France and Florida: A Strong and Growing Economic Partnership

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No other site in the Western Hemisphere can match Florida’s unique combination of strategic geographic location, state-of-the-art infrastructure, multilingual workforce, and concentration of corporate and financial resources. From Florida, companies can do business globally, both virtually and in the real world.

International Business Center:
Florida is host to regional and hemispheric headquarters of companies from all over the world, a vibrant international banking center and a diplomatic hub with a Consular Corps representing some 80 nations. Many international firms base other facilities, such as warehousing, distribution and manufacturing, in Florida to take advantage of its easy access to global markets.

International Business Facts About Florida:
Florida is a major gateway for merchandise trade between North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, and other world regions. In 2012, goods valued at US$162 billion entered or exited the United States through Florida’s two U.S.
Customs Districts. (U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Division)

• The value of merchandise flowing into and out of the UnitedStates via Florida’s two U.S. customs districts has increased by135%over the past decade. (U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Division)
• Florida is home to 58,310 exporting companies—second only to California. One out of every five, or 20%, of the nation’s companies that export are located in Florida. (U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Division)
• Florida ranks 6th in the nation in state-origin exports (i.e. those actually produced or with significant value-added in the state), which reached US$66.4 billion in 2012. (U.S. Census Bureau)
• Florida ranks 3rd among all U.S. states in high-tech exports, reaching over US$16.4 billion in 2011. (World Institute for Strategic Economic Research and Enterprise Florida estimates)
• Foreign-owned companies employed 223,600 Floridians in 2010, the 6th highest in the nation, and 1st in theSoutheast. (Bureau of Economic Analysis)
• Miami is one of the nation’s leading centers for international banking. Numerous foreign and domestic banks active ininternational trade and finance have offices in Florida.
• Florida is the world’s telecommunications gateway to LatinAmerica and the Caribbean: a multitude of undersea andterrestrial fiber optic cables converge in Florida, ensuringunparalleled global connectivity.
• Florida sits at the nexus of transportation links in the Americas.The state’s 15 deepwater seaports, 19 commercial airports,and 50+ officially-designated multimodal connectorsensure the seamless movement of people and goods betweenany two points on the planet.
• Florida is home to hundreds of airports, includingcommercial service airports and general aviation airports.Florida’s airports have numerous direct flights to all key LatinAmerican and Caribbean destinations, most major Europeancities, and one-stop air services to the Asia/Pacific region.
• According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Florida has nearly5 million speakers of languages other than English.