General Information on Florida
Language
Florida, like America as a whole, has English as its primary language. The many groups of immigrants have brought their own languages with them and in recent years Spanish has become increasingly important as a second language.
Econmy
International Trade ( 40% of all U.S. exports to Latin and South America pass through Florida )
Tourism - with 76.8 million visitors in 2004 ( a record number ), Florida is the top travel destination in the world. The tourism industry has an economic impact of $57 billion on Florida's economy.
Space Industry - The space industry represents $ 4.5 billion of the state's economy. The average annual wage of aerospace workers is approximately $ 52,000. The number employed at Kennedy Space Center alone is 15,000 and Florida ranks 4th among the states in overall aerospace employment with 23,000 jobs.
Agriculture - Florida leads the southeast in farm income.
Florida produces about 75% of the U.S. oranges and accounts for about 40% of the world's orange juice supply.
Construction - This industry's strength results from the steady stream of new residents and visitors who are welcomed to Florida each year.
Health technology ( medical, biotech, laboratories )
University Research - more than $500 million per year in sponsored research at Florida universities
Currency
The US Dollar ( USD ) is the unit of currency and is divided into 100 cents. Only major banks exchange foreign currency. ATMs are widespread and credit cards and travellers cheques are widely accepted. Travellers cheques should be taken in US Dollars to avoid hassles. Banking hours are normally Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm. |
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