Monroe County, Florida
| Monroe County, Florida | |||
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| County | |||
| Monroe County | |||
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The Monroe County Courthouse in November 2010
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 Location in the U.S. state of Florida |
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 Florida's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | July 3, 1823 | ||
| Named for | James Monroe | ||
| Seat | Key West | ||
| Largest city | Key West | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 3,738 sq mi (9,681 km2) | ||
| • Land | 983 sq mi (2,546 km2) | ||
| • Water | 2,754 sq mi (7,133 km2), 73.7% | ||
| Population (est.) | |||
| • (2015) | 77,482 | ||
| • Density | 74/sq mi (29/km²) | ||
| Congressional district | 26th | ||
| Time zone | Eastern: UTC-5/-4 | ||
| Website | www |
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Monroe County is a county located in the state of Florida. As of the 2010 census, the population was 73,090. Its county seat is Key West. Monroe County includes the islands of the Florida Keys. Only 24 people live on the mainland.
Monroe County comprises the Key West, FL Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Although 87% of the county's land area is on the mainland, that region is part of the Everglades and is virtually uninhabited. Over 99% of the county's population lives on the Florida Keys.
Monroe County was created in 1823. It was named for James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States, who served from 1817 to 1825.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,738 square miles (9,680 km2), of which 983 square miles (2,550 km2) is land and 2,754 square miles (7,130 km2) (73.7%) is water. It is the largest county in Florida by total area.
More than 99 percent of the Monroe County population lives in the island chain known as the Florida Keys.
Two thirds of the large area in what local residents call "mainland Monroe" is uninhabited by virtue of being part of the Everglades National Park, and the remainder by the Big Cypress National Preserve in the northeastern interior. The area, officially named Cape Sable Census County Division, is virtually uninhabited. As of the Census of 2000, this area had 86.9 percent of the county's land area (2243.58 out of 2,582.00 km2 (997 sq mi)), but only 0.075 percent of its population (60 out of 79,589). The Census Bureau defines this area as Census Tract 9701 of Monroe County, Florida. With a population density of only 0.0267/km² (0.0693/sq mi), if it were a separate county or county-equivalent, only the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area of central Alaska would have a lower population density out of all U.S. counties. The only three populated places appearing on detailed maps and in the USGS geographic name database are Flamingo, Pinecrest, (not to be confused with much larger Pinecrest of neighboring Miami-Dade County), and Trail City. Flamingo, located on the south coast and at the end of State Road 9336 (Flamingo Lodge Highway), is the location of the Flamingo Lodge and the Flamingo Ranger Station (with Visitor Center & Marina). 11 km (7 mi) northeast on the highway is the West Lake Trail (station). Pinecrest, located in the northern interior of the county (in the Big Cypress National Preserve) on Loop Road (given that name since it forms a loop with U.S. Highway 41 further north), hosts the Loop Road Education Center. Trail City is 6 km (4 mi) west of Pinecrest on Loop Road. Loop Road can be found on most maps as CR 94, although the roadway no longer has a numbered designation and is now managed by the National Park Service.
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