Region

The north central Florida region includes 12 counties and 40 incorporated municipalities. Containing nearly 8,000 square miles of area, the region is characterized by abundant natural resources, which include the world-famous Suwannee River, the marshes of the Gulf Coast, cypress swamps, upland forests, a large number of clear turquoise springs and other physical features.
The population of the region is 598,011. The economic base of the region relies heavily on the government and services sectors, with the University of Florida in Gainesville accounting for a major portion of the government employment. Gainesville is the regional retail shopping center and together with Alachua County accounts for nearly one-half of the total population of the region.