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Home > Travel Florida > Florida Cities > Ocala
Ocala
The State of Florida is a state in the southeastern United States. Florida is situated mostly on a large peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Straits of Florida. It extends to the northwest into a panhandle, extending along the northern Gulf of Mexico. Florida's nickname is the Sunshine State but severe weather is a common occurrence in the state. It is bordered on the north by the states of Georgia and Alabama, and on the west, at the end of the panhandle, by Alabama.
Ocala is a city in Marion County, Florida, United States. The population was 45,943 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 48,901. 49,745.
Ocala was established in 1846 near the site of Fort King, a military outpost of the Seminole Wars. Ocala is a Timucua word of unknown meaning. Hernando De Soto passed through a Timucua village or province named Ocali or Ocale near the present site of Ocala during his famous expedition through what is today the southeastern United States in 1539. Greater Ocala and Marion County are known as the Kingdom of the Sun. In 1853, the State of Florida chose Ocala as the site of the East Florida Seminary, the first state educational institution in Florida and the earliest predecessor institution of the University of Florida.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 100.1 square kilometers. The surrounding farms are famous for their thoroughbred horses, in terrain similar to Kentucky bluegrass. Ocala is also known for nearby Silver Springs, Florida, site of one of the largest artesian spring formation in the world and one of the earliest tourist attractions in Florida.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.2 percent under the age of 18, 9.3 percent from 18 to 24, 26.2 percent from 25 to 44, 20.9 percent from 45 to 64, and 20.4 percent who were 65 years of age or older.
Ocala is also known as the town of best geographical environment and has traced its origins back to prehistoric times. Today, one can also learn about its history, from its earliest times and can also enjoy its natural beauty concealed by the beautiful landscapes.
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