Florida Straits

• The Florida Straits is about 300 miles long, linking the Gulf of Mexico with the Atlantic Ocean.
  
  

Coastline and Beaches

• Florida has almost 1,200 miles of coastline, 663 miles of it beaches. In addition to those shores, the state has about 4,500 islands greater than 10 acres.
  
  

Tourism

• Florida's coastlines draw significant numbers of tourists, making the state and its beaches one of the top tourist destinations in the world.
  
  

Florida Keys

• The Florida Keys is a chain of islands extending to the south and west of the main peninsula of Florida. The Gulf of Mexico sits to the north and the Florida Straits runs beneath.
  
  

Elevation

• Because of Florida's position among the bodies of water, it's a low and flat state. Its highest point is in Florida's panhandle, rising only 345 miles above sea level. Its lowest point is, of course, sea level, with 100 feet the mean elevation of the state.
  
  

Aquatic Preserves

• As of 2009, Florida has 41 aquatic preserves, places like Alligator Harbor, Mosquito Lagoon and Cockroach Bay. Residents also call the preserves liquid parks.