Florida is a state in the southeastern region of the United
States, bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and
Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. Florida is the 22nd most
extensive, the 4th most populous, and the 8th most densely populated of the 50
United States.
The state capital is Tallahassee, its largest city is
Jacksonville, and the Miami metropolitan area is the largest metropolitan area
in the southeastern United States. Much of Florida is a peninsula between the
Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Straits of Florida. Its geography
is notable for a coastline, omnipresent water and the threat of hurricanes.
Florida has the longest coastline in the contiguous United
States, encompassing approximately 1,350 miles (2,170 km), and 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. Some of
its most iconic animals, such as the American alligator, crocodile, Florida
panther and the manatee, can be found in the Everglades, one of the most famous
national parks in the world.
