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What Do You Know About Florida? Fun Facts to Share From the Florida Association of Realtors(R)
ORLANDO, Fla. , July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- There's a lot to love about living in Florida , including the reason behind the state's well-deserved nickname - the Sunshine State. With a long and compelling history, many residents may not be aware of some fun and interesting facts about their home state, says 2009 Florida Association of Realtors(R) (FAR) President Cynthia Shelton.
"Whether you're a native whose family has calledFlorida home for generations, you moved here so many years ago you forget the exact date, or you're a newcomer toFlorida, we can always learn more about our exciting state," Shelton says. "The more we know aboutFlorida, the more we can share that information with others, especially new residents. It's a great way to build community and pass along a sense of pride in our home state. For instance, many people may not know the origin of the state's name - it comes from the Spanish 'Pascua Florida,' which means 'feast of flowers.'"
OtherFlorida facts:
Admitted to U.S. as a state on March 3, 1845 (27th State)
Nickname - Sunshine State
State flower - Orange blossom
State animal -Florida panther
State bird - Mockingbird
State beverage - Orange juice
State fruit - Orange
State marine mammal - Manatee
State reptile - American alligator
State pie - Key lime pie
State Stone - Agatized coral
State Tree - Sabal palmetto palm
State Butterfly - Zebra longwing
State wildflower - Coreopsis or Tickseed
State song - "The Swanee River" (Old Folks at Home) by Stephen C. Foster; Revised lyrics (2008)
Number of counties inFlorida - 67
Total area - 58,560 square miles
Land area - 54,252 square miles
Total water area - 4,308 square miles
Geographic center - 12 miles northwest ofBrooksville inHernando County
Coastline - 1,197 statute miles
Beaches - 663 miles
Florida has more than 11,000 miles of rivers, streams and waterways
Longest river - St. Johns River at 273 miles
Largest lake - Lake Okeechobee at 700 square miles (second largest freshwater lake in the U.S.)
Sources include: Florida Department of State; Visit Florida; U.S. Census Bureau; University of Florida's Bureau of Economic & Business Research; State of Florida.com research; Netstate.com; and "State Names, Seals, Flags and Symbols" by Benjamin F. Shearer and Barbara S. Shearer.
The Florida Association of Realtors (FAR), the voice for real estate inFlorida, provides programs, services, continuing education, research and legislative representation to its 115,000 members in 67 boards/associations. For more FAR media releases, go to www.media.floridarealtors.org.
SOURCE Florida Association of Realtors
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