Editing Marion County, Florida (section)

==Geography==
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According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], Marion is the fifth largest county in the state, with a total area of {{convert|4,310|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, of which {{convert|3,962|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} is land and {{convert|195|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} (4.7%) 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>

Marion County is generally composed of rolling hills. The highest elevation is about {{convert|60|m|ft|abbr=off|sp=us}}. The majority of its trees consist of live oaks, pines, and palm trees.

It is about a two-hour drive from Marion County to many of Florida's major cities; [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]] is 75 minutes to the southeast, while [[Daytona Beach, Florida|Daytona Beach]] is about 90 minutes to the east. [[Tampa, Florida|Tampa]] is about 75 minutes to the southwest, [[Jacksonville, Florida|Jacksonville]] is roughly a two-hour drive northeast, and [[Miami, Florida|Miami]] is about six hours to the southeast.

There are several significant lakes within or bordering Marion County. Orange Lake is in the far northern part of Marion County, near the border with [[Alachua County, Florida|Alachua County]]. [[Lake Kerr]] is in the northeastern part of the county, near the town of [[Salt Springs, Florida|Salt Springs]], which is near the border with [[Putnam County, Florida|Putnam County]]. [[Lake Weir]], the largest of the three, is in the far southern region, near the border with [[Lake County, Florida|Lake County]]. Part of [[Lake George (Florida)|Lake George]] is also in Marion County.

Marion County is inland, centered between the [[Atlantic Ocean]] to the east and the [[Gulf of Mexico]] to the west. Because of this, the area is generally not affected as much by hurricanes as the more coastal counties to its east and west. The largest threats from natural disasters are high winds and flooding; tornadoes are also of concern.

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Putnam County, Florida]] – northeast
* [[Volusia County, Florida]] – east
* [[Lake County, Florida]] – southeast
* [[Sumter County, Florida]] – south
* [[Citrus County, Florida]] – southwest
* [[Levy County, Florida]] – west
* [[Alachua County, Florida]] – northwest

===National protected area===
* [[Ocala National Forest]] (part)