Orlando is situated at the heart of a rapidly-growing metropolitan region spreading outward from the city center. Even with recent expansion, the city has maintained a downtown core characterized by brick streets, landscaped gardens, and oaks draped with Spanish moss. The city is in Florida's lake district, and hundreds of lakes within close range provide residents with recreation. The focal point of downtown Orlando is Lake Eola and its surrounding park. A few blocks away Church Street Station, once a collection of dilapidated warehouses, has been renovated into Orlando's leading complex for evening entertainment.
Although the city of Orlando proper is rather modest in size, with a land area of 174.0 sq km (67.2 sq mi), its metropolitan region sprawls across Orange, Lake, Osceola, and Seminole counties, with a land area of 9041.4 sq km (3490.9 sq mi). Contained in the region are a number of prominent municipalities: Kissimmee has a huge motel complex serving nearby Disney World; Sanford is a departure point for Amtrak's Auto Train to the Washington, D.C., area; and Winter Park is known for its 19th-century mansions where the wealthy escaped northern winters.
Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Orlando Information info
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