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State in the extreme SE United States. A long, low peninsula between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Florida is bordered by Georgia and Alabama.
Area, 58,560 sq mi (151,670 sq km).
Pop. (2000) 15,982,378, a 23.5% increase since the 1990 census.
Capital, Tallahassee... (home of the Florida State University Seminoles)
Unofficial Capital. Gainesville (The Swamp) ...(home of the NCAA Champion University of Florida Gators !!!)
Largest city, Jacksonville (all of Duval County).
2nd Largest city, Cape Coral !!!!
Nickname, Sunshine State.
Motto, In God We Trust.
State bird, mockingbird. (The official bird of Cape Coral is the Burrowing Owl)
State flower, orange blossom.
State tree, Sabal palmetto palm. (Saw palmetto)
Famed beaches, such as those at Sanibel Island, Fort Myers Beach, Venice Beach, etc , attract hordes of vacationers. With more than 4,000 sq mi (10,360 sq km) of inland water and with the sea readily accessible from almost anywhere in the state, Florida is a fishing paradise. Other attractions include Everglades National Park, with its unusual plant and animal life; Palm Beach , with its palatial estates; and Sanibel Island's picturesque resorts.
   
Cape Coral is on the SW Florida Gulf Coast, 120 miles South of Tampa via I-75, which continues to the East (as Alligator Alley) another 100 miles to Fort Lauderdale and Miami. The Cape, as it is known, is the second largest city in Florida by area (110+ sq. miles) and is one of the fastest growing cities in the US, having grown from 100,000 to 145,000 since the 2000 census. The median age keeps falling (presently estimated to be 39) as younger families are attracted to the affordable homes, low crime rates, good schools and hospitals, year-round water activities and just fine living. A new mid-point bridge to Fort Myers and I-75 connects with a new East-West express artery (Veterans Parkway) across Cape Coral and this has stimulated building activity in the Central and Northern areas of the city. Veterans Parkway now connects to the North-South connector (Burnt Store Road) giving quick access to NW Cape Coral and Charlotte Harbor. New access ramps and docks are being built constantly to keep up with the avid boaters and fishermen. With over 500 miles of waterways inside the city, the Cape has become renowned for being a boating and fishing paradise.
*Information from Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition
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