Florida

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Southeasternmost state of the USA, bordered to the north by Georgia and by Alabama; area 139,670 sq km/53,927 sq mi; population (2000) 15,982,400; capital Tallahassee. Florida is a low-lying tropical peninsula, and has large areas of swampland, such as the Everglades, as well as large bays, lagoons, and beaches along the coastline. The Florida Keys island chain extends to the southwest. Florida produces almost 75% of the citrus fruit crop in the USA, and the fishing industry is also important, with about 10% of the total shrimp catch in the USA. Tourism and finance are significant industries, and there is manufacturing based around the NASA space programme at Cape Canaveral. The largest city and urban area is Jacksonville, and other major cities include Miami, Tampa, St Petersburg, Hialeah, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, and Hollywood. Florida was admitted to the Union in 1845 as the 27th US state and is governed under the 1969 state constitution.

Red symbolizes the revolution of 1984. The five-pointed star is said to signify the revolution or freedom. Green stands for the country's natural resources. Effective date: 4 August 1984. >>