Florida is America's tropical paradise, a vast peninsula surrounded by the balmy Gulf of Mexico on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. Perpetual sunshine and over 600 miles of beaches make this state a popular destination for spring breaking college students, retired senior citizens, and everybody in between. However, the wetlands that occupy much of Florida's interior provide a fascinating counterpoint to it coastal regions. These untamed swamps and marshes have come to be represented by the alligator, a creature so iconic in Florida that it was named the official state reptile in 1987. Between the beaches and the swamps can be found the cattle ranches, dairy farms, and citrus fields where the world-famous Florida oranges are grown.