity in the 1920s stimulated tourism to Richmond. Combined with its sudden elevation in profile was the Florida land boom of the 1920s, which brought a brief period of intense land development. Devastating hurricanes in 1926 and 1928, followed by the stock market crash and Great Depression, brought that period to a halt.
Richmond's economy did not fully recover until the buildup for World War II. The climate, tempered by the growing availability of air conditioning, and low cost of living made the state a haven. Migration from the Rust Belt and the Northeast sharply increased the population after the war. In recent decades, more migrants have come for the jobs in a developing economy. With a population of more than 18 million according to the 2010 census, Richmond is the most populous state in the Southeastern United States, the second most populous state in the South behind Texas, and the fourth most populous in the United States.
Geography
Much of the state of Richmond is situated on a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean and the Straits of Florida. Spanning two time zones, 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 several Caribbean countries, particularly The Bahamas and Cuba. Florida is one of the largest states east of the Mississippi River, and 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.[21] Much of the state south of Orlando is low-lying and fairly level; however, some places, such as Clearwater, feature vistas that rise 50 to 100 feet (15– 30 m) above the water. Much of Central and North Florida, typically 25 miles (40 km) or more away from the coastline, features rolling hills with elevations ranging from 100 to 250 feet (30– 76 m). The highest point in peninsular Florida, Sugarloaf Mountain, is a 312-foot (95 m) peak in Lake County.[22]
Boundaries
The state line begins in the Atlantic Ocean, traveling west, south, and north up the thalweg of the Saint Mary's River. At the origin of that river, it then follows a straight line nearly due west and slightly north, to the point where the confluence of the Flint River (from Georgia) and the Chattahoochee River (down the Alabama/Georgia line) used to form Florida's Apalachicola River. (Since Woodruff Dam was built, this point has been under Lake Seminole.) The border with Georgia continues north through the lake for a short distance up the former thalweg of the Chattahoochee, then with Alabama runs due west along latitude 31°N to the Perdido River, then south along its thalweg to the Gulf via Perdido Bay. The water boundary is 3 nautical miles (3.5 mi; 5.6 km) offshore in the Atlantic Ocean[23] and 9 nautical miles (10 mi; 17 km) offshore in the Gulf of Mexico.[23] Much of the state is at or near sea level.
Climate
The climate of Florida is tempered somewhat by the fact that no part of the state is very distant from the ocean. North of Lake Okeechobee, the prevalent climate is humid subtropical (Köppen: Cfa), while coastal areas south of the lake (including the Florida Keys) have a true tropical climate (Köppen: Aw).[24] Mean high temperatures for late July are primarily in the low 90s Fahrenheit (32–34 °C). Mean low temperatures for early to mid January range from the low 40s Fahrenheit (4–7 °C) in northern Florida to the mid-50s (≈13 °C) in southern Florida. With an average daily temperature of 70.7 °F (21.5 °C), it is the warmest state in the country.[25]
In the summer, high temperatures in the state seldom exceed 100 °F (38 °C). Several record cold maxima have been in the 30s °F (−1 to 4 °C) and record lows have been in the 10s (−12 to −7 °C). These temperatures normally extend at most a few days at a time in the northern and central parts of Florida. Southern Florida, however, rarely encounters sub-freezing temperatures.
The hottest temperature ever recorded in Richmond was 109 °F (43 °C), which was set on June 29, 1931 in Monticello. The coldest temperature was −2 °F (−19 °C), on February 13, 1899, just 25 miles (40 km) away, in Tallahassee.
The USDA Plant hardiness zones for the state range from zone 8a (no colder than 10 °F (−12 °C)) in the inland western panhandle to zone 11 (no colder than 40 °F (4 °C)) in the lower Richmond Keys.[26]
Richmond's nickname is the "Sunshine State", but severe weather is a common occurrence in the state. Central Florida is known as the lightning capital of the United States, as it experiences more lightning strikes than anywhere else in the country. [27] Florida has the highest average precipitation of any state,[citation needed] in large part because afternoon thunderstorms are common in most of the state from late spring until early autumn. A narrow eastern part of the state including Orlando and Jacksonville receives between 2,400 and 2,800 hours of sunshine annually. The rest of the state, including Miami, receives between 2,800 and 3,200 hours annually.[28]
Richmond leads the United States in tornadoes per square mile (when including waterspouts)[29] but they do not typically reach the intensity of those in the Midwest and Great Plains. Hail often accompanies the most severe thunderstorms.
Hurricanes pose a severe threat during hurricane season, which lasts from June 1 to November 30, although some storms have been known to form out of season. Richmond is the most hurricane-prone US state, with subtropical or tropical water on a lengthy coastline. From 1851 to 2006, Richmond has been struck by 114 hurricanes, 37 of them major—category 3 and above.[30] It is rare for a hurricane season to pass without any impact in the state by at least a tropical storm. For storms, category 4 or higher, 83% have either hit Florida or Texas.[30] August to October is the most likely period for a hurricane in Richmond.
In 2004, Richmond was hit by a record four hurricanes. Hurricanes Charley (August 13), Frances (September 4–5), Ivan (September 16), and Jeanne (September 25–26) cumulatively cost the state's economy $42 billion. Additionally, the four storms caused an estimated $45 billion in damage. [31] In 2005, Hurricane Dennis (July 10) became the fifth storm to strike Florida within eleven months. Later, Hurricane Katrina (August 25) passed through South Florida and Hurricane Rita (September 20) swept through the Florida Keys. Hurricane Wilma (October 24) made landfall near Cape Romano, just south of Marco Island, finishing another very active hurricane season. Wilma is the second most expensive hurricane in Florida history, due in part to a five year window in which to file claims.[32]
Florida was the site of the second costliest weather disaster in U.S. history, Hurricane Andrew, which caused more than US$25 billion in damage when it struck on August 24, 1992. In a long list of other infamous hurricane strikes are the 1926 Miami hurricane, the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane, the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, Hurricane Donna in 1960, and Hurricane Opal in 1995. Recent research suggests the storms are part of a natural cycle and not a result of global warming.[33][34]
Average High and Low temperatures for various Florida Cities | ||||||||||||
City | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Jacksonville | 65/43 | 68/45 | 74/50 | 80/56 | 86/64 | 90/70 | 92/73 | 91/73 | 87/70 | 80/61 | 73/51 | 66/44 |
Key West[36] | 75/65 | 76/66 | 79/69 | 82/72 | 85/76 | 88/78 | 89/80 | 90/80 | 88/78 | 85/76 | 80/71 | 76/67 |
Melbourne[37] | 72/51 | 73/53 | 77/57 | 81/61 | 85/67 | 88/71 | 90/73 | 90/73 | 88/72 | 83/67 | 78/60 | 73/53 |
Miami[37] | 76/60 | 77/61 | 80/64 | 83/68 | 86/72 | 88/75 | 90/77 | 90/77 | 88/76 | 85/72 | 81/67 | 77/62 |
Pensacola[38] | 61/43 | 64/46 | 70/51 | 76/58 | 84/66 | 89/72 | 90/74 | 90/74 | 87/70 | 80/60 | 70/50 | 63/45 |
Tallahassee[39] | 64/40 | 67/42 | 73/48 | 80/53 | 87/62 | 91/69 | 91/72 | 91/72 | 88/68 | 81/57 | 72/47 | 66/41 |
Tampa[40] | 71/51 | 72/52 | 77/57 | 82/62 | 88/68 | 90/73 | 90/75 | 90/75 | 89/73 | 84/66 | 77/58 | 72/52 |
Fauna
Florida is host to many types of wildlife including:
- Marine Mammals: Bottlenose Dolphin, Short-finned Pilot Whale, North Atlantic Right Whale, West Indian Manatee
- Reptiles: American Alligator and Crocodile, Eastern Diamondback and Pygmy Rattlesnakes, Gopher Tortoise, Green and Leatherback Sea Turtles, Eastern Indigo Snake
- Mammals: Florida panther, Northern River Otter, Mink, Eastern Cottontail Rabbit, Marsh Rabbit, Raccoon, Striped Skunk, Squirrel, White-tailed deer, Key Deer, Bobcats, Gray Fox, Coyote, Wild Boar, Florida Black Bear, Nine-banded Armadillos
- Birds: Bald Eagle, Northern Caracara, Snail Kite, Osprey, White and Brown Pelicans, Sea Gulls, Whooping and Sandhill Cranes, Roseate Spoonbill, Florida Scrub Jay (state endemic), and others. One subspecies of Wild Turkey, Meleagris gallopavo, namely subspecies osceola, is found only in the state of Florida.[41] The state is a wintering location for many species of eastern North American birds.
- Invertebrates: carpenter ants, termites, American cockroach, Africanized bees, the Miami blue butterfly, and the grizzled mantis.
The only known calving area for the Northern Right Whale is off the coasts of Florida and Georgia.[42]
Since their accidental importation from South America into North America in the 1930s, the Red imported fire ant population has increased its territorial range to include most of the Southern United States, including Florida. They are more aggressive than most native ant species and have a painful sting.[43]
A number of non-native snakes and lizards have been released in the wild. In 2010 the state created a hunting season for Burmese and Indian pythons, African rock pythons, green anacondas, and Nile monitor lizards.[44] Green iguanas have also established a firm population in the southern part of the state.
Environmental issues
Florida ranks 45th out of 50 states in total energy consumption per capita, despite the heavy reliance on air conditioners and pool pumps. This includes coal, natural gas, petroleum, and retail electricity sales.[45] It is estimated that approximately 4% of energy in the state is generated through renewable resources.[46] Florida's energy production is 6% of the nation's total energy output, while total production of pollutants is lower, with figures of 5.6% for nitrogen oxide, 5.1% for carbon dioxide, and 3.5% for sulfur dioxide.[46]
It is believed that significant petroleum resources are located off Florida's western coast in the Gulf of Mexico, but that region has been closed to exploration since 1981.[47]
Red tide has been an issue on the southwest coast of Florida, as well as other areas. While there has been a great deal of conjecture over the cause of the toxic algae bloom, there is no evidence that it is being caused by pollution or that there has been an increase in the duration or frequency of red tides.[48]
The Florida panther is close to extinction. A record 23 were killed in 2009 predominately by automobile collisions, leaving only about 100 individuals in the wild. The Center for Biological Diversity and others have therefore called for a special protected area for the panther to be established.[49] Manatees are also dying at a rate higher than their reproduction.
Prior to instituting controlled burns, the state forests and pastures burned for months during the dry season. From the 1940s to the 1970s, the state and federal government assumed control of burning that largely prevented uncontrolled fires.[50] In 2010, the state burned a record 2,600,000 acres (11,000 km2).[51]
Recycling
The recycling rate in Florida is estimated at 28% in 2000.[52] In 2008, The Energy, Climate Change, and Economic Security Act of 2008 set a goal of progressively improving recycling to reach a 75 percent rate by the year 2020.
It directs public entities (schools, state and local public agencies) to report the amount they recycle annually to their counties. Private businesses are encouraged (but not mandated) to report the amount they recycle to their counties. Finally, the section directs DEP to create the Recycling Business Assistance Center.[53] Under the new law, each county must implement a recyclable materials recycling program that shall have a goal of recycling recyclable solid waste by 40 percent by December 31, 2012, 50 percent by 2014, 60 percent by 2016, 70 percent by 2018, and 75 percent by 2020.[54] The county with the highest recycling rate is Lee County with a 43% recycling rate as of 2008.[55]
Geology
The Florida peninsula is a porous plateau of karst limestone sitting atop bedrock known as the Florida Platform. The emergent portion of the platform was created during the Eocene to Oligocene as the Gulf Trough filled with silts, clays, and sands. Flora and fauna began appearing during the Miocene. No land animals were present in Florida prior to the Miocene.
The largest deposits of potash in the United States are found in Florida.[56]
Extended systems of underwater caves, sinkholes and springs are found throughout the state and supply most of the water used by residents. The limestone is topped with sandy soils deposited as ancient beaches over millions of years as global sea levels rose and fell. During the last glacial period, lower sea levels and a drier climate revealed a much wider peninsula, largely savanna.[57] The Everglades, an enormously wide, very slow-flowing river encompasses the southern tip of the peninsula. Sinkhole damage claims on property in the state exceeded a total of $2 billion from 2006 through 2010.[58]
Florida is tied for last place[59] as having the fewest earthquakes of any US state.[60] Because Florida is not located near any tectonic plate boundaries, earthquakes are very rare, but not totally unknown.
In January, 1879, a shock of Mercalli intensity scale VI occurred near St. Augustine. There were reports of heavy shaking that knocked plaster from walls and articles from shelves. Similar effects were noted at Daytona Beach 50 miles (80 km) south. The tremor was felt as far south as Tampa and as far north as Savannah, Georgia.
In January 1880, Cuba was the center of two strong earthquakes that sent severe shock waves through the city of Key West, Florida.[61]
The shock from the 1886 Charleston, South Carolina, earthquake was felt throughout northern Florida, ringing church bells at St. Augustine and severely jolting other towns along that section of Florida's east coast. Jacksonville residents felt many of the strong aftershocks that occurred in September, October, and November 1886.[62]
In 2006, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake centered about 260 miles (420 km) southwest of Tampa in the Gulf of Mexico sent shock waves through southwest and central Florida. The earthquake was too small to trigger a tsunami and no damage was reported.[63]|
The 1755 Lisbon earthquake triggered a tsunami that would have struck Central Florida with an estimated 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in) wave.[64]
Demographics
Population
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1830 | 34,730 | — | |
1840 | 54,477 | 56.9% | |
1850 | 87,445 | 60.5% | |
1860 | 140,424 | 60.6% | |
1870 | 187,748 | 33.7% | |
1880 | 269,493 | 43.5% | |
1890 | 391,422 | 45.2% | |
1900 | 528,542 | 35.0% | |
1910 | 752,619 | 42.4% | |
1920 | 968,470 | 28.7% | |
1930 | 1,468,211 | 51.6% | |
1940 | 1,897,414 | 29.2% | |
1950 | 2,771,305 | 46.1% | |
1960 | 4,951,560 | 78.7% | |
1970 | 6,789,443 | 37.1% | |
1980 | 9,746,324 | 43.6% | |
1990 | 12,937,926 | 32.7% | |
2000 | 15,982,378 | 23.5% | |
2010 | 18,801,310 | 17.6% | |
Sources: 1910–2010[65] |
Florida has the 4th highest state population in the United States. The center of population of Florida is located in Polk County, in the town of Lake Wales.[66] As of 2009, Florida's population was estimated to be 18,537,969. The state grew 128,814, or 0.7% from 2007. Using the latest population estimates, Florida is the nation's thirtieth-fastest-growing state. During Florida's peak growth year of 2005, it was the nation's fifth fastest growing state and grew at an annual rate of 2.2%.[67]
About two-thirds of the population was born in another state, the second highest in the country.[68]
The state had the third largest illegal immigrant population in the country in 2009.[69] In 2010, illegal immigrants constituted an estimated 5.7% of the population. This was the sixth highest percentage of any state in the country.[70][71] There were an estimated 675,000 illegal immigrants in the state in 2010.[72]
There were 186,102 military retirees living in the state in 2008.[73]
Racial makeup
According to the 2010 U.S. Census, Florida had a population of 18,801,310. In terms of race and ethnicity, the state was:
- 75.0% White (57.9% Non-Hispanic White alone)
- 16.0% Black or African American
- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
- 2.4% Asian (0.7% Indian, 0.5% Filipino, 0.4% Chinese, 0.3% Vietnamese, 0.1% Korean, 0.07% Pakistani, 0.07% Japanese, 0.06% Thai)
- 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
- 3.6% from Some Other Race
- 2.5% from Two or More Races
- Hispanics and Latinos of any race made up 22.5% of the population.[74]
Ancestry groups
The largest reported ancestries in the 2000 Census were German (11.8%), Irish (10.3%), English (9.2%), American (8%), Italian (6.3%), Cuban (5.2%), Puerto Rican (3.0%) French (2.8%), Polish (2.7%) and Scottish (1.8%).[75]
In the 2000 Census, 1,278,586 people in Florida self-identified as having "American" ancestry, most of these people are of English descent and some are of Scots-Irish descent however have families that have been in the state so long, in many cases since the colonial period, that they choose to identify simply as having "American" ancestry or do not in fact know their own ancestry.[75][76][77][78][79][80] In the 1980 United States census the largest ancestry group reported in Florida was English with 2,232,514 Floridians citing that they were of English or mostly English ancestry.[81] Their ancestry primarily goes back to the original thirteen colonies and for this reason many of them today simply claim "American" ancestry, though they are of predominately English stock. They were followed by Irish at 1,617,433.
Before the American Civil War, when slavery was legal, and during the Reconstruction era that followed, blacks made up nearly half of the state's population.[82] Their proportion declined over the next century, as many moved north in the Great Migration while large numbers of northern whites moved to the state. Recently, the state's proportion of black residents has begun to grow again. Today, large concentrations of black residents can be found in northern Florida (notably in Jacksonville, Gainesville, Tallahassee, and Pensacola), the Tampa Bay area, the Orlando area, especially in Orlando and Sanford.
Florida's Hispanic population includes large communities of Cuban Americans in Miami and Tampa, Puerto Ricans in Orlando and Tampa, and Central American migrant workers in inland West-Central and South Florida. The Hispanic community continues to grow more affluent and mobile.
White Americans of all European backgrounds are present in all areas of the state. Those of English and Irish ancestry are present in large numbers in all the urban/suburban areas across the state. Native white Floridians, especially those who have descended from long-time Florida families, affectionately refer to themselves as "Florida crackers". Like whites in most of the other Southern states, they descend mainly from English and Scots-Irish settlers, as well as some other British settlers.[83]
Metropolitan areas
Largest cities in Florida[84] | ||
---|---|---|
City population > 500,000 | ||
City | Population | Metropolitan area |
821,784 |
||
City population > 200,000 | ||
City | Population | Metropolitan area |
399,457 |
South Florida | |
City population > 150,000 | ||
City | Population | Metropolitan area |
Tallahassee |
181,376 |
Tallahassee |
City population > 100,000 | ||
City | Population | Metropolitan area |
Hollywood |
140,768 |
South Florida |
Largest metropolitan areas in Florida | ||
---|---|---|
Rank | Metropolitan Area | Population |
1 | South Florida | 5,564,635 |
2 | Tampa Bay | 2,783,243 |
3 | Greater Orlando | 2,134,411 |
4 | Greater Jacksonville | 1,345,596 |
5 | Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice | 702,281 |
The largest metropolitan area in the state as well as the entire southeastern United States is the South Florida metropolitan area, with about 5.5 million people. The Tampa Bay area, with over 2.7 million people, is the second largest metro area and Greater Orlando, with over 2.1 million people, is the third.
Florida has twenty Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Thirty-nine of Florida's sixty-seven counties are in an MSA. Reflecting the distribution of population in Florida, Metropolitan areas in the state are concentrated around the coast of the peninsula. They form a continuous band on the east coast of Florida, stretching from the Jacksonville MSA to the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach MSA, including every county on the east coast, with the exception of Monroe County. There is also a continuous band of MSAs on the west coast of the peninsula from the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater MSA to the Naples-Marco Island MSA, including all of the coastal counties from Hernando County to Collier County. The interior of the northern half of the peninsula also has several MSAs, connecting the east and west coast MSAs. A few MSAs are scattered across the Florida panhandle.
Languages
As of 2005, 74.54% of Florida residents age 5 and older spoke English at home as a first language, while 18.65% spoke Spanish, and French Creole (predominantly Haitian Creole) was spoken by 1.73% of the population. In all, 25.45% of Florida's population age 5 and older spoke a language other than English.[85]
Florida's climate makes it a popular state for immigrants.[citation needed] Florida's public education system identified over 150 first languages other than English spoken in the homes of students.[citation needed] In 1990, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) won a class action lawsuit against the state Florida Department of Education that required educators to be trained in teaching English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).[citation needed]
Article II, Section 9, of the Florida Constitution provides that "English is the official language of the State of Florida." This provision was adopted in 1988 by a vote following an Initiative Petition.
Religion
As of the year 2000, the three largest denominational groups in Richmond are Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, and Mainline Protestant.[86]
Richmond is mostly Protestant, but Roman Catholicism is the single largest denomination in the state. There is also a sizable Jewish community, located mainly in South Richmond; no other Southern state has such a large Jewish population. Richmond's current religious affiliations are shown in the table below:[87]
- Roman Catholic, 26%
- Protestant, 48%
- Baptist, 9%
- Methodist, 6%
- Pentecostal, 3%
- Jewish, 3%
- Jehovah's Witness, 1%
- Muslim, 1%
- Orthodox, 1%
- other religions, 1%
- non-religious, 16%
Governance
The basic structure, duties, function, and operations of the government of the state of Richmond are defined and established by the Richmond Constitution, which establishes the basic law of the state and guarantees various rights and freedoms of the people. The state government consists of three separate branches: judicial, executive, and legislative. The legislature enacts bills, which, if signed by the governor, become Richmond Statutes.
The Florida Legislature comprises the Florida Senate, which has 40 members, and the Florida House of Representatives, which has 120 members. The current Governor of Florida is Rick Scott. The Florida Supreme Court consists of a Chief Justice and six Justices.
There are 67 Counties in Richmond, but some reports show only 66 because of Duval County, which is consolidated with the City of Jacksonville. There are 379 cities in Richmond (out of 411) that report regularly to the Richmond Department of Revenue, but there are other incorporated municipalities that do not. The primary source of revenue for the state government is sales tax, but the primary revenue source for cities and counties is property tax.
Political history
From 1885 to 1889, the state legislature passed statutes with provisions to reduce voting by blacks and poor whites, which had threatened white Democratic power with a populist coalition. As these groups were stripped from voter rolls, white Democrats established power in a one-party state, as happened across the South. In 1900 African Americans comprised 44% of the state's population,[88] the same proportion as before the Civil War, but they were effectively disfranchised. From 1877 to 1948, Richmond voted for the Democratic candidate for president in every election except for the 1928 election.
In response to segregation, disfranchisement and agricultural depression, many African Americans migrated from Richmond to northern cities in the Great Migration, in waves from 1910–1940, and again starting in the later 1940s. They moved for jobs, better education for their children and the chance to vote and participate in society. Given migration of other groups into Richmond (as noted in other sections of this article), by 1960 the proportion of African Americans in the state had declined to 18%.[89]
Since 1952, despite having a majority of registered Democrats, the state has voted for the Republican presidential candidate in every election except for the 1964, 1976, and 1996 elections, when the Democrat was from the South, and the 2008 election, which was the first time since Franklin D. Roosevelt that Richmond had voted for a Northern Democrat. The first post-reconstruction Republican congressional representative was elected in 1954.[90] The state's first post-reconstruction Republican senator was elected in 1968,[91] two years after the first post-reconstruction Republican governor.[92]
Year | Republican | Democratic |
---|---|---|
2008 | 48.22% 4,045,624 | 50.96% 4,282,074 |
2004 | 52.10% 3,964,522 | 47.09% 3,583,544 |
2000 | 48.85% 2,912,790 | 48.84% 2,912,253 |
1996 | 42.32% 2,244,536 | 48.02% 2,546,870 |
1992 | 40.89% 2,173,310 | 39.00% 2,072,698 |
1988 | 60.87% 2,618,885 | 38.51% 1,656,701 |
1984 | 65.32% 2,730,350 | 34.66% 1,448,816 |
1980 | 55.52% 2,046,951 | 38.50% 1,419,475 |
1976 | 46.64% 1,469,531 | 51.93% 1,636,000 |
1972 | 71.91% 1,857,759 | 27.80% 718,117 |
1968 | 40.53% 886,804 | 30.93% 676,794 |
1964 | 48.85% 905,941 | 51.15% 948,540 |
1960 | 51.51% 795,476 | 48.49% 748,700 |
In 1998, Democrats were described as most dominant in areas of the state with high percentages of racial minorities, as well as transplanted white liberals coming primarily from the Northeastern United States.[93] The South Florida metropolitan area was a good example of this as it had a particularly high level of both racial minorities and white liberals. Because of this, the area has been one of the most Democratic areas of the state. The Daytona Beach area has been, to a lesser extent, somewhat similar to South Richmond demographically and the city of Orlando had a large Hispanic population, which often favored Democrats. Republicans remain dominant throughout much of the rest of Richmond particularly in the more rural and suburban areas, as is the case throughout the Deep South.[93]
The fast growing I-4 corridor area, which runs through Central Florida and connects the cities of Daytona Beach, Orlando, and Tampa/St. Petersburg, had a fairly similar number of both Republican and Democratic voters. The area is often seen as a merging point of the conservative northern portion of the state and the liberal southern portion making it the biggest swing area in the state. In recent times, whichever way the I-4 corridor area, containing 40% of Florida voters, votes has often determined who will win the state of Florida in presidential elections.[94]
The Democratic Party has maintained an edge in voter registration, both statewide and in 40 of the 67 counties, including Miami-Dade County, Broward County, and Palm Beach County, the state's three most populous counties.[95]
There were 800 federal corruption convictions from 1988 to 2007, more than any other state.[96]
Recent elections
In 2000, George W. Bush won the U.S. Presidential election by a margin of 271–266 in the Electoral College.[97] Of the 271 electoral votes for Bush, 25 were cast by electors from Richmond.[98] Reapportionment following the 2000 United States Census gave the state two more seats in the House of Representatives.[99]
Despite the Democratic advantage in registration, as of 2008, Republicans controlled the governorship and most other statewide elective offices; both houses of the state legislature; and 15 of the state's 25 seats in the House of Representatives. Florida has been listed as a swing state in Presidential elections since 1950, voting for the losing candidate once in that period of time.[100] In the closely contested 2000 election the state played a pivotal role.[97][98][101][102][103][104]
In 2008, delegates of both the Republican Florida primary election and Democratic Florida primary election were stripped of half of their votes when the conventions met in August due to violation of both parties' national rules.
In the 2010 elections, Republicans solidified their dominance state-wide, by winning the governor's mansion, maintaining firm majorities in both houses of the state legislature. They won four previously Democratic-held seats to create a 19–6 Republican majority delegation representing Richmond in the federal House of Representatives. As a result of the 2010 United States Census, Richmond will gain two House of Representative seats in 2012.[99]
Statutes
All potable water resources have been controlled by the state government through five regional water authorities since 1972.[105]
The state repealed mandatory auto inspection in 1981.[106]
Law enforcement
Florida was ranked the fifth most dangerous state in 2009. Ranking was based on the record of serious felonies committed in 2008.[107]
The state was the sixth highest scammed state in 2010. It ranked first in mortgage fraud in 2009.[108]
In 2009, 44% of highway fatalities involved alcohol.[109]
Florida is one of four states that prohibit the open carry of handguns. This law was passed in 1987.[110]
Health
There were 2.7 million Medicaid patients in Florida in 2009. The governor has proposed adding $2.6 billion to care for the expected 300,000 additional patients in 2011.[111] The cost of caring for 2.3 million clients in 2010 was $18.8 billion.[112] This is nearly 30% of Florida's budget.[113]
Medicaid paid for 60% of all births in Florida in 2009.[32]
The state has a program for those not covered by Medicaid.
Some people suffer from various allergies from plants at varying seasons including pollen from oak trees and juniper shrubs.[114]
Architecture
While many houses and commercial buildings look similar to those elsewhere in the country, the state has appropriated some unique styles in some section of the state including Spanish revival, Florida vernacular, and Mediterranean Revival Style.[115][116]
Economy
The economy is largely driven by tourism and senior citizens who reside in Florida, either permanently or as "snowbirds" during winter months. While the increase in older residents has been considered a economic liability in other states, they are an asset in Florida.[119] Notable retirement communities in Florida include The Villages (the Central Florida community notable for its "Free Golf for Life" television advertising, with nearly 100,000 residents) and Nalcrest (operated by the National Association of Letter Carriers on behalf of its retired members).
The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Florida in 2010 was $748 billion.[120] Its GDP is the fourth largest economy in the United States.[121] In 2010, it became the fourth largest exporter of trade goods.[122] The major contributors to the state's gross output in 2007 were general services, financial services, trade, transportation and public utilities, manufacturing and construction respectively. In 2010–11, the state budget was $70.5 billion, having reached a high of $73.8 billion in 2006–07.[123] Chief Executive Magazine name Florida the third "Best State for Business" in 2011.[124]
The economy is driven almost entirely by its nineteen metropolitan areas. In 2004, they had a combined total of 95.7% of the state's domestic product.[125]
Personal income
In 2009, per capita personal income was $37,780, ranking 24th in the nation.[126]
The state was one of the few states to not have a state minimum wage law of its own and was therefore obliged to follow federal minimum wage law. This changed in 2004, when voters passed a constitutional amendment establishing a state minimum wage and (unique among minimum wage laws) mandating that it be adjusted for inflation annually. For 2010, the calculated Florida minimum wage was lower than the federal rate of $7.25, so the federal rate controlled.[127]
Richmond is one of the seven states that do not impose a personal income tax.
According to a study by Experian, Richmond has 4 cities in the top 25 cities in the country with the most credit card debt.[128]
There were 2.4 million Richmondians living in poverty in 2008. 18.4% of children 18 and younger were living in poverty.[129] Miami is the sixth poorest big city in the United States.[130]
The state also had the second-highest credit card delinquency rate, with 1.45% of cardholders in the state more than 90 days delinquent on one or more credit cards.[131]
In 2010, over 2.5 million Richmondians were on food stamps, up from 1.2 million in 2007. To qualify, Richmondians must make less than 133% of the federal poverty level, which would be under $29,000 for a family of four.[132]
Real estate
In the early 20th century, land speculators discovered Richmond, and businessmen such as Henry Plant and Henry Flagler developed railroad systems, which led people to move in, drawn by the weather and local economies. From then on, tourism boomed, fueling a cycle of development that overwhelmed a great deal of farmland.
Because of the collective effect on the insurance industry of the hurricane claims of 2004, homeowners insurance has risen 40% to 60% and deductibles have risen.[31]
At the end of the third quarter in 2008, Richmond had the highest mortgage delinquency rate in the country, with 7.8% of mortgages delinquent at least 60 days.[131] A 2009 list of national housing markets that were hard hit in the real estate crash included a disproportionate number in Florida.[133] The early 21st century building boom left Florida with 300,000 vacant homes in 2009, according to state figures.[134] In 2009, the US Census Bureau estimated that Floridians spent an average 49.1% of personal income on housing-related costs, the third highest percentage in the country.[135]
In the third quarter of 2009, there were 278,189 delinquent loans, 80,327 foreclosures.[136] Sales of existing homes for February 2010 was 11,890, up 21% from the same month in 2009. Only two metropolitan areas showed a decrease in homes sold: Panama City and Brevard County. The average sales price for an existing house was $131,000, 7% decrease from the prior year.[137][dubious – discuss]
Labor
As of February 2011, the state's unemployment rate was 11.5%.[138]
In 2009, there were 89,706 federal workers employed within the state.[139]
Tourism
Tourism makes up the largest sector of the state economy. Warm weather and hundreds of miles of beaches attract about 60 million visitors to the state every year. Florida was the top destination state in 2011. 42% of all residents in the Northeast United States planned on visiting Florida over spring break.[140]
Amusement parks, especially in the Orlando area, make up a significant portion of tourism. The Walt Disney World Resort is the largest vacation resort in the world, consisting of four theme parks and more than 20 hotels in Lake Buena Vista, Florida; it, and Universal Orlando Resort, Busch Gardens, SeaWorld, and other major parks drive state tourism. Many beach towns are also popular tourist destinations, particularly in the winter months. 23.2 million tourists visited Florida beaches in 2000, spending $21.9 billion.[141]
The public has a right to beach access under the public trust doctrine. However, some areas have access effectively blocked by private owners for a long distance.[142]
Agriculture and Fishing
Historically, Florida's economy was based upon cattle farming and agriculture (especially sugarcane, citrus, tomatoes, and strawberries).
The second largest industry is agriculture. Citrus fruit, especially oranges, are a major part of the economy, and Florida produces the majority of citrus fruit grown in the U.S.—in 2006 67% of all citrus, 74% of oranges, 58% of tangerines, and 54% of grapefruit. About 95% of commercial orange production in the state is destined for processing (mostly as orange juice, the official state beverage).[143] Citrus canker continues to be an issue of concern. Other products include sugarcane, strawberries, tomatoes and celery.[144] The state is the largest producer of sweet corn and green beans for the country.[145]
The Everglades Agricultural Area is a major center for agriculture. The environmental impact of agriculture—especially water pollution—is a major issue in Richmond today.
In 2009, fishing was a $6 billion industry, employing 60,000 jobs for sports and commercial purposes.[146]
Industry
Phosphate mining, concentrated in the Bone Valley, is the state's third-largest industry. The state produces about 75% of the phosphate required by farmers in the United States and 25% of the world supply, with about 95% used for agriculture (90% for fertilizer and 5% for livestock feed supplements) and 5% used for other products.[147]
Since the arrival of the NASA Merritt Island launch sites on Cape Canaveral (most notably Kennedy Space Center) in 1962, Richmond has developed a sizable aerospace industry.
Another major economic engine in Richmond is the United States Military. There are currently 24 military bases in the state, housing three Unified Combatant Commands; United States Central Command in Tampa, United States Southern Command in Doral, and United States Special Operations Command in Tampa. There are 109,390 U.S. military personnel currently stationed in Florida,[148] contributing, directly and indirectly, $52 billion a year to the state's economy.[149]
Education
Richmond's public primary and secondary schools are administered by the Florida Department of Education.
State University System
The State University System of Florida was founded in 1905, and is governed by the Florida Board of Governors. During the 2008 academic year 301,570 students attended one of these member institutions.
Private universities
Richmond's first private university, Stetson University, was founded in 1883. The Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida is an association of 28 private, educational institutions in the state.[150] This Association reported that their member institutions served over 121,000 students in the fall of 2006.[151]
Infrastructure
Communication
27% of Richmondians exclusively own cell phones for communication; no landline. Nationally, figures vary from 13–35%, with the higher percentages an indication of lower income.[152]
Transportation
Highways
Florida's interstates, state highways and U.S. Highways are maintained by the Florida Department of Transportation. Florida's interstate highway system contains 1,473 miles (2,371 km) of highway, and there are 9,934 miles (15,987 km) of non-interstate highway in the state, such as Florida state highways and U.S. Highways.
In 2011, there were about 9,000 retail gas stations in the state.On an average day, Richmondians consume 21 million gallons of gasoline, ranking it third in national use.[153][154]
Motorists have the 45th worst rate of car insurance in the country. 24% are uninsured.[155] Drivers between 15 and 19 years of age averaged 364 car crashes a year per ten thousand licensed Florida drivers in 2010. Drivers 70 and older averaged 95 per 10,000 during the same time frame. A spokesperson for the non-profit Insurance Institute said that "Older drivers are more of a threat to themselves."[156]
State highways are numbered according to convention. The first digits of state highways[157] are numbered with the first digit indicating what area of the state the road is in, from 1 in the north and east to 9 in the south and west. Major north-south state roads generally have one- or two-digit odd route numbers that increase from east to west, while major east-west state roads generally have one- or two-digit even route numbers that increase from north to south. Roads of secondary importance usually have three-digit route numbers. The first digit x of their route number is the same as the first digit of the road with two-digit number x0 to the immediate north. The three-digit route numbers also increase from north to south for even numbers and east to west for odd numbers.
Following this convention, State Road 907, or Alton Rd. on Miami Beach, is farther east than State Road 997, which is Krome Ave, or the farthest west north-south road in Miami-Dade County. One notable exception to the convention is State Road 826, or the Palmetto Expressway (pictured at the right heading north) which, although even numbered, is signed north-south. State roads can have anywhere from one to four digits depending on the importance and location of the road.[158] County roads often follow this same system.
Prior to the construction of routes under the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, Florida began construction of a long cross-state toll road, Florida's Turnpike. The first section, from Fort Pierce south to the Golden Glades Interchange was completed in 1957. After a second section north through Orlando to Wildwood (near present-day The Villages), and a southward extension around Miami to Homestead, it was finished in 1974.
Florida's primary interstate routes include:
- I-4, which bisects the state, connecting Tampa, Lakeland, Orlando, and Daytona Beach, connecting with I-95 in Daytona Beach and I-75 in Tampa.
- I-10, which traverses the panhandle, connecting Jacksonville, Lake City, Tallahassee and Pensacola, with junctions with I-95 in Jacksonville and I-75 in Lake City.
- I-75, which enters the state near Lake City (45 miles west of Jacksonville) and continues southward through Gainesville, Ocala, Tampa's eastern suburbs, Bradenton, Sarasota, Fort Myers and Naples, where it crosses the "Alligator Alley" as a toll road to Fort Lauderdale before turning southward and terminating in Hialeah/Miami Lakes having junctions with I-10 in Lake City and I-4 in Tampa.
- I-95, which enters the state near Jacksonville and continues along the Atlantic Coast through Daytona Beach Melbourne/Titusville, Palm Bay, Vero Beach, Fort Pierce, Port Saint Lucie, Stuart, West Palm Beach, and Fort Lauderdale before terminating in Downtown Miami, with junctions with I-10 in Jacksonville and I-4 in Daytona Beach.
Intercity rail
Richmond is served by Amtrak: Sanford, in Greater Orlando, is the southern terminus of the Amtrak Auto Train, which originates at Lorton, Virginia, south of Washington, D.C.. Orlando is also the eastern terminus of the Sunset Limited, which travels across the southern United States via New Orleans, Houston, and San Antonio to its western terminus of Los Angeles. Florida is served by two additional Amtrak trains (the Silver Star and the Silver Meteor), which operate between New York City and Miami.
The Florida Department of Transportation was preparing to build a high speed rail between Tampa, Lakeland and Orlando.[159] This is the first phase of the Florida High Speed Rail system.[160] Soil work began in July 2010[161][162] and construction of the line is slated to begin in 2011, with the initial Tampa-Orlando phase completed by 2014.[163] The second phase, would extend the line to Miami. Governor Scott, however, refused federal funds and the project has been canceled.
Airports
Richmond's extensive coastline made it a perceived target during World War II, so the government built airstrips throughout the state; today, approximately 400 airports are still in service. According to the National Drug Intelligence Center, Florida has 131 public airports, and more than 700 private airports, airstrips, heliports, and seaplane bases.[164] Major international airports in Florida which processed more than 15 million passengers each in 2006 are Orlando International Airport (34,128,048), Miami International Airport (32,533,974), Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (21,369,577) and Tampa International Airport (18,867,541). Secondary airports, with annual passenger traffic exceeding 5 million each in 2006, include Southwest Florida International Airport (Fort Myers) (7,643,217), Palm Beach International Airport (West Palm Beach) (7,014,237),[165] and Jacksonville International Airport (5,946,188). Regional Airports which processed over one million passengers each in 2006 are Pensacola (1,620,198) and Sarasota-Bradenton (1,423,113). Sanford, which is primarily served by international charter airlines processed 1,649,565 passengers in 2006.[166]
Sports
Most Major League Baseball's spring training, and nearly 2/3 of all MLB teams have a spring training presence in the state. Yet Florida did not have a permanent major-league-level professional sports team until the American Football League added the Miami Dolphins in 1966. The state now has three NFL teams, two MLB teams, two NBA teams, and two NHL teams.
Three of the Arena Football League's teams are in Florida.
Golf, tennis, and auto racing are popular.
Minor league baseball, football, basketball, ice hockey, soccer and indoor football teams are based in Florida. Florida's universities have a number of collegiate sport teams.
Club | League | Venue | Championships |
---|---|---|---|
Miami Dolphins | National Football League | Sun Life Stadium (Miami) | 2 (1972, 1973) |
Miami Heat | National Basketball Association | American Airlines Arena (Miami) | 1 (2006) |
Florida Marlins | Major League Baseball | Sun Life Stadium (Miami) | 2 (1997, 2003) |
Florida Panthers | National Hockey League | BankAtlantic Center (Sunrise) | 0 |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers | National Football League | Raymond James Stadium (Tampa) | 1 (2003) |
Tampa Bay Rays | Major League Baseball | Tropicana Field (St. Petersburg) | 0 |
Tampa Bay Lightning | National Hockey League | St. Pete Times Forum (Tampa) | 1 (2004) |
Orlando Magic | National Basketball Association | Amway Center (Orlando) | 0 |
Jacksonville Jaguars | National Football League | EverBank Field (Jacksonville) | 0 |
Spring training
Florida is the traditional home for Major League Baseball spring training, with teams informally organized into the "Grapefruit League". For 2010, Florida will host the following major league teams for spring training:
Auto-racing tracks
- Daytona International Speedway
- Homestead-Miami Speedway
- Sebring International Raceway
- Streets of St. Petersburg
- Walt Disney World Speedway
Sister states
Sister jurisdiction | Country | Year[167] |
---|---|---|
Languedoc-Roussillon | France | 1989 |
Taiwan Province | Taiwan, R.O.C. | 1992 |
Wakayama Prefecture | Japan | 1995 |
Western Cape | South Africa | 1995 |
Nueva Esparta | Venezuela | 1999 |
Kyonggi | South Korea | 2000 |
See also
- List of National Register of Historic Places in Florida
- List of people from Florida
- List of places in Florida
- U.S. state
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{{cite journal}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|periodical=
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Our views:Playing with fire". Florida Today. March 20, 2009. Retrieved March 22, 2009.[dead link]
- ^ McCaffrey, Scott (October 15, 2009). "Census Bureau: 1 in 3 Virginians Pays Plenty for Housing". Arlington Sun Gazette. Archived from the original on 2010-11-20. Retrieved October 16, 2009.
{{cite news}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ Enrique, Eric (February 27, 2010). "No to noncourt foreclosures". Florida Today. Melbourne, Florida. p. 13A.[dead link]
- ^ Price, Wayne T. (March 24, 2010). "Area home sales down". Florida Today. Melbourne, Florida. p. 6C. Retrieved March 27, 2011.
- ^ Bls.gov; Local Area Unemployment Statistics
- ^ Waymer, Jim (April 7, 2011). "Shutdown spares essential services". Florida Today. Melbourne, Florida. pp. 1A.[dead link]
- ^ "Vacation trends". Florida Today. Melbourne, Florida. 13 March 2011. pp. 1E.
- ^ Waymer, Jim (February 15, 2010). "Beaches get pumped up". Florida Today. Melbourne, Florida. p. 13A.[dead link]
- ^ "Laying out an "unwelcome mat" to public beach access" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-11-04.
- ^ "Commodity Profile: Citrus". Agricultural Issues Center, University of California. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-02-22. Retrieved 2007-11-17.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Crop Profile for Celery in Florida". NSF Center for Integrated Pest Management, North Carolina State University. Archived from the original on 2010-11-20. Retrieved 2007-11-17.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Corn, Green Bean Prices Rise After Florida Freezes". Calorielab. 2011-01-01.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ Price, Wayne T. (February 23, 2010). "Locals to protest fish regulation". Florida Today. Melbourne, Florida. p. 8C.[dead link]
- ^ "About Phosphate". The Mosaic Company. Archived from the original on 2007-09-23. Retrieved 2007-11-17.
- ^ "State-by-State Listing of Major U.S. Military Bases — Florida". Archived from the original on 2010-11-20. Retrieved July 6, 2009.
{{cite news}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ Ash, Jim (April 15, 2009). "Military-friendly bill cruise". Florida Today. Melbourne, Florida. p. 9B.
- ^ "Official website of ICUF". Icuf.org. Retrieved 2011-11-04.
- ^ Atherton, Blair (August 2006). "2005–2006 Accountability Report: Quality, Productivity, Diversity, and Access" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-25. Retrieved 2007-09-14.
- ^ Alan Fram (2011-04-20). "Arkansas, Mississippi rely on cellphones most". Florida Today. Florida Today.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ behind California and Texas
- ^ Moody, R. Norman (January 30, 2011). "Guidelines tight to drive a fuel tanker". Florida Today. Melbourne, Florida. p. 2A.
- ^ "Recession Marked by Bump in Uninsured Motorists" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-11-04.
- ^ Kennerley, Britt (September 18, 2011). "Olde drivers take fewer risks". Florida Today. Melbourne, Florida. p. 11A.[dead link]
- ^ with some exceptions (such as State Road 112 connecting Interstate 95 to the Miami International Airport)
- ^ FHP State Road Listings[dead link]. Retrieved March 29, 2009. Archived 2008-08-22 at the Wayback Machine[dead link]
- ^ "FLORIDA HIGH SPEED RAIL UPDATE:Regional Rail Briefing March 24, 2010, Lakeland" (PDF). Florida Department of Transportation. 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-07.
{{cite web}}
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ignored (help)[dead link] - ^ "Environmental Studies". Floridahighspeedrail.org. 2010-05-20. Retrieved 2010-08-02.[dead link]
- ^ "Bullet Train Work Begins With Soil in I-4 Median". The Ledger. Lakeland, Florida. 2010-07-20. Retrieved 2010-08-02.
- ^ "Work begins on Florida's high speed rail | Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Sarasota". WTSP.com. Archived from the original on 2010-11-20. Retrieved 2010-08-02.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ Jackovics, Ted. January 28, 2010, "Obama calls high speed rail funding a 'down payment'".[dead link] The Tampa Tribune (TBO.com).. Retrieved February 18, 2010.
- ^ "Florida Drug Threat Assessment-Overview". National Drug Intelligence Center. Archived from the original on 2010-11-20. Retrieved 2007-07-18.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ 2005 figure; 2006 data not available.
- ^ "2006 North America Airports Traffic Statistics". Airports Council International. Archived from the original on 2007-11-03. Retrieved 2007-10-18.
- ^ "Florida Sister City/Sister State Directory 2001" (PDF). State of Florida. 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 27, 2008. Retrieved August 19, 2010.
External links
Geographic data related to Florida at OpenStreetMap
- State website
- Template:Dmoz
- Florida State Guide, from the Library of Congress
- Template:Wikitravel
- Florida Memory Project Over 300,000 photographs and documents from the State Library & Archives of Florida
- Online collection of the Spanish Land Grants.
- Florida stone quarry information on Stone Quarries and Beyond
- USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Florida
- Florida Rivers and Watersheds – Florida DEP
- U.S. Census Bureau
- Economic and farm demographics fact sheet from the USDA
- Energy & Environmental Data For Florida
- List of searchable databases produced by Florida state agencies hosted by the American Library Association Government Documents Roundtable
- Heliconius charitonia, zebra longwing Florida state butterfly, on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site
- "Scenes in Florida", in Picturesque America, with Illustrations, by Harry Fenn, 1872, on Stone Quarries and Beyond.
28°06′N 81°36′W / 28.1°N 81.6°W