Florida

Florida is a state located in the southeastern of the United States. With a population of 18.328.340 habitants the state is ranking as the 4^th most populous state in the U.S. Tallahassee is the state capital and Jacksonville is the largest city followed by Miami, Tampa, St. Petersburg and Orlando. The Miami metropolitan area is the largest in the state.

Much of the land mass of the state is a large peninsula with the golf of Mexico to the west and the Atlantic ocean to the east. Because Florida is not located near any tectonic plate boundaries, earthquakes are very rare, but not totally unknown. In January 1879, a shock occurred near st. Augustine. There were reports that knocked plaster from walls and articles from shelves. At 345 feet (105m) above sea level, Britton hill is the highest point in Florida and the lowest highpoint of any U.S. state.

Religiously, Florida is mostly Protestant, but with a growing Roman Catholic community due to Hispanic immigration.

Florida ranks 45^th out of 50 states in total energy consumption per capita, despite the heavy reliance on air conditioners and pool pumps. The state’s energy production is 6% of the nation’s total energy output.

Per capita personal income was $38,417 in 2008 ranking 20^th in the nation. The state had the second highest credit card delinquency rate.

Florida has a semi-tropical climate and the year round sunshine attracts retiring people for all over the country. The state it is also the national gateway to Latin America. More than 200.000 refugees from Cuba have been absorbed into Miami’s population, and it has become a cosmopolitan and bilingual city.

Tourism makes up the largest sector of the state economy. Warm weather and hundreds of miles of beaches attract about 60 million of visitors to the state every year. 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, this plus the universal Orlando resort, Busch Gardens, Sea World and other major parks drive state tourism. Many beaches towns are also popular tourism destinations, particularly in the winter months. Millions of tourists visit Florida beaches, spending billions of dollars every year.