the rain may be combined with melting
snow. Because of the extra water flowing
into the streams and rivers, their water
level rises. If the level rises so much that
the water overflows the banks, a flood
occurs.
Flooding can be worse if there is not
much vegetation (trees, grass, and other
plants) on the land around rivers. In
general, land that has little vegetation is
less able to absorb water. The result is a
larger amount of water entering a river
system.
Flash Floods
Flash floods are the deadliest kind of
flood. They are caused by sudden heavy
rainfall or a broken dam. They happen
very quickly and can catch people before
they have a chance to escape. Flash
floods often occur in hilly country or
around dry riverbeds. In a flash flood a
completely dry riverbed can fill up in
minutes.
#More to explore
Dam • Levee and Dike
Cars are useless in a flooded street.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Flood 33
Florida
The U.S. state of Florida is nicknamed
the Sunshine State
because it has so many sunny days.
Other nicknames include the Orange
State, the Peninsula State, the Alligator
State, the Southernmost State, and the
Everglades State. Its actual name is the
Spanish word for “flowery.” The capital
is Tallahassee.
Geography
Florida is on the southeast coast of the
United States. Georgia and Alabama
border the state on the north, above the
area of Florida known as the Panhandle.
The Atlantic Ocean is on the east. On
the west are Alabama and the Gulf of
Mexico.
The Straits of Florida connect the Gulf
of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. This
body of water also separates Florida
from Cuba. The Florida Keys are a chain
of tiny coral and limestone islands. Key
West, on the Florida Keys, is the country’s
southernmost city (outside
Hawaii).
Flat plains border the entire coast. In the
center of the state broad plains, rolling
hills, and thousands of lakes stretch
from the Georgia border south through
the center of the state. A low plateau
rises in the northwest. Forests once covered
most of Florida’s land area, but
many trees were cut down to build cities.
In the south lies Everglades National
Park. The park is a vast wilderness area
of swamps and forests. The state’s largest
rivers are all in the north. The Saint
Johns River is the longest, stretching for
285 miles (459 kilometers).
Florida is known for its warm, sunny
climate. While cold spells sometimes
occur in the winter, they rarely last more
than three or four days. The heaviest
rainfall occurs between May and October.
Hurricanes can be a problem.
People
Florida has a diverse population. Many
senior citizens move to Florida after
their retirement to enjoy the weather.
Lake
Okeechobee
An alligator lies near a tram full of tourists
in Everglades National Park, Florida.
34 Florida BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
People from nearby island countries
such as Cuba and Haiti sometimes go to
Florida to escape political or economic
problems. Hispanic Americans make up
more than 15 percent of Florida’s residents.
About the same percentage of
people are African Americans. Some
Seminole Indians live on reservations in
southern Florida. The rest of the population
is primarily of European descent.
Jacksonville is the largest city in the
state. It is a seaport and business center.
Miami, the second largest city, is a winter
resort and a manufacturing center.
Tampa is a port on the Gulf of Mexico.
Orlando is a popular vacation spot. It
has many theme parks, includingWalt
DisneyWorld and SeaWorld. Many
cities, including KeyWest, Palm Beach,
Fort Lauderdale, and Daytona Beach,
attract visitors with their beaches.
Economy
Trade and tourism bring a great deal of
money into Florida’s economy. Many
people hold service jobs, including at
hotels and restaurants, as well as at
finance and insurance companies. Companies
in Florida manufacture food and
paper products, electronics, and chemicals.
Florida is also a leader in the aerospace
industry. The John F. Kennedy
Space Center at Cape Canaveral
employs thousands of people.
Crops grow year-round in Florida.
Florida is a leading grower of citrus
fruits, including oranges and grapefruits.
Farmers also grow other fruits, vegetables,
tobacco, cotton, and sugarcane.
They raise cattle, poultry, and horses.
Fishers catch fish and shellfish in Florida’s
many waters.
History
When the explorer Juan Ponce de Leon
arrived in Florida in 1513, he claimed
the land for Spain. In 1528 another
Many people gather at sidewalk
cafes in the South Beach section
of Miami, Florida.
A group of children examine starfish in the
clear waters near Honeymoon Island. The
island is one of the many popular recreational
areas in the U.S. state of Florida.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Florida 35
Spanish explorer named Panfilo de
Narvaez reached Tampa Bay. Hernando
de Soto sailed into Tampa Bay in 1539.
In 1562 French Protestants called
Huguenots went to Florida so that they
could freely practice their religion. More
French colonists followed, but many of
them were killed when Spanish explorer
Pedro Menendez de Aviles captured
their fort. In 1565 Menendez founded
Saint Augustine, the first permanent
