Capital: Tallahassee State abbreviation/Postal code: Fla./FL Governor: Rick Scott, R (to Jan. 2015) Lieut. Governor: Jennifer Carroll, R (to Jan. 2015) Senators: Marco Rubio, R (to Jan. 2017); Bill Nelson, D (to Jan. 2013) U.S. Representatives: 25 Historical biographies of Congressional members Secy. of State: Kurt S. Browning, R (appt'd. by gov.) Atty. General: Pam Bondi, R (to Jan. 2015) Chief Financial Officer: Jeff Atwater, R (to Jan. 2015) Organized as territory: March 30, 1821 Entered Union (rank): March 3, 1845 (27) Present constitution adopted: 1969 Motto: In God we trust (1868) State symbols: | flower | orange blossom (1909) | | bird | mockingbird (1927) | | song | “Suwannee River” (1935) |
Nickname: Sunshine State (1970) Origin of name: From the Spanish Pascua Florida, meaning “feast of flowers” (Easter) 10 largest cities (2010): Jacksonville, 821,784; Miami, 399,457; Tampa, 335,709; St. Petersburg, 244,769; Orlando, 238,300; Hialeah, 224,669; Tallahassee, 181,376; Fort Lauderdale, 165,521; Port Saint Lucie, 164,603; Pembroke Pines, 154,750 Land area: 53,927 sq mi. (139,671 sq km) Geographic center: In Hernando Co., 12 mi. NNW of Brooksville Number of counties: 67 Largest county by population and area: Miami-Dade, 2,496,435 (2010); Palm Beach, 2,034 sq mi. State forests: 31 (more than 890,000 ac.) State parks: 159 (over 723,000+ ac.) Residents: Floridian, Floridan 2010 resident population: 18,801,310 2010 resident census population (rank): 18,801,310 (4). Male: 9,189,355 (48.9%); Female: 9,611,955 (51.1%). White: 14,109,162 (75.0%); Black: 2,999,862 (16.0%); American Indian: 71,458 (0.4%); Asian: 454,821 (2.4%); Other race: 681,144 (3.6%); Two or more races: 472,577 (2.5%); Hispanic/Latino: 4,223,806 (22.5%). 2010 population 18 and over: 14,799,219; 65 and over: 3,259,602; median age: 38.7 (17.3%). See additional census data Area codes Tourism office |
