ꜰʟᴏʀɪᴅᴀ /ˈꜰʟⱰʀꞮᴅƏ/ (ꜱᴘᴀɴɪꜱʜ ꜰᴏʀ "ʟᴀɴᴅ ᴏꜰ ꜰʟᴏᴡᴇʀꜱ") ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴏᴜᴛʜᴇʀɴᴍᴏꜱᴛ ꜱᴛᴀᴛᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴏᴜᴛʜᴇᴀꜱᴛᴇʀɴ ʀᴇɢɪᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴɪᴛᴇᴅ ꜱᴛᴀᴛᴇꜱ. ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴀᴛᴇ ɪꜱ ʙᴏʀᴅᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴇꜱᴛ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴜʟꜰ ᴏꜰ ᴍᴇxɪᴄᴏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʟᴀʙᴀᴍᴀ, ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴏʀᴛʜ ʙʏ ᴀʟᴀʙᴀᴍᴀ ᴀɴᴅ ɢᴇᴏʀɢɪᴀ, ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴀꜱᴛ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴛʟᴀɴᴛɪᴄ ᴏᴄᴇᴀɴ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴏᴜᴛʜ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛʀᴀɪᴛꜱ ᴏꜰ ꜰʟᴏʀɪᴅᴀ. ꜰʟᴏʀɪᴅᴀ ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴇ 22ɴᴅ-ᴍᴏꜱᴛ ᴇxᴛᴇɴꜱɪᴠᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ 3ʀᴅ-ᴍᴏꜱᴛ ᴘᴏᴘᴜʟᴏᴜꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ 8ᴛʜ-ᴍᴏꜱᴛ ᴅᴇɴꜱᴇʟʏ ᴘᴏᴘᴜʟᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜ.ꜱ. ꜱᴛᴀᴛᴇꜱ. ᴊᴀᴄᴋꜱᴏɴᴠɪʟʟᴇ ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏꜱᴛ ᴘᴏᴘᴜʟᴏᴜꜱ ᴍᴜɴɪᴄɪᴘᴀʟɪᴛʏ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴀᴛᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀʀɢᴇꜱᴛ ᴄɪᴛʏ ʙʏ ᴀʀᴇᴀ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴛɪɢᴜᴏᴜꜱ ᴜɴɪᴛᴇᴅ ꜱᴛᴀᴛᴇꜱ (ᴅᴜᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏɴꜱᴏʟɪᴅᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴊᴀᴄᴋꜱᴏɴᴠɪʟʟᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴅᴜᴠᴀʟ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛʏ). ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪᴀᴍɪ ᴍᴇᴛʀᴏᴘᴏʟɪᴛᴀɴ ᴀʀᴇᴀ ɪꜱ ꜰʟᴏʀɪᴅᴀ'ꜱ ᴍᴏꜱᴛ ᴘᴏᴘᴜʟᴏᴜꜱ ᴜʀʙᴀɴ ᴀʀᴇᴀ. ᴛᴀʟʟᴀʜᴀꜱꜱᴇᴇ ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴀᴛᴇ'ꜱ ᴄᴀᴘɪᴛᴀʟ. ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛᴡᴏ-ᴛʜɪʀᴅꜱ ᴏꜰ ꜰʟᴏʀɪᴅᴀ ᴏᴄᴄᴜᴘɪᴇꜱ ᴀ ᴘᴇɴɪɴꜱᴜʟᴀ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴜʟꜰ ᴏꜰ ᴍᴇxɪᴄᴏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴛʟᴀɴᴛɪᴄ ᴏᴄᴇᴀɴ. ꜰʟᴏʀɪᴅᴀ ʜᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏɴɢᴇꜱᴛ ᴄᴏᴀꜱᴛʟɪɴᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴛɪɢᴜᴏᴜꜱ ᴜɴɪᴛᴇᴅ ꜱᴛᴀᴛᴇꜱ, ᴀᴘᴘʀᴏxɪᴍᴀᴛᴇʟʏ 1,350 ᴍɪʟᴇꜱ (2,170 ᴋᴍ), ɴᴏᴛ ɪɴᴄʟᴜᴅɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀɪʙᴜᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɴʏ ʙᴀʀʀɪᴇʀ ɪꜱʟᴀɴᴅꜱ. ɪᴛ ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴʟʏ ꜱᴛᴀᴛᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʙᴏʀᴅᴇʀꜱ ʙᴏᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴜʟꜰ ᴏꜰ ᴍᴇxɪᴄᴏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴛʟᴀɴᴛɪᴄ ᴏᴄᴇᴀɴ. ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴀᴛᴇ ɪꜱ ᴀᴛ ᴏʀ ɴᴇᴀʀ ꜱᴇᴀ ʟᴇᴠᴇʟ ᴀɴᴅ ɪꜱ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀɪᴢᴇᴅ ʙʏ ꜱᴇᴅɪᴍᴇɴᴛᴀʀʏ ꜱᴏɪʟ. ꜰʟᴏʀɪᴅᴀ ʜᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏᴡᴇꜱᴛ ʜɪɢʜ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴀɴʏ ᴜ.ꜱ. ꜱᴛᴀᴛᴇ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʟɪᴍᴀᴛᴇ ᴠᴀʀɪᴇꜱ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ꜱᴜʙᴛʀᴏᴘɪᴄᴀʟ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴏʀᴛʜ ᴛᴏ ᴛʀᴏᴘɪᴄᴀʟ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴏᴜᴛʜ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴍᴇʀɪᴄᴀɴ ᴀʟʟɪɢᴀᴛᴏʀ, ᴀᴍᴇʀɪᴄᴀɴ ᴄʀᴏᴄᴏᴅɪʟᴇ, ꜰʟᴏʀɪᴅᴀ ᴘᴀɴᴛʜᴇʀ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴀɴᴀᴛᴇᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ʙᴇ ꜰᴏᴜɴᴅ ɪɴ ᴇᴠᴇʀɢʟᴀᴅᴇꜱ ɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴘᴀʀᴋ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴏᴜᴛʜᴇʀɴ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴀᴛᴇ. ꜰʟᴏʀɪᴅᴀ ɪꜱ ᴏɴᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴏɴʟʏ ᴛᴡᴏ ꜱᴛᴀᴛᴇꜱ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀꜱ ᴀ ᴛʀᴏᴘɪᴄᴀʟ ᴄʟɪᴍᴀᴛᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴏɴᴇ ɪꜱ ʜᴀᴡᴀɪɪ ᴀɴᴅ ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴʟʏ ᴄᴏɴᴛɪɴᴇɴᴛᴀʟ ᴜ.ꜱ. ꜱᴛᴀᴛᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ᴛʀᴏᴘɪᴄᴀʟ ᴄʟɪᴍᴀᴛᴇ. ꜱɪɴᴄᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ᴇᴜʀᴏᴘᴇᴀɴ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴀᴄᴛ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ɪɴ 1513 ʙʏ ꜱᴘᴀɴɪꜱʜ ᴇxᴘʟᴏʀᴇʀ ᴊᴜᴀɴ ᴘᴏɴᴄᴇ ᴅᴇ ʟᴇÓɴ – ᴡʜᴏ ɴᴀᴍᴇᴅ ɪᴛ ʟᴀ ꜰʟᴏʀɪᴅᴀ ([ʟᴀ ꜰʟᴏˈɾɪÐᴀ] "ʟᴀɴᴅ ᴏꜰ ꜰʟᴏᴡᴇʀꜱ") ᴜᴘᴏɴ ʟᴀɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴀꜱᴛᴇʀ ꜱᴇᴀꜱᴏɴ, ᴘᴀꜱᴄᴜᴀ ꜰʟᴏʀɪᴅᴀ – ꜰʟᴏʀɪᴅᴀ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴀ ᴄʜᴀʟʟᴇɴɢᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴜʀᴏᴘᴇᴀɴ ᴄᴏʟᴏɴɪᴀʟ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀꜱ ʙᴇꜰᴏʀᴇ ɪᴛ ɢᴀɪɴᴇᴅ ꜱᴛᴀᴛᴇʜᴏᴏᴅ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴɪᴛᴇᴅ ꜱᴛᴀᴛᴇꜱ ɪɴ 1845. ɪᴛ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴀ ᴘʀɪɴᴄɪᴘᴀʟ ʟᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴇᴍɪɴᴏʟᴇ ᴡᴀʀꜱ ᴀɢᴀɪɴꜱᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴀᴍᴇʀɪᴄᴀɴꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴀᴄɪᴀʟ ꜱᴇɢʀᴇɢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴍᴇʀɪᴄᴀɴ ᴄɪᴠɪʟ ᴡᴀʀ. ᴛᴏᴅᴀʏ, ꜰʟᴏʀɪᴅᴀ ɪꜱ ᴅɪꜱᴛɪɴᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ɪᴛꜱ ʟᴀʀɢᴇ ᴄᴜʙᴀɴ ᴇxᴘᴀᴛʀɪᴀᴛᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴜɴɪᴛʏ ᴀɴᴅ ʜɪɢʜ ᴘᴏᴘᴜʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ɢʀᴏᴡᴛʜ, ᴀꜱ ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴀꜱ ꜰᴏʀ ɪᴛꜱ ɪɴᴄʀᴇᴀꜱɪɴɢ ᴇɴᴠɪʀᴏɴᴍᴇɴᴛᴀʟ ɪꜱꜱᴜᴇꜱ. ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴀᴛᴇ'ꜱ ᴇᴄᴏɴᴏᴍʏ ʀᴇʟɪᴇꜱ ᴍᴀɪɴʟʏ ᴏɴ ᴛᴏᴜʀɪꜱᴍ, ᴀɢʀɪᴄᴜʟᴛᴜʀᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʀᴀɴꜱᴘᴏʀᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ, ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴅᴇᴠᴇʟᴏᴘᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀᴛᴇ 19ᴛʜ ᴄᴇɴᴛᴜʀʏ. ꜰʟᴏʀɪᴅᴀ ɪꜱ ᴀʟꜱᴏ ʀᴇɴᴏᴡɴᴇᴅ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀᴍᴜꜱᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴘᴀʀᴋꜱ, ᴏʀᴀɴɢᴇ ᴄʀᴏᴘꜱ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴋᴇɴɴᴇᴅʏ ꜱᴘᴀᴄᴇ ᴄᴇɴᴛᴇʀ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀꜱ ᴀ ᴘᴏᴘᴜʟᴀʀ ᴅᴇꜱᴛɪɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ꜰᴏʀ ʀᴇᴛɪʀᴇᴇꜱ. ꜰʟᴏʀɪᴅᴀ ᴄᴜʟᴛᴜʀᴇ ɪꜱ ᴀ ʀᴇꜰʟᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ɪɴꜰʟᴜᴇɴᴄᴇꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴜʟᴛɪᴘʟᴇ ɪɴʜᴇʀɪᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ; ᴀꜰʀɪᴄᴀɴ, ᴇᴜʀᴏᴘᴇᴀɴ, ɪɴᴅɪɢᴇɴᴏᴜꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ʟᴀᴛɪɴᴏ ʜᴇʀɪᴛᴀɢᴇꜱ ᴄᴀɴ ʙᴇ ꜰᴏᴜɴᴅ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʀᴄʜɪᴛᴇᴄᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴜɪꜱɪɴᴇ. ꜰʟᴏʀɪᴅᴀ ʜᴀꜱ ᴀᴛᴛʀᴀᴄᴛᴇᴅ ᴍᴀɴʏ ᴡʀɪᴛᴇʀꜱ ꜱᴜᴄʜ ᴀꜱ ᴍᴀʀᴊᴏʀɪᴇ ᴋɪɴɴᴀɴ ʀᴀᴡʟɪɴɢꜱ, ᴇʀɴᴇꜱᴛ ʜᴇᴍɪɴɢᴡᴀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴇɴɴᴇꜱꜱᴇᴇ ᴡɪʟʟɪᴀᴍꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴏɴᴛɪɴᴜᴇꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴀᴛᴛʀᴀᴄᴛ ᴄᴇʟᴇʙʀɪᴛɪᴇꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴛʜʟᴇᴛᴇꜱ. ɪᴛ ɪꜱ ɪɴᴛᴇʀɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟʟʏ ᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ꜰᴏʀ ɢᴏʟꜰ, ᴛᴇɴɴɪꜱ, ᴀᴜᴛᴏ ʀᴀᴄɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴀᴛᴇʀ ꜱᴘᴏʀᴛꜱ.