So, you're thinking about attending a college or university in Florida?

Most of the state of Florida is located on a large peninsula, with the Atlantic Ocean on its west, the Straits of Florida to the south, and the Gulf of Mexico on the east. The only states that border Florida are Georgia and Alabama in the north.

The highest point in Florida is 345 feet above sea level. This makes it the lowest highpoint of any state in the U.S. It used to be second to Delaware's highpoint, but, since Florida's highpoint is located on a sinkhole, it actually sunk down so it became lower then Delaware's highpoint.

Florida is not entirely flat, however. The interior of Florida, usually about 25 miles inland, features hills with elevations ranging from 100-250 feet.

The climate of Florida is moderated by the surrounding water. While summers can produce high temperatures of over 90°F, they rarely exceed 100°F. In the winter, lows generally range from the low 40s°F to the mid-50s.

Severe weather in the state of Florida is a common occurrence. Central Florida is known as the lightning capital of the U.S., with more lightning strikes than anywhere else in the country. Hail often accompanies the most severe thunderstorms. And, while snow is a rare event, Florida still has the highest average precipitation of any state.

On top of the threat of hurricanes, which typically strike most often during hurricane season (which lasts from June 1 to November 30), Florida also leads the U.S. in tornadoes per square mile, though these tornadoes don't usually reach the intensity of those in the Midwest and Great Plains.

As of 2006, Florida's population was estimated to be 18,089,888. Due in part to its high job growth, mild climate, and relatively low cost of living, Florida is the second-fastest-growing state, increasing by 13% from 2000 to 2006. In 2000, it was reported that 76.91% of Florida residents spoke only English at home, while 16.46% spoke Spanish.

Traditionally, Florida has been a Democratic Party state. In the past, approximately 68.5% of residents were registered as Democrats. The last few decade, however, has brought a change to Florida's political alignment. Now, Republicans control the governorship and most other statewide elective offices.

In terms of religious practices, Florida's residents are largely Christian, 82% claiming this faith. 54% are of these are Protestant while 26% are Roman Catholic. With 4% of the population being Jewish, Florida has the largest Jewish population in all of the southern states. Only about 14% of residents say they are non-religious.

Until 2004, Florida was one of only a few states to have no minimum wage law. The current law, however, is unique in that it mandates that the wage be adjusted for inflation every six months.

The state of Florida does not impose a personal income tax on its residents. It does, however, tax "intangible personal property," such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, though this tax will be abolished in the near future. The state sales tax is 6%, though local governments have to option of levying an additional percentage of up to 1.5%.

There are many colleges and universities to choose from if you want to attend one in Florida. Your options include:

• Florida State University

• The University of Florida

• Rollins College

To find more information about universities and colleges in this area, visit the Online College Degree page on this website.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Florida".

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