Located in the southeast region of the country, Florida became the 27th U.S. state on March 3, 1845. It has a population of 21,538,187 (as of 2020) which makes it the third-most populous state in the country.
The 10 main counties in Florida are: Miami-Dade County, Broward County, Palm Beach County, Hillsborough County, Orange County, Pinellas County, Duval County, Lee County, Polk County, Brevard County. The state's capital is Tallahassee and its largest city is Jacksonville. Other major cities include Miami, Tampa, Orlando, St. Petersburg, Hialeah, Port St. Lucie, Cape Coral, and Fort Lauderdale.
Vital records are kept by the Department of Health within the Bureau of Vital Statistics. Most records date from 1917, though there are some limited birth records dating back to 1850. Birth records in Florida that are less than 100 years old are confidential by law.