Florida is one of the Southeast states and is bordered to the north by Alabama and Georgia, to the east the Atlantic ocean, and to the west by the Gulf of Mexico. Tallahassee is Florida’s capital, and Jacksonville is its largest city. Florida entered the Union on March 3, 1845, as the 27th state. Millions of tourists visit the state each year , attracted by the warm, sunny climate and attractions such as Walt Disney World near Orlando and the John F. Kennedy Space Center on Cape Canaveral. Many tourists also come to Florida to go to the Everglades National Park. There are many beach resorts in Florida such as Daytona Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miami Beach, and Clearwater and Panama City. In 1513 the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon named the region Florida, either because the plant life included many flowers or because the time of his visit was Easter week. Florida is nicknamed the Sunshine state and the Peninsula state.

For some fun activities and facts for kids visit the Florida Kids Web site.