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Today, Florida has six major geographic regions that historians utilize to describe regions:
The Coastal Lowlands encircle the state and extend along the shores inland from ten to one hundred miles. The most recent region to emerge from the ocean, the lowlands are covered with forests of saw palmetto and cypress. In the south are the great grass savannas and mangroves of the Lake Okeechobee Basin and the Everglades. The coastal swamps and forests were once threatening obstacles to early settlers; today it is the booming population of settlers who endanger the coastal environment.
Northwest of the coastal lowlands, between the Perdido and Apalachicola Rivers, are the Western Highlands. These hilly uplands of pine forest contain the highest elevations in Florida, a mere 345 feet at the northwestern part of Walton County.
East of these Highlands is a region known as the Marianna Lowlands. In these lower, rolling hills and valleys dotted with limestone sections, are many of the state's oldest farming districts.
Further east, between the Apalachicola and Withlacochee Rivers, are the Tallahassee Hills. This hilly region of live oak and pine forests gradually slope eastward to a small plan and the Suwannee River.
The center of the peninsular contains the Central Highlands. This large, 250 mile region contains rolling lake districts in the North and low grass plains in the South near Lake Okeechobee. This area is dotted by Upland Plains. Each of these regions represented noticeable differences in making a livelihood for its settlers.
Floridas's Physical Uniqueness
Place and position are just two geographic characteristics which had important influences on the story of Florida. Her location between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean assured Florida's significance to the Spanish world. Florida is the American state that is closest to South America, which is to the east of Florida. Florida is closer to the Panama Canal than Texas.
Climate is synonymous with Florida. If Miami were in the Eastern Hemisphere, it could be located on the Nile River. Florida is not only closer to the equator than any other American state other than Hawaii, its location on the southeastern tip of North America means Florida has a humid subtropical climate, with heavy rainfall from April to November.
Without tall mountains, Northern cold waves easily enter the peninsular and drop the temperature below the forty degree mark. Yet, Florida's size and surrounding warm waters modify extremes of temperature. Every spot in Florida is within eighty miles of the sea.
Water shaped nearly every aspect of Florida's development. Florida's coastline of 2,276 miles is, greater tan any other state in the Continental United States. Because of the continuity of the Atlantic currents and the uniformity of sand drifts along Florida's ocean ledge, the Atlantic Coast is an almost straight line of sandy barrier islands. These islands establish a protective intracoastal waterway, but limits large harbors except at inlets near river mouths.
The Gulf of Mexico shore is blessed with larger bays such as Tampa Bay, Apalachicola Bay, Charlotte Harbor, and Pensacola Bay, all capable of becoming a major deep water port. This abundance of rivers and harbors on the Gulf side makes this coastal line long and diverse.
Florida has many rivers on the Gulf Coast, centers of early habitation and transportation. The Atlantic side, however, has Florida's largest river,the St. John's, one of the world's few northward flowing streams. No state can match Florida's number of major springs.