Brevard County, often called the Space Coast due to the presence of the John. F. Kennedy Space Center, is the tenth most populous county in Florida, with a population of 531,521. It has an assigned area code of 321 in regards to “3-2-1 lift-off”. In 2009, Brevard County was ranked eighth in the country as a high tech center with 23,096 high-tech jobs.Brecard Coutny was first inhabited by Paleoindians about 12,000 years ago. The Paleoindians were semi-nomadic people who lived in smaller groups and had traveled during the time of earth’s most recent ice age. The land was very different, and it wasn’t until circa 3000 BCE that the Florida peninsula resembled the land of today. At that time, a new group of settlers made their way into the area knowm as “the archaeic people.” The archaeic people were primarily fisherman, in contrast to the hunting and gatehring lifestyles of the Paleoindians. These peoples are believed to be the ancestors of the Native Americans who ame into contact with the Europeans when they arrived with Juan Ponce De Leon in 1513. 200 years later, nearly the entire precolumbian population of Florida had died. This allowed for the traveling of Creek Indians into the area from Georgia and the Carolinas, becoming the Seminoles. However, their stay was temporary. It was not until 1848 when Brevard County had its first permanent settlement established near Cape Canaveral. For many years, Brevard County had been considered a “backwoods” area of Florida. However, this changed in the late 50s with the opening of the Long Range Proving Ground, now known as the Kennedy Space Center. Brevard County instantly transformed from a low-tech farmer/fisherman economy into a high-tech engineering and computer economy, and the launching pad into outer space.Brevard County is home to 596 manatees, 163 species of birds, 54 species of butterflies, Windover Archaeological Site, The Meritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Canaveral National Seashore, Patrick Air Force Base, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and many annual festivals, including the Grant Seafood Festival and the February Greek Festival.