<P> With a population of more than 18 million, according to the 2010 census, Florida is the most populous state in the southeastern United States and the third-most populous in the United States . </P> <P> After Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in September 2017, a large population of Puerto Ricans began moving to Florida to escape the widespread destruction . Hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans arrived in Florida after Maria dissipated, with nearly half of them arriving in Orlando and large populations also moving to Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach . </P> <P> Much of Florida is on a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean and the Straits of Florida . Spanning two time zones, it extends to the northwest into a panhandle, extending along the northern Gulf of Mexico . It is bordered on the north by Georgia and Alabama, and on the west, at the end of the panhandle, by Alabama . It is the only state that borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico . Florida also is the southernmost state in the 48 contiguous states, with Hawaii being the only state reaching farther south . Florida is west of The Bahamas and 90 miles (140 km) north of Cuba . Florida is one of the largest states east of the Mississippi River, and only Alaska and Michigan are larger in water area . The water boundary is 3 nautical miles (3.5 mi; 5.6 km) offshore in the Atlantic Ocean and 9 nautical miles (10 mi; 17 km) offshore in the Gulf of Mexico . </P> <P> At 345 feet (105 m) above mean sea level, Britton Hill is the highest point in Florida and the lowest highpoint of any U.S. state . Much of the state south of Orlando lies at a lower elevation than northern Florida, and is fairly level . Much of the state is at or near sea level . However, some places such as Clearwater have promontories that rise 50 to 100 ft (15 to 30 m) above the water . Much of Central and North Florida, typically 25 mi (40 km) or more away from the coastline, have rolling hills with elevations ranging from 100 to 250 ft (30 to 76 m). The highest point in peninsular Florida (east and south of the Suwannee River), Sugarloaf Mountain, is a 312 - foot (95 m) peak in Lake County . On average, Florida is the flattest state in the United States . </P>

Is florida in the north or south of america