Florida Geography from NETSTATE (original) (raw)

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The Geography of Florida

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| Longitude / Latitude | Longitude: 79° 48' W to 87° 38' WLatitude: 24° 30' N to 31° N | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | Length x Width | Florida is 500 miles long and 160 miles wide at its most distant points. | | | Geographic CenterExplanation | Thegeographic center of Florida is located in Hernando County, 12 miles NNW of Brooksville.Longitude: 81° 37.9'WLatitude: 28° 8.0'N | | | Borders | Florida is bordered by Georgia andAlabama to the north. On the west Florida is bordered by Alabama and the Gulf of Mexico. To the south and to the east, Florida is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean. | | | Total Area | Florida covers 65,758 square miles, making it the 22nd largest of the50 states. | | | Land Area | 53,997 square miles of Florida are land areas. | | | Water Area | 11,761 square miles of Florida are covered by water making Florida the 3rd wettest state behind Alaska and Michigan. | | | Highest Point | The highest point in Florida isBritton Hill, Lakewood Park in Walton County and is only 345 feet above sea level. Walton County is located in the Florida Panhandle. | | | Lowest Point | The lowest point in Florida is sea level where Florida meets theAtlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. | | | Mean Elevation | The Mean Elevation of the state of Florida is only 100 feet above sea level. | | | Major Rivers | St. Johns River,St. Marys River,Suwannee River | | | Major Lakes | Lake Okeechobee,Lake George | |

The Land
The land of swaying palm trees and warm ocean breezes is quite flat with a rolling landscape to its highest point in the Northwest. Part of three geographic land areas make up the Florida landscape; the Atlantic Coastal Plain, the East Gulf Coastal Plain and the Florida Uplands.Atlantic Coastal Plain: The Atlantic Plain stretches from Cape Cod, Massachusetts south and around the Florida Peninsula and the Gulf of Mexico. A part of the Atlantic Plain, the Atlantic Coastal Plain completely covers the entire eastern part of Florida. The landscape is low and level and varies from about 30 to 90 miles wide. Off the mainland is a narrow strip of sand bars, coral reefs and barrier islands. Most of southern Florida, 2,746 square miles, is covered by theBig Cypress Swamp and the FloridaEverglades. This area is saturated with water, especially during the rainy months. To the south of the mainland, lie the Florida Keys curving out to sea about 150 miles in a southwesterly direction. The largest island of this chain of islands isKey Largo.East Gulf Coastal Plain: The East Gulf Coastal Plain, a sub-section of the Atlantic Plain, like the Atlantic Coastal Plain, presents itself in two sections of Florida. The sections are divided by a portion of the Florida Uplands. In southwestern Florida, the East Gulf Coastal Plain extends inland to cover parts of theBig Cypress Swamp and theEverglades. The East Gulf Coastal Plain is similar to the Atlantic Coastal Plain on the other side of the Florida peninsula. Barrier islands run along the west coast of Florida and coastal swampland extends inland. The northern section of the East Gulf Coastal Plain curves around the upper edge of the northeastern Gulf of Mexico at Apalachee Bay and extends west across the Florida panhandle to Florida's western border.Florida Uplands: From the northwest corner of the state, the Florida Uplands run about 275 miles west to east, along the northern edge of the Florida Panhandle and then extends south into the central area of the Florida peninsula. The width of the northern Florida Uplands varies from around 30 to 50 miles and is characterized by low rolling hills of red clay. Hard and softwood forests are plentiful. The section of the Florida Uplands that extends south into the peninsula, covers an area about 100 miles wide and 160 miles long. This area extends from the north, south and to the east, to separate the two sections of the East Gulf Coastal Plain and to separate the East Gulf Coastal Plain from the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The landscape in the southern Florida Uplands is characterized by low hills and many lakes. Though the Florida Uplands are only 200-300 feet above sea level, they are still higher than the regions of the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the East Gulf Coastal Plain. The highest point in Florida is found in the Florida Uplands that run along the northern edge of the panhandle. Just south of the Alabama border, west of Paxton,Britton Hill is 345 feet above sea level and is the lowest state high point in the nation. ( Florida Close-up )

The Land

The land of swaying palm trees and warm ocean breezes is quite flat with a rolling landscape to its highest point in the Northwest. Part of three geographic land areas make up the Florida landscape; the Atlantic Coastal Plain, the East Gulf Coastal Plain and the Florida Uplands.Atlantic Coastal Plain: The Atlantic Plain stretches from Cape Cod, Massachusetts south and around the Florida Peninsula and the Gulf of Mexico. A part of the Atlantic Plain, the Atlantic Coastal Plain completely covers the entire eastern part of Florida. The landscape is low and level and varies from about 30 to 90 miles wide. Off the mainland is a narrow strip of sand bars, coral reefs and barrier islands. Most of southern Florida, 2,746 square miles, is covered by theBig Cypress Swamp and the FloridaEverglades. This area is saturated with water, especially during the rainy months. To the south of the mainland, lie the Florida Keys curving out to sea about 150 miles in a southwesterly direction. The largest island of this chain of islands isKey Largo.East Gulf Coastal Plain: The East Gulf Coastal Plain, a sub-section of the Atlantic Plain, like the Atlantic Coastal Plain, presents itself in two sections of Florida. The sections are divided by a portion of the Florida Uplands. In southwestern Florida, the East Gulf Coastal Plain extends inland to cover parts of theBig Cypress Swamp and theEverglades. The East Gulf Coastal Plain is similar to the Atlantic Coastal Plain on the other side of the Florida peninsula. Barrier islands run along the west coast of Florida and coastal swampland extends inland. The northern section of the East Gulf Coastal Plain curves around the upper edge of the northeastern Gulf of Mexico at Apalachee Bay and extends west across the Florida panhandle to Florida's western border.Florida Uplands: From the northwest corner of the state, the Florida Uplands run about 275 miles west to east, along the northern edge of the Florida Panhandle and then extends south into the central area of the Florida peninsula. The width of the northern Florida Uplands varies from around 30 to 50 miles and is characterized by low rolling hills of red clay. Hard and softwood forests are plentiful. The section of the Florida Uplands that extends south into the peninsula, covers an area about 100 miles wide and 160 miles long. This area extends from the north, south and to the east, to separate the two sections of the East Gulf Coastal Plain and to separate the East Gulf Coastal Plain from the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The landscape in the southern Florida Uplands is characterized by low hills and many lakes. Though the Florida Uplands are only 200-300 feet above sea level, they are still higher than the regions of the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the East Gulf Coastal Plain. The highest point in Florida is found in the Florida Uplands that run along the northern edge of the panhandle. Just south of the Alabama border, west of Paxton,Britton Hill is 345 feet above sea level and is the lowest state high point in the nation. ( Florida Close-up )

Climate (All temperatures Fahrenheit)
Highest Temperature	The highest temperature recorded in Florida is 109°, Fahrenheit. This record high was recorded on June 29, 1931 at Monticello.
Lowest Temperature	The lowest temperature in Florida, -2°, was recorded on February 13, 1899 at Tallahassee, the state capital.
Average Temperature	Monthly average temperatures range from a high of 91.7 degrees to a low of 39.9 degrees.
Climate	Average yearly precipitation for Florida is shown onCurrentResults weather and science facts.