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"Miami" redirects here. For the American Indian tribe, see Miami tribe. For other uses, see Miami (disambiguation).
| City of Miami | |||
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| Nickname: The Magic City | |||
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| Coordinates: | |||
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| Country |  United States of America
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| State |  Florida
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| County |  Miami-Dade
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| Incorporated | July 28, 1896 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Type | Mayor-Commissioner Plan | ||
| - Mayor | Manny Diaz (I) | ||
| - City Manager | Pedro G. Hernandez | ||
| - City Attorney | Jorge L. Fernandez | ||
| - City Clerk | Priscilla Thompson | ||
| Area | |||
| - City | 55.27 sq mi (143.15 km²) | ||
| - Land | 35.68 sq mi (92.42 km²) | ||
| - Water | 19.59 sq mi (50.73 km²) | ||
| Elevation | 6 ft (2 m) | ||
| Population (2006) | |||
| - City | 404,048 | ||
| - Density | 11,554/sq mi (3,923.5/km²) | ||
| - Urban | 4,919,036 | ||
| - Metro | 5,463,857 | ||
| - Demonym | Miamian | ||
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | ||
| Area code(s) | 305, 786 | ||
| FIPS code | 12-45000American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31. | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 0295004US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31. | ||
| Website: http://www.ci.miami.fl.us/ | |||
Miami (pronounced maɪˈæmi or maɪˈæmə) is a major city in southeastern Florida, in the United States. It is the county seat of Miami-Dade County. Miami is a gamma world cityInventory of World Cities. Globalization and World Cities (GaWC) Study Group and Network. Retrieved on 2007-12-01. with an estimated population of 404,048. It is the largest city within the South Florida metropolitan area, which is the largest metropolitan area in the Southeastern United States with 5.5 million people. Miami and its surrounding cities make up the fifth largest urban area in the United States.List of Population of Urbanized Areas. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2007-08-25. As of 2005, the United Nations estimates that the Miami Urban Agglomeration is the fourth largest in the United States, and the 44th largest in the world.Table A.12. Population of urban agglomerations with 750,000 inhabitants or more in 2005, by country, 1950-2015. World Urbanization Prospects: The 2005 Revision. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs/Population Division. Retrieved on 2008-01-01.
Miami’s importance as an international financial and cultural center has elevated Miami to the status of world city. Because of Miami’s cultural and linguistic ties to North, South, and Central America, as well as the Caribbean, Miami is many times referred to as “The Gateway of the Americas”. Florida’s large Spanish-speaking population and strong economic ties to Latin America also make Miami and the surrounding region an important financial center of the Hispanic world.
Miami is also home to one of the largest, most influential ports in the United States, the Port of Miami. The port is often called the “Cruise Capital of the World” and the “Cargo Gateway of the Americas”. It has retained its status as the number one cruise/passenger port in the world for well over a decade accommodating the largest cruise ships and the major cruise lines.
As of 2007, Miami is undergoing a massive building boom that ranks second worldwide (and first in the United States) for the most buildings under construction that will be over 492 feet (150 m), with over 24 of such buildings currently under construction. Miami’s skyline also currently ranks third in the U.S. behind Chicago and New York City (and 18th in the world) according to the 2006 Almanac of Architecture and Design.Is Miami World Class?. Boom or Bust Miami. Retrieved on 2007-08-19. Including other nearby neighborhoods and cities, the Miami area has over 80 highrise towers under construction, such as the Biscayne Wall in Downtown Miami, a row of skyscrapers being built along the west side of Biscayne Boulevard. Miami currently has the five tallest skyscrapers in the state of Florida with the tallest being the Four Seasons Hotel & Tower.Miami:High rise buildings–Completed. Emporis. Retrieved on 2007-08-19.
At only 35.68 square miles (92 km²) of land area, Miami has the smallest land area of any major U.S. city with a metro area of at least 2.5 million people. The city proper is home to less than 1 in 13 residents of the South Florida Metro Area. Additionally, 52% of Miami-Dade County’s population doesn\'t live in any incorporated city. Miami is the only major city in the United States bordered by two national parks, Everglades National Park on the west, and Biscayne National Park on the east.
Miami and its metro area grew from just over one thousand residents to nearly five and a half million residents in just 110 years (1896-2006). The city’s nickname, The Magic City, comes from this rapid growth. Winter visitors remarked that the city grew so much from one year to the next that it was like magic.http://www.miamidade.gov/info/history.asp Miami is the only major city in the United States founded by a woman, Julia Tuttle.http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0921284.html
Contents |
Miami was officially incorporated as a city on July 28 1896,Wiggins, Larry. The Birth of Miami, part 3. Historical Museum of South Florida. Retrieved on 2007-08-19. though the area was first inhabited for more than a thousand years by the Tequesta Indians and was claimed for Spain in 1566 by Pedro Menéndez de Avilés. A Spanish mission was established a year later in 1567. In 1836 Fort Dallas was built and subsequently, was a site of fighting during the Second Seminole War. In the 1920s, Miami prospered through the Florida Land Boom of the 1920\'s with an increase in population and infrastructure. By 1940, 172,172 people lived in the city and Miami had grown to become a large, growing city.
Approximately 400 men voted for Miami’s incorporation in 1896 in the building to the left.
The Miami area was better known as “Biscayne Bay Country” in the early years of its growth. Some published reports described the area as a promising wilderness."The Day in St. Augustine — The Hack Line to Biscayne Bay", The Florida Times-Union, 1893-01-10. Retrieved on 2007-08-25. The area was also characterized as “one of the finest building sites in Florida.”"A Trip to Biscayne Bay," The Tropical Sun, 1893-03-09. Retrieved on 2006-01-22. However, the Great Freeze of 1894 changed all that, and the crops of the Miami area were the only ones in Florida that survived. Julia Tuttle, a local citrus grower, convinced Henry Flagler, a railroad tycoon, to expand his Florida East Coast Railroad to Miami. On July 28 1896, Miami was officially incorporated as a city with a population of just over 300.
Miami prospered during the 1920s but weakened after the collapse of the Florida Land Boom of the 1920s, the 1926 Miami Hurricane and the Great Depression in the 1930s. When World War II began, Miami, well-situated due to its location on the southern coast of Florida, played an important role in the battle against German submarines. The war helped to expand Miami’s population to almost half a million. After Fidel Castro rose to power in 1959, many Cubans sought refuge in Miami, further increasing the population. In the 1980s and 1990s, various crises struck South Florida, among them the Arthur McDuffie beating and the subsequent riot, drug wars, Hurricane Andrew, and the Elián González uproar. Miami remains a major international, financial, and cultural center.
Miami and its suburbs are located on a broad plain between the Florida Everglades to the west and Biscayne Bay to the east that also extends from Florida Bay north to Lake Okeechobee. The elevation of the area never rises above 40 ft (12 m)Miami Environment. Advameg. Retrieved on 2007-07-19. and averages at around 6 ft (2 m)Miami, Florida metropolitan area as seen from STS-62. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved on 2007-08-19. above mean sea level in most neighborhoods, especially near the coast. The highest undulations are found along the coastal Miami Rock Ridge, whose substrate underlies most of the eastern Miami metropolitan region. The main portion of the city lies on the shores of Biscayne Bay which contains several hundred natural and artificially-created barrier islands, the largest of which contains the city of Miami Beach and its famous South Beach district. The Gulf Stream, a warm ocean current, runs northward just 15 miles (24.1 km) off the coast, allowing the city\'s climate to stay warm and mild all year.
The surface bedrock under the Miami area is called Miami oolite or Miami limestone. This bedrock is covered by a thin layer of soil, and is no more than 50 feet (15 m) thick. Miami limestone formed as the result of the drastic changes in sea level associated with recent glaciations or ice ages. Beginning some 130,000 years ago the Sangamon interglacial raised sea levels to approximately 25 feet (7.5 m.) above the current level. All of southern Florida was covered by a shallow sea. Several parallel lines of reef formed along the edge of the submerged Florida plateau, stretching from the present Miami area to what is now the Dry Tortugas. The area behind this reef line was in effect a large lagoon, and the Miami limestone formed throughout the area from the deposition of oolites and the shells of bryozoans. Starting about 100,000 years ago the Wisconsin glaciation began lowering sea levels, exposing the floor of the lagoon. By 15,000 years ago, the sea level had dropped to 300 to 350 feet (110 m) below the contemporary level. The sea level rose quickly after that, stabilizing at the current level about 4000 years ago, leaving the mainland of South Florida just above sea level.
Beneath the plain lies the Biscayne Aquifer,USGS GROUND WATER ATLAS of the UNITED STATES. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved on 2006-02-19. a natural underground source of fresh water that extends from southern Palm Beach County to Florida Bay, with its highest point peaking around the cities of Miami Springs and Hialeah. Most of the South Florida metropolitan area obtains its drinking water from this aquifer. As a result of the aquifer, it is not possible to dig more than 15 to 20ft (4.57 to 6.1 m) beneath the city without hitting water, which impedes underground construction. For this reason there is no subway system in Miami.
Most of the western fringes of the city extend into the Everglades, a subtropical marshland located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Florida. This causes occasional problems with local wildlife such as alligators venturing into Miami communities and major highways.
In terms of land area, Miami is one of the smallest major cities in the United States. According to the US Census Bureau, the city encompasses a total area of 55.27 mi² (143.15 km²). Of that area, 35.67 mi² (92.68 km²) is land and 19.59 mi² (50.73 km²) is water. That means Miami comprises over 400,000 people in a mere 35 square miles (91 km²), making it one of the most densely populated cities in the United States, along with New York City, San Francisco, and Chicago among others. Miami is located at .US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
Miami has a true tropical climate (Köppen climate classification Aw),Köppen Climate Classification Map:. John Abbott College, Department of Geoscience. Retrieved on 2007-08-19. with hot, humid summers, and warm, dry winters. The city does experience cold fronts from November through March. However, the average monthly temperature for any month has never been recorded as being under 64.4 °F (January averages 67 °F).Miami\'s monthly temperature means. Country Studies. Retrieved on 2007-08-25. Most of the year is warm and humid, and the summers are almost identical to the climate of the Caribbean tropics. In addition, the city gets most of its rain in the summer (wet season) and is relatively dry in winter (dry season). The wet season, which is hot and humid, lasts from May to October, when it gives way to the dry season, which features mild temperatures with some invasions of colder air, which is when the little winter rainfall occurs — with the passing of a front. The hurricane season largely coincides with the wet season.
In addition to its sea-level elevation, coastal location and position just above the Tropic of Cancer, the area owes its warm, humid climate to the Gulf Stream, which moderates climate year-round. A typical summer day does not have temperatures below 75 °F (24 °C). Temperatures in the high 80s to low 90s (30-35 °C) accompanied by high humidity are often relieved by afternoon thunderstorms or a sea breeze that develops off the Atlantic Ocean, which then allow lower temperatures, although conditions still remain very muggy. During winter, humidity is significantly lower, allowing for cooler weather to develop. Average minimum temperatures during that time are around 60 °F (15 °C), rarely dipping below 40 °F (4 °C), and the equivalent maxima usually range between 65 and 75 °F (18-24 °C).
Miami has never recorded a triple-digit temperature; the highest temperature recorded was 98 °F (37 °C).Highest Temperature of Record. Northeast Regional Climate Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-25.. The coldest temperature ever recorded in the city of Miami was 30 °F (-1 °C) on several occasions.Lowest Temperature of Record]. Northeast Regional Climate Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-25. Miami has only once recorded snowfall, on January 20 1977. Weather conditions for the area around Miami were recorded sporadically from 1839 until 1900, with many years-long gaps. A cooperative temperature and rainfall recording site was established in what is now downtown Miami in December, 1900. An official Weather Bureau Office was opened in Miami in June, 1911.History of National Weather Service Forecast Office-Miami, Florida. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved on 2007-08-19.
Miami receives abundant rainfall, one of the highest among major U.S. cities. Most of this rainfall occurs from mid-May through early October. It receives annual rainfall of 58.6 inches (1488 mm),NWS Miami Normals and Records Page. National Weather Service. Retrieved on 2007-08-19. whereas nearby Fort Lauderdale and Miami Beach receive 63.8 in (1621 mm) and 48.3 in (1227 mm), respectively, which demonstrates the high local variability in rainfall rates. Hurricane season officially runs from June 1 through November 30, although hurricanes can develop beyond those dates. The most likely time for Miami to be hit is during the peak of the Cape Verde season which is mid-August through the end of September.Vulnerable cities: Miami, Florida. The Weather Channel. Retrieved on 2006-02-19. Due to its location between two major bodies of water known for tropical activity, Miami is also statistically the most likely major city in the world to be struck by a hurricane, trailed closely by Nassau, Bahamas, and Havana, Cuba. Despite this, the city has been fortunate in not having a direct hit by a hurricane since Hurricane Cleo in 1964.Miami, Florida\'s history with tropical systems. Hurricane City. Retrieved on 2006-02-19. However, many other hurricanes have affected the city, including Betsy in 1965, Andrew in 1992, Irene in 1999, and Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma in 2005. In addition, a tropical depression in October of 2000 passed over the city, causing record rainfall and flooding. Locally, the storm is credited as the No Name Storm of 2000, though the depression went on to become Tropical Storm Leslie upon entering the Atlantic Ocean.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high °F (°C) | 76 (24) | 77 (25) | 80 (26) | 83 (28) | 86 (30) | 88 (31) | 89 (31) | 90 (32) | 88 (31) | 85 (29) | 80 (26) | 77 (25) | 83 (28) |
| Avg low temperature °F (°C) | 60 (15) | 61 (16) | 64 (17) | 68 (20) | 72 (22) | 75 (23) | 76 (24) | 76 (24) | 76 (24) | 72 (22) | 66 (18) | 61 (16) | 69 (20) |
| Rainfall in. (cm) | 2.0 (5) | 2.1 (5) | 2.4 (6) | 3.0 (7) | 5.9 (14) | 8.8 (22) | 6.0 (15) | 7.8 (19) | 8.5 (21) | 7.0 (17) | 3.1 (7) | 1.8 (4) | 58.5 (148) |
| Source: Weatherbase | |||||||||||||
The heart of Downtown Miami as seen on February 2 2007. The ongoing construction throughout the city, as depicted here, has inspired popular opinion suggesting Miami has become a prime example of “manhattanization”. Right of center in this image is the Freedom Tower, a historic landmark.
Miami is one of the country’s most important financial centers. It is the major center of regional commerce, and boasts a strong international business community. According to the ranking of world cities undertaken by the Globalization and World Cities Study Group & Network (GaWC) and based on the level of presence of global corporate service organizations, Miami is considered a “Gamma World City”.
Because of its proximity to Latin America, Miami serves as the headquarters of Latin American operations for more than 1400 multinational corporations, including AIG, American Airlines, Cisco, Disney, Exxon, FedEx, Kraft Foods, Microsoft, Oracle, SBC Communications, Sony, and Visa International. Several large companies are headquartered in or around Miami, including but not limited to: Alienware, Bacardi, Brightstar Corporation, Burger King, Carnival Cruise Lines, Espírito Santo Financial Group, Greenberg Traurig, Interval International, Lennar, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Perry Ellis International, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Ryder Systems, Telefónica USA, TeleFutura, Telemundo, U.S. Century Bank, and World Fuel Services. Miami International Airport and the Port of Miami are among the nation’s busiest ports of entry, especially for cargo from South America and the Caribbean. Additionally, downtown Miami has the largest concentration of international banks in the country. Miami was also the host city of the 2003 Free Trade Area of the Americas negotiations, and is one of the leading candidates to become the trading bloc\'s headquarters.
Tourism is also an important industry: the beaches of Greater Miami draw visitors from across the country and around the world, and the Art Deco nightclub district in South Beach (in Miami Beach) is widely regarded as one of the most glamorous in the world. However, it is important to note that Miami Beach is not a part of the city of Miami. Even major TV networks sometimes forget this, as when Good Morning America visited Miami Beach and Charles Gibson thanked the mayor of Miami (but he was standing next to the mayor of Miami Beach). In addition to these roles, Miami is also an industrial center, especially for stone quarrying and warehousing.
Miami is the home to the National Hurricane Center and the headquarters of the United States Southern Command, responsible for military operations in Central and South America.
Miami has also served as venue for legendary legal proceedings, most notably the $145 billion verdict leveled against the nation’s five largest cigarette manufacturers. This case was a class action on behalf of all afflicted Florida smokers and their families, represented by a prominent and successful Miami-raised husband and wife legal team, Stanley and Susan Rosenblatt.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2004, Miami had the third highest incidence of family incomes below the federal poverty line in the United States, making it the third poorest city in the USA, behind only Detroit, Michigan (ranked #1) and El Paso, Texas (ranked #2.) Miami is also one of the very few cities where its local government went bankrupt, in 2001.Cohen, Adam (24 June 2001), "Gloom over Miami", Time, <http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,135186,00.html>. Retrieved on 2 September 2007
Miami is also one of the least affordable places to live, with the median percentage of housing costs as a percentage of income was 42.8%; the national average was 27%. Miami ranks twelfth among least affordable cities for home ownership.Thomas, G. Scott. "Where’s the least expensive place to own a home?", American City Business Journals, 5 March 2007. Retrieved on 2007-08-19.
In 2005, the Miami area witnessed its largest real estate boom since the 1920s. The newly created Midtown Miami, having well over a hundred approved construction projects, is an example of this.Miami: High rise buildings–All. Emporis. Retrieved on 2007-08-25. As of 2007, however, the housing market has crashed and more than 23,000 condos are for sale and/or foreclosed."Boom of condo crash loudest in Miami", Orlando Sentinel, 27 August 2007. Retrieved on 2007-08-30. The Miami metropolitan area foreclosures are up 82 percent from a year ago, and the Miami area ranks 8th worst in the nation in foreclosures.[1]
In August 2007, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development attempted to take control of Miami-Dade County’s housing agency, citing mismanagement of housing programs and a poor record keeping of the agency’s finances."Federal Government Takes Over Miami-Dade Housing Authority", NBC6.net, 2007-08-07. Retrieved on 2007-08-25. These attempts are halted, pending a ruling on a preliminary injunction request by the county; non-binding mediation has also been mandated over the issue.Pinzur, Matthew I. "Judge orders mediation between county, HUD", The Miami Herald, The Miami Herald Media Company, 2007-08-24. Retrieved on 2007-08-24.
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 110,637 | ||
| 1940 | 172,172 | 55.6% | |
| 1950 | 249,276 | 44.8% | |
| 1960 | 291,688 | 17.0% | |
| 1970 | 334,859 | 14.8% | |
| 1980 | 346,865 | 3.6% | |
| 1990 | 358,548 | 3.4% | |
| 2000 | 362,470 | 1.1% | |
| Est. 2006 | 404,048 | U.S. Census Population Finder: Miami, Florida. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2007-08-02. | 11.5% |
A map of Miami from 1955
Miami is the 43rd most populous city in the U.S. The South Florida metropolitan area, which includes Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, had a combined population of more than 5.4 million people, ranked sixth in the United States, (behind Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX,) and was the largest metropolitan area in the Southeastern United States. As of the census of 2000, there were 362,470 people, 134,198 households, and 83,336 families residing in the city. The population density was 10,160.9/mi² (3,923.5/km²). There were 148,388 housing units at an average density of 4,159.7/mi² (1,606.2/km²).
The racial makeup of the city is as follows:QuickFacts for Miami (city), Florida. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2007-02-14.
In terms of national origin and/or ethnic origin, the city is 34.1% Cuban, 22.3% African American, 5.6% Nicaraguan, 5.0% Haitian, 3.6% Puerto Rican and 3.3% Honduran. In 2004, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) ranked Miami first in terms of percentage of residents born outside of the country it is located in (59%), followed by Toronto (50%).
There were 134,198 households out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.6% were married couples living together, 18.7% have a female head of household with no husband present, and 37.9% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.25.
The age distribution was 21.7% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $23,483, and the median income for a family was $27,225. Males had a median income of $24,090 versus $20,115 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,128. About 23.5% of families and 28.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.2% of those under age 18 and 29.3% of those age 65 or over.
Based on the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports Program, Miami ranks as the second most dangerous metropolitan area in the United States, based on the number of murders, rapes, robberies, aggravated assaults, burglaries and motor vehicle thefts that have occurred in the metropolitan area. The city proper ranks 14th in the United States.Seventh Annual America\'s Safest (and Most Dangerous) Cities. Morgan Quitno. Retrieved on 2007-08-25.
Miami’s explosive population growth in recent years has been driven by internal migration from other parts of the country as well as by immigration. Greater Miami is regarded as more of a multicultural mosaic, than it is a melting pot, with residents still maintaining much of, or some of their cultural traits. The overall culture of Miami and Miami-Dade are heavily influenced by its large population of ethnic Latin Americans and cultures from Caribbeans from islands such as Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, The Bahamas, Cuba and more (many of whom spoke Spanish or Haitian Creole).
Authentic Cuban dish of ropa vieja (shredded flank steak in a tomato sauce base), black beans, yellow rice, plantains and fried yuca with beer.
Today the Miami Metro Area has a sizable community of citizens, permanent residents, and undocumented populations of Argentines, Bahamians, Brazilians, Canadians, Chileans, Chinese, Colombians, Cubans, Dominicans, Ecuadorans, French, German, Greeks, Guatemalans, Guyanese, Haitians, Hondurans, Jamaicans, Indians, Italians, Mexicans, Nicaraguans, Russians, Trinidadians and Tobagonians, Turks, South Africans, and Venezuelans, as well as a sizeable Puerto Rican population throughout the metropolitan area. While commonly thought of as mainly a city of Hispanic and Caribbean immigrants, the Miami area is home to large French, French Canadian, German, Italian, and Russian communities. The communities have grown to a prominent place in Miami and its suburbs, establishing area neighborhoods such as Little Haiti, Little Havana, Little Managua, and Little San Juan.
As of 2000, 34.14% of the populace was Cuban.Ancestry Map of Cuban Communities. Epodunk.com. Retrieved on 2007-11-19. 5.67% of the city\'s population was Nicaraguan,Ancestry Map of Nicaraguan Communities. Epodunk.com. Retrieved on 2007-11-19. 5.5% of the it\'s population was Haitian.Ancestry Map of Haitian Communities. Epodunk.com. Retrieved on 2007-11-19. 3.34% of the population was Honduran,Ancestry Map of Honduran Communities. Epodunk.com. Retrieved on 2007-11-19. 1.76% of all residents were Dominican.Ancestry Map of Dominican Communities. Epodunk.com. Retrieved on 2007-11-19. 1.6% of the population was Colombian.Ancestry Map of Colombian Communities. Epodunk.com. Retrieved on 2007-11-19.
A wide variety of languages are commonly spoken throughout the city. The City of Miami has three official languages[citation needed]: English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole (French Creole). Miami has the largest Spanish-speaking population in the Western Hemisphere outside Latin America.Gerald Erichson. Where is Spanish Spoken Outside Spain?. About, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-09-02.
As of 2000, speakers of Spanish as their first language accounted for 66.75% of residents, while English was spoken by 25.45%, French Creole by 5.20%, and French speakers comprised 0.76% of the population.Data Center Results - Miami, Florida]. Modern Language Association. Retrieved on 2007-08-25. Other languages that were spoken throughout the city include Portuguese at 0.41%, German at 0.18%, Italian at 0.16%, Arabic at 0.15%, Chinese at 0.11%, and Greek at 0.08% of the population. Miami also has one of the largest percentage populations in the U.S. that have residents who speak first languages other than English at home (74.54%.)
Miami is served by two major English-language newspapers, The Miami Herald and South Florida Sun-Sentinel, as well as two major Spanish-language newspapers, El Nuevo Herald and Diario Las Americas.The Miami Herald is Miami’s primary newspaper with over a million readers focusing mainly on issues that affect the Miami and Miami-Dade area. It also has news bureaus in Broward County, Monroe County, and Nassau, Bahamas. It publishes daily Monroe County, Nassau, and International Editions along with the daily Miami-Dade edition.
Miami is the 12th largest radio market and the 17th largest television market in the U.S. Television stations serving the Miami area include WAMI (Telefutura), WBFS (My Network TV), WSFL (The CW), WFOR (CBS), WHFT (TBN), WLTV (Univision), WPLG (ABC), WPXM (ION), WSCV (Telemundo), WSVN (FOX), WTVJ (NBC), WPBT (PBS), WLRN (also PBS) and WSBS Mega TV
| Club | Sport | League | Venue | League Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami Dolphins | Football | National Football League | Dolphin Stadium | Super Bowl (2)
|
| Florida Panthers | Hockey | National Hockey League | BankAtlantic Center | none |
| Miami Heat | Basketball | National Basketball Association | AmericanAirlines Arena | NBA Finals
|
| Florida Marlins | Baseball | Major League Baseball; NL | Dolphin Stadium | World Series (2)
|
| Sony Ericsson Open | Tennis | ATP & WTA | Tennis Center at Crandon Park | |
| Miami FC | Soccer | United Soccer Leagues | Tropical Park Stadium | none |
| Miami Tropics | Basketball | American Basketball Association | Miami Arena | none |
The American Airlines Arena during 2004 playoffs.
The Miami Heat is the only major professional sports team that plays its games within Miami\'s city limits. The team won the 2006 NBA Finals, winning the series 4-2 over the Dallas Mavericks. The Miami Dolphins and the Florida Marlins both play their games in the suburb of Miami Gardens. The Orange Bowl, a member of the Bowl Championship Series, hosts their college football championship games at Dolphin Stadium. The stadium has also hosted the Super Bowl; the Miami metro area has hosted the game a total of nine times (four Super Bowls in Dolphin Stadium, including Super Bowl XLI, five at the Miami Orange Bowl), tying New Orleans for the most games. Miami FC, Florida’s only professional soccer team, plays at Tropical Park in Miami. Miami signed world famed soccer player Romario in March 2006 to a one year deal, and possibly longer. The Florida Panthers NHL team plays in neighboring Broward County, Florida at the BankAtlantic Center in the city of Sunrise. Miami is also the home of the Florida International University Golden Panthers at FIU Stadium and the University of Miami Hurricanes, whose football team formerly played at the Miami Orange Bowl, but moved to Dolphin Stadium starting with the 2008 season. Miami is also home to Paso Fino horses, where competitions are held at Tropical Park Equestrian Center.
A number of defunct teams were located in Miami, including the Miami Floridians (ABA), Miami Matadors (ECHL), Miami Manatees (WHA2), Miami Gatos (NASL), Miami Screaming Eagles (WHA), Miami Seahawks (AAFC), Miami Sol (WNBA), Miami Toros (NASL), Miami Tropics (SFL), and the Miami Hooters (Arena Football League). The Miami Fusion, a defunct Major League Soccer team played at Lockhart Stadium in nearby Broward County.
Miami is served by Miami-Dade County Public Schools, which is the largest school district in Florida and the fourth largest in the United States. As of February 15 2006 it has a student enrollment of 414,128. The district is also the largest minority public school system in the country, with 52% of its students being of Hispanic origin, 25% African American, and 6% non-white of other minorities. M-DCPS is also one of a few public school districts in the United States to offer optional bilingual education. Miami also has several Catholic and Jewish private schools throughout the area.
The city ranks second-to-last in people over 18 with a high school diploma, with 47% of the population not having that degree.Thomas, G. Scott. "Miami lags in brainpower rankings", Bizjournals, 12 June 2006. Retrieved on 2007-08-25.
Colleges and universities in the city proper:
The University of Miami, ranked one of the premiere universities in the nation by U.S. News and World Report"America\'s Best Colleges 2007: University of Miami.", is actually located just south of the city limits, in the affluent surburb of Coral Gables.
Miami International Airport, one of the busiest international airports in the world, is the main airport serving the Miami metropolitan area, catering to over 35 million passengers a year. Identifiable locally, as well as several worldwide authorities, as MIA or KMIA, the airport is a major hub and the single largest international gateway for American Airlines, the world’s largest passenger air carrier. Miami International is the United States’ third largest international port of entry for foreign air passengers (behind New York\'s John F. Kennedy International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport), and is the seventh largest such gateway in the world. The airport’s extensive international route network includes non-stop flights to over seventy international cities in North and South America, Europe, and the Middle East. Alternatively, nearby Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) also serves the metropolitan area."Southwest Airlines Cities," Southwest Airlines
Miami is home to the Port of Miami, the largest cruise ship port in the world. In 2005, the port served 3,605,201 passengers. Additionally, the port is one of the nation\'s busiest cargo ports, importing nearly ten million tons of cargo annually. Among North American ports, it ranks second only to the Port of South Louisiana in New Orleans in terms of cargo tonnage imported/exported from Latin America. The port is on 518 acres (2.10 km²) and has 7 passenger terminals. The top port imports are cargo, stone/clay/cement/tile/bricks/concrete, and alcoholic beverages. The most common exports of the Port of Miami are cargo, paper/newsprints/towels, and textiles. China number 1 import country of the port, and Honduras is the number 1 export country. Eight cruise lines sail from the port of Miami: Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Costa Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, and Windjammer Barefoot Cruises.Port of Miami Official Site. Miami-Dade County. Retrieved on 2007-08-25.
Local public transportation includes Metrobus, Metromover, and Metrorail—an elevated rapid transit system—each operated by Miami-Dade Transit. Furthermore, Tri-Rail, a suburban rail system, connects the major cities and airports of the South Florida metropolitan area. Several transit expansion projects are being funded by a transit development sales tax surcharge throughout Miami-Dade County. The Metrobus system is also an option for those looking to reach destinations not served by the main transit lines. A new light rail system called BayLink has been proposed. BayLink will connect Downtown Miami with the South Beach district of Miami Beach.
Miami is the southern terminus of Amtrak\'s Atlantic Coast services, with its final station located in the suburb of Hialeah, Florida.
Miami-Dade County is served by four Interstate Highways (I-75, I-95, I-195, I-395) and several U.S. Highways including U.S. Route 1, U.S. Route 27, U.S. Route 41, and U.S. Route 441. For information on the street grid, see Miami-Dade County, Florida#Street grid. Some of the major Florida State Roads (and their common names) serving the county are:
