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The Florida Keys are a
coral Corals are marine invertebrates within the class Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact colonies of many identical individual polyps. Coral species include the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and sec ...
cay A cay ( ), also spelled caye or key, is a small, low-elevation, sandy island on the surface of a coral reef. Cays occur in tropical environments throughout the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, including in the Caribbean and on the Great ...
archipelago An archipelago ( ), sometimes called an island group or island chain, is a chain, cluster, or collection of islands, or sometimes a sea containing a small number of scattered islands. Examples of archipelagos include: the Indonesian Archi ...
located off the southern coast of
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
, forming the southernmost part of the continental United States. They begin at the southeastern coast of the Florida
peninsula A peninsula (; ) is a landform that extends from a mainland and is surrounded by water on most, but not all of its borders. A peninsula is also sometimes defined as a piece of land bordered by water on three of its sides. Peninsulas exist on all ...
, about south of
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
, and extend in a gentle arc south-southwest and then westward to
Key West Key West ( es, Cayo Hueso) is an island in the Straits of Florida, within the U.S. state of Florida. Together with all or parts of the separate islands of Dredgers Key, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and the northern part of Stock Island, it cons ...
, the westernmost of the inhabited islands, and on to the uninhabited Dry Tortugas. The islands lie along the Florida Straits, dividing the
Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
to the east from the
Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...
to the northwest, and defining one edge of Florida Bay. At the nearest point, the southern part of Key West is just from
Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
. The Florida Keys are between about 24.3 and 25.5 degrees North latitude. More than 95 percent of the land area lies in
Monroe County Monroe County may refer to seventeen counties in the United States, all named for James Monroe: * Monroe County, Alabama *Monroe County, Arkansas * Monroe County, Florida * Monroe County, Georgia *Monroe County, Illinois *Monroe County, Indian ...
, but a small portion extends northeast into
Miami-Dade County Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Florida. The county had a population of 2,701,767 as of the 2020 census, making it the most populous county in Florida and the seventh-most populous county in ...
, such as
Totten Key Totten Key is an island of the upper Florida Keys in Biscayne National Park. It is in Miami-Dade County, Florida. It is located in southern Biscayne Bay, just west of Old Rhodes Key. History It was probably named for General Joseph Totten who ...
. The total land area is . As of the 2010 census the population was 73,090 with an average density of , although much of the population is concentrated in a few areas of much higher density, such as the city of Key West, which has 32% of the entire population of the Keys. The US Census population estimate for 2014 is 77,136. The city of Key West is the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
of
Monroe County Monroe County may refer to seventeen counties in the United States, all named for James Monroe: * Monroe County, Alabama *Monroe County, Arkansas * Monroe County, Florida * Monroe County, Georgia *Monroe County, Illinois *Monroe County, Indian ...
. The county consists of a section on the
mainland Mainland is defined as "relating to or forming the main part of a country or continent, not including the islands around it egardless of status under territorial jurisdiction by an entity" The term is often politically, economically and/or dem ...
which is almost entirely in Everglades National Park, and the Keys islands from
Key Largo Key Largo ( es, Cayo Largo) is an island in the upper Florida Keys archipelago and is the largest section of the keys, at long. It is one of the northernmost of the Florida Keys in Monroe County, and the northernmost of the keys connected b ...
to
Dry Tortugas National Park Dry Tortugas National Park is a national park located about west of Key West in the Gulf of Mexico. The park preserves Fort Jefferson and the seven Dry Tortugas islands, the westernmost and most isolated of the Florida Keys. The archipelago's c ...
.


History

The Keys were originally inhabited by the
Calusa The Calusa ( ) were a Native American people of Florida's southwest coast. Calusa society developed from that of archaic peoples of the Everglades region. Previous indigenous cultures had lived in the area for thousands of years. At the time of ...
and
Tequesta The Tequesta (also Tekesta, Tegesta, Chequesta, Vizcaynos) were a Native American tribe. At the time of first European contact they occupied an area along the southeastern Atlantic coast of Florida. They had infrequent contact with Europeans a ...
tribes, and were charted by
Juan Ponce de León Juan Ponce de León (, , , ; 1474 – July 1521) was a Spanish explorer and '' conquistador'' known for leading the first official European expedition to Florida and for serving as the first governor of Puerto Rico. He was born in Santervá ...
in 1513. De León named the islands ''Los Martires'' ("The Martyrs"), as they looked like suffering men from a distance. "Key" is derived from the Spanish word ''cayo'', meaning small island. For many years, Key West was the largest town in Florida, and it grew prosperous on wrecking revenues. The isolated outpost was well located for trade with Cuba and the Bahamas and was on the main trade route from
New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster.
; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...
. Improved navigation led to fewer shipwrecks, and Key West went into a decline in the late nineteenth century.


Overseas Railway

The Keys were long accessible only by water. This changed with the completion of
Henry Flagler Henry Morrison Flagler (January 2, 1830 – May 20, 1913) was an American industrialist and a founder of Standard Oil, which was first based in Ohio. He was also a key figure in the development of the Atlantic coast of Florida and founde ...
's Overseas Railway in the early 1910s. Flagler, a major developer of Florida's Atlantic coast, extended his
Florida East Coast Railway The Florida East Coast Railway is a Class II railroad operating in the U.S. state of Florida, currently owned by Grupo México. Built primarily in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th century, the FEC was a pr ...
down to Key West with an ambitious series of oversea railroad trestles. Three hurricanes disrupted the project in
1906 Events January–February * January 12 – Persian Constitutional Revolution: A nationalistic coalition of merchants, religious leaders and intellectuals in Persia forces the shah Mozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar to grant a constitution, ...
,
1909 Events January–February * January 4 – Explorer Aeneas Mackintosh of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition escaped death by fleeing across ice floes. * January 7 – Colombia recognizes the independence of Panama. * Januar ...
, and
1910 Events January * January 13 – The first public radio broadcast takes place; live performances of the operas '' Cavalleria rusticana'' and ''Pagliacci'' are sent out over the airwaves, from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York C ...
.


1935 Labor Day hurricane

The strongest hurricane to strike the U.S. made landfall near Islamorada in the Upper Keys on Labor Day, Monday, September 2, 1935. Winds were estimated to have gusted to , raising a storm surge more than above sea level that washed over the islands. More than 400 people were killed, though some estimates place the number of deaths at more than 600. The Labor Day hurricane was one of only four hurricanes to make landfall at Category 5 strength on the U.S. coast since reliable weather records began (about 1850). The other storms were Hurricane Camille (1969),
Hurricane Andrew Hurricane Andrew was a very powerful and destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that struck the Bahamas, Florida, and Louisiana in August 1992. It is the most destructive hurricane to ever hit Florida in terms of structures damaged ...
(1992), and
Hurricane Michael Hurricane Michael was a very powerful and destructive tropical cyclone that became the first Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the contiguous United States since Andrew in 1992. It was the third-most intense Atlantic hurricane to ma ...
(2018). In 1935, new bridges were under construction to connect a highway through the entire Keys. Hundreds of World War I veterans working on the roadway as part of a government relief program were housed in non-reinforced buildings in three construction camps in the Upper Keys. When the evacuation train failed to reach the camps before the storm, more than 200 veterans perished. Their deaths caused anger and charges of mismanagement that led to a Congressional investigation. The storm also ended the 23-year run of the Overseas Railway; the damaged tracks were never rebuilt, and the
Overseas Highway The Overseas Highway is a highway carrying U.S. Route 1 (US 1) through the Florida Keys to Key West. Large parts of it were built on the former right-of-way of the Overseas Railroad, the Key West Extension of the Florida East Coast Railwa ...
(
U.S. Highway 1 U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs from Key West, Florida, north to Fort Kent, Maine, at the Canadian border, making i ...
) replaced the railroad as the main transportation route from Miami to Key West.


Seven Mile Bridge

One of the longest bridges when it was built, the
Seven Mile Bridge The Seven Mile Bridge is a bridge in the Florida Keys, in Monroe County, Florida, United States. It connects Knight's Key (part of the city of Marathon, Florida) in the Middle Keys to Little Duck Key in the Lower Keys. Among the longest bridg ...
connects
Knight's Key Knights Key is an island in the middle Florida Keys, located entirely within the borders of the city of Marathon, Florida. Geography U.S. 1 (or the Overseas Highway) crosses the key near mile marker 47, at the western end of Key Vaca and eastern ...
(part of the city of
Marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of , usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair div ...
in the Middle Keys) to
Little Duck Key Little Duck Key is a small island in the lower Florida Keys. U.S. 1 (or the Overseas Highway) crosses the key at approximately mile marker 40, just west of the Seven Mile Bridge. The west end of the bridge terminates on this island. The islan ...
in the Lower Keys. The piling-supported concrete bridge is or 6.79 miles (10.93 km) long. The current bridge bypasses
Pigeon Key Pigeon Key is a small island containing the historic district of Pigeon Key, Florida. The island is home to 8 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, some of which remain from its earliest incarnation as a work camp for the Flor ...
, a small island that housed workers building
Henry Flagler Henry Morrison Flagler (January 2, 1830 – May 20, 1913) was an American industrialist and a founder of Standard Oil, which was first based in Ohio. He was also a key figure in the development of the Atlantic coast of Florida and founde ...
's
Florida East Coast Railway The Florida East Coast Railway is a Class II railroad operating in the U.S. state of Florida, currently owned by Grupo México. Built primarily in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th century, the FEC was a pr ...
in the 1900s, that the original Seven Mile Bridge crossed. A section of the old bridge remains for access to the island, although it was closed to vehicular traffic on March 4, 2008. The aging structure has been deemed unsafe by the Florida Department of Transportation. Costly repairs, estimated to be as much as $34 million, were expected to begin in July 2008. Monroe County was unable to secure a $17 million loan through the state infrastructure bank, delaying work for at least a year. On June 14, 2008, the old bridge section leading to Pigeon Key was closed to fishing as well. While still open to pedestrians—walking, biking and jogging—if the bridge were closed altogether, only a ferry subsidized by FDOT and managed by the county would transport visitors to the island.


Overseas Highway

After the destruction of the Keys railway by the
Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 The Great Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 was the most intense Atlantic hurricane to make landfall on record by pressure, with winds of up to 185 mph (297 km/h). The fourth tropical cyclone, third tropical storm, second hurricane, and se ...
, the railroad bridges, including the Seven Mile Bridge, were converted to automobile roadways. This roadway, U.S. Highway 1, became the
Overseas Highway The Overseas Highway is a highway carrying U.S. Route 1 (US 1) through the Florida Keys to Key West. Large parts of it were built on the former right-of-way of the Overseas Railroad, the Key West Extension of the Florida East Coast Railwa ...
that runs from Key Largo south to Key West. Today this highway allows travel through the tropical islands of the Florida Keys and the viewing of exotic plants and animals found nowhere else on the US mainland and the largest
coral reef A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in groups. Co ...
chain in the United States.


Cuban exiles

Following the Cuban Revolution, many Cubans emigrated to South Florida. Key West traditionally had strong links with its neighbor ninety miles south by water, and large numbers of Cubans settled there. The Keys still attract Cubans leaving their home country, and stories of "rafters" coming ashore are not uncommon.


Conch Republic

In 1982, the
United States Border Patrol The United States Border Patrol (USBP) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement agency under the United States' U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Customs and Border Protection and is responsible for securing ...
established a roadblock and inspection points on US Highway 1, stopping all northbound traffic returning to the mainland at
Florida City Florida City is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. It is the southernmost municipality in the South Florida metropolitan area. Florida City is primarily a Miami suburb and a major agricultural area. As of the 2020 census, it h ...
, to search vehicles for illegal drugs and undocumented immigrants. The Key West City Council repeatedly complained about the roadblocks, which were a major inconvenience for travellers, and hurt the Keys' important tourism industry. After various unsuccessful complaints and attempts to get a legal injunction against the blockade failed in federal court in
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
, on April 23, 1982, Key West mayor
Dennis Wardlow Dennis Wardlow (born c. 1944) is a former mayor of Key West, Florida, having served on three occasions. He is best known for being the prime minister of the Conch Republic, the micronation that seceded from the United States on April 23, 1982, ...
and the city council declared the independence of the city of
Key West Key West ( es, Cayo Hueso) is an island in the Straits of Florida, within the U.S. state of Florida. Together with all or parts of the separate islands of Dredgers Key, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and the northern part of Stock Island, it cons ...
, calling it the "
Conch Republic The Conch Republic () is a micronation declared as a tongue-in-cheek secession of the city of Key West, Florida, from the United States on April 23, 1982. It has been maintained as a tourism booster for the city. Since then, the term "Conch Rep ...
". After one minute of secession, he (as "Prime Minister") surrendered to an officer of the Key West Naval Air Station (NAS), and requested one billion ($1,000,000,000) dollars in "
foreign aid In international relations, aid (also known as international aid, overseas aid, foreign aid, economic aid or foreign assistance) is – from the perspective of governments – a voluntary transfer of resources from one country to another. Ai ...
". The stunt succeeded in generating great publicity for the Keys' plight, and the inspection station roadblock was removed. The idea of the Conch Republic has provided a new source of revenue for the Keys by way of tourist keepsake sales, and the Conch Republic has participated in later protests.


Geology

The northern and central sections of the Florida Keys are the exposed portions of an ancient
coral reef A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in groups. Co ...
, the
Key Largo Limestone The Key Largo Limestone is a geologic formation in Florida. It is a fossilized coral reef. The formation is exposed along the upper and middle Florida Keys from Soldier Key (at the north end of the Florida Keys) to the Bahia Honda Channel (at th ...
. The northernmost island arising from the ancient reef formation is Elliott Key, in Biscayne National Park. North of Elliott Key are several small transitional keys, composed of sand built up around small areas of exposed ancient reef. Further north,
Key Biscayne Key Biscayne ( es, Cayo Vizcaíno, link=no) is an island located in Miami-Dade County, Florida, located between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay. It is the southernmost of the barrier islands along the Atlantic coast of Florida, and lies sout ...
and places north are
barrier island Barrier islands are coastal landforms and a type of Dune, dune system that are exceptionally flat or lumpy areas of sand that form by wave and tidal action parallel to the mainland coast. They usually occur in chains, consisting of anything fro ...
s, built up of sand. The islands in the southwestern part of the chain, from
Big Pine Key Big or BIG may refer to: * Big, of great size or degree Film and television * ''Big'' (film), a 1988 fantasy-comedy film starring Tom Hanks * '' Big!'', a Discovery Channel television show * ''Richard Hammond's Big'', a television show present ...
to the
Marquesas Keys The Marquesas Keys form an uninhabited island group about west of Key West, in diameter, and largely covered by mangrove forest. They are an unincorporated area of Monroe County, Florida and belong to the Lower Keys Census County Division. ...
, are exposed areas of
Miami Limestone The Miami Limestone, originally called Miami Oolite, is a geologic formation of limestone in southeastern Florida. Miami Limestone forms the Atlantic Coastal Ridge in southeastern Florida, near the coast in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami Dad ...
. The Florida Keys have taken their present form as the result of the drastic changes in sea level associated with recent
glaciation A glacial period (alternatively glacial or glaciation) is an interval of time (thousands of years) within an ice age that is marked by colder temperatures and glacier advances. Interglacials, on the other hand, are periods of warmer climate betw ...
s or ''
ice age An ice age is a long period of reduction in the temperature of Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental and polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers. Earth's climate alternates between ice ages and gree ...
s''. Beginning some 130,000 years ago the Sangamonian Stage raised sea levels about feet above the current level. All of southern Florida was covered by a shallow sea. Several parallel lines of reef formed along the edge of the submerged Florida Platform, stretching south and then west from the present Miami area to what is now the Dry Tortugas. This reef formed the Key Largo Limestone that is exposed on the surface from
Soldier Key Soldier Key is an island in Biscayne National Park in Miami-Dade County, Florida. It is located between Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, about three miles north of the Ragged Keys, five miles south of Cape Florida on Key Biscayne, seven-and-a ...
(midway between Key Biscayne and Elliott Key) to the southeast portion of
Big Pine Key Big or BIG may refer to: * Big, of great size or degree Film and television * ''Big'' (film), a 1988 fantasy-comedy film starring Tom Hanks * '' Big!'', a Discovery Channel television show * ''Richard Hammond's Big'', a television show present ...
and the Newfound Harbor Keys. The types of
coral Corals are marine invertebrates within the class Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact colonies of many identical individual polyps. Coral species include the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and sec ...
that formed Key Largo Limestone can be identified on the exposed surface of these keys. Minor fluctuations in sea level exposed parts of the reef, subjecting it to erosion. Acidic water, which can result from decaying vegetation, dissolves limestone. Some of the dissolved limestone redeposited as a denser ''cap rock'', which can be seen as outcrops overlying the Key Largo and Miami limestones throughout the Keys. The limestone that eroded from the reef formed
oolite Oolite or oölite (''egg stone'') is a sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains composed of concentric layers. The name derives from the Ancient Greek word for egg (ᾠόν). Strictly, oolites consist of ooids of diameter 0.25–2 ...
s in the shallow sea behind the reef, and together with the skeletal remains of bryozoans, formed the Miami Limestone that is the current surface bedrock of the lower Florida peninsula and the lower keys from Big Pine Key to Key West. To the west of Key West the ancient reef is covered by recent
calcareous Calcareous () is an adjective meaning "mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate", in other words, containing lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of scientific disciplines. In zoology ''Calcareous'' is used as an adje ...
sand. While the islands of the upper and middle keys, consisting of Key Largo Limestone, form a long narrow arc, the islands of the lower keys are perpendicular to the line of that arc. This configuration arose from an ancient tidal-bar system, in which
tidal channel A tidal creek or tidal channel is a narrow inlet or estuary that is affected by the ebb and flow of ocean tides. Thus, it has variable salinity and electrical conductivity over the tidal cycle, and flushes salts from inland soils. Tidal cree ...
s cut through a submerged oolitic deposit. The bars
lithified Lithification (from the Ancient Greek word ''lithos'' meaning 'rock' and the Latin-derived suffix ''-ific'') is the process in which sediments compact under pressure, expel connate fluids, and gradually become solid rock. Essentially, lithificati ...
into Miami Limestone, and with changes in sea level are presently exposed as the islands, while the channels between the bars now separate the islands. Just offshore of the Florida Keys along the edge of the Florida Straits is the
Florida Reef The Florida Reef (also known as the Great Florida Reef, Florida reefs, Florida Reef Tract and Florida Keys Reef Tract) is the only living coral barrier reef in the continental United States. It is the third largest coral barrier reef system in ...
(also known as the Florida Reef Tract). The Florida Reef extends from
Fowey Rocks Fowey Rocks Light is located seven miles southeast of Cape Florida on Key Biscayne. The lighthouse was completed in 1878, replacing the Cape Florida Light. It was automated on May 7, 1975, and is still in operation. The structure is cast iron, wi ...
just east of Soldier Key to just south of the Marquesas Keys. It is the third-largest
barrier reef A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in groups. Co ...
system in the world.


Environment

The climate and environment of the Florida Keys are closer to that of the
Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
than the rest of Florida, though unlike the Caribbean's volcanic islands, the Keys were built by plants and animals. The Upper Keys islands are composed of sandy-type accumulations of
limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
grains produced by plants and marine organisms. The Lower Keys are the remnants of large coral reefs, which became fossilized and exposed when the sea level dropped. The natural habitats of the Keys are upland forests, inland wetlands and shoreline zones. Soil ranges from sand to
marl Marl is an earthy material rich in carbonate minerals, clays, and silt. When hardened into rock, this becomes marlstone. It is formed in marine or freshwater environments, often through the activities of algae. Marl makes up the lower part o ...
to rich, decomposed leaf litter. In some places, "caprock" (the eroded surface of coral formations) covers the ground. Rain falling through leaf debris becomes acidic and dissolves holes in the limestone, where soil accumulates and trees root.


Flora and fauna

The Florida Keys have distinctive plant and animals species, some found nowhere else in the United States, as the Keys define the northern extent of their ranges. The climate also allows many imported plants to thrive. Some exotic species which arrived as landscape plants now invade and threaten natural areas. The native flora of the Keys is diverse, including members of both temperate families, such as red maple ('' Acer rubrum''), slash pine ( ''Pinus elliottii'' var. ''densa'') and oaks (''
Quercus An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably '' ...
'' spp.), growing at the southern end of their ranges, and tropical families, including mahogany (''
Swietenia mahagoni ''Swietenia mahagoni'', commonly known as American mahogany, Cuban mahogany, small-leaved mahogany, and West Indian mahogany, is a species of ''Swietenia'' native to South Florida in the United States and islands in the Caribbean including the Ba ...
''), gumbo limbo (''
Bursera simaruba ''Bursera simaruba'', commonly known as gumbo-limbo, copperwood, chaca, West Indian birch, naked Indian, and turpentine tree, is a tree species in the family Burseraceae, native to the Neotropics, from South Florida to Mexico and the Caribbean ...
''), stoppers ('' Eugenia'' spp.), Jamaican dogwood (''
Piscidia piscipula ''Piscidia piscipula'', commonly named Florida fishpoison tree, Jamaican dogwood, or fishfuddle, is a medium-sized, deciduous, tropical tree in the Fabaceae family. It is native to the Greater Antilles (except Puerto Rico), extreme southern Flori ...
''), and many others, which grow only in tropical climates. Several types of palms are native to the Florida Keys, including the Florida thatch palm (''
Thrinax radiata ''Thrinax radiata'', also known as the Florida thatch palm, is a medium to slow growing palm in the family Arecaceae. It is native to many Caribbean islands, Mexico, Central America, and far southern Florida. Its natural habitat is sandy, calcare ...
''), which grows to its greatest size in Florida on the islands of the Keys. The Keys are also home to unique animal species, including the American crocodile,
Key deer The Key deer (''Odocoileus virginianus clavium'') is an endangered deer that lives only in the Florida Keys. It is a subspecies of the white-tailed deer (''O. virginianus''). It is the smallest extant North American deer species. Description Th ...
(protected by the
National Key Deer Refuge The National Key Deer Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge located on Big Pine Key and No Name Key in the Florida Keys in Monroe County, Florida. The refuge is home to the endangered Key deer, a subspecies of the white-tailed deer that is endemi ...
), and the
Key Largo woodrat The Key Largo woodrat (''Neotoma floridana smalli''), a subspecies of the eastern woodrat (''Neotoma floridana''), is a medium-sized rat found on less than 2,000 acres (~8.09 square kilometers) of the northern area of Key Largo, Florida, in the U ...
. The Keys is part of the northernmost range of the American crocodile, which is found throughout the
Neotropics The Neotropical realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms constituting Earth's land surface. Physically, it includes the tropics, tropical Ecoregion#Terrestrial, terrestrial ecoregions of the Americas and the entire South American temperat ...
. The Key Largo Woodrat is found only in the northern part of its namesake island, and is a focus of management activities in Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge. About 70 miles (110 km) west of Key West is
Dry Tortugas National Park Dry Tortugas National Park is a national park located about west of Key West in the Gulf of Mexico. The park preserves Fort Jefferson and the seven Dry Tortugas islands, the westernmost and most isolated of the Florida Keys. The archipelago's c ...
. The waters surrounding the Keys are part of a protected area known as the
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is a U.S. National Marine Sanctuary in the Florida Keys. It includes the Florida Reef, the only barrier coral reef in North America and the third-largest coral barrier reef in the world. It also has ex ...
.


Climate

The climate of the Florida Keys is
tropical savanna Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands is a terrestrial biome defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature. The biome is dominated by grass and/or shrubs located in semi-arid to semi-humid climate regions of subtropical and t ...
(
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
: Aw). Other than some areas of coastal Miami (Miami Beach), the Florida Keys are the only areas in the continental United States to never report freezing temperatures since settlement. The record low in Key West is (in both 1886 and 1981), and low temperatures below are rare. Most of the Florida Keys fall into USDA zone 11a to 11b; Key West is zone 12a. There are two main "seasons" in the Florida Keys, a hot and wet season from June through October, and a dry season from November through April, that features little rainfall, sunny skies, and warm breezy conditions. The warm and sunny winter climate, with average highs around and lows above , is the main tourist season in the Florida Keys. Key West is the driest city in Florida, and most of the Florida Keys can become quite dry at the height of the dry season. Some of the more exposed vegetation in the keys is scrub, stunted due to the intense sun, quick draining sandy soil, and arid winter climate.


Tropical cyclones

The Keys are occasionally threatened by
tropical storm A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...
s and
hurricane A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...
s, leading to evacuations to the mainland.
Hurricane Georges Hurricane Georges () was a powerful and long-lived Cape Verde Category 4 hurricane which caused severe destruction as it traversed the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico in September 1998, making eight landfalls along its path. Georges was the sevent ...
, after destroying much of the housing and infrastructure on many of the
Caribbean islands Almost all of the Caribbean islands are in the Caribbean Sea, with only a few in inland lakes. The largest island is Cuba. Other sizable islands include Hispaniola, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago. Some of the smaller islands are re ...
, caused damage and extensive flooding in the Lower Keys in 1998, before making
landfall Landfall is the event of a storm moving over land after being over water. More broadly, and in relation to human travel, it refers to 'the first land that is reached or seen at the end of a journey across the sea or through the air, or the fact ...
in
Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
. In 2005, Hurricanes
Katrina Katrina or Katrine may refer to: People * Katrina (given name) * Katrine (given name) Meteorology * List of storms named Katrina, a list of tropical cyclones designated as Katrina ** Hurricane Katrina, an exceptionally powerful Atlantic hurrican ...
,
Rita Rita may refer to: People * Rita (given name) * Rita (Indian singer) (born 1984) * Rita (Israeli singer) (born 1962) * Rita (Japanese singer) * Eliza Humphreys (1850–1938), wrote under the pseudonym Rita Places * Djarrit, also known as Rita, a ...
and Wilma affected the Keys (although none made a direct hit), causing widespread damage and flooding. The most severe hurricane to hit the area was the
Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 The Great Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 was the most intense Atlantic hurricane to make landfall on record by pressure, with winds of up to 185 mph (297 km/h). The fourth tropical cyclone, third tropical storm, second hurricane, and se ...
, a Category 5 hurricane. Tropical cyclones present special dangers and challenges to the entire Keys. Because no area of the islands is more than above sea level (and many are only a few feet elevation), and water surrounds the islands, nearly every neighborhood is subject to flooding as well as hurricane winds. In response, many homes in the Keys are built on concrete stilts with the first floor being not legally habitable and enclosed by breakaway walls that are not strongly attached to the rest of the house. Nonetheless, Monroe County, as reported in the Federal Register, has estimated that there are between 8,000 and 12,000 illegal enclosures inhabited by people. Because of the threat from storm surge, evacuations are routinely ordered when the
National Weather Service The National Weather Service (NWS) is an Government agency, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that is tasked with providing weather forecasts, warnings of hazardous weather, and other weathe ...
issues a hurricane watch or warning, and are sometimes ordered for a tropical storm warning. Evacuation of the Keys depends on causeways and the two-lane highway to the mainland. Time estimates for evacuating the entire Keys range from 12 to 24 hours. Evacuation estimates are significant in emergency planning, of course, but also because they are a factor in local and state regulations for controlling development. The building permit allocation was increased in 2005 when local governments reduced estimates for evacuation. On September 10, 2017, Hurricane Irma made landfall in Cudjoe Key. The storm destroyed an estimated 25% of the houses on the Keys and another 65% suffered major damage. Most residents had evacuated before the storm hit the area. On September 12, parts of the Keys were still inaccessible by causeway and some areas were closed to the public. Governor
Rick Scott Richard Lynn Scott ( Myers, born December 1, 1952) is an American politician serving as the junior United States senator from Florida since 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he was the 45th governor of Florida from 2011 to 2019. Scott ...
reported devastation; most areas were without power or water. The damage was the worst in the Lower Keys, though less severe in Key West; parts of the Lower Keys may be uninhabitable for months.


Major islands

U.S. Highway 1 U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs from Key West, Florida, north to Fort Kent, Maine, at the Canadian border, making i ...
, the "
Overseas Highway The Overseas Highway is a highway carrying U.S. Route 1 (US 1) through the Florida Keys to Key West. Large parts of it were built on the former right-of-way of the Overseas Railroad, the Key West Extension of the Florida East Coast Railwa ...
", runs over most of the inhabited islands of the Florida Keys. The islands are listed in order from southwest to north.
Mile marker A milestone is a numbered marker placed on a route such as a road, railway line, canal or boundary. They can indicate the distance to towns, cities, and other places or landmarks; or they can give their position on the route relative to so ...
s are listed for keys that the Overseas Highway runs across or near.FDOT straight line diagrams
, accessed April 2014.
* Dry Tortugas *
Loggerhead Key Loggerhead Key is an uninhabited tropical island within the Dry Tortugas group of islands in the Gulf of Mexico. At approximately 49 acres (19.8 hectares) in size, it is the largest island of the Dry Tortugas. Despite being uninhabited, the is ...
*
Marquesas Keys The Marquesas Keys form an uninhabited island group about west of Key West, in diameter, and largely covered by mangrove forest. They are an unincorporated area of Monroe County, Florida and belong to the Lower Keys Census County Division. ...
*
Sunset Key Sunset Key is a residential neighborhood and resort island in the city of Key West, Florida. It is located about off the coast of the island of Key West. The island is privately held among its residents. The island is accessible only by a shuttl ...
*
Wisteria Island Wisteria Island, also known as ''Christmas Tree Island'', is a federally owned, uninhabited island in the lower Florida Keys 645 yards (590 m) northwest of the northwestern corner of the main island and city of Key West, Florida, Monroe County ...
*
Key West Key West ( es, Cayo Hueso) is an island in the Straits of Florida, within the U.S. state of Florida. Together with all or parts of the separate islands of Dredgers Key, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and the northern part of Stock Island, it cons ...
(MM 0-4) *
Fleming Key Fleming Key is an island off the northwest corner of the island of Key West, Florida in the lower Florida Keys. It is roughly long by wide. It is connected to the island of Key West by the Fleming Key Bridge (Mustin Road), having of clearanc ...
*
Sigsbee Park Sigsbee Park, also known as ''Dredgers Key'', is an island about half a mile (800 m) north of Key West island in the lower Florida Keys; administratively it is within the City of Key West, Florida, United States. It is connected to the is ...
(off to the north at MM 2¾) *
Stock Island Stock Island is an island in the lower Florida Keys immediately east of Key West (separated from Key West by Cow Key Channel, which is only about 75 yards (70 m) wide). Immediately northwest is Key Haven (official name ''Raccoon Key''), from whi ...
(MM 5) * Raccoon Key (off to the north at MM 5¼) *
Boca Chica Key Boca Chica Key is an island in the lower Florida Keys, about a mile () east of the island of Key West at its closest point. Its name is Spanish for "small mouth". It is mostly covered by salt marshes and mangrove trees, and is the home of the la ...
(MM 7-8) *
Rockland Key Rockland Key is an island in the lower Florida Keys about east of Key West. U.S. 1 (the Overseas Highway The Overseas Highway is a highway carrying U.S. Route 1 (US 1) through the Florida Keys to Key West. Large parts of it were ...
(MM 9) *
East Rockland Key East Rockland Key is an island in the lower Florida Keys about east of Key West. U.S. 1 (or the Overseas Highway) crosses the edge of the key at approximately mile markers 8–9.5, between Boca Chica Key and Big Coppitt Key. It is located ...
(MM 9½) *
Big Coppitt Key Big Coppitt Key is an island in Monroe County, Florida, United States, in the lower Florida Keys. The name is said to be a derivation of the old English word "coppice", meaning thicket. According to A.D. Bache, in the notes for his coast survey ...
(MM 10) *
Geiger Key Geiger Key is an island in the lower Florida Keys about east of Key West. It is located to the south of, and bridged to, Big Coppitt Key via Boca Chica Road ( County Road 941) at about mile marker 11 on U.S. 1 (or the Overseas Highway). It h ...
(off to the south at MM 10¾) *
Shark Key Shark Key is an island in the lower Florida Keys about east of Key West. It is located north of, and connected to, U.S. 1 (or the Overseas Highway) at approximately mile marker 11.5, between the Saddlebunch Keys and Big Coppitt Key. It is ...
(off to the north at MM 11¼) *
Saddlebunch Keys The Saddlebunch Keys are a series of mangrove islands about east of Key West, Florida. The keys are scattered between Lower Sugarloaf Key and Shark Key. U.S. 1 (or the Overseas Highway The Overseas Highway is a highway carrying U.S. R ...
(MM 12-16) *
Lower Sugarloaf Key Lower Sugarloaf Key is the lower arm of an island known as Sugarloaf Key in the lower Florida Keys about east of Key West. U.S. 1 (or the Overseas Highway) crosses the key at about mile markers 16.5–17.5. Due to the routing of U.S. Route 1 ...
(MM 17) *
Park Key Park Key is an uninhabited island in the lower Florida Keys about east of Key West. It is 1500 Meters long, and between 75 and 260 Meters wide (190 meters on the average). It measures in area. The island was made from fill, so that the railroa ...
(MM 18) *
Sugarloaf Key Sugarloaf Key is a single island in the lower Florida Keys that forms a loop on the Atlantic Ocean side giving the illusion of separate islands. Although frequently referred to simply and with technical accuracy as "Sugarloaf Key", this island c ...
(MM 19-20) *
Cudjoe Key Cudjoe, Codjoe or Captain Cudjoe (c. 1660s – 1764),Michael Sivapragasam''After the Treaties: A Social, Economic and Demographic History of Maroon Society in Jamaica, 1739–1842'' PhD Dissertation, African-Caribbean Institute of Jamaica library ...
(MM 21-23) *
Knockemdown Key Knockemdown Key is an island in the lower Florida Keys approximately east of Key West. It is northwest of Summerland Key, between Cudjoe Key and Big Torch Key. It is currently owned by retired Milwaukee Brewers Pitcher Dave Voit. tidal st ...
*
Summerland Key Summerland Key is an island in the lower Florida Keys about east of Key West; it contains an unincorporated community of Monroe County of the same name. U.S. 1 (or the Overseas Highway) crosses the island at approximately mile markers 24– ...
(MM 24-25) *
Ramrod Key Ramrod Key is an island in the lower Florida Keys. Originally named Roberts Island, Ramrod Key was renamed for a ship named Ramrod, which was wrecked on a reef south of there in the early nineteenth century. Description Until the construction o ...
(MM 27) *
Middle Torch Key Middle Torch Key is an island in the lower Florida Keys. It is located between Ramrod Key and Little Torch Key. The southernmost tip of the key is on U.S. 1 (or the Overseas Highway The Overseas Highway is a highway carrying U.S. Rout ...
,
Big Torch Key Big Torch Key is an island in the lower Florida Keys. It is located to the north of Middle Torch Key, connected to it via a causeway. It is named for the Sea Torchwood (''Amyris elemifera ''Amyris elemifera'' is a species of flowering plant i ...
(off to the north at MM 27¾) *
Little Torch Key Little Torch Key is an island in the lower Florida Keys. U.S. Route 1 (also known as the Overseas Highway), crosses the key at about mile markers 28–29. It is immediately preceded to the northeast by Big Pine Key, and is followed by Middle ...
(MM 28½) *
Big Pine Key Big or BIG may refer to: * Big, of great size or degree Film and television * ''Big'' (film), a 1988 fantasy-comedy film starring Tom Hanks * '' Big!'', a Discovery Channel television show * ''Richard Hammond's Big'', a television show present ...
(MM 30-32) *
No Name Key No Name Key is an island in the lower Florida Keys in the United States. It is from US 1 and sparsely populated, with only 43 homes. It is only about in comparison to its larger neighbor, Big Pine Key, which lies about half a mile (800 m ...
*
Scout Key Scout Key is an island in the lower Florida Keys. It was previously known as West Summerland Key until 2010. U.S. 1 (the Overseas Highway) crosses the key at approximately mile markers 34–35, between Spanish Harbor Key and Big Pine Key. Ety ...
(MM 34-35), formerly known as West Summerland Key * Bahia Honda Key (MM 37-38) *
Ohio Key U.S. Route 1 in Florida, US 1 (or the Overseas Highway) crosses the Ohio Key at approximately mile marker 39, between Missouri Key and Bahia Honda Key. Today it is also known as Sunshine Key, after a camping resort located there. The portion of th ...
(MM 38¾), also known as Sunshine Key *
Missouri Key Missouri Key is a small island in the lower Florida Keys. U.S. 1 (or the Overseas Highway) crosses the key at approximately mile marker 39.5, between Ohio Key and Little Duck Key. The island was named during Henry Flagler's Overseas Railro ...
(MM 39¼) *
Little Duck Key Little Duck Key is a small island in the lower Florida Keys. U.S. 1 (or the Overseas Highway) crosses the key at approximately mile marker 40, just west of the Seven Mile Bridge. The west end of the bridge terminates on this island. The islan ...
(MM 39¾) The
Seven Mile Bridge The Seven Mile Bridge is a bridge in the Florida Keys, in Monroe County, Florida, United States. It connects Knight's Key (part of the city of Marathon, Florida) in the Middle Keys to Little Duck Key in the Lower Keys. Among the longest bridg ...
(MM 40-46¾) separates the Lower Keys from the Middle Keys. *
Pigeon Key Pigeon Key is a small island containing the historic district of Pigeon Key, Florida. The island is home to 8 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, some of which remain from its earliest incarnation as a work camp for the Flor ...
(off to the north near MM 45; access is at MM 46¾) * Knights Key (MM 47) *
Vaca Key Key Vaca is an island in the middle Florida Keys, located entirely within the borders of the city of Marathon, Florida. Geography Key Vaca is located in between Fat Deer Key and Knight's Key. Vaca Key was also connected via bridge to Boot ...
(MM 48-53) *
Boot Key Boot Key is an island in the middle Florida Keys located adjacent to Key Vaca. Boot Key is within the city limits of Marathon, Florida, United States. The island is largely undeveloped. A draw bridge that once connected the island to Key Vaca wa ...
(off to the south at MM 48; bridge closed) *
Fat Deer Key Fat Deer Key is an island in the middle Florida Keys. U.S. 1 (or the Overseas Highway) crosses the key near mile markers 53.5-56, between Long Point Key and Key Vaca. It is entirely within the cities of Marathon, Florida and Key Colony Beac ...
(MM 53¼-55) *
Shelter Key Key Colony Beach is a municipality in the middle of the Florida Keys, Monroe County, Florida, United States. The population was 797 at the 2010 census. As of 2018, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau was 814. Geography Key Colony ...
(off to the south at MM 53¾) *
Long Point Key Long Point Key is an island in the middle Florida Keys. U.S. 1 (or the Overseas Highway) traverses the key between Crawl Key and Fat Deer Key, which is part of a long stretch of road known as the Grassy Key Causeway. It is entirely within the c ...
(MM 56) *
Crawl Key Crawl Key is an island in the middle Florida Keys. U.S. 1 (or the Overseas Highway) traverses the key between Grassy Key and Long Point Key, which is part of a long stretch of road known as the Grassy Key Causeway. It is entirely within the city ...
(MM 56½) *
Grassy Key Grassy Key, Florida, is an island in the middle Florida Keys. It is located on U.S. 1 (or the Overseas Highway), near mile markers 57—60, below the Conch Keys. It has an area of 3.65 km², with a population of 974 as of the census 2000. ...
(MM 58-60) (Knights, Vaca, Boot, Long Point, Crawl, and Grassy Keys, as well as most of Fat Deer Key, are incorporated in the city of
Marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of , usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair div ...
. The remaining portion of Fat Deer Key and most of Shelter Key are part of
Key Colony Beach Key Colony Beach is a municipality in the middle of the Florida Keys, Monroe County, Florida, United States. The population was 797 at the 2010 census. As of 2018, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau was 814. Geography Key Colony ...
.) *
Duck Key Duck Key is an island in Monroe County, Florida, United States, in the middle Florida Keys. It is part of the Duck Key, Florida census-designated place. The CDP also includes the neighboring island of Conch Key. History The key was the site ...
(MM 61) *
Conch Key Conch () is a common name of a number of different medium-to-large-sized sea snails. Conch shells typically have a high spire and a noticeable siphonal canal (in other words, the shell comes to a noticeable point at both ends). In North Ame ...
(MM 62-63) The
Long Key Bridge The Long Key Bridge, officially known as the Dante B. Fascell Bridge, is a bridge in the Florida Keys connecting Long Key and Conch Key, roughly halfway between Miami and Key West. At a length of nearly two and a half miles, it is the second l ...
(MM 63¼-65¼) separates the Middle Keys from the Upper Keys. *
Long Key Long Key is an island in the middle Florida Keys. Long Key was called Cayo Víbora (Rattlesnake Key) by early Spanish explorers, a reference to the shape of the island, which resembles a snake with its jaws open, rather than to its denizens. The ...
(MM 66-70), formerly known as Rattlesnake Key *
Fiesta Key Fiesta Key is an island in the Florida Keys, connected via causeway to U.S. 1 (or the Overseas Highway) at mile marker 70, between Long Key and Craig Key. It was first recorded as Jew-fish Kay (later Jewfish Key, Jewfish Bush Key). Louie Turner h ...
(off to the north at MM 70) * Craig Key (MM 72) *
Lower Matecumbe Key Lower Matecumbe Key is an island in the upper Florida Keys, United States, located on U.S. 1 between mile markers 75–78. All of the key is within the Village of Islamorada as of November 4, 1997, when it was incorporated. It is home to the ma ...
(MM 74-77) *
Lignumvitae Key Lignumvitae Key is an island in the upper Florida Keys. It is located due north of, and less than one mile from the easternmost tip of Lower Matecumbe Key. The island has the Keys' highest point above sea level of , which beats the island of Ke ...
*
Indian Key Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South Asia ...
* Indian Key Fill (MM 79) * Tea Table (MM 79½) *
Upper Matecumbe Key Upper Matecumbe Key is an island in the upper Florida Keys. U.S. 1 (or the Overseas Highway) crosses the key at approximately mile markers 79–83.5, between Windley Key and Lower Matecumbe Key. All of the key is within the Village of Islamor ...
(MM 80-83) *
Windley Key Windley Key is an island in the upper Florida Keys in Monroe County, Florida, United States. U.S. 1 (the Overseas Highway) crosses it at approximately mile markers 84–85.5, between Plantation Key and Upper Matecumbe Key. All of the key is within ...
(MM 85) *
Plantation Key Plantation Key is an island in Monroe County, Florida, United States. It is located in the upper Florida Keys on U.S. 1 (or the Overseas Highway), between Key Largo and Windley Key. All of the key is within the Village of Islamorada as of Nov ...
(MM 86-90) (Lower Matecumbe through Plantation Keys are incorporated as
Islamorada Islamorada (also sometimes Islas Morada) is an incorporated village in Monroe County, Florida. It is located directly between Miami and Key West on five islands— Tea Table Key, Lower Matecumbe Key, Upper Matecumbe Key, Windley Key and Plant ...
, Village of Islands. The "towns" of
Key Largo Key Largo ( es, Cayo Largo) is an island in the upper Florida Keys archipelago and is the largest section of the keys, at long. It is one of the northernmost of the Florida Keys in Monroe County, and the northernmost of the keys connected b ...
, North Key Largo and Tavernier, all on the island of Key Largo, are not incorporated.) *
Key Largo Key Largo ( es, Cayo Largo) is an island in the upper Florida Keys archipelago and is the largest section of the keys, at long. It is one of the northernmost of the Florida Keys in Monroe County, and the northernmost of the keys connected b ...
(MM 91-107) All keys north of Broad Creek are in Biscayne National Park and
Miami-Dade County Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Florida. The county had a population of 2,701,767 as of the 2020 census, making it the most populous county in Florida and the seventh-most populous county in ...
. The following are "true" Florida Keys (exposed ancient coral reefs): *
Old Rhodes Key Old Rhodes Key is an island north of the upper Florida Keys in Biscayne National Park. It is in Miami-Dade County, Florida. It is located just north of Broad Creek in the lower part of Biscayne Bay Biscayne Bay () is a lagoon with characteri ...
*
Totten Key Totten Key is an island of the upper Florida Keys in Biscayne National Park. It is in Miami-Dade County, Florida. It is located in southern Biscayne Bay, just west of Old Rhodes Key. History It was probably named for General Joseph Totten who ...
*
Reid Key Reid Key is a small island north of the upper Florida Keys in Biscayne National Park. It is in Miami-Dade County, Florida. It is located in southern Biscayne Bay, just north of Old Rhodes Key and Totten Key, just east of the southern tip of Ell ...
*
Rubicon Keys The Rubicon Keys are two small islands north of the upper Florida Keys in Biscayne National Park. They are in Miami-Dade County, Florida. They are located in southern Biscayne Bay, just north of Old Rhodes Key and Totten Key, and just east of ...
* Adams Key * Elliott Key The following are "transitional keys", made of exposed ancient reef surrounded by sand. *
Sands Key Sands Key is an island north of the upper Florida Keys in Biscayne National Park. It is in Miami-Dade County, Florida. It is located in lower Biscayne Bay, between Elliott Key and Boca Chita Key. History Earlier names for the island were "Las T ...
*
Boca Chita Key Boca Chita Key is the island north of the upper Florida Keys in Biscayne National Park, Miami-Dade County, Florida. The key is located in Biscayne Bay, just north of Sands Key. An ornamental lighthouse is present on the key.Ragged Keys Ragged Keys are small islands north of the upper Florida Keys. They are located in Biscayne Bay, just north of Sands Key, and are part of Biscayne National Park Biscayne National Park is an American national park located south of Miami, Flo ...
*
Soldier Key Soldier Key is an island in Biscayne National Park in Miami-Dade County, Florida. It is located between Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, about three miles north of the Ragged Keys, five miles south of Cape Florida on Key Biscayne, seven-and-a ...
Key Biscayne Key Biscayne ( es, Cayo Vizcaíno, link=no) is an island located in Miami-Dade County, Florida, located between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay. It is the southernmost of the barrier islands along the Atlantic coast of Florida, and lies sout ...
is not one of the Florida Keys, but the southernmost of the
barrier island Barrier islands are coastal landforms and a type of Dune, dune system that are exceptionally flat or lumpy areas of sand that form by wave and tidal action parallel to the mainland coast. They usually occur in chains, consisting of anything fro ...
s along the Atlantic coast of Florida.


Transportation

The main chain of Keys islands can be traveled by motor vehicles on the
Overseas Highway The Overseas Highway is a highway carrying U.S. Route 1 (US 1) through the Florida Keys to Key West. Large parts of it were built on the former right-of-way of the Overseas Railroad, the Key West Extension of the Florida East Coast Railwa ...
, a section of
U.S. 1 U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway System, United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs from Key West, Florida, north to Fort Kent, ...
, which runs from Key West to
Fort Kent, Maine Fort Kent is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States, situated at the confluence of the Fish River and the Saint John River, on the border with New Brunswick, Canada. The population was 4,067 in the 2020 census. Fort Kent is home to a ...
in its entirety. The highway was built parallel to the original route of the Overseas Railway, which was not rebuilt following the
Labor Day hurricane of 1935 The Great Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 was the most intense Atlantic hurricane to make landfall on record by pressure, with winds of up to 185 mph (297 km/h). The fourth tropical cyclone, third tropical storm, second hurricane, and se ...
. Even before the hurricane, road sections and highway bridges allowed automobile traffic to travel from Miami to Lower Matecumbe Key, where a car ferry connected with another roadway section through the Lower Keys. Following the hurricane, some of the original railway bridges were converted to carry the highway roadbeds. These bridges were used until the 1980s, when new highway bridges were built alongside. Many of the original railroad and highway bridges remain today as pedestrian fishing piers.


Public transportation

The Florida Keys has public bus transportation.


Road hazards

Despite this reconstruction, U.S. 1 was not widened on a large scale, and today most of the route consists of just two lanes. Due to their tropical climate, the Florida Keys attract several hundred thousand tourists annually. While some visitors arrive via
Key West International Airport Key West International Airport is an international airport located in the City of Key West in Monroe County, Florida, United States, east of the main commercial center of Key West. Flights departing from EYW often have weight restrictions ...
and
Florida Keys Marathon Airport The Florida Keys Marathon International Airport is a public airport located along the Overseas Highway (US1) in Marathon, Florida, Marathon, in Monroe County, Florida, Monroe County, Florida, United States. The airport covers and has one runway. ...
in
Marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of , usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair div ...
, cruise ship or ferry from
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
, Fort Myers, or Marco Island, Florida, the vast majority of tourists drive down from the mainland on U.S. 1. This influx of traffic, coupled with the two-lane nature of U.S. 1 through most of its length in the Keys, and the fact that no alternative road routes are available mean that Monroe County has the highest
per capita ''Per capita'' is a Latin phrase literally meaning "by heads" or "for each head", and idiomatically used to mean "per person". The term is used in a wide variety of social sciences and statistical research contexts, including government statistic ...
rate of fatal automobile accidents in the state of Florida.


Culture and recreation

The major industries are fishing and tourism, including
ecotourism Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving responsible travel (using sustainable transport) to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people. Its purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide funds ...
, with many visitors
scuba diving Scuba diving is a mode of underwater diving whereby divers use breathing equipment that is completely independent of a surface air supply. The name "scuba", an acronym for "Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus", was coined by Chris ...
in the area's protected waters. A ferry takes riders between Key West and Fort Myers, as well as
Marco Island Marco may refer to: People * Marco (given name), people with the given name Marco * Marco (actor) (born 1977), South Korean model and actor * Georg Marco (1863–1923), Romanian chess player of German origin * Tomás Marco (born 1942), Spanish co ...
due north on the mainland, along the western edge of Florida Bay.


Dark skies recreation

Middle and Lower Florida Keys are among a few remaining South Florida dark skies locations accessible by car, thanks to their position along the Atlantic Ocean, and therefore with southern skies unobstructed by
light pollution Light pollution is the presence of unwanted, inappropriate, or excessive use of artificial Visible spectrum, lighting. In a descriptive sense, the term ''light pollution'' refers to the effects of any poorly implemented lighting, during the day ...
associated with urban development.
Scout Key Scout Key is an island in the lower Florida Keys. It was previously known as West Summerland Key until 2010. U.S. 1 (the Overseas Highway) crosses the key at approximately mile markers 34–35, between Spanish Harbor Key and Big Pine Key. Ety ...
is home to
Winter Star Party The Winter Star Party, aka WSP, is an annual convention of amateur astronomers where the primary activity is nighttime astronomical observation. This February event is run at Camp Wesumkee located on Scout Key in the Lower Florida Keys. It is hos ...
, a prominent annual amateur astronomy event in the United States, and one of the Top 10 star parties in the world according to
BBC Sky at Night ''BBC Sky at Night magazine'' is a British monthly magazine about astronomy aimed at amateur astronomers and published by Immediate Media Company. Its title is taken from the television programme produced by the BBC, ''The Sky at Night''. The ...
. It is an international gathering that attracts 500+ people each year who enjoy stargazing, astrophotography and Milky Way photography.
Bahia Honda State Park Bahia Honda (meaning ''deep bay'', in Spanish, locally pronounced: BAY-ah HON-da , also pronounced : Bah-EE-ah OWN-dah ) is an island in the lower Florida Keys. U.S. 1 (the Overseas Highway) crosses the key at approximately mile markers 36-3 ...
is a well known dark skies location among locals offering unobstructed views of the southern night sky year-round. It also hosts amateur astronomy gatherings.in Florida Keys Astronomy Club , Events
/ref>


See also

*
Adam's Bridge Adam's Bridge, '; ta, ஆதாம் பாலம் ' also known as Rama's Bridge or ''Rama Setu'', '; ta, ராமர் பாலம் '; sa, रामसेतु ' is a chain of natural limestone shoals, between Pamban Island, a ...


Notes


References


Other references

* Jeff, Ripple (1995). ''The Florida Keys: the Natural Wonders of an Island Paradise'', Photographs by Bill Keogh, Stillwater,
Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
: Voyageur Press. .

Jason Project The Story of Water Movement and Land Formation
– accessed January 28, 2006.


Florida Keys Fish


External links


A Gazetteer of the Florida Keys

My Florida Access
*
City of Key West

City of Marathon



National Park Service: Dry Tortugas

NOAA Marine Sanctuary

Florida Keys Watershed - Florida DEP


Media


Key West Citizen
{{Authority control Outstanding Florida Waters Regions of Florida South Florida Archipelagoes of the United States