The Sunshine State
Big Cities, Small Towns, State Symbols, Food, Culture & More!
Big Cities Agriculture
Industry
State Symbols
State Symbols
Florida Panther STATE ANIMAL
The Florida panther is the official state animal of Florida.
The Florida panther became the official state animal of Florida in Florida panthers are a type of – also called mountain lions & pumas.
Most Florida panthers live in southern Florida, especially in Cypress National Preserve
Everglades
Florida panthers can sprint up to 35 miles per hour!
Florida panthers are recognizable by their brown fur tipped tails. Florida panthers are known for being excellent athletes –they can swim, run, jump & climb. Florida panthers are crepuscular, meaning hey are most active during dawn & dusk.
Florida panthers don’t roar like lions – they chirp, growl & purr.
Manatee STATE MARINE MAMMAL
The manatee is the official state marine mammal of Florida.
The manatees found in Florida are a subspecies of the West Indian manatee.
Florida manatees live in warm, shallow waters like rivers, bays, & coastal areas.
Manatees became the official state marine mammal of Florida in 1975 are nicknamed “sea cows” because of their size & eating habits.
Manatees are are slow swimmers, usually going 3 - 5 miles per hour.
Manatees are herbivores – meaning they only eat plants like seagrass & algae. The average manatee weighs around 1,000 pounds.
Dolphin STATE SALTWATER MAMMAL
The dorsal fin is unique to every dolphin – just like fingerprints are for people!
The dolphin is the official saltwater mammal
The dolphin became Florida’s official state saltwater mammal of in
Bottlenose dolphins type of dolphin in Florida’s coastal waters.
Dolphins live in groups called pods.
Dolphins can hold their breath for around 10 minutes before they need to
Bottlenose dolphins are known as the “ of the water!
Bottlenose dolphins can swim up to 20 miles/hour.
Dolphins breathe through a blowhole located on the top of their head.
Northern Mockingbird STATE BIRD
5 states
Mockingbird as their state bird.
Mockingbirds got their name because they are famous for “mocking” or copying the sounds of other birds.
The Northern Mockingbird can be found in every part of Florida during every season
Mockingbirds are known for being territorial.
Unlike many other species of birds, the male & female Northern Mockingbirds different sounds.
Northern Mockingbirds eat mostly seeds & small insects.
Orange Blossom
The orange blossom is the
The orange blossom became the official state flower of Florida in
Orange blossoms bloom in the mainly during the months of
Orange blossoms are known for being extremely fragrant Bees the main pollinators for orange blossoms.
Orange blossoms typically have five white petals arranged in a star shape.
Orange blossoms grow on orange trees.
Some orange blossoms turn in oranges!
One orange tree can produce THOUSANDS of orange blossoms every year!
“Citrus
sinensis”
Sabal Palm STATE TREE
The sabal palm is the official state tree of Florida.
The sabal palm became Florida’s official state tree in 1953
The sabal palm’s fan-shaped leaves are called “fronds.”
Each sabal palm frond can grow to be up to 9 feet long!
Sabal palms grow very slow
“Cabbage
Sabal palms grow naturally in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina & the Caribbean. In late spring, sabal palms burst with tiny white flowers.
palm”
leaves provide a safe space for many birds to build their nests.
Sabal palms are very strong & can survive hurricanes better than most other trees.
80 feet
American Alligator STATE REPTILE
The American alligator is the official state reptile of Florida.
American Alligators cold blooded.
Baby American alligators are called “hatchlings.” alligators can be found in EVERY county of Florida. alligators live in freshwater places like swamps marshes & rivers
American alligators can swim 20 miles per hour!
American alligators can hold their breath for up to
The largest American alligator ever recorded was
American alligators have 80 teeth at a time.
Big Cities
Jacksonville BIG CITY
Jacksonville is the LARGEST city with a population of over 1 million people
Jacksonville is known as one of the biggest U.S. Navy cities in the country.
Jacksonville is built on both sides of the St. Johns River.
Jacksonville has over 500 neighborhoods.
Station
Jacksonville & Naval Station
Mayport.
Jacksonville was founded in 1822… BEFORE Florida became a state!
Jacksonville is the largest city by land area in the continental United States.
Duval County Public Schools has over 120,000 students
Miami BIG CITY
Miami is the 2nd largest city a population of over
Miami is the ONLY founded by a woman style buildings.
Miami Dade County Public Schools is the largest school district in Florida. cruise port.
Miami is nicknamed the “magic city.”
Miami is known for its Cuban & Latin American culture.
Tampa BIG CITY
Tampa sits along an estuary
Tampa Bay
Estuaries are bodies of water where rivers meet the ocean.
Tampa is the 3rd largest city in Florida with a population of over 410,000 people.
Tampa if often referred to as the Lightning Capital of North America.”
Tampa became an official city of Florida in 1855.
Tampa is well known for its pirate festival, Gasparilla, which has been celebrated for over 100 years!
Tampa hosts the Florida State Fair.
Hillsborough County Public Schools has over 220,000 students.
Orlando BIG CITY
Orlando is the 4th largest city in Florida with a population of over 330,000 people.
Orlando is downtown Orlando is famous for its swans
Orlando’s theme parks make it one of the most visited cities in the U.S.
Orange County Public Schools has over 205,000 students
St. Petersburg BIG CITY
St. Petersburg is the 5th largest city in Florida with a population of over 265,000 people.
St. Petersburg holds a Guiness World Record for the most consecutive days of sunshine.
“The Sunshine City” commercial airline.
St. Pete became an official city of Florida in 1892.
In 1892, St. Pete only had ~300 residents.
St. Pete is known for its vibrant public art & murals.
St. Pete is located in between the Gulf of Mexico & Tampa Bay.
Pinellas County Public Schools has over 95,000 students
Port St. Lucie BIG CITY
Port St. Lucie is the 6th largest city with a population of over
Port St. Lucie is around 120 square miles.
Port St. Lucie is known for hosting Major League Baseball spring training
Port St. Lucie is divided into 33 neighborhoods.
Port St. Lucie became an official city of Florida in 1961. home to a botanical garden
Port St. Lucie has around miles of Atlantic coastline
The Savannas Preserve State Park education center is in Port St. Lucie.
St. Lucie County Public Schools has over 46,000 students
Hialeah BIG CITY
Hialeah is the 7th largest city with a population of over 235,000 people
Hialeah is most known for the Hialeah Park Racetrack a historic horse racing track.
The Hialeah Park Racetrack opened 1925 & is now a National Historic Hialeah was established as a city of Florida in 1925.
Hialeah has a strong Cuban & Latin American culture. is commonly referred to as the “City of Progress.”
Hialeah is unique for being a big city with no skyscrapers
Miami-Dade County Public Schools is the largest school district in Florida.
Cape Coral BIG CITY
Cape Coral is the 8th largest city in Florida with a population of over 233,000 people.
Cape Coral has 400+ miles of navigable canals -more than any other city in the world!
Cape Coral has freshwater & saltwater canals.
Some of Cape Coral’s saltwater canals connect all the way to the Gulf of Mexico!
Cape Coral is known for its large population of burrowing owls.
Cape Coral was established as a city of Florida in 1970. Cape Coral was founded in 1957 by two brothers, Leonard & Jack Rosen.
Lee County Public Schools has over 102,000 students "Waterfront Wonderland
Small Towns
Mount Dora SMALL TOWN
Mount Dora is home to one of the only inland freshwater lighthouses in Florida.
small town in Florida with a population of around 18,000 people.
Mount Dora is surrounded by three lakes –Lake Beauclair & Lake Gertrude. lighthouse is located on Lake Dora.
Mount Dora got the name “Mount” because the town sits 184 feet above sea level.
184 FEET
Mount Dora was established as an official town in 1910.
Downtown Mount Dora is a National Historic District.
Mount Dora is a part of Lake County with over 45,000 students.
Landmarks
Space Coast
Florida’s “Space Coast” is one of the busiest spaceports in the world.
Florida’s “Space Coast” includes the Kennedy Space Center & Cape Canaveral.
spaceport is a place where rockets take off into space. The first rocket launched from Cape Canaveral in 1950. Apollo 11 , which carried the first astronauts to walk on the Moon in 1969, blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center.
Coast is home to the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame.
“That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
Kennedy Space Center & Cape Canaveral are located on a piece of land called Merritt Island.
Agriculture
Oranges FLORIDA
Florida is the #1 orange producing state in the U.S.
of all oranges grown in Florida are processed into
Florida is the orange juice capital of the U.S.!
Florida’s orange season lasts 9 months from October - June.
Oranges are Florida’s official state fruit.
Most of the oranges grown in Florida come from the central & southern part of the state.
Florida’s main varieties of oranges are Navel, Hamlin, Pineapple, Ambersweet & Valencia. in Florida since the mid-1800s.
Industry
Tourism INDUSTRY
Florida is the #1 orange producing state in the U.S.
Parks & Rec
Everglades
Everglades
NATIONAL PARK
Everglades National Park is the subtropical wilderness
Everglades National Park was established on December 6, 1947.
National Park covers 1.5 million acres
Everglades
National Park is known for its cypress trees
Everglades
National Park is one of the only places in the world where alligators & crocodiles live together.
There are nine different ecosystems in Everglades National Park. Sawgrass in the Everglades can grow over 6 feet tall.
Food & Culture
Key Lime Pie
Key lime pie is a kind of pie made from special limes grown in the Florida Keys
Key lime pie is the official state pie of Florida. The very first Key lime pie was made in Key West, Florida.
Key limes are a type of small lime that are known to be more tart than regular limes.
Key lime pie is topped with either Every July, Key West, Florida hosts a key lime is the most common type of crust for key lime pies.
Key lime pie filling is made with key lime juice
condensed milk & Key lime pie is served cold.