Florida is the largest peninsula of the USA. Its peculiar shape yields a coastline of well over 2000 km. This and an agreeable subtropical climate explains why the Sunshine State is so popular among tourists and retirees, despite the occasional hurricane barreling down.
 
The landscape is mainly flat and most of it lies at about sealevel. Typical floridian animals living in the Everglades Park are alligator, crocodile, manatee and the very rare Florida panther.
 
Another famous animal is Mickey Mouse who thrives in Walt Disney World near Orlando.
 
Paleo-Indians have lived in Florida since 13000 BC, first Europeans explored the area as early as 1500 AD, as shown on the Cantino Map.
 
Spain established at foothold in 1513 and ruled, (with a small Brittish interruption) till 1821 when they ceded the territory to the United States.
 
In 1845 Florida became the USA's 27th state.
The Seminole Wars ended in 1858 with the deportation of the few remaining Indians.
In the Civil War Florida was one of the founders of the Confederacy.
 
Its location relatively close to the equator made Cape Canaveral the preferred  launch site for the US manned space program. Since 2011 there have been no manned launches from here.
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Everglades
Cape Canaveral
Homosassa
Gator Land
SeaWorld
Key West