FLORIDA

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Jacksonville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Miami . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Orlando . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

St. Petersburg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151

Tallahassee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

Tampa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177

The State in Brief

Nickname: Sunshine State

Motto: In God we trust

Flower: Orange blossom

Bird: Mockingbird

Area: 65,754.59 square miles (2000; U.S. rank: 22nd)

Elevation: Ranges from sea level to 345 feet above sea level

Climate: Humid with abundant sunshine; ranges from subtropical to tropical

Admitted to Union: March 3, 1845

Capital: Tallahassee

Head Official: Governor John Ellis Bush (R) (until 2007)

Population

1980: 9,746,000

1990: 12,938,000

2000: 15,982,378

2004 estimate: 17,397,161

Percent change, 1990–2000: 23.5%

U.S. rank in 2004: 4th

Percent of residents born in state: 32.7% (2000)

Density: 296.4 people per square mile (2000)

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 905,957

Racial and Ethnic Characteristics (2000)

White: 12,465,029

Black or African American: 2,335,505

American Indian and Alaska Native: 53,541

Asian: 266,256

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 8,625

Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 2,682,715

Other: 477,107

Age Characteristics (2000)

Population under 5 years old: 945,823

Population 5 to 19 years old: 3,102,809

Percent of population 65 years and over: 17.6%

Median age: 38.7 years (2000)

Vital Statistics

Total number of births (2003): 212,144

Total number of deaths (2003): 168,598 (infant deaths, 1,576)

AIDS cases reported through 2003: 43,223

Economy

Major industries: Agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, services, trade, government

Unemployment rate: 4.5% (December 2004)

Per capita income: $29,972 (2003; U.S. rank: 25th)

Median household income: $29,294 (3-year average, 2001-2003)

Percentage of persons below poverty level: 14.9% (3-year average, 2001-2003)

Income tax rate: None

Sales tax rate: 6.0% on most items