Orlando, Florida Skyline of Orlando at night, from across Lake Eola 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, the latter of which is in Orlando proper. 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 Location of Orlando, Florida 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 km² (100.9 mi²). 242.2 km² (93.5 mi²) of it is land and 19.3 km² (7.5 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 7.39% water. Demographics As of the census2 of 2000, there are 185,951 people, 80,883 households, and 42,382 families residing in the city. The population density is 767.9/km² (1,988.9/mi²). There are 88,486 housing units at an average density of 365.4/km² (946.4/mi²). 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 population, 27.0% of those under the age of 18 and 12.6% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. Area educational institutions Barry University's law school DeVry University Orlando Campus Florida A&M University's law school Florida Institute of Technology Orlando Campus Reformed Theological Seminary Rollins College (in Winter Park) Seminole Community College University of Central Florida University of Phoenix Orlando Campus Valencia Community College 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. External links City of Orlando FAVORITE ARTICLES: History of the World    History of the United States    History of Europe    Ancient History    History    Military History    World War I    Bombing of Dresden    California    US Constitution    Frank Sinatra    Boston    Marbury v. Madison This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License at http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html You may copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license. You must provide a link to http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html To view or edit this article at Wikipedia go to http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlando,_Florida