Florida is located at the most southeastern point of the United States. It borders both Alabama and Georgia to the north. Florida is surrounded by the Atlantic ocean in the east, the Straits of Florida to the south and the Gulf of Mexico to the west. The Florida peninsula is known for having the largest coastline in the contiguous United States and with this coastline, Florida has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world driving a large part of the tourism industry in the state. The climate in Florida is sub-tropical and tropical in the southern areas. The temperature rarely drops below freezing in the winter and summers are hot and humid.
Much of Florida is low lying at or near sea level with an elevation less than 12 feet. The highest point is 345 feet above mean sea level at Britton Hill in Walton County. This location is actually very close to Florida’s northern border, so it doesn’t really represent the elevation of Florida. The Lake Wales Ridge is more representative of the elevation in Florida with a narrow sand ridge that runs north to south down the center of Florida. This ridge ranges in elevation from about 100 feet to 312 feet at Sugarloaf Mountain in Lake County. Florida also features vistas and sand dunes that run along the coastal regions. The south part of the Florida from Central Florida south, is the lower lying areas which includes the everglades and low lying marches and swamps. Miami and South Florida in general is vulnerable to rising sea levels.
The total area is 65,758 square miles with 12,133 square miles of that being water areas. Florida has a variety of geographical features including barrier islands, mangrove islands, marshes, hardwood hammocks, pineland and flatwoods.
Florida’s Geographical Features
- Florida Swamps
- Florida’s Springs
- Florida National Seashores
- Florida Dunes
- Florida Sandbars
- Florida Islands & Keys
- Florida Capes, Points, Peninsulas
- Florida Harbors
- Sinkholes in Florida
- Florida Sandhills (High Pine)
- Florida’s Rivers, Creeks, & Streams
- Florida Estuaries – Marshes, Mangroves, Lagoons and Bays
- Bays, Bights, Bayous, Coves
- Florida Lakes
- Florida Mangroves Ecoregion
- Florida Ridges
- Florida Summits, Hills & Mounds
- Florida Tropical Hardwood Hammocks
- Florida Pinelands, Flats & Prairies
- Florida Cliffs & Bluffs
- Florida Valleys, Head & Hollows
- Natural Bridge in Florida – Florida’s Arch