Florida is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico; Alabama to the northwest; Georgia to the north; the Bahamas and the Atlantic Ocean to the east; and the Straits of Florida and Cuba to the south. It is the only state bordering the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. With a population exceeding 21 million, it is the third-most populous state in the nation as of 2020. It spans 65,758 square miles (170,310 km2), ranking 22nd in area among the 50 states. The Miami metropolitan area, anchored by the cities of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, is the state's largest metro area with a population of 6.138 million. The state's most populous city is Jacksonville, with a population of 949,611. Florida's other major population centers include Tampa Bay, Orlando, Cape Coral, and the state capital of Tallahassee. Much of Florida is on a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Straits of Florida. Sp...