Florida Heartland

The Florida Heartland is a region of Florida located to the north and west of Lake Okeechobee, composed of six inland, non-metropolitan counties — DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, and Okeechobee. In 2000, The US Census Bureau recorded the population of the region at 229,509. In 2010, The US Census Bureau recorded the population of the region at 253,399, a growth rate of 11.0%. The most populous county in the region is Highlands County, and the region's largest city is Sebring. Unlike the coastal areas to the east and west, the rural nature of the Florida Heartland is culturally closer to the Deep South than the rest of peninsular Florida and has traditionally been inhabited by Americans of predominately English ancestry. While located in Palm Beach County, the nearby rural cities of Belle Glade and Pahokee, located on the southeastern shore of Lake Okeechobee, are more associated with the Florida Heartland than South Florida.

The region is primarily rural in nature, with the primary economic driver being agriculture. Important products grown in this area include tomatoes, beef, sugarcane, cucumbers and citrus products including oranges.
In Hardee county, phosphate mining is also a substantial industry, particularly along the Peace River basin.

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