Capital: Tallahassee

Governor: Jeb Bush, R (to Jan. 2003)

Lieut. Governor: Frank Brogan, R (to Jan. 2003)

Senators: Bob Graham, D (to Jan. 2005); Bill Nelson, D (to Jan. 2007)

Secy. of State: Katherine Harris, R (to Jan. 2003)

Comptroller: Bob Milligan, R (to Jan. 2003)

Commissioner of Agriculture: Bob Crawford, D (to Jan. 2003)

Atty. General: Bob Butterworth, D (to Jan. 2003)

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:

Florida - Study in the Sun

In 1513, Ponce De Leon, seeking the mythical "Fountain of Youth," discovered and named Florida, claiming it for Spain. Later, Florida would be held at different times by Spain and England until Spain finally sold it to the United States in 1819. (Incidentally, France established a colony named Fort Caroline in 1564 in the state that was to become Florida.)

Florida's early-19th-century history as a U.S. territory was marked by wars with the Seminole Indians that did not end until 1842, although a treaty was actually never signed.

Florida's economy rests on a solid base of tourism, manufacturing, agriculture, and international trade.

In recent years, oranges, grapefruit, and other citrus fruits led Florida's agricultural-product list, followed by potatoes, melons, strawberries, sugar cane, peanuts, dairy products, and cattle.

Major tourist attractions are Miami Beach, Palm Beach, St. Augustine (founded in 1565, thus the oldest permanent city in the U.S.), Daytona Beach, and Fort Lauderdale on the East Coast. Other resorts include Sarasota, Tampa, and St. Petersburg on the West Coast and Key West off the southern tip of Florida. The Orlando area, where Disney World is located on a 27,000-acre site, is Florida's most popular tourist destination. Also drawing many visitors are the NASA Kennedy Space Center's Spaceport USA, Everglades National Park, and the Epcot Center.

Nickname: Sunshine State (1970)

Origin of name: From the Spanish, meaning "feast of flowers" (Easter)

10 largest cities (1999 est.): Jacksonville 1, 695,877; Miami, 369,253; Tampa, 290,973; St. Petersburg, 234,647; Hialeah, 212,547; Orlando, 180,308; Fort Lauderdale, 154,021; Tallahassee, 135,938; Hollywood, 131,828; Pembroke Pines, 121,279

Land area: 54,153 sq mi. (140,256 sq km)

Geographic center: In Hernando Co., 12 mi. NNW of Brooksville

Number of counties: 67

Largest county by population and area: Miami-Dade, 2,175,634 (1999 est.); Palm Beach, 2,034 sq mi.

State forests: 35 (550,000 ac.)

State parks : 151 (523,920 ac.)

Residents: Floridian, Floridan

1999 resident population est.: 15,111,244

1990 resident census population (rank): 12,937,926 (4). Male: 6,261,719; Female: 6,676,207. White: 10,749,285 (83.1%); Black: 1,759,534 (13.6%); American Indian: 36,335 (0.3%); Asian: 154,302 (1.2%); Other race: 238,470 (1.8%); Hispanic: 1,574,143 (12.2%). 1990 percent population under 18: 22.2; 65 and over: 18.3; median age: 36.2.