Editing Orange County, Florida (section)

==Geography==
[[File:Downtown Orlando looking northeast, 1976.jpg|thumb|upright=1|Aerial view of the intersection of [[Interstate 4|I-4]] and [[Florida State Road 408|SR 408]] near [[Downtown Orlando]] in 1976]]

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|1003|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|903|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|100|sqmi}} (10.0%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> Orange County is about {{convert|89|ft|m}} [[Above mean sea level|above sea level]].<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2404443}}</ref> The county is bordered by [[Osceola County, Florida|Osceola County]] by the south, on the southwest by [[Polk County, Florida|Polk County]], on the west by [[Lake County, Florida|Lake County]], on the north by [[Seminole County, Florida|Seminole County]], on the northeast by [[Volusia County, Florida|Volusia County]], and on the east by [[Brevard County, Florida|Brevard County]].

[[File:Calm sunset in Winter Garden, Florida1.jpg|thumb|[[Lake Apopka]] in [[Winter Garden, Florida|Winter Garden]] at [[sunset]]]]

Most of the county lies in the [[Atlantic Plain#Coastal Plain|Florida coastal lowlands]], while the northwestern areas rise into the '''Florida Central Highlands'''.<ref name="Szary">{{cite book |last1=Szary |first1=William |title=Florida's Geologic Atlas: A guide to county geologic maps |date=March 16, 2021 |publisher=Earth2Energy Educational Publishing |isbn=979-8723792111}}</ref><ref>Woodard, Kenneth & Liu, Kesi & White-Leech, U & Sollenberger, Lynn. (2013). Leaching Potential of Phosphorus from Cattle Excreta Patches in the Central Highlands of Florida. Journal of environmental quality. 42. 872-880. 10.2134/jeq2012.0348.</ref><ref>[https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/SCORP-Chapter-2-w-tags.pdf Florida’s Outdoor Recreation Setting: Chapter 2], [[Florida Department of Environmental Protection]]. Accessed July 5, 2024.</ref>  The population center of the county is in the central and western sections in the transition zone from coastal plain to highlands, whereas eastern sections in the coastal plain are more remote in population. Orange County was part of the first land to rise up below from below the [[Early Oligocene]] sea about 33.9–28.4 million years ago, also known as [[Orange Island (Florida)|Orange Island]].<ref name="Petuch, Edward J. 2007"/>

The [[headwaters]] for the [[Kissimmee River]], which forms the northern part of the [[Everglades]], are located in the county. [[Boggy Creek (Florida)|Boggy Creek]] rises from the [[Orlando International Airport]] at {{Convert|70|ft|m}} above [[sea level]], which is the primary inflow for [[East Lake Tohopekaliga]] in nearby Osceola County.<ref>{{gnis|2082902}}</ref> Other watersheds within the county include the [[Ocklawaha River|Ocklawaha]] and [[Wekiva River|Wekiva]] rivers, along with the [[St. Johns River#Middle basin|Upper]] and [[St. Johns River#Middle basin|Middle]] basins, which are all sub-watersheds within the extensive [[St. Johns River|St. Johns]] watershed. [[Lake Apopka]] is located in the county, on the course of the Ocklawaha River, and is the fourth largest [[lake]] in the state of [[Florida]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sjrwmd.com/waterways/lake-apopka/|title=Lake Apopka Basin|date=2019|website=St. John's River Water Management District|access-date=5 July 2024}}</ref> [[Wekiwa Springs State Park]] is a {{convert|7000|acre|km2|adj=on}} [[Florida State Parks|Florida State Park]] along the course of the Wekiva River.

Despite Orange County being landlocked in the center of the state, it is still relatively close to many beaches to the east on the [[Atlantic Ocean]], with [[Cocoa Beach, Florida|Cocoa Beach]] being the closest and a popular destination. The [[Gulf of Mexico]] is also relatively close, although a bit farther away, to the west, with many beaches like [[Clearwater Beach]] and [[St. Pete Beach, Florida|St. Pete Beach]] also being popular destinations.

===Regions of Orange County===
{{see also|List of neighborhoods in Orlando, Florida}}
[[File:DC10CT C12095 000 cropped.png|300px|thumbnail|right|2010 U.S. Census tract map of Orange County]]
[[File:Orlando downtown 2011.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of downtown Orlando (center) and Lake Apopka (upper-right) in 2011]]
Orange County is divided into six regions; the (central) [[Central business district|Downtown area]] (with [[Urban area|urban]] characteristics); the (southwestern) [[tourist strip]] (with a mixture of permanent dwellings, resorts, and hotels); a mixture of working-class, middle-class, and wealthier suburbs in the west (with some [[exurban]] characteristics); more historically established suburbs to the north (with [[Inner suburb|inner-ring]] characteristics, attributed to the [[SunRail]]); a mixture of suburbs with more accessibly priced homes in the east (within the influence of [[University of Central Florida]]); and working-class neighborhoods and additional tourist attractions to the south (within the influence of nearby [[Kissimmee, Florida|Kissimmee]] in neighboring [[Osceola County, Florida|Osceola County]]). [[Florida's Turnpike]] is popularly regarded as a dividing line between northern areas catering more to permanent residents and southern areas catering more to tourists.

There are 115 neighborhoods within the city limits of [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]], along with many municipalities and [[Unincorporated area|unincorporated]] areas throughout the county. Orlando's city limits resemble a checkerboard, with pockets of unincorporated Orange County surrounded by city limits. Such an arrangement results in some areas being served by both Orange County and the City of Orlando. This also explains Orlando's relatively low city population when compared to its metropolitan population. The city and county are working together in an effort to "round-out" the city limits with Orlando annexing portions of land already bordering the city limits.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cityoforlando.net/gis/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2014/03/AnnexationsMap34x44General.pdf |title=Map of Orlando |publisher=Cityoforlando.net |access-date=August 2, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140713122906/http://www.cityoforlando.net/gis/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2014/03/AnnexationsMap34x44General.pdf |archive-date=July 13, 2014 }}</ref>{{failed verification|date=May 2014}}

The center of government, commerce and culture in the county, is in [[Downtown Orlando]], bordered by Marks Street in the north, Mills Avenue ([[SR 15 (FL)|SR 15]]) in the east, [[Orange Blossom Trail]] in the west, and Kaley Avenue in the south. Mostly composed of high-rise residential towers and office towers, 46 of the 79 high-rises in the [[Greater Orlando]] region are located in downtown.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.emporis.com/city/101340/orlando-fl-usa|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150322015123/http://www.emporis.com/city/101340/orlando-fl-usa|url-status=usurped|archive-date=March 22, 2015|title=Orlando &#124; Buildings &#124; EMPORIS|website=[[Emporis]]|access-date=July 5, 2024}}</ref> [[Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts]], [[Kia Center]], [[Lake Eola]], [[Orlando Museum of Art]], and other attractions are located in downtown, along with corporate offices for banks such as [[Wells Fargo]], Seacoast, and [[Suntrust]] banks, and government building such as [[Orange County Courthouse (Florida)|Orange County Courthouse]] and [[Orlando City Hall]].

In the southern region of the county is the rapidly growing community of [[Lake Nona, Orlando, Florida|Lake Nona]]. Along with being home to [[Lake Nona Golf & Country Club]], it is also the health district for the city of Orlando, with [[Lake Nona Medical City]]. Featuring [[Nemours Children's Hospital, Florida|Nemours Children's Hospital]], [[University of Central Florida]]'s Health Sciences Campus, which includes the university's [[University of Central Florida College of Medicine|College of Medicine]], [[Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences]], [[University of Central Florida College of Nursing|College of Nursing]], [[University of Central Florida College of Dental Medicine|College of Dental Medicine]], a [[teaching hospital]], and other healthcare amenities.<ref name="medcampus">{{cite web|url=http://www.cityoforlando.net/elected/mayor/soc04_medical.htm |publisher=City of Orlando – Office of the Mayor |title=Medical City |year=2010 |access-date= July 5, 2024 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117104720/http://www.cityoforlando.net/elected/mayor/soc04_medical.htm |archive-date=January 17, 2013 }}</ref>

[[File:Artegon Market.jpg|thumb|[[Dezerland Park Orlando|Dezerland Park Mall]]]]

The main [[tourist strip]] for the city is in the southwestern section of the county. [[International Drive]], commonly known as I-Drive, is a major {{convert|11.1|mi|adj=on}} [[thoroughfare]] that traverses central and southern portions of unincorporated Orange County. An additional extension is known as International Drive South, partly located in the northern portion of Osceola County. Other major roads in this region include, Sand Lake Road, Kirkman Road, [[State Road 536 (Florida)|SR 536]], and Universal Boulevard, which runs parallel to the midsection of International Drive. At its northern end, International Drive is home to [[Orlando International Premium Outlets]] and [[Universal Orlando]] resort, along with being in close proximity to the upcoming [[Universal Epic Universe|Epic Universe]] theme park (set to open in 2025).<ref>[http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=96 Orlando Premium Outlets-International Official Website], Orlando International Premium Outlets. Accessed May 20, 2024.</ref><ref>[https://www.universalorlando.com/], Universal Orlando Resort. Accessed May 20, 2024.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Epic Universe. Five Immersive Worlds. One Amazing Theme Park. |url=https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/theme-parks/epic-universe |access-date=March 2, 2024 |website=Universal Orlando Resort}}</ref> Further south on International Drive, it features the [[Orange County Convention Center]], [[Dezerland Park Orlando|Dezerland Park]] mall, [[SeaWorld Orlando]] (along with [[Aquatica (water parks)|Aquatica]], SeaWorld's water park), [[ICON Park]] (featuring its famous Ferris wheel, [[Orlando Eye]]), the [[World's Largest Entertainment McDonald's]], and other tourist ventures.<ref>[http://www.internationaldriveorlando.com/ International Drive Resort Area Official Website], International Drive Resort Area Official Website. Accessed May 20, 2024.</ref> This region is most known for being the location of [[Walt Disney World Resort]], which covers nearly {{convert|25000|acre|sqmi km2|0}} (of which half has been developed).<ref name="Fun Facts">{{Cite news |title=Walt Disney World Fun Facts |url=https://dpep.disney.io/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/fact_sheet_walt_disney_world_resort_2020_Q4.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203111052/https://dpep.disney.io/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/fact_sheet_walt_disney_world_resort_2020_Q4.pdf |archive-date=2020-12-03 |access-date=July 5, 2024 |publisher=Walt Disney World News |language=en-us}}</ref> The [[Central Florida Tourism Oversight District]] (formerly the Reedy Creek Improvement District) is the governing jurisdiction and [[Special district (United States)|special taxing district]] for the land of Disney World, encompassing a large swath of {{convert|39.06|sqmi|km2|abbr=on}} in southern Orange county and northern Osceola County. It acts with most of the same authority and responsibility as a county government.<ref>{{Cite web|title=About|url=https://www.rcid.org/about/|access-date=July 5, 2024|website=Reedy Creek Improvement District}}</ref><ref name="LAT 2023-03-01">{{Cite news|last1=Petri | first1=Alexandra E. |title=What did Disney actually lose from its Florida battle with DeSantis? |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-03-01/what-did-disney-actually-lose-from-its-florida-battle-with-desantis |date=March 1, 2023  |access-date=July 5, 2024 |newspaper= [[Los Angeles Times]]|language=en-US}}</ref> It includes the cities of [[Bay Lake, Florida|Bay Lake]] and [[Lake Buena Vista, Florida|Lake Buena Vista]], as well as [[unincorporated area|unincorporated]] land, within Orange County. Other communities in southwestern Orange County, which have primarily suburban and exurban characteristics, include [[Bay Hill, Florida|Bay Hill]], [[Dr. Phillips, Florida|Dr. Phillips]], [[Four Corners, Florida|Four Corners]], [[Horizon West, Florida|Horizon West]], [[MetroWest (Orlando)|MetroWest]], [[Williamsburg, Florida|Williamsburg]], and [[Windermere, Florida|Windermere]].

Orange County communities due west of Downtown Orlando, which primarily have exurban characteristics, include [[Apopka, Florida|Apoka]], [[Gotha, Florida|Gotha]], [[Oakland, Florida|Oakland]], [[Ocoee, Florida|Ocoee]], [[Pine Hills, Florida|Pine Hills]], [[Tildenville, Florida|Tildenville]], and [[Winter Garden, Florida|Winter Garden]]. Orange County communities due north of Downtown Orlando, which are primarily more well-established and that have suburban and urban characteristics, include [[Baldwin Park, Florida|Baldwin Park]], [[Eatonville, Florida|Eatonville]], [[Fairview Shores, Florida|Fairview Shores]], [[Goldenrod, Florida|Goldenrod]], [[Lockhart, Florida|Lockhart]], [[Maitland, Florida|Maitland]], and [[Winter Park, Florida|Winter Park]]. Orange County communities due east of Downtown Orlando, which primarily have suburban and rural characteristics, include [[Alafaya, Florida|Alafaya]], [[Avalon Park, Florida|Avalon Park]], [[Azalea Park, Florida|Azalea Park]], [[Bithlo, Florida|Bithlo]], [[Christmas, Florida|Christmas]], [[Union Park, Florida|Union Park]], and [[Wedgefield, Florida|Wedgefield]]. The east side of the county is also the home of the [[University of Central Florida]] (UCF).<ref>[official website|https://www.ucf.edu/], University of Central Florida official website. Accessed July 5, 2024.</ref> Orange County communities due south of Downtown Orlando, which primarily have suburban characteristics, include [[Conway, Florida|Conway]], [[Hunter's Creek, Florida|Hunter's Creek]], [[Lake Nona, Orlando, Florida|Lake Nona]], [[Meadow Woods, Florida|Meadow Woods]], [[Oak Ridge, Florida|Oak Ridge]], [[Southchase, Florida|Southchase]], and [[Taft, Florida|Taft]].

===Communities===
[[File:Dr. Phillips Center.jpg|thumb|Dr. Phillips Center in the community of [[Dr. Phillips, Florida|Dr. Phillips]]]]
{{Main|List of communities in Orange County, Florida}}
Orange County includes 13 incorporated areas, 38 [[census-designated place]]s, and 7 [[unincorporated area|unincorporated]] regions.

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Seminole County, Florida|Seminole County]] - north
* [[Volusia County, Florida|Volusia County]] - northeast
* [[Brevard County, Florida|Brevard County]] - east
* [[Osceola County, Florida|Osceola County]] - south
* [[Polk County, Florida|Polk County]] - southwest
* [[Lake County, Florida|Lake County]] - west

=== Climate ===
{|
|-
|{{climate chart
| Orange County
| 47| 70| 2.7
| 50| 73| 2.7
| 54| 78| 4.0
| 58| 82| 2.5
| 65| 87| 3.2
| 71| 90| 7.5
| 73| 92| 6.8
| 73| 92| 7.8
| 71| 89| 6.0
| 65| 84| 3.1
| 57| 78| 2.3
| 50| 72| 2.5
|float=left
|clear=left
|units=imperial
|source = <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.usa.com/orange-county-fl-weather.htm#HistoricalTemperature|title=Orange County, FL Weather - USA.com™|website=Usa.com}}</ref>
}}
|}