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Pensacola is a city located in Escambia County, Florida. As of the 2000 census, the city
had a total population of 56,255. It is the county seat of Escambia County6.
Pensacola is a sea port on Pensacola Bay, which connects to the Gulf of Mexico.
A large United States Navy airbase is located in Pensacola,
which is home to the Blue Angels flight demonstration team and the National
Museum of Naval Aviation.
Pensacola is nicknamed "The City of Five Flags" due to the five flags that have flown over it at various times in its history:
the flags of Spain, France, Great Britain, the Confederate States of America, and the United States.
Pensacola is served by Pensacola Regional
Airport.
Aerial view of Pensacola
History
Pensacola was the first settlement of Europeans in what is now the United States. It was founded in 1559 by
Don Tristan de Luna
and his party of Spanish settlers. However, the settlement was destroyed by a major
hurricane shortly afterwards, and for this reason, many people instead regard
St. Augustine, Florida as the first permanent
European settlement in what would become the United States.
The Pensacola area is home to three historic U.S. forts, Fort Pickens,
Fort Barrancas, and Fort McRee, as well as Barrancas
National Cemetery. Fort Pickens was completed in 1834. It holds the distinction of
being the only Southern fort not to be captured by the Confederacy in the American
Civil War.
From 1885 to 1887, the famous Apache Indian chief Geronimo
was imprisoned in Fort Pickens, along with several of his warriors and their families. Fort Pickens is now a part of the Gulf
Islands National Seashore, and as such, is administered by the United States Park Service.
Pensacola was the capital of Florida before Tallahassee became the capitol.
Geography
Pensacola is located at 30°26'13" North, 87°12'33" West (30.436988, -87.209277)1.
According to the United States Census
Bureau, the city has a total area of 102.7 km˛ (39.7 mi˛). 58.8 km˛ (22.7 mi˛) of it is land and 43.9 km˛ (17.0 mi˛) of it is water. The
total area is 42.77% water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 56,255
people, 24,524 households, and 14,665 families residing in the city. The population density is 956.8/km˛ (2,478.7/mi˛). There are 26,995 housing units at an average density of
459.2/km˛ (1,189.4/mi˛). The racial makeup of the city is 64.91% White, 30.58% African American, 0.52% Native American, 1.77%
Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.54% from other races, and 1.61% from two or more races.
2.07% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 24,524 households out of which 24.6% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.7% are married couples
living together, 16.7% have a female householder with no husband present, and 40.2% are non-families. 32.9% of all households are
made up of individuals and 11.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.27
and the average family size is 2.92.
In the city the population is spread out with 22.9% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from
45 to 64, and 17.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39 years. For every 100 females there are 88.5 males. For
every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 84.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $34,779, and the median income for a family is $42,868. Males have a median
income of $32,258 versus $23,582 for females. The per capita income for the city is $21,438. 16.1% of the population and 12.7% of
families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 26.2% are under the age of 18 and 9.2% are 65 or
older.
Sports teams
Pensacola is home to several semiprofessional sports teams:
Famous Pensacolians
See also
External link
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