Florida Quick Facts

Total Area - 58,560 square miles

Total land area - 54,252 square miles

Total water area - 4,308 square miles

Rank among states in total area - 22nd

Length north and south - 447 miles (St. Marys River to Key West)

Width east and west - 361 miles (Atlantic Ocean to Perdido River)

Distance from Pensacola to Key West - 792 miles (by road)

Highest Natural Point - 345 feet near Lakewood in northeast Walton County

Geographic Center - 12 miles northwest of Brooksville, Hernando County

Coastline - 1,197 statute miles

Tidal shoreline (general) - 2,276 statute miles

Beaches - 663 miles

Longest River - St. Johns, 273 miles

Largest Lake - Lake Okeechobee, 700 square miles

Largest county - Palm Beach, 2,578 square miles

Smallest county - Union, 245 square miles

Number of lakes (greater than 10 acres) - about 7,700

Number of first-magnitude springs - 27

Number of islands (greater than 10 acres) - about 4,500

First permanent European settlement - 1565, St. Augustine, by Spain

U.S. Territory - 1821

Admitted to U.S. as state - March 3, 1845 (27th state)

Capital ? Tallahassee

Population 1990 - 12,937,926 (Rank 4th)

Population 1980 - 9,739,992

Population growth rate 1980-90 - 32.83%

Most populous metropolitan area 1990 - Miami-Ft. Lauderdale: 3,192,582

Number of counties ? 67

Form of government - Governor and independent cabinet consisting of secretary of state, attorney general, comptroller, treasurer, commissioner of agriculture, and commissioner of education

State sales tax - 6%

State income tax ? None

Legislature - 120 house districts, 40 senate districts, 23 congressional districts