ORLANDO, FLORIDA - USA
The city of Orlando is the county seat of Orange County, Florida. As of the
2000 census, the city had a total population of 185,951 (metropolitan area
1,644,561).
The city is best known for the tourist attractions in the area, particularly
the nearby Walt Disney World, which is in the Reedy Creek Improvement
District. Other area attractions include SeaWorld and a Universal Studios
theme park.
Orlando is served primarily by Orlando International Airport, though nearby
Orlando Sanford International Airport also serves the area.
History
Some historians date Orlando's name to around 1836 when a soldier named
Orlando Reeves allegedly died in the area, during the war against the
Seminole Indian tribe.
The city was incorporated in 1872. During World War II, a number of Army
personnel were stationed at the Pincastle AAF. Some of these servicemen
stayed in Orlando to settle and raise families. In 1956 the aerospace/defense
company Martin Marietta (now Lockheed Martin) established a plant in
Orlando.
In addition, Orlando is close enough to Patrick Air Force Base, Cape
Canaveral Air Force Station, and Kennedy Space Center for residents to
commute to work from the city's suburbs. It also allows easy access to Port
Canaveral, an important cruise ship terminal.
The most critical event for Orlando's economy occurred in 1965 when Walt
Disney announced the plans for Walt Disney World. The famous theme park
opened in October, 1971, ushering in an explosive population and economic
growth for the Orlando metropolitan area, which now encompasses Orange,
Seminole, Osceola, and Lake counties. Another important event was the
hurricane season of 2004, when Hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Jeanne
battered the Orlando area, causing widespread damage and flooding.
Geography
Orlando is located at 28°32'1" North, 81°22'33" West (28.533513,
-81.375789)1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of
261.5 km˛ (100.9 mi˛). 242.2 km˛ (93.5 mi˛) of it is land and 19.3 km˛ (7.5
mi˛) of it is water. The total area is 7.39% water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 185,951 people, 80,883 households, and
42,382 families residing in the city. The population density is 767.9/km˛
(1,988.9/mi˛). There are 88,486 housing units at an average density of
365.4/km˛ (946.4/mi˛). The racial makeup of the city is 61.10% White, 26.85%
African American, 2.68% Asian, 0.34% Native American, 0.08% Pacific Islander,
5.41% from other races, and 3.54% from two or more races. 17.48% of the
population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 80,883 households out of which 24.5% have children under the age
of 18 living with them, 32.4% are married couples living together, 15.4%
have a female householder with no husband present, and 47.6% are non-families.
35.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.5% have someone
living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is
2.25 and the average family size is 2.97.
In the city the population is spread out with 22.0% under the age of 18,
10.7% from 18 to 24, 37.3% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who
are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 33 years. For every 100
females there are 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there
are 91.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $35,732, and the median
income for a family is $40,648. Males have a median income of $30,866 versus
$25,267 for females. The per capita income for the city is $21,216. 15.9% of
the population and 13.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the
total people living in poverty, 27.0% are under the age of 18 and 12.6% are
65 or older.
Educational Institutions
University of Central Florida
Rollins College
Reformed Theological Seminary
Florida A&M University's law school
Barry University's law school
Valencia Community College
Seminole Community College
University of Phoenix campus
DeVry University
Sports Teams
Orlando Magic (NBA) (TD Waterhouse Centre)
Orlando Predators (AFL) (TD Waterhouse Centre)
Trivia
ZIP codes for Orlando are in the range from 32801 to 32899. Orlando is
considered to be in a subtropical climate zone, with below-freezing
temperatures uncommon and snow very rare.
