According to Countryaah, Florida is home to some of the most beautiful cities in the country. Orlando is one of the most popular cities in Florida and offers attractions such as Disney World and Universal Studios. Miami is a vibrant city with plenty of cultural attractions including Vizcaya Museum and Gardens and Wynwood Walls. Other popular cities in Florida include Tampa, St. Petersburg, Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale, Tallahassee, and Key West. Each of these cities has something special to offer from outdoor activities like swimming or surfing to historical sites like The Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum or Castillo de San Marcos National Monument.
Politics of Florida in 2013
In 2013, politics in Florida were dominated by the gubernatorial race between incumbent Republican Governor Rick Scott and his Democratic challenger, former Governor Charlie Crist. Additionally, the state was faced with a number of issues that included Medicaid expansion and gun control.
The 2013 gubernatorial election was a highly contested race between two well-known candidates. Incumbent Governor Rick Scott had been elected in 2010 on a platform of job growth and economic prosperity. His tenure as governor had been marked by a series of controversial decisions including cuts to education spending and the rejection of federal funds for Medicaid expansion. His opponent, former Governor Charlie Crist had previously served as Florida’s 44th governor from 2007 to 2011 before becoming an Independent candidate for U.S Senate in 2012. After narrowly losing that election, he returned to the Democratic Party in 2013 with his sights set on reclaiming the governorship with an agenda focused on expanding Medicaid coverage and increasing funding for public education.
During his campaign, Gov. Scott faced criticism over his record on healthcare and education while Crist was criticized for flip-flopping on key issues such as abortion rights and gay marriage during his time as governor. In the end, Gov. Scott narrowly won re-election with 48% of the vote compared to Crist’s 47%.
In addition to the gubernatorial race, 2013 saw several other political issues arise in Florida including Medicaid expansion and gun control legislation. On Medicaid expansion, Gov. Scott initially opposed expanding coverage saying it would be too expensive but eventually changed course after President Obama signed an executive order allowing states to opt out of expanded coverage without penalty or financial repercussions from the federal government. However, despite this change of heart from Gov. Scott, Florida’s legislature failed to pass legislation authorizing Medicaid expansion leaving hundreds of thousands without access to health insurance coverage they would have received under expanded coverage plans offered by other states such as California and New York.
On gun control legislation, Florida legislators also failed to pass any meaningful reforms despite numerous high profile shootings across the country during this time period including mass shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Connecticut and at an Aurora Colorado movie theater that left dozens dead or injured respectively.. The legislature did pass a bill that allowed individuals who were not legally allowed to purchase firearms through traditional means such as background checks or waiting periods to purchase firearms through private sales without any background check requirements but this law was deemed largely ineffective given its limited scope and enforcement provisions.
Overall, 2013 saw heated political debates surrounding key issues such as healthcare reform and gun control legislation take place throughout Florida but ultimately little progress was made either at the state or federal levels resulting in no major changes being made throughout this period.
Population of Florida in 2013
In 2013, the population of Florida consisted of an estimated 19.9 million people according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This was an increase from the 2010 census which estimated Florida’s population at 18.8 million people, a 6% increase in three years.
The majority of Florida’s population was concentrated in two major metropolitan areas – South Florida (Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach) and Central Florida (Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford). South Florida accounted for 9 million people while Central Florida accounted for 4 million people in 2013. The remaining 6 million were spread out across the rest of the state, including smaller cities such as Sarasota, Tallahassee, Gainesville, Pensacola and Panama City Beach, as well as rural communities located throughout the state. Check ehuacom for more information about the capital city of Florida.
In terms of demographics, 63% of Floridians were white non-Hispanic while 22% were Hispanic or Latino and 15% were African American or Black non-Hispanic in 2013. In terms of gender breakdown, there were slightly more women than men with 50.3% being female compared to 49.7% male according to the U.S Census Bureau estimates from that year.
In terms of age distribution, 27% of Floridians were under 18 years old while 14% were 65 years or older in 2013 according to U.S Census data from that year; this was similar to other states throughout the US at that time as well as nationally where 26% and 13%, respectively, fell into these same age ranges in 2013 according to census data from that year.. Additionally, 16 percent of Floridians in 2013 lived below the poverty line compared with 15 percent nationally during this period. Check anycountyprivateschools for business education in Florida.
Overall, by 2013 Florida had become a diverse state with a large number of residents from different backgrounds living within its borders and representing a wide range of ages and incomes levels across its various regions and cities.
Economy of Florida in 2013
In 2013, the economy of Florida was a strong and growing one. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was estimated to be $812 billion in 2013, making it the fourth largest economy in the United States. This was an increase from 2010 when Florida’s GDP was estimated at $715 billion.
The state’s diverse economy had grown over time and by 2013 included sectors such as tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, finance and technology. Tourism continued to be one of Florida’s major economic drivers with an estimated 94 million people visiting the state in 2013 according to Visit Florida. This generated an estimated $71 billion for the state’s economy that year and accounted for 8.7% of total employment in that same year according to data from Visit Florida.
Agriculture also played a major role in Florida’s economy with citrus being one of its most important crops; it accounted for 11% of cash receipts from farm commodities in 2013 according to data from UF/IFAS Extension Office of Economic Impact Analysis (EIA). Other important agricultural commodities produced in the state during this period included vegetables, beef cattle, nursery products, dairy products and aquaculture among others; these commodities combined accounted for over $9 billion in cash receipts for farmers throughout Florida during this period according to EIA data from that same year.
Manufacturing also contributed significantly to Florida’s economy with many companies having operations throughout various parts of the state including aerospace manufacturing giant Lockheed Martin which employed thousands throughout Central and South Florida during this period as well as defense contractor Northrop Grumman which had facilities located on both coasts during this time frame. Additionally, many high-tech companies such as IBM had operations located throughout Central and South Florida while global financial services firm Raymond James Financial employed thousands throughout its Tampa Bay headquarters during this period as well.
Overall, by 2013 the economy of Florida had grown significantly since 2010; it was a diverse economy consisting of sectors such as tourism, agriculture, manufacturing and finance among others which provided jobs for Floridians across various regions within the state while generating billions of dollars annually for its citizens as well as businesses operating within its borders at that time.
Events Held in Florida in 2013
In 2013, Florida hosted a wide variety of events that attracted people from all over the world. From major music festivals to sports championships, the Sunshine State had something for everyone.
The Ultra Music Festival in Miami was one of the most popular music festivals in 2013. Over 165,000 attendees from around the world flocked to Miami’s Bayfront Park to see some of the biggest names in electronic dance music like Avicii, Tiesto, and Calvin Harris. The festival was a huge success and has since become an annual event.
Another major event held in Florida in 2013 was WrestleMania 29 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens. This event was watched by millions around the world and featured some of the biggest superstars in professional wrestling such as John Cena, The Rock, Triple H and CM Punk. It also featured a special appearance by boxing legend Mike Tyson.
The Florida Panthers also had a successful season during this time period as they made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals before losing to eventual champions Chicago Blackhawks. The team’s success during this period drew plenty of attention from hockey fans around North America and attendance at their games increased significantly during this time frame as well.
The 2013 NBA Finals were also held in Florida with Games 3-5 being played at American Airlines Arena in Miami between San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat. This series was highly anticipated and generated plenty of media attention leading up to its conclusion with Heat eventually winning their second title after defeating Spurs 4-3 in dramatic fashion.
In addition to these events, there were also numerous other sporting events held throughout Florida such as NASCAR races at Daytona International Speedway, golf tournaments such as Honda Classic and Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Resort & Club near Orlando; tennis tournaments like Sony Open Tennis at Crandon Park Tennis Center near Key Biscayne; college football games like Orange Bowl at Sun Life Stadium; college basketball games like NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament South Regional Final at Amway Center near Orlando; baseball games such as MLB All Star Game at Marlins Park; soccer matches such as MLS Cup Final between Kansas City Wizards & Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium near Salt Lake City; rugby matches like USA Rugby Sevens Championship Series Match between USA Rugby & Ireland National Team at Lockhart Stadium near Fort Lauderdale; plus many more events throughout the year that helped make 2013 an exciting year for sports fans across Florida.