What is currently known today as Tampa Florida was the site of Hernando de
Soto's landing in 1539 with ten ships and 600 men. Following his arrival in
Tampa Hernando de Soto spent three years wandering around the southeast
and discovered the Mississippi River, where he is buried.
Modern day Florida sits between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.
Due to the geographical location of the state, life can be tricky at times. The
state is plagued with a consistent threat of hurricanes. In fact Florida State
University professors estimate that since the 20th century the state has seen
nearly $500 billion in damage due to hurricanes.
The capital city of Florida is Tallahassee. The Miami metropolitan area is one
of the largest in the Southern United States. Florida depends on almost
entirely on its metropolitan areas to drive the economy. Approximately 96%
of the state’s gross domestic product is generated by its 19 metropolitan
areas.
Florida is an attractive area for tourism. Just over $60 billion is generated by
tourism in the state each year. The other key industries that contribute to
the local economy are agriculture and transportation. Around 7 million
tourist visit Florida each year, it’s not surprising that transportation is a key
ingredient in the economy. Florida is also one of the few States that does
not impose a personal income tax.