Pensacola is the first site in the continental U.S. to be settled by the Spanish back in 1559. It is often referred to as "The City of Five Flags" because it was a territory of five countries at different points in its history: Spain, France, Great Britain, the Confederate States of America, and the United States of America. Pensacola is also home to the
U.S. Naval Air Station, which was the first to be built in the country. The
University of West Florida is located in Pensacola, and the city serves as a
seaport on Pensacola Bay. As of 2021, the
population of Pensacola was 53,678. The city covers a land area of 22.54 square miles.