82 Florida Facts And Weird Laws

Florida is one of the top tourist destinations in the United States. The state is home to unique attractions, including theme parks, beaches, and national parks.

Miami and other coastal cities are top spots for sunseekers. While you are in Florida, you may want to take your children to the children-friendly amusement parks in Orlando. 

You can experience island life in the Florida Keys or visit the white sand beaches in Florida Panhandle to enjoy the cool breeze.

Florida is a unique state you would want to visit.

Learn more about this state with our compilation of interesting facts.

Best Fun Facts About Florida

1. Florida is the nation’s flattest state.
2. Key Largo is home to the statue of Jesus, popular as the Christ of the Abyss.
3. Florida has a pirate booty.
4. The Everglades is one of the sources of drinking water in the state.
5. Jacksonville is the largest city in the nation.
6. Florida is a Golfers Paradise with 1,250 golf courses. The state has more golf courses than any US state.
7. Clearwater city experiences more lightning strikes per capita in the US.
8. Miami is one of the US cities at risk of sinking due to rising sea levels. 
9. Florida is one of the states in the US with political corruption.

Florida Facts—Politics And Government 

1. Florida is a Republican-leaning state. 
2. The Florida government comprises three branches: the executive, judiciary, and legislature. 
3. The Florida legislature has 40 senators and 120 representatives.
4. The current and 46th Florida governor is Ron Desantis, a Republican.
5. The state’s Supreme Court has seven justices, including the Chief Justice.
6. The State Capitol building is in Tallahassee. 
7. Florida has 29 electoral votes in the electoral college.

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Florida Facts—History

8. Paleo-Indians inhabited present-day Florida as early as 14,000 years ago.
9. Apalachee, Ais, Calusa, and Timucua lived in this region before the European settlement.
10. Florida was the first state the Europeans visited in the Lower 48 states.
11. Juan Ponce de León led the first Spanish explorers into present-day Florida.
12. The Spanish explorer, Hernando de Soto visited the region in 1539.
13. European settlement in Florida began when Don Tristán de Luna y Arellano founded what was to be the first settlement in the area in 1559.
14. Florida is home to the first Christian marriage in the lower 48 states. Luisa de Abrego was married to Miguel Rodríguez.
15. King Charles of Spain freed all the slaves in Spanish Florida.
16. Spain acquired Havana from the British in exchange for Florida in 1763.
17. Did you know that most of the residents left Florida for Cuba? 
18. The British offered land to the French and Indian War veterans to encourage settlement. 
19. Parts of West Florida were in the territory of Orleans.
20. The Congress incorporated west and east Florida, forming the Florida Territory in 1822.
21. Florida became the 27th United States in 1845, the last day of John Tyler’s presidency.
22. Florida seceded from the Union in 1861 and joined the Confederate States of America.
23. Florida provided beef to the Confederate armies.
24. The Florida name originated from “Pascua Florida,” the Spanish “Feast of Flowers.”

Florida Facts—Geography

25. With 65,758 square miles, Florida is the 22nd largest state.
26. Florida lies in the southeast corner of the United States.
27. Only Georgia and Alabama share Florida’s land border.
28. Other than Florida, no state borders both the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. 
29. Florida is one of the largest states by water area in the Contiguous United States.
30. Florida has eight regions: the Florida Panhandle, Central Florida, North Central Florida, Southeast Florida, Northeast Florida, Central West Florida, South Florida, and Central East Florida.
31. Britton Hill is the state’s highest natural point. It stands at 345 feet above the ground. Even though Britton Hill is the state’s highest peak, it’s lower than other states’ highest points.
32. Florida features a flat landscape, especially in the southern region of Orlando.
33. Rolling hills are a common feature in northern and central Florida.
34. Sugarloaf Mountain in Peninsular Florida is the highest point in that region at 312 feet above sea level.
35. Florida is the flattest of any US state.
36. Florida is home to more than 11,000 miles of waterways, including streams and rivers.
37. Everglades in Florida is the world’s slowest moving river.
38. The climate in the Florida Keys is tropical, while the Northern region of Lake Okeechobee experiences a humid sub-tropical climate.
39. It’s not common for the summer temperature to exceed 37.8°C. 
40. The state’s nickname is the “Sunshine State,” but adverse weather in the form of hurricanes, tornadoes, hails, and thunderstorms are common in this region.
41. Central Florida is the “Lightning Capital US” because it receives the highest number of lightning strikes in the nation.
42. Florida’s average precipitation is one of the nation’s highest.
43. Florida is the most hurricane-prone state in the nation.
44. Hurricane Andrew and Hurricane Katrina are two of the deadliest hurricanes to have hit Florida.
45. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park was the first US underwater park.
46. Key West’s average temperature is the highest in the nation.

Florida Facts—Animals And Plants

47. The Sunshine State is home to various animals and plants due to its varied habitats.
48. The marine mammals living in Florida include the short-finned pilot whale, bottlenose dolphin, West Indian manatee, and North Atlantic right whale.

49. Florida is home to land mammals such as Florida panther, mink, northern river otter, raccoon, eastern cottontail rabbit, bobcats, marsh rabbit, striped skunk, red fox, squirrel, wild boar, white-tailed deer, Virginia opossum, gray fox, Florida black bear, coyote, and nine-banded armadillos.
50. Florida has over one million alligators and more than 1,500 crocodiles. 
51. Florida is home to migratory and native bird species, including the peregrine falcon, American flamingo, bald eagle, snail kite, crested caracara, osprey, pelicans, whooping cranes, seagulls, and sandhill cranes.

52. More than half of the state’s land area is forested.
53. Florida has nearly 3000 wildflower species. 
54. Other than Texas and California, Florida is the most diverse nation.
55. The coral islands of the Florida Keys are home to coconut palms.

56. Mangroves are the dominant plants in Cocoa Beach and other coastal regions of the state.
57. The Florida Reef is home to more than 1,500 marine animals and plants.
58. The Florida Reef is one of the most delicate ecosystems in the state. Overfishing, rising sea levels, sea surface temperature changes, and coral bleaching remain a threat to this ecosystem.

Florida Facts—Demographics

59. Florida’s population of over 21,538,187 makes it the 3rd most populous state in the nation.
60. Tallahassee is the state capital city of Florida. The Capitol building is in downtown Tallahassee.
61. Jacksonville is the most extensive and most populous city in Florida. 
62. Other major cities in Florida include Miami, Tampa, Orlando, and Tallahassee.

63. The median age of the Florida population is 41.6 years. 
64. Around 70 percent of the Florida residents are Christians.
65. The dominant racial group is the whites making up slightly over 75% of the population. Native Americans are 0.28% of the state’s population.
66. Florida has one of the largest Hispanic populations in the US–over one million.
67. St. Augustine is the oldest active city in the state.
68. About 70 percent of the Florida residents speak English. Twenty-nine percent of the population uses Spanish for communication.

Florida Facts—Economy

69. Florida ranks 8th in Fiscal stability, 3rd in Education, and 8th in Economy in the country.
70. Florida has one of the largest economies in the United States, with a GDP of $969.56 billion in 2021. The state’s economy is dependent on agriculture and other sectors.
71. Only California, Texas, and New York have more millionaires than Florida.
72. Florida produces more than half of the nation’s oranges.
73. Cape Canaveral, Florida, is the center for launching space flights.
74. Florida has the most golf courses (more than 1,250) in the nation.
75. Florida is home to one of the nation’s largest potash deposits.
76. Florida is also home to the nation’s largest deposit of rock phosphate.
77. Florida and six other states don’t have a personal income tax. 
78. Florida’s minimum wage for non-tipped jobs ($10.00)  is higher than that of the federal government($7.25).
79. Tourism is one of the top industries in Florida. The state hosted more than 100 million tourists for the first time in 2015.
80. Fishing is a key source of income for the residents of Florida.
81. Florida has the nation’s largest powerboat sales. 
82. Florida is home to 9,000 gas stations (2011) and 131 public airports.

Famous Location in Florida

1. Walt Disney World in Orlando is an amusement park that attracts thousands of people.
2. Kennedy Space Center is rich in information about space exploration and technology.

3. Universal Studios in Orlando is a popular amusement park for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
4. Miami Beach is home to the Art Deco Historic District. The beach itself is an attractive place. 
5. Florida Everglades National Park, one of the state’s most extensive parks, is home to Florida Panthers, egrets, river otters, alligators, American crocodiles, manatees, turtles, and deer.
6. Daytona 500 International Speedway in Daytona is key to the NASCAR Cup Series.
7. SeaWorld amusement park in Orlando.
8. Busch Gardens in Tampa houses lions, tigers, giraffes, and other animals.
9. Dry Tortugas National Park boasts reef islands and Fort Jefferson.
10. Duval Street in Key West
11. St. Augustine’s Historic District is the perfect place to learn Florida’s history.
12.  Castillo de San Marcos National Monument is a popular tourist destination.
13. Thomas Edison and Henry Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers.
14. Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg.

Famous People From Florida

• Ariana Grande, the musician, was born in Boca Raton, Florida.
• Jim Morrison, the singer-songwriter, was born in Melbourne, Florida.
• Bob Ross (dead), the painter, was born in Daytona Beach.
• Anya Taylor-Joy, the actress, was born in Miami, Florida.
• Vince Carter, the basketball player, was born in Daytona Beach.

Common Misconceptions About Florida

Here are the most common beliefs about the state of Florida.

It’s a sunny state

Nicknamed the Sunshine State, Florida receives varied weather conditions. 

Alligators are everywhere in Florida

Florida is home to many alligators, but you wouldn’t find them on your lawns.

Florida is a place for retirees

This belief is misleading. Florida, just like any other state, has the young and old. 

Weird Florida Laws

Here are our top 10 Florida weird laws. Read the Craziest Laws in the United States, if you want more.

1. Don’t even think of selling your children. 
2. It’s unlawful for men to wear strapless dresses
3. Don’t imitate an animal.
4. Singing in your swimsuit is unlawful.
5. Don’t even think of showering when you are naked.
6. Stealing a horse is illegal, and you risk death by hanging.
7. Don’t think of parking in an intersection.
8. Hanging clothes on a clothesline is unlawful.
9. Living with your partner before you marry is illegal.
10. It’s unlawful to gossip.

Final Thoughts

The Florida Keys, beaches, reef islands, amusement parks, and cultural attractions make Florida one of the most popular states in the United States. 

We hope our article on the interesting facts about Florida enriches your knowledge about the state.

Florida Facts And Stats

Capital	Tallahassee
Population	2020 (21,538,187)
Governor	Ron DeSantis (Republican Party)
Date Of Admission	March 3, 1845
U.S. Senators	Marco Rubio(R) Rick Scott(R)
US House of Representatives	27 (of 435 Seats)
State Nickname	The Sunshine State
State Motto	In God We Trust
	“Swanee River” by Stephen C. Foster
State Flower	Orange Blossom
State Freshwater Fish	Largemouth bass
State Bird	Mockingbird
State Tree	Sabal Palm
State Animal	Florida Panther
State Beverage	Orange Juice
State Shell	Horse Conch
State Gem	Moonstone
State Fossil	Agatized coral
Neighbor States	Georgia Alabama

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Florida known for?

• Miami Beach.
• Disney World.
• Golf Courses 
• World Golf Hall of Fame.
• Florida Peninsula.
• Kennedy Space Center.
• Beach resorts.

What are the 10 interesting Florida facts?

1. Only Alaska has a longer coastline than Florida (1,350 miles).
2. Florida is the leading citrus fruit producer in the nation.
3. Oktaha Tko in Florida is a palindromic place. It reads the same from left to right or vice versa.
4. Hawaii is the southernmost state in the country and not Florida.
5. Florida is home to the Everglades National Park, where crocodiles and alligators live together.
6. Stephen Foster, the Florida state songwriter, never saw the Suwannee River. He didn’t even set foot in the state.
7. Defuniak Springs is home to a naturally round lake. 
8. Florida was once home to the first oldest tree globally.
9. St. Augustine, Florida is home to the first permanent European settlers in the country. 
10. Florida is one of the leading states in the world’s orange juice supply.

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• Florida Unemployment Insurance Benefits Guide

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References

[1] https://www.history.com/.amp/topics/us-states/florida

[2] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Florida

[3] https://travel.usnews.com/rankings/best-places-to-visit-in-florida/

[4] https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/florida