Some of the forests are grazed. Although only about 5 percent of the area is in crops, this is the major citrus-producing area in Florida. Many kinds of winter vegetables also are grown. About 25 percent of the area is pasture, about one-half of which is improved and intensively managed. Beef cattle are the principal livestock, and dairying is an important enterprise near some of the large cities.
Phosphate mines are a prominent feature in the central part of the area.
The nearly level to gently rolling coastal plain has a sandy mantle of varying thickness over limestone. The land surface is very irregular because of the many sinkholes that dot the area. Local relief is mainly a few meters, but in places it is 25 m or more. Average annual precipitation -1,275 to 1,400 mm. Maximum precipitation is in summer, and the minimum is late in autumn and in winter.