Central Florida
Central Florida | |
---|---|
Region | |
Country | United States |
State | Florida |
Largest city | Tampa |
Population (2020) | 8,359,609 |
Central Florida is a
It is one of Florida's three directional regions, along with
Geography
Like many vernacular regions, central Florida's boundaries are not official or consistent, and are defined differently by different sources. A 2007 study of Florida's regions by geographers Ary Lamme and Raymond K. Oldakowski found that Floridians surveyed identified central Florida as comprising a large swath of peninsular Florida.
Central Florida is one of Florida's three most common directional regions, the others being north Florida and south Florida. Lamme and Oldakowski note that the directional region is more commonly used in the interior areas rather than on the coast.[4] In fact, while coastal areas often have their own regional vernacular identities such as the Space Coast and the Nature Coast, no vernacular regions were reported on the interior of the state other than central Florida.[3]
Enterprise Florida, the state's
The central cities of both metropolitan areas (
With the exception of hill terrain in Mount Dora, southern Lake County, Polk County (Lake Wales Ridge) Pasco County, and Hernando County (Brooksville Ridge). Central Florida is mostly flatland with significant amounts of open space and over 1,500 lakes and ponds. There is a mixture of wetlands, Cypress, Oak, Maple and Pine forests, pastures, prairies and coastline.[8]
Major
Climate
The combination of high temperatures, high humidity, and opposing sea breezes from both the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, results in significant thunderstorm activity from June to September for the interior counties. Central Florida records more lightning strikes per area than any other region in Florida, and Florida records more lightning strikes than any other state in the US. As a result, Florida, and more specifically, central Florida, is often referred to as the "Thunderstorm capital of the USA",[14][15] or "Lightning Alley."[16]
These severe thunderstorms often make central Florida prone to many tornadoes. However, they are usually small, short lived, and almost always rated as
According to the
Climate data for Orlando (Orlando International Airport), Florida (1991-2020 normals, extremes 1952–present) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 87 (31) |
89 (32) |
93 (34) |
97 (36) |
100 (38) |
100 (38) |
101 (38) |
100 (38) |
98 (37) |
95 (35) |
91 (33) |
90 (32) |
101 (38) |
Mean maximum °F (°C) | 83.5 (28.6) |
85.5 (29.7) |
88.4 (31.3) |
91.1 (32.8) |
94.5 (34.7) |
96.1 (35.6) |
96.1 (35.6) |
95.4 (35.2) |
93.8 (34.3) |
91.0 (32.8) |
86.7 (30.4) |
83.7 (28.7) |
97.2 (36.2) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 71.8 (22.1) |
74.9 (23.8) |
78.9 (26.1) |
83.6 (28.7) |
88.4 (31.3) |
90.8 (32.7) |
92.0 (33.3) |
91.6 (33.1) |
89.6 (32.0) |
84.7 (29.3) |
78.3 (25.7) |
73.8 (23.2) |
83.2 (28.4) |
Daily mean °F (°C) | 60.6 (15.9) |
63.6 (17.6) |
67.3 (19.6) |
72.2 (22.3) |
77.3 (25.2) |
81.2 (27.3) |
82.6 (28.1) |
82.6 (28.1) |
81.0 (27.2) |
75.5 (24.2) |
68.2 (20.1) |
63.3 (17.4) |
73.0 (22.8) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 49.5 (9.7) |
52.4 (11.3) |
55.8 (13.2) |
60.7 (15.9) |
66.3 (19.1) |
71.6 (22.0) |
73.2 (22.9) |
73.7 (23.2) |
72.4 (22.4) |
66.2 (19.0) |
58.2 (14.6) |
52.9 (11.6) |
62.7 (17.1) |
Mean minimum °F (°C) | 33.2 (0.7) |
36.5 (2.5) |
41.3 (5.2) |
49.2 (9.6) |
58.2 (14.6) |
67.5 (19.7) |
70.5 (21.4) |
70.7 (21.5) |
67.8 (19.9) |
53.4 (11.9) |
44.4 (6.9) |
37.6 (3.1) |
31.3 (−0.4) |
Record low °F (°C) | 19 (−7) |
26 (−3) |
25 (−4) |
38 (3) |
48 (9) |
53 (12) |
64 (18) |
65 (18) |
57 (14) |
43 (6) |
32 (0) |
20 (−7) |
19 (−7) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.48 (63) |
2.04 (52) |
3.03 (77) |
2.58 (66) |
4.02 (102) |
8.05 (204) |
7.46 (189) |
7.69 (195) |
6.37 (162) |
3.46 (88) |
1.79 (45) |
2.48 (63) |
51.45 (1,307) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 7.0 | 6.4 | 6.8 | 6.3 | 8.4 | 16.2 | 17.1 | 17.2 | 14.2 | 8.4 | 6.0 | 7.1 | 121.1 |
Source: NOAA[18][19] |
History
At the end of the Civil War, aside from the cattle, cotton, and coastal lands, much of central Florida was wetlands. It took a major drainage project financed by businessman Hamilton Disston in the 1880s to make these wetland areas available for settlement.
Sanford was incorporated in 1877 as a port city at the Lake Monroe intersection and the St. Johns River. It was envisioned as a transportation center; the city's founder, Henry S. Sanford, nicknamed it "the Gate City of South Florida". It became a hub for shipping agricultural products, which earned the city another nickname, "Celery City".
Kissimmee, originally named Allendale, after Confederate Major J.H. Allen, who operated the first cargo steamboat on the Kissimmee River, boomed in the 1880s. It was the headquarters of Hamilton Disston's drainage company. The city was an important regional steamship port, owing that status to its location on Lake Tohopekaliga. Expanding the railroads into central Florida eliminated the need for Kissimmee's steamship industry.[20]
The Great Freeze of 1894-1895 ruined citrus crops, which had a detrimental ripple effect on the economy.[21]
The hard-packed sand of Volusia County's beaches lent itself to auto races beginning in 1903 before paved roads were common, leading to the area's reputation for cars and racing.[22] Ormond Beach was a popular spot for those who liked fast cars after the turn of the 20th century because the hard-packed beach was ideal for going fast. The same beach had led to the development of a tourist resort by Henry Flagler. It later attracted Flagler's former business partner John D. Rockefeller, who had a winter home in Ormond.
During and after World War II, the U.S. Army Air Forces (U.S. Air Force after 1947) and the U.S. Navy established several training facilities and operational bases in the region, mainly for aviation activities, followed by space exploration sites. In the late 1940s, the U.S. military established a missile testing facility on Merritt Island near Cape Canaveral. The land was largely undeveloped and the agreeable climate allowed for year-round operations. When NASA later searched for a long-term base in the 1960s to launch spacecraft, it chose the Merritt Island site next to Cape Canaveral for its access to the testing facility and nearby communities. NASA purchased over 100,000 acres (400 km2) of land for the Kennedy Space Center.
Deltona was developed in 1962 as a planned retirement community. It is now the largest city in Volusia County.
The construction of the Walt Disney World Resort was a transforming event for greater Orlando. Walt Disney wanted a location with abundant available land that was more accessible for the residents of the eastern United States to visit. Not only was there ample land in central Florida, but it was inexpensive, and the inland location offered some protection from hurricanes. Plans were announced in 1965, and the theme park opened to the public in 1971.[20]
Culture and attributes
Lamme and Oldakowski's survey identifies several demographic, political, and cultural elements that characterize Central Florida and distinguish it from other areas of the state. While people from all parts of the state associated their area as part of the South, people in the southern part of central Florida did not typically identify their area as part of "Dixie", while people in northern central Florida did. People from central Florida usually did not consider their region part of the Bible Belt.[3]
Politically, while north Florida overwhelmingly was considered conservative and south Florida was considered more liberal, the majority of central Florida residents (52%) considered their area moderate; 41% considered it conservative, and 7% liberal.[23] Lamme and Oldakowski's survey tracks with Barney Warf and Cynthia Waddell's studies of Florida's political geography during the 2000 Presidential election.[23][24] Central Florida's economy is very similar to that in south Florida. Compared to the more diversified north Florida economy, tourism is by far the most significant industry in central and south Florida, along with a much smaller but significant agricultural industry.[25]
Lamme and Oldakowski's survey also found some cultural indicators that characterize central Florida. In general, central Florida was similar to north Florida and differed from south Florida in these measures. In central and north Florida,
Demographics
In 2009, the estimated total population of the central Florida, including the populations of Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Brevard, Volusia, and Lake Counties region was 3.3 million people.[27] If the populations of Polk and Sumter counties were included, the estimated population would be 3.969 million people.[citation needed] Exponential growth has fueled central Florida for the past thirty years.
As of 2007 there were 70,000 Asians in central Florida according to the
Cities
Selected cities in central Florida arranged by population:
City | 2020 population[29] | 2000 population | County |
---|---|---|---|
Tampa | 384,959 | 303,447 | Hillsborough |
Orlando | 307,573 | 185,951 | Orange |
St. Petersburg | 258,308 | 248,232 | Pinellas |
Palm Bay | 119,760 | 79,413 | Brevard |
Clearwater | 117,292 | 108,789 | Pinellas |
Lakeland | 112,641 | 78,452 | Polk |
Deltona | 93,692 | 69,543 | Volusia |
Largo | 82,485 | 69,371 | Pinellas |
Melbourne | 84,678 | 71,382 | Brevard |
Kissimmee | 79,226 | 47,814 | Osceola |
Daytona Beach | 72,647 | 64,112 | Volusia |
Port Orange | 62,596 | 45,823 | Volusia |
Sanford | 61,051 | 38,291 | Seminole |
St. Cloud | 58,964 | 35,183 | Osceola |
Apopka | 54,873 | 26,642 | Orange |
Ormond Beach | 43,080 | 36,301 | Volusia |
Clermont | 43,021 | 9,333 | Lake |
Oviedo | 40,059 | 26,316 | Seminole |
Economy
Agriculture has occupied a large portion of central Florida's economy, with winter strawberries,[30] citrus, timber, vegetables,[31] and aquaculture[32] all making major contributions.
Tourism is a large contributor to central Florida's economy.
The area has economically diversified in the past decade. As a
The Tampa Bay area has become a center of high-tech manufacturing and research,[35][36] while both Orlando and the Tampa Bay area are centers for the financial industry, especially insurers and back-end operations for large banking companies.
Active military installations in the region include
Additional former facilities that have since been closed and converted to civilian use include
The other major U.S. Government installations in central Florida is the
Attractions
Theme parks
- Walt Disney World Resort, which includes Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Disney's Typhoon Lagoon and Disney's Blizzard Beach
- SeaWorld Orlando
- Volcano Bay
- Busch Gardens Tampa and Adventure Island
- Legoland Florida
- Gatorland
- Fun Spot America Theme Parks
Zoos
Central Florida has four major
Natural areas
Central Florida also has a wide variety of natural attractions including the
. Many of the top ranked beaches in the United States are located in central Florida.Transportation
Airports
Major
- Orlando International Airport
- Daytona Beach International Airport
- Orlando-Sanford International Airport
- Tampa International Airport
- St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport
- Melbourne International Airport
- Leesburg International Airport
- Lakeland Linder International Airport
- Winter Haven's Gilbert Airport
- Space Coast Regional Airport
Seaports
Another major seaport of the region is Port Tampa Bay, which is one of the busiest in the state and is on the verge of a huge expansion which will allow it to compete on an international level.
Freeways and highways
Limited Access
- Florida State Road 400)
- Interstate 75 (SR 93 and 93A)
- Interstate 275 (SR 93)
- Interstate 175(SR 594)
- Interstate 375
- Interstate 95 (SR 9)
- Florida's Turnpike (SR 91)
- Florida State Road 100 – Moody Boulevard
- Florida State Road 528 – Beachline Expressway
- Florida State Road 408 – Holland East/West Expressway
- Florida State Road 417 – Central Florida GreeneWay
- Florida State Road 429 – Western Expressway
- Florida State Road 414 – Apopka Bypass
- Florida State Road 570 – Polk Parkway
- Florida State Road 589 – Veteran's Expressway
- Florida State Road 618– Selmon Expressway
Major Surface Arterials:
Public transportation
A regional commuter rail network is being developed in central Florida. The first of these initiatives,
As of 2022, a high speed rail between Orlando and Miami is currently being developed by Brightline, who plans to extend the rail to Tampa after completion.[38]
Education
Florida's public primary and secondary schools are administered by the Florida Department of Education.
Notes
- ^ "Spectrum News | Bay News 9". www.baynews9.com. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
- ^ "Spectrum News | News 13". www.mynews13.com. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
- ^ a b c Lamme & Oldakowski, p. 329.
- ^ Lamme & Oldakowski, p. 335.
- ^ Charting the Course, p. 2.
- ^ Washington, The (January 28, 2008). "As I-4 corridor goes, so goes Florida". Washington Times. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- ^ "FDOT_BD548_07_rpt" (PDF). Retrieved November 4, 2012.
- ^ [1] Archived December 4, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "FHP: Florida Facts". Flhsmv.gov. July 1, 2000. Archived from the original on October 3, 2011. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- ^ "Manhattan, NY Monthly Weather Forecast – weather.com".
- ^ "Average Temperatures in Florida". Current Results. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- ^ [2] Archived March 25, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Bill's Garden". Garden.bsewall.com. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- ^ "NWS Pueblo, CO – Lightning Casualty Statistics USA Page". Crh.noaa.gov. August 31, 2010. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- ^ "NWS Lightning Frequency Safety Map". Lightningsafety.noaa.gov. Archived from the original on January 22, 2012. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- ^ Campos, Candace (July 22, 2021). "Central Florida leads nation in lightning strikes. Here's 5 shocking lightning myths to know". WKMG. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
- ^ Tomlinson, Philip Barry (1980). The Biology of Trees Native to Tropical Florida. Allston, Massachusetts U.S.A.: Harvard University Printing Office. pp. 1, 8–10.
C.S. Sargent designated ...major "tree regions" of [North America] ...each distinguished by a complex of tree species... [The] smallest of these ...called "Tropical Florida" ...[in which] 87.5% have an otherwise tropical distribution; in Florida they are at [their] northern limit. ...The distribution of tropical tree species within south Florida is not known in any detail although the generalized distribution of all species is well summarized by Little (1978). A single latitudinal line does not separate the foras of south and central Florida... Since the factor limiting the distribution of tropical species in a northern direction is almost certainly minimum winter temperature, an approximate indication of the limits... is the 54-degF January isotherm for the state. Figure 5
- ^ "NOWData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
- ^ "Monthly Normals 1991-2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
- ^ a b "East Central Florida". Visulate.com. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
- ^ Type Studies from the Geography of the United States by Charles Alexander McMurry, Macmillan & Company, 1908, page 81.
- ^ admin (September 14, 2016). "Florida Frontiers "Racing on the Beach"". Florida Historical Society. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
- ^ a b Lamme & Oldakowsi, p. 336.
- ^ Warf & Waddell, pp. 88.
- ^ Lamme & Oldakowsi, pp. 336–337.
- ^ a b Lamme & Oldakowsi, p. 337.
- ^ "Slideshow Failed Conversion". Slideshare.net. Archived from the original on March 20, 2008. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- ^ Persaud, Babita. "Japanese residents in Central Florida strive to keep their children's legacy alive with Japanese culture and language courses at Orlando Hoshuko school" (Archive). Orlando Sentinel. December 16, 2007. Retrieved on February 16, 2015.
- ^ Bureau of Economic and Business Research (2011). "Florida Population: Census Summary 2020". University of Florida. Archived from the original on September 27, 2020. Retrieved April 18, 2017.
{{cite web}}
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has generic name (help) - ^ "Crop Profile for Strawberry in Florida". Archived from the original on October 1, 2012. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
- ^ "Florida Agriculture Overview and Statistics". Archived from the original on January 9, 2014. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
- ^ "Hillsborough Cover Story". Archived from the original on January 9, 2014. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
- ^ "Central Florida Research Park". Cfrp.org. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- ^ "Synergy city: Medical researchers head for Lake Nona – Orlando Sentinel". Articles.orlandosentinel.com. February 13, 2011. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- ^ "Tampa Bay: High Tech Hotbed".
- ^ "Florida High Tech Corridor e-Newsletter". Archived from the original on January 9, 2014. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
- ^ Welcome to the Central Florida Zoo "Central Florida Zoo.com
- ^ "Brightline Florida | Brightline". www.gobrightline.com. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
References
- Lamme, Ary J.; Oldakowski, Raymond K. (November 2007). "Spinning a new geography of vernacular regional identity: Florida in the twenty-first century". Southeastern Geographer. 47 (2): 320–340. S2CID 129577530.
- Warf, Barney; Waddell, Cynthia (January 2002). "Florida in the 2000 presidential election: historical precedents and contemporary landscapes". .
- Anthony J. Catanese Center for Urban and Environmental Solutions at Florida Atlantic University (2006). "Charting the Course: Where is South Florida Heading?" (PDF). Florida Atlantic University. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 16, 2011. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - A History of Central Florida Collection on the RICHES Mosaic Interface Map
External links
- Central Florida travel guide from Wikivoyage
- A History of Central Florida Podcast