It seems people not only feel better, they actually ARE better near the beach. Perhaps the sea air and sunshine keep the human body healthier. A new study bears this out: in 2011 Collier County, Florida was ranked the number-one healthiest county in the state of Florida. The study, conducted by the University of Wisconsin and the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation, compared Collier with the other 66 counties throughout the State.

With a population of well over 300,000, the county consists of Naples, Everglades City, Golden Gate, Immokalee, Marco Island and Ave Maria, and is the seventh fastest-growing metropolitan area in the nation.

It’s also one of the most desirable business locations in the country. Business and industry thrive here, due in large part to the excellent support facilities and infrastructure the county provides. Interstate 75 offers easy access to major air and water ports, such as Southwest Florida International Airport. The county offers a vibrant workforce, as well; well-educated young professionals are drawn to the area for business opportunities as well as lifestyle.

Collier County is bordered by the Everglades National Park on the east and the Gulf of Mexico on the west. Residents enjoy a wealth of outdoor activities including fishing, kayaking and hiking. There are a number of national protected areas here, including Big Cypress National Preserve, Everglades National Park, Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge and Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge, a chain of islands and mangrove islets between Cape Romano and the mouth of Lostman’s River.

Some of the islands, which actually number in the hundreds, not thousands, are high spots on a submerged shoreline. Others were produced by mangroves growing on oyster bars.

Almost none of the Ten Thousand Islands is inhabited. The largest, Chokoloskee Island, is connected to Everglades City by a causeway has approximately 400 permanent residents living on it. Chokoloskee Island has an interesting history; a number of criminals used the island as a hideout, and one of its former residents is said to have been the murderer of notorious outlaw Belle Starr.

Collier County was named for Barron Collier, a New York City advertising mogul and real estate developer. The county’s public schools are operated by the District School Board of Collier County.