Florida's coastal region is home to hundreds of plants and animals that are dependent on the habitat. Migratory birds rest and forage in coastal regions, and marine turtles nest on sandy beaches. According to the website My Florida, more than 30 rare animals are unique to the state and inhabit the beaches and surrounding Everglades habitats. These special animals have adapted to their environments, withstanding salt spray, extreme sun exposure and volatile sand shifts. Animals found in these environments include the water moccasin, the sandhill crane, the wood stork, the osprey and the brown pelican.
Beaches and dunes act as natural buffers between land and sea. During a tropical depression or hurricane, large storm waves are slowed by beaches and dunes. These geographical buffers help prevent and protect upland structures from being damaged.
Florida's climate largely reflects its proximity to the Tropic of Cancer. In relation to the state, the Gulf of Mexico lies to the west, the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Caribbean to the south. Because of Florida's unique location, the state features three distinct climate zones: a Northern Zone, a Southern Zone and a Central Zone. In the Northern Zone, the weather is usually temperate. Winters are usually mild but freezing temperatures are occasionally experienced. The Southern Zone has more of a tropical climate. Winters are usually mild to warm and summers are predictably hot and humid. The Central Zone in Florida is a transitional climate area featuring mild winters and tolerable summers.
Florida's Atlantic coastline stretches roughly 400 miles. Notable beaches on Florida's east coast include Bethune Beach, Cocoa Beach, Daytona Beach and Miami's South Beach.
Florida's Gulf coastline is about 800 miles long. Notable beaches on the Gulf Coast side of the state-long peninsula can be found at the Caladesi and Honeymoon islands or at resort destinations such as Sanibel Island and St. Petersburg Beach.
Pensacola, Panama City, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and St. Augustine are some of Florida's largest coastal cities.
The Florida Keys are a chain of islands that were formed by tectonic activity. Roughly 1,700 islands complete this archipelago cluster that begins at Florida's southeastern tip just south of Miami, and ends at Key West, the last island in the chain. They lie along the Florida Strait, dividing the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. The Keys are navigable to tourists via U.S. Highway 1. This highway is the only road that travels continuously from one island to the next.
