ESTADOS UNIDOS DE ÁMERICA
Florida is one of the fifty states that make up the United States. It is located in the Southern region of the country. It borders to the west by the Gulf of Mexico and Alabama, to the north to Alabama and Georgia, to the east to the Atlantic Ocean and to the south to the Straits of Florida. Florida ranks 22nd in size and 3rd in population.
Jacksonville is the most populous city in the state and the largest city by area in the continental United States. The Miami Metropolitan Area is the most urbanized area in the state. Tallahassee is the state capital. Regionally it is divided into 3 zones: South Florida, Central Florida and North Florida.
About two-thirds of the state forms a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. Florida has the longest coastline in the continental United States, approximately 1,350 miles, not including the contribution of the Barrier Islands. It is the only state that borders both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. Much of the state is at or near sea level and is characterized by sedimentary soil. The climate varies from subtropical in the North to tropical in the South.
Florida is also known for its amusement parks like Walt Disney World and Bush Gardens and its citrus farms, its winter vegetables, the Kennedy Space Center and as a popular tourist destination among American retirees.
Florida culture reflects multiple influences; African, European, indigenous, and Hispanic American heritage can be found in the architecture and cuisine. Florida has attracted many writers like Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Ernest Hemingway, and Tennessee Williams. It is internationally known for the practice of sports such as golf, tennis, motor racing and water sports.
