Florida Facts For Kids

Kids love Florida for its theme parks which are the Walt Disney World, Magic Kingdom Park, Disney Animal Kingdom, and many more. Florida has so much more to offer besides theme parks. We have gathered a complete set of Florida Facts For Kids that will enable you to learn all about Florida. You are going to learn Florida State Facts along with facts about its name, location, flag, logo, capital, government, statutes, what it is known for, history, geography, economy, flora & fauna, Miami, Orlando, agriculture, food, colleges & universities, state motto, symbols, tourism and many other interesting facts about Florida.

1. What Is The Florida – Is Florida A State

Florida is a state located in the United States of America.
It is located in the southeast region of the United States.
Florida is fourth among the most populous states of the United States.
It has borders with Alabama to the northwest side and Georgia to the northeast side.
Tallahassee is the capital of Florida.
Florida is also known as the ‘Sunshine state’.
Tallahassee is the capital city of Florida.

2. Florida State Nickname

The most popular nickname of Florida is ‘The Sunshine State’ which is included in Legislature as well.
Other nicknames include ‘The Alligator State’ because a large number of alligators are found here.
It is also called ‘The Orange State’ because numerous types of oranges are grown here.
Sometimes it is called ‘The Flower state’ due to the reason that wildflowers are found here in a large amount.
The Florida state is also known by other names like ‘The Everglade State’, ‘The Peninsula State’, and ‘The Gulf State’.

3. Why Do They Call Florida The Sunshine State?

Florida is called ‘The Sunshine state’ because it is a state which receives sunlight more than other states of the United States.
Some parts of Florida state are warmer than any state of the United States.
The name is officially adopted by the legislature in 1970.

4. Why Florida Is Named Florida

There are two theories regarding Florida that how it got the name Florida.
The first theory says that Florida got the name due to the beautiful flowers that exist here in Florida.
In Spanish, Florida means ‘Flowery’.
The other theory states that Florida got the name because it was discovered on Easter day.
In Spanish ‘Pascua Florida’ means holiday.

5. Where Is Florida Located – Which Country Is Florida Located

Florida is located in the southeastern region of the United States.
Florida is bordered by Alabama at the northwest.
Georgia is located on the northeast side of Florida.
The Gulf of Mexico lies to the west of Florida.
While the Atlantic Ocean lies to the east of the Florida state.

Where Is Florida Located

6. What Number State Is Florida

Florida is the 27^th state that became part of the United States.
It was regarded as a slave state till 3^rd March 1845 when it became part of the United States.
It is ranked as 3^rdmost populated state of the United States with more than 20 million population.

7. Florida State Flag – Florida State Flag Name

Florida’s flag is a white field with a red X and a state seal at the middle of the X.
Florida flag represents the land of sunshine, flowers, palm trees, lakes, and rivers.
The seal is composed of a brilliant sun, a cabbage palmetto tree, women scattering flowers, and a sailing steamboat.

8. Florida State Logo

9. Capital Of Florida

‘Tallahassee’ is the capital of the state of Florida.
It became the capital of Florida in 1824.
‘Tallahassee’ had a population of 191,049 in 2017.
It is the 7^th most populated city in Florida state.
It has an area of 103.63 sq mi (268.39 km squared).
Tallahassee lies at a height of 203 ft. (62m).
Tallahassee is a hilly terrain located above the Cody Scarp i.e south end of the Red Hills region.
The city is connected with the northern end of the Apalachicola National Forest.

Capital Of Florida

10. Florida Zip Code

Different regions of Florida have different zip codes like:
Orange Park: 32003, Graham: 32042, Wasau: 32463, and so on.
There are more than 110 zip codes that belong to Florida ranging from 32003 to 34977.

11. Florida Phone Code

Different areas of Florida have different phone codes.
There are more than 20 phone codes belonging to different areas of Florida. A few of them are stated below:
The area code of Miami is 786.
The code is 407 for Orlando.
813 is the phone code of Tampa.

12. Florida Government

Florida’s constitution defines various functions, duties, structures, and operations of the state and guarantees various rights and freedoms to the people of Florida.
There are three basic branches of state of the government: Judicial, executive, and legislative.
The Florida legislature consists of the ‘Florida Senate’, and ‘Florida House of Representatives.
The Florida Senate has 40 members while the ‘Florida House of Representatives has 120 members.
The Florida Supreme Court consists of a chief justice and six justices.

13. Florida Statutes

There are certain codified laws of Florida which are known as statutes of Florida.
They are a permanent collection of state laws.
Florida statutes are organized by topic or subject area and made up of chapters, titles, parts, and sections.
The Florida statute currently has 48 titles or chapters.
Each chapter represents all the relevant information about the particular subject.
‘Florida office of Legislative Services’ determines what should be the location of the legislation and how the legislation should be codified.

14. Florida Secretary Of State

‘Ken Detzner’ is the present secretary of state of Florida from 2012 to the present.
There has been a total of 28 states of secretaries 1845 to present.
The secretary of state of Florida is a constitutional officer of the state government of Florida.
This position was established in the 1838 state constitution.
The job of the secretory state is to keep the seal safe.
Secretary of state has to do certain jobs like Florida Chief of elections, Chief cultural officer, the state protocol officer, and head of the department of the state.

15. What Is Florida Known For – What Is Florida Famous For

Florida is famous for its numerous offerings to visitors. Some of them are described below:
- Walt Disney World: Walt Disney World has been an amusement for thousands of visitors for decades.
- Kennedy Space Centre: Located on the space coast, Kennedy Space Centre is a fascinating, exciting, and attractive educative spot.
- Universal Studios: Universal studios offer great amusement opportunities for visitors. The amusements contain many wet and wild rides, 3D and 4D motion rides, and much more for the visitors.
- Miami Beach and the art deco historic district: Miami Beach is an attractive spot for visitors where one can witness the glory that was found here in the past. Many of the skyscrapers’ buildings belong to the 1930s and 1940s.
- Daytona 500 international speedway: It is one of the most attractive spots for visitors. Busch Gardens Tampa
- Duval Street in Key West
- Edison and Ford Winter Estates
- Salvador Dali Museum
- The Ringling
- St. Augustine’s Historic District and the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument.
- Dry Tortugas National Park
- SeaWorld Orlando
- Everglades National Park: A big land of marsh and swamp supporting alligators, crocodiles, panthers, deer, turtles, manatees, egrets, and many other species. Visitors can see several species here. Airboat ride here lets the visitors have a view of the creatures.

16. Florida History Facts – Florida State History

Florida was situated in the South Pole of the continent ‘Gondwana’ 650 million years ago (MYA).
It was surrounded by deserts when it was part of the continent ‘Pangaea’ 115 MYA.
After glaciation in the world, Florida got the shape of the Peninsula, and many rivers started flowing in the area.
All the colonies made in Florida were near the rivers.
Florida was first explored by ‘Ponce de Leon’ in 1513AD.
‘Ponce de Leon’ was a Spanish explorer who conquered Florida.
Florida remained in Spanish Invasion till 1763.
Before Europeans’ arrival, Florida was inhabited by different tribes of 35000 population approx. They were living independently.
Outsiders were allowed to reside in Florida by the Native Americans when the natives were infected by many diseases.
At the start of the 16^th century, the Europeans first came to Florida.
In the 18^th century, the white colonists came to Florida with arms, when the natives were very less in number due to certain diseases, and couldn’t defend themselves and their lands.
Their villages were burnt, and the people were made slaves by these invaders.
1513 AD is considered as the introduction of the Americans in these lands.
In 1845, Florida became part of the United States as the 27^th state.
“William Dunn Moseley” was the first governor of Florida.

17. When Did Florida Become A State – What Year Did Florida Become A State

Florida became a state on March 3, 1845 AD.
Florida was the 27^th state that became part of the United States.
Florida’s first governor was ‘William Dunn Moseley’.
Florida became a state as result of a treaty between Spanish minister and U.S secretory of states.
In this treaty, Spanish minister ‘Do Luis de Onis’ agreed to hand over the province of Spanish province Florida to John Quincy Adams(U.S Secretary of State.

18. Who Founded The State Of Florida

Florida was discovered by Juan Ponce de Leon.
He was a Spanish explorer.
Juan Ponce de Leon was born in 1474 and died in 1521.
He was head of the European expedition to travel to Florida.
The expedition that founded Florida landed somewhere in the east coastal area of Florida for the first time.

19. How Did The United States Acquire Florida

Florida became part of the US after a treaty between US and Spain.
This treaty took place between U.S secretary of state ‘John Quincy Adams, and Spanish minister ‘Do Luis de Onis’ in 1819.
Before the treaty, Florida was an old province of Spain.
The treaty is known as the ‘Florida Purchase treaty’ or ‘Adam-Onis treaty’.
In this treaty, Spain agreed to hand over Florida to the United States.

20. Florida Geography – Geographical Features Of Florida Florida Border – Florida Bordering States

Florida is located on the southeast side of the United States.
Florida is mainly a peninsula with Mexico in the west.
Alabama is located on the northwest side of Florida.
Florida has Georgia on the northeast side.
Florida is connected with the Atlantic Ocean at the east.
Cuba, Bahamas, and other Caribbean countries lie near Florida.

21. What Is The Area Of The State Of Florida – Land Area Florida?

Total area of Florida is 65,755 sq mi (170,304 sq km).
Florida has a width of 361 miles (582 km), and a length of 447 miles (721 km).
17.9% of Florida is covered with water.
As far as the population of Florida is concerned, it is the 3^rd most populous state in the United States with a population of more than 20 million.

22. How Big Is The State Of Florida?

Florida is 22^nd on the list of big states of the United States.
It has an area of 65,755 sq. mi (170,304 sq. km).
It is 361 miles (582 km) wide, and 447 miles (721 km) long.
Length of 721km will be covered in 7 hours if a car travel with an average speed of 100km/hr.

23. Florida Beaches

Different types of sandy, stony, muddy, and clear water beaches are found in Florida.
The beaches differ from each other and hence each one has its attraction for visitors. Some of the beaches are discussed below:
- Key West
- Clearwater beach
- Sanibel beach
- Captiva beach
- Siesta key
- Palm beach
- South beach
- Naples
- Atlantic beach
- Delray beach

24. Map Of Florida – Florida State Map

Map Of Florida

25. Florida Everglades Facts

Everglades of Florida is a minor league of Ice hockey founded in 1998.
It is arranged in Estero, Florida.
Everglades’ national park covers 1.5 million acres of land.
The land is composed of grass marshes, pine woods, and coastal mangroves.
More than 30 species are found here including the endangered turtle, Florida panthers.
It is believed that Florida’s everglades are the only place where crocodiles and alligators are found at the same time.
The everglades are the source of water supply to 21 million people i.e. 33% of total Florida’s population.
Winter and summer are the two seasons found in the everglades.
The everglades is a slow-moving river with an average depth of 4-5 feet.

26. Facts About Miami Florida

Miami city is also known as ‘the magic city’.
Miami is the only city which is founded by a woman ‘Julia Tuttle’ also known as ‘mother of Miami’.
Miami is the cultural, financial, entertainment, arts, and economical center of South Florida.
In terms of business activity, information exchange, human capital, and cultural experience, Miami was ranked 7^th in the US and 33^rd among global cities in 2010.
Miami covers about 147 square km (56.6 sq. miles).
It has an estimated population of 463,347 in 2017 and is the 6^th most densely populated city in the United States.
Miami lies at a height of 6ft (2m) with an average temperature of 24 degrees Celsius.
Miami is a clean and neat city and in Forbes, it was ranked America’s cleanest city in 2008.
Miami has the world busy sea port of the world and that’s why Miami is also known as the cruise capital of the world.
Beautiful beaches in Miami attract visitors to Miami. The south beach of Miami has been rated as the top beach of the US.
Many times, visitors have found gold and other precious items on Miami beaches and it is believed that Miami oceans contain treasures buried by pirates.
Burger king’s first branch was opened in Miami in 1954. At that time whopper was offered in 37 cents.

Facts About Miami Florida

27. Facts About Orlando Florida

Orlando is a city in central Florida. It is famous for its numerous offerings to the visitors and hence considered as the most visited place in the world. In an estimation, more than 66 million people visited Orlando in the year 2015.
Few stories exist about the name of Orlando but there is no documentation about the name.
In Orlando, there has been a total of 18 Mayors till now. William Jackson Brack was the first mayor back in 1875.
More than 100 lakes are found in Orlando. Lake Eola contains a giant sinkhole that is 80m deep.
Many historical old buildings here make Orlando more attractive. The Rogers building and 1890 railway depot are the oldest buildings in Orlando.
Many theme parks exist in Orlando. Gatorland is considered the first theme park in Orlando was established in 1949.
Universal Studios opened here in 1990 which attracts visitors from all over the world.
Many other spots and attractions make Orlando an attractive spot for visitors all over the world. The Orlando City soccer club, The Public library, and the Dubsdread Gold course are some of the spots.

Facts About Orlando Florida

28. Florida Economy – Top Industries In Florida – Florida Major Industries

Florida has the fourth-largest economy in the United States.
Economy boost of Florida is due to many factors and many industries. Some are described and stated below:
Tourism is the main source of Florida’s income. About 116.5 million tourists visited Florida in 2017. In Florida, more than 1 million jobs are related to tourism.
Agriculture plays a vital role in Florida’s economy. More than $104 billion is added to Florida’s economy every year. 2 million people are related to agriculture.
Export and import between North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, and other parts of the world happen through Florida. In 2017, $50 billion were added to Florida’s economy. Florida’s major exports include vehicles, air crafts, engines, telecommunication parts, gold, computers components, agricultural products, seafood, livestock, forestry products, minerals, oil, and gas.
Florida gives financial Services to many clients which earn a handsome amount of revenue for Florida. Financial firms numbering 130,000 in Florida are contributing to Florida’s economy giving employment to more than 900,000 citizens which is 11% of the total employment.
Aerospace and Aviation give revenue of $144 billion to Florida employing 103,000 Floridians.

29. Florida Agriculture Facts

A good amount of sunshine in Florida makes agriculture more suitable for Florida as compared to other states.
Florida is a state producing a variety of agricultural products varying from fresh tomatoes to citrus fruits.
Farms numbering 48,000 and spreading at an area of 9.5 million acres shows the importance of agriculture for Florida.
Florida produces 63% of the total citrus products of the US.
Citrus products include oranges and grapefruits.
It is the largest vegetable provider in the US after California.
In the production of greenhouse and nursery products, Florida is ranked at number 2.
In an estimation, more than 8.2 billion Dollars were collected from agricultural products in 2012.

30. Florida Oranges Facts

The state fruit of Florida is ‘Orange, declared in 2005.
Citrus fruits especially oranges play a vital role in the economy of Florida.
Orange contributes 74 % of the total citrus production in the state.
Different varieties of oranges exist in Florida like Navel, Pineapple, Ambersweet, Valencia, and Hamlin.
These oranges vary from thick-skinned to thin-skinned, seedless seedy.
It is believed that the first orange trees were planted by Ponce de Leon between 1513, and 1565.

31. Florida Food Facts

Florida gives a variety of food options to its natives and visitors.
Different cuisine can be found in Florida varied from Latin America to Southern and Caribbean traditions.
There are certain specialties of Florida which can’t be neglected during a stay in Florida. Some of them are given below:
Juice bars can be found almost anywhere in Florida and delicious orange juice can’t be neglected.
Southern sweet tea is liked in Florida.
Cubano is also known as a Cuban sandwich can be found easily but Miami and Tampa are famous for their taste. It is made of roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard.
Sea food is famous here in Florida. It may be deep-fried or sushi-rolled.
Barbecue is liked in Florida as well. The grill can be found in almost every backyard in Florida’s homes.
Margaritas consisting of tequila, triple sec, and lime or lemon juice are liked in Florida.
Tasty ice cream is prepared, and served in Florida and one can’t stop eating it.
Other meals include Chicharron, Stone crabs, Arepas, Ceviche, Churrasco(steak), and Mofongo.

32. Florida Colleges And Universities

Florida State has more than 170 universities for students to get an education.
Some of the best universities of Florida include:
The University of Florida is ranked as number 35 in national universities. It is located 2 miles away from the Downtown city. It has an area of 2000 acres, and a total of 35,247 students are enrolled every year. Its fees are 6000$ for in-state students and 25,000$ for out-state students.
The University of Miami is ranked as number 53. Its fees are above 50,000$ and more than 10,000 students are enrolled every year.
Florida state university is located in Tallahassee. Its fees are more than 20,000$ for out-state students while 6500$ for in-state students. More than 33000 students are enrolled here.
There are some large universities in Florida also like:
The University of Central Florida which have an enrollment of more than 60,000 students per year.
Florida international university has an enrollment of about 50,000 students per year.

33. Florida State Motto

‘In God, we trust’ is the state motto of Florida.
It became part of the state seal in 1868.
It is slightly different from the motto of the US which ‘In God is our trust’.

34. Florida State Symbols

Below are the details of the state symbols of Florida:
- The American alligator is regarded as the state reptile of Florida.
- The mockingbird is considered Florida’s state bird.
- Florida panther is considered as Florida’s state animal.
- Manatee is Florida’s state marine mammal.
- Orange blossom is considered the state flower of Florida.
- Coreopsis is considered Florida’s state wild flower.
- Orange juice is Florida’s state beverage.
- Moonstone is considered a state gem of Florida.
- ‘In God, we trust’ is the state motto of Florida.

35. Florida State Flower Facts

Florida is famous for its flowers.
Orange blossom is one of the most fragrant flowers of the Florida state.
This orange blossom is considered a Florida state flower by the 1909 legislature.
The orange blossom can be found almost in every season of the year because last year’s blossom is present when the new flowers are grown on the trees.
And thus the fragrance remains in Florida’s atmosphere throughout the year.
Coreopsis is considered the state wildflower of Florida.
They have different varieties depending on sizes, shapes, and colors.
This flower can be found easily on the road sides, gardens, and fields.
Coreopsis is also known as tickseed. It has a yellow or brown center with yellow petals surrounding the center.
Summer and winter are the bloom season of the tickseed.

Florida State Flower Facts

36. Florida State Bird Facts

Mockingbird was declared as the state’s bird of Florida in 1927.
The biological name of the bird is ‘Mimus polyglottos’’.
Mockingbird is a songbird and mimic. Mockingbird has a pleasant sound that both vary volume and tone-wise. The sound can be repetitive as well.
The mocking bird’s pleasant sound can be heard in nights as well especially full moon and spring nights.
Lengths of 10 inches, wingspread of 15 inches help it fly easily.
Grayish upper portions, white undersides, and white patched tails and wings add beauty to the bird.
Mockingbird feeds on insects and seeds.
The mockingbird is also the state bird of Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas.

37. Florida State Tree

The sabal palm tree is considered the state tree of Florida. It is also called a sabal palmetto tree and cabbage palm.
Sabal palm tree was designated as the state tree in the 1953 legislature.
The tree is a member of the Arecaceae family and is found in the United States, Cuba, and the Bahamas.
The tree is evergreen and grows in almost any type of soil and therefore mostly found everywhere in Florida.
Sabal palm tree is used for many purposes like medicine, and food. In Florida, one can see many sabal palm trees near roads for absorbing road noise.
The tree can grow up to 80 feet. The tree can be recognized by looking at the leaves. The leaves are almost 5 feet long.

Florida State Tree

38. What Is The State Animal Of Florida – Florida State Animal Facts

The panther is considered the state animal of Florida. Its biological name is ‘Felis concolor coryi’.
The panther is also known as cougar, mountain lion, puma, and catamount.
It was chosen as a Florida state animal in 1982.
The Florida panther is a large, brownish cat having a long tail. It can grow to six feet or even longer.
It is considered the most endangered state symbol of Florida.
The human population is the main threat to the existence of the Florida panther. It is protected from legal hunting after 1958.
The panther mainly lives in the forests and swamps of Florida, especially in the southern region.

39. Florida Manatee Facts

Manatee is largely aquatic, mammal, and herbivorous marine animal.
They are also known as sea cows.
They are called sea cows because their nature is similar to cows on terrestrial land. They are peaceful and graze by eating plants.
Their body sizes are 4 meters and weigh more than 500Kg.
They move from one place to other using their paddle-like flippers. They usually move at a speed of 5-8 kms per hour but in small intervals, they can move at a speed of 30 kms per hour.
A manatee usually has 6 teeth in each jaw and the teeth are replaced by new teeth throughout their lives. Manatee has a large, and flexible upper lip used for gathering food and social interactions and communications.
Manatees are expected to have a life span of up to 60 years.
In Florida, Manatees can be seen in the morning times in warm water as they can’t survive cold.
Manatees come to people turn their backs to them for rubbing their backs. Manatees don’t bite so visitors should not panic.

40. Alligators In Florida Facts

Florida is famous for its alligators. Alligators are found both in fresh and salty water of Florida like rivers, ponds, canals, golf courses, and lakes. A land of more than 6 Million is considered suitable for the survival of Alligators.
The sizes and weights of the alligator vary with sex.
A female alligator can reach up to 10 ft. in length while a male can grow to a length of 14 ft.
A male alligator of 13 ft. and 10.5 inches was found in Orange Lake in Florida weighing 1043 pounds.
Fifteen-foot alligator has been spotted in the Florida golf course in Jan 2019.
The Diet of the alligator varies. Their diet includes fish, snakes, amphibians, small mammals, birds, and small invertebrates.
Alligators get sexually mature at an age of 10-15 years for females and 8-12 years for males. Female alligators stay in soil nest, or debris or deposit for more than 60 days, and then hatching of the eggs occurs in August or September.
The threat to alligators includes the factors that destroy their nests like floods or raccoons. The ratio of their survival can be imagined by the fact that approx. 10 of the 24 hatched eggs lives for one year, and 8 of the alligator reach adulthood.
Parts of the alligators like meat and skin are legally harvested and earn a handsome amount of money.
For those who are afraid of alligators’ attacks. The alligators’ attacks are not very often i.e they attack rarely. It is estimated that 20 deaths occurred due to these alligators since the 1970s.
Several alligators can be seen when Florida is visited. Keeping distance and not disturbing the alligators is safe.

41. Pictures Of Florida – Picture Of The State Of Florida

42. Florida Tourism – Fun Things In Florida – Places Of Interest In Florida

Florida is a hot spot for tourism providing a variety of spots to visit. Tourism varies from beaches to studios and theme parks.
It is believed that 80% of the Florida population is tourists and more than 1 million of the local people are employed in the tourism industry.
Florida doesn’t let the tourists get bored by providing places of their interest.
There are several places which seek visits of the tourists. Some of them are as follows:
Walt Disney World: Walt Disney World has been an amusement for thousands of visitors for decades.
Kennedy Space Centre: Located on the space coast, Kennedy Space Centre is a fascinating, exciting, and attractive educative spot.
Universal Studios: Universal studios offer great amusement opportunities for visitors. The amusements contain many wet and wild rides, 3D and 4D motion rides, and much more for the visitors.
Miami Beach and the art deco historic district: Miami Beach is an attractive spot for visitors where one can witness the glory that was found here in the past. Many of the skyscraper buildings belong to the 1930s and 1940s.
Daytona 500 international speedway: It is one of the most attractive spots for visitors. Busch Gardens Tampa
Duval Street in Key West
Edison and Ford Winter Estates
Salvador Dali Museum
The Ringling
St. Augustine’s Historic District and the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument.
Dry Tortugas National Park
SeaWorld Orlando
Everglades National Park: A big land of marsh and swamp supporting alligators, crocodiles, panthers, deer, turtles, manatees, egrets, and many other species. Visitors can see several species here. Airboat ride here lets the visitors have a view of the creatures.

43. Interesting Facts About Florida

Several interesting and full of fun things and places are found in Florida. The places attract visitors.
Tolls and bridges are most abundantly found in Florida State than in any other state of the United States.
Florida has a large number of Golf courses than any state in the US.
The highest point of Florida is Sugarloaf Mountain near Clermont. It is 345 ft. above sea level.
Florida is known to be the only place where Alligators and crocodiles live together.
Jacksonville a city in Florida is the biggest city in the United States.
More than 170 universities are found in Florida for serving education to the students.
Orange is the state fruit of Florida.
Different types of beaches are found in Florida e.g. sandy, stony, muddy, and clear water beaches.
Florida is considered to be the fourth most populous state of United States
Walt Disney World has been an amusement for thousands of visitors for decades. It is found here in Florida.
Everglades, beautiful beaches, Walt Disney, and many other offerings are given to the visitors of Florida.