The State of Florida is the southernmost state in the United States of America. Many people in the United States visit there every year to enjoy the sunshine, beaches, and to go to Walt Disney World. Florida has also been a popular retirement destination for a long time because of its warm, sunny weather. Florida has an interesting history, present, and future.

             Florida became the 27th state in the United States on March 3, 1845. It was named by Ponce de Leon who claimed the area he thought was an island for Spain. The name Florida comes from Pascua Florida which means "Feast of Flowers" at Easter time. Florida is commonly known by its official nickname: The Sunshine State. Of course, it earned that name by its excellent weather and favorable climate.

             The capital of Florida is Tallahassee. The capital is not the largest city in Florida, it is the eighth largest city. The flag of Florida is a white background with a large red "X" going from corner to corner. The state seal is a circular picture in the middle on which one can see a bright sun, a cabbage palmetto tree, a steamboat, and a Seminole Indian woman spreading flowers. It is supposed to represent sunshine, rivers and lakes, flowers, and the history of the state. The steamboat represents a part of Florida's history, in fact the state song of Florida is "Suwannee" about a famous river in Florida. The flag also has the words "The Great Seal of the State of Florida" and the state's motto "In God We Trust." .

             Florida is a pretty large state. It covers 53, 927 square miles or 139, 671 square kilometers. There are 67 counties in Florida, the largest of them by population is Miami-Dade County with 2,363,600 people and Palm Beach County with a size of 3,064 square miles. The entire state of Florida has a population of 17, 397, 161 people according to the 2004 census, making it one of the most populous states in the United States.