Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Miami shopping experience:

1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Miami offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Miami at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.

2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about

3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Miami? Wrong! If the Miami is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.

4. Questions - Got a question about Miami then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....

5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Miami? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Miami and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.

6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Miami wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.

7. Feedback - happy with your Miami then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.

8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Miami site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site

9. Contact - got a question about Miami, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.

10. Payment - ready to pay for your Miami, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.

{{Infobox Settlement|official_name = Miami, Florida|other_name =|native_name = |nickname = Magic City|settlement_type = City and the state of [Florida|subdivision_name = [United States|subdivision_name1 = [Florida|subdivision_name2 = [Miami-Dade County, Florida|subdivision_type3 =|subdivision_name3 =|subdivision_type4 =|subdivision_name4 =|government_footnotes =|government_type = Mayor-Commissioner Plan|leader_title = Mayor [Independent (politician)|leader_title1 = City Manager|leader_name3 = Priscilla Thompson|leader_title4 =|leader_name4 =|established_title = [Municipal corporation|established_date = July 28, 1896|utc_offset = -5|timezone_DST = [Eastern Daylight Time|utc_offset_DST = -4|latd = 25 |latm = 47 |lats = 16 |latNS = N|longd = 80 |longm = 13 |longs = 27 |longEW = W|elevation_footnotes = |elevation_m = 2|elevation_ft = 6|postal_code_type =|postal_code =|area_code = Area code 305, Area code 786|blank_name = Federal Information Processing Standard|blank_info = 12-45000|blank1_name = Geographic Names Information System feature ID|blank1_info = 0295004|website = http://www.ci.miami.fl.us/|footnotes =-->Miami is a major city in southeastern Florida, in the United States. It is the county seat of Miami-Dade County. Miami is a global city with an estimated population of 404,048. It is the largest city within the South Florida United States metropolitan area, which is the largest metropolitan area in the Southeastern United States with 5.4 million people. Miami and its surrounding cities make up the fifth largest List of United States urban areas in the United States. As of 2005, the United Nations estimates that the Miami World's largest cities is the fourth largest in the United States, and the 44th largest in the world.http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/WUP2005/2005WUP_DataTables12.pdf

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 America, South America, 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 center of the Hispanophone.

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 , 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. 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.

At only of land area, Miami has the smallest land area of any major U.S. city with a metro area of at least 2 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

History Miami was officially incorporated as a city on July 28 1896, though the area was first inhabited for more than a thousand years by the Tequesta and was claimed for Spanish Empire in 1566 by Pedro Menéndez de Avilés. A Spanish mission (station) was established a year later in 1567. In 1836 Fort Dallas was built and subsequently, was a site of fighting during the Seminole Wars#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.

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 1920's, 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 U-boat. 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.

Geography 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) and averages at around 6 ft (2 m) 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, Florida 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.

Geology ) has points as high as 40’ above sea level.Photo: Marc Averette 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 Eemian 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 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, a natural underground source of fresh water that extends from southern Palm Beach County, Florida to Florida Bay, with its highest point peaking around the cities of Miami Springs, Florida and Hialeah, Florida. 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 American Alligator 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 United States Census Bureau, the city encompasses a total area of 55.27 square mile (143.15 square kilometre). 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, 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 .

Climate . Photo: Marc Averette

Miami has a true tropical climate (Köppen climate classification Aw), 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). 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 September, 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 Atlantic 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 59 °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 .. The coldest temperature ever recorded in the city of Miami was 30 °F (-1 °C) on several occasions. 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 National Weather Service was opened in Miami in June, 1911.

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), whereas nearby Fort Lauderdale, Florida 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. Tropical cyclone 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-type hurricane season which is mid-August through the end of September. 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. However, many other hurricanes have affected the city, including Hurricane Betsy in 1965, Hurricane Andrew in 1992, Hurricane Irene (1999) in 1999, and Hurricanes Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane 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 Tropical Storm Leslie (2000), though the depression went on to become Tropical Storm Leslie upon entering the Atlantic Ocean.



Economy 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 (Miami), a historic landmark. display over downtown Miami on Independence Day (United States), 7-4-07

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 American Airlines, Cisco Systems, The Walt Disney Company, Exxon, FedEx, Microsoft, Oracle Corporation, SBC Communications, Sony, and Visa International. Several large companies are headquartered in or around Miami, including but not limited to: Alienware, AutoNation, Bacardi, Brightstar Corporation, Burger King, Carnival Cruise Lines, Citrix Systems, DHL, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Ryder, and Spirit Airlines. 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.

, the largest container port in Florida, as well as the “Cruise Capital of the World” and “Cargo Gateway of the Americas”.

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, Florida) 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 host 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, ahead only by Detroit, Michigan(ranked #1) and El Paso, Texas (ranked #2.) In 2002, Miami had the highest poverty rate. Miami is also one of the very few cites where its local government went bankrupt, in 2001.

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 homeownership.

In 2005, the Miami area witnessed its largest real estate boom Florida land boom of 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.

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. 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.

See also: List of foreign consulates in Miami.

People and culture Demographics {{USCensusPop| 1990= 358548| 2000= 362470| estimate= 404048| estyear= 2006| estref={{cite web |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation?_event=ChangeGeoContext&geo_id=16000US1245000&_geoContext=&_street=&_county=Miami%2C+Florida&_cityTown=Miami%2C+Florida&_state=&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&_submenuId=population_0&ds_name=null&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null®=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry= |title=U.S. Census Population Finder: Miami, Florida |publisher=[U.S. Census Bureau |accessdate=2007-08-02--> --> (shredded flank steak in a tomato sauce base), black beans, yellow rice, plantains and fried yuca with beer.Miami is the 43rd most populous city in the U.S. The South Florida metropolitan area, which includes Miami-Dade County, Florida, Broward County, Florida and Palm Beach County, Florida counties, with a combined population of more than 5.4 million people, ranks sixth in the United States, behind Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex and is 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:

In terms of national origin and/or ethnic origin, the city is 34.1% Cubans, 22.3% African American, 5.6% Nicaraguan, 5.0% Haitian, 3.6% Puerto Rican and 3.3% Honduran. In 2004, the United Nations (UNDP) ranked Miami first in terms of percentage of residents born outside of the country it is located in (59%), followed by Toronto (43%).

There were 134,198 households out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.6% were Marriage 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation’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.

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 to the United States. Greater Miami is regarded as a cultural melting pot, while still maintaining some of their cultural traits. The overall culture of Miami and Miami-Dade County, Florida 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 language or Haitian Creole language).

Languages A wide variety of languages are commonly spoken throughout the city. The City of Miami has three official languages: English language, Spanish language, and Haitian Creole language. Miami has the largest Spanish-speaking population in the western hemisphere outside Latin America.

As of 2000, speakers of Spanish language as their first language accounted for 66.75% of residents, while English language was spoken by 25.45%, Haitian Creole by 5.20%, and French language speakers comprised 0.76% of the population.Other languages that were spoken throughout the city include Brazilian Portuguese language at 0.41%, German language at 0.18%, Italian language at 0.16%, Arabic language at 0.15%, Chinese language at 0.11%, and Greek language 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%.)

Today there are sizable permanent resident and undocumented populations of Argentina, Bahamians, Brazilians, Canada, Chileans, Chinese people, Colombians, Cubans, Dominican Republic, Ecuadorans, French people, German people, Greek people, Guyanese, Haitians, Honduras, Jamaicans, Indians, Italian peoples, Mexico, Nicaraguans, Russians, Trinidad and Tobago, South Africans, and Venezuelans, as well as a sizeable Puerto Rico 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 people, French Canadian, German American, Italian American, and Russian American communities. The communities have grown to a prominent place in Miami and its suburbs, establishing area neighborhoods such as Little Haiti, Little Havana, Little Havana, and Wynwood Art District.

Media 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, Florida, Monroe County, Florida, 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 Television Network), WFOR (CBS), WHFT (TBN), WLTV (Univision), WPLG (American Broadcasting Company), WPXM (i television network), WSCV (Telemundo), WSVN (Fox Broadcasting Company), WTVJ (NBC), WPBT (PBS), WLRN (also PBS) and WSBS Mega TV

Sports {| class="wikitable" style="margin: 0 auto; width:80%;"|+ Miami professional sports teams|-!Club!Sport!League!Venue!League Championships|-|Miami Dolphins|[National Football League|[Super Bowl (2)
|-|Florida Panthers|[National Hockey League|Eastern Conference Champions 1996|-|[Miami Heat|[National Basketball Association|[NBA Finals
|-|Florida Marlins|[Major League Baseball; National League|[Dolphin Stadium (2)
|-|Miami Masters|Tennis & [Women's Tennis Association|Tennis Center at Crandon Park|[Soccer|[Tropical Park Stadium|[Basketball|[Miami Arena during 2004 playoffs.The Miami Heat is the only major league team that plays its games in Miamis 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 (game), 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 at the BankAtlantic Center in the city of Sunrise, Florida. Miami is also the home of the Florida International University Golden Panthers at FIU Stadium and the University of Miami Hurricanes at the Miami Orange Bowl. 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 (American Basketball Association), Miami Matadors (ECHL), Miami Manatees (WHA2), Miami Gatos (North American Soccer League), Miami Screaming Eagles (World Hockey Association), Miami Seahawks (All-America Football Conference), Miami Sol (Women's National Basketball Association), Miami Toros (North American Soccer League), Miami Tropics (Spring Football League), and the Florida Bobcats (Arena Football League). The Miami Fusion, a defunct Major League Soccer team played at Lockhart Stadium in nearby Broward County.

Professional wrestlers living in Miami include Carlitos Colón, Hazem Ali, Alvin Burke, Jr. and The Rock (entertainer).

Education 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.

Colleges and universities in the city proper:

Other colleges and universities in the county:

Transportation Air travel 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, and statistically handles more passengers originating or terminating their travel in South Florida.

showing 6 cruise ships docked 3/25/2007.

Seaports 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 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.

Public transportation Local public transportation includes Miami-Dade Transit#Metrobus, Miami-Dade Metromover, and Miami-Dade Metrorail—an elevated rapid transit system—each operated by Miami-Dade Transit. Furthermore, Tri-Rail, a commuter 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 Miami-Dade Transit#Metrobus system is also an option for those looking to reach destinations not served by the main transit lines.A new light rail system is proposed and is called BayLink. BayLink will connect Downtown Miami with the South Beach of Miami Beach, Florida.

Road and rail Miami is the southern terminus of Amtrak Atlantic Coast services, with its final station located in the suburb of Hialeah, Florida.

Miami-Dade County is served by four Interstate Highways (Interstate 75, Interstate 95 in Florida, Interstate 195 (Florida), Interstate 395 (Florida)) 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:

In 2007, Miami was identified as having the rudest drivers in the United States, the second year in a row to have been cited, in a poll commissioned by automobile club AutoVantage. Miami is also consistently ranked as one of the most dangerous cities in the United States for pedestrians.

Miami in popular culture lit hot neon pink, one of the colors that has become the epitome of Miami's fashion nostalgia.


There are many television shows set in Miami. The controversial Emmy winning drama Nip/Tuck, CBS's CSI: Miami, and Showtime's Dexter (TV series) all take place in Miami. The Jackie Gleason Show was taped in Miami Beach from 1964 to 1970. The NBC show Good Morning, Miami was fictionally based around the workings of a Miami television station. The popular sitcoms The Golden Girls and Empty Nest (TV series), as well as the detective series Surfside 6 were also based in the Miami area. In the 1980s, no show rivaled Miami Vice in establishing Miami as a mecca of cool for the MTV generation. Keeping with its modern music tradition, the city has recently hosted the 2004 and 2005 MTV Video Music Awards. A recent show to be set in Miami is the USA Network's Burn Notice, which is filmed on location and in studios located in Miami.

In the mid-2000s, Miami started to become a popular backdrop for reality television shows. Reality programming set in the city include the TLC (TV channel) show Miami Ink; Discovery Channel's After Dark; Animal Planet's Miami Animal Police; MTV's 8th & Ocean, Room Raiders, and The Real World: Miami; Bravo's Top Chef; VH-1's Hogan Knows Best; Court TV's Bounty Girls: Miami, Vice Squad Miami, and Beach Patrol Miami; and the Discovery Times Channel's Real Miami Cops.

Video games Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories take place in Vice City a fictional city inspired by Miami, including some of the same architecture and geography. There were also people and gangsters in the game who speak Haitian Creole and Spanish language..

Miami is a center for Latin television and film production. As a result, many Spanish-language programs are filmed in the many television production studios, predominantly in Hialeah, Florida and Doral, Florida. This includes gameshows, variety shows, news programs, and telenovelas like Morelia and La Mujer de Mi Vida. Arguably, the most famous Miami-filmed programs are Sábado Gigante, a Saturday night variety show seen throughout the United States, South America and Europe, and the daytime talk show {{Infobox Settlement|official_name = Miami, Florida|other_name =|native_name = |nickname = Magic City|settlement_type = City and the state of [Florida|subdivision_name = [United States|subdivision_name1 = [Florida|subdivision_name2 = [Miami-Dade County, Florida|subdivision_type3 =|subdivision_name3 =|subdivision_type4 =|subdivision_name4 =|government_footnotes =|government_type = Mayor-Commissioner Plan|leader_title = Mayor [Independent (politician)|leader_title1 = City Manager|leader_name3 = Priscilla Thompson|leader_title4 =|leader_name4 =|established_title = [Municipal corporation|established_date = July 28, 1896|utc_offset = -5|timezone_DST = [Eastern Daylight Time|utc_offset_DST = -4|latd = 25 |latm = 47 |lats = 16 |latNS = N|longd = 80 |longm = 13 |longs = 27 |longEW = W|elevation_footnotes = |elevation_m = 2|elevation_ft = 6|postal_code_type =|postal_code =|area_code = Area code 305, Area code 786|blank_name = Federal Information Processing Standard|blank_info = 12-45000|blank1_name = Geographic Names Information System feature ID|blank1_info = 0295004|website = http://www.ci.miami.fl.us/|footnotes =-->Miami is a major city in southeastern Florida, in the United States. It is the county seat of Miami-Dade County. Miami is a global city with an estimated population of 404,048. It is the largest city within the South Florida United States metropolitan area, which is the largest metropolitan area in the Southeastern United States with 5.4 million people. Miami and its surrounding cities make up the fifth largest List of United States urban areas in the United States. As of 2005, the United Nations estimates that the Miami World's largest cities is the fourth largest in the United States, and the 44th largest in the world.http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/WUP2005/2005WUP_DataTables12.pdf

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 America, South America, 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 center of the Hispanophone.

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 , 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. 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.

At only of land area, Miami has the smallest land area of any major U.S. city with a metro area of at least 2 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

History Miami was officially incorporated as a city on July 28 1896, though the area was first inhabited for more than a thousand years by the Tequesta and was claimed for Spanish Empire in 1566 by Pedro Menéndez de Avilés. A Spanish mission (station) was established a year later in 1567. In 1836 Fort Dallas was built and subsequently, was a site of fighting during the Seminole Wars#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.

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 1920's, 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 U-boat. 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.

Geography 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) and averages at around 6 ft (2 m) 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, Florida 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.

Geology ) has points as high as 40’ above sea level.Photo: Marc Averette 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 Eemian 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 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, a natural underground source of fresh water that extends from southern Palm Beach County, Florida to Florida Bay, with its highest point peaking around the cities of Miami Springs, Florida and Hialeah, Florida. 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 American Alligator 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 United States Census Bureau, the city encompasses a total area of 55.27 square mile (143.15 square kilometre). 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, 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 .

Climate . Photo: Marc Averette

Miami has a true tropical climate (Köppen climate classification Aw), 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). 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 September, 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 Atlantic 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 59 °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 .. The coldest temperature ever recorded in the city of Miami was 30 °F (-1 °C) on several occasions. 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 National Weather Service was opened in Miami in June, 1911.

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), whereas nearby Fort Lauderdale, Florida 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. Tropical cyclone 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-type hurricane season which is mid-August through the end of September. 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. However, many other hurricanes have affected the city, including Hurricane Betsy in 1965, Hurricane Andrew in 1992, Hurricane Irene (1999) in 1999, and Hurricanes Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane 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 Tropical Storm Leslie (2000), though the depression went on to become Tropical Storm Leslie upon entering the Atlantic Ocean.



Economy 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 (Miami), a historic landmark. display over downtown Miami on Independence Day (United States), 7-4-07

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 American Airlines, Cisco Systems, The Walt Disney Company, Exxon, FedEx, Microsoft, Oracle Corporation, SBC Communications, Sony, and Visa International. Several large companies are headquartered in or around Miami, including but not limited to: Alienware, AutoNation, Bacardi, Brightstar Corporation, Burger King, Carnival Cruise Lines, Citrix Systems, DHL, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Ryder, and Spirit Airlines. 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.

, the largest container port in Florida, as well as the “Cruise Capital of the World” and “Cargo Gateway of the Americas”.

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, Florida) 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 host 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, ahead only by Detroit, Michigan(ranked #1) and El Paso, Texas (ranked #2.) In 2002, Miami had the highest poverty rate. Miami is also one of the very few cites where its local government went bankrupt, in 2001.

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 homeownership.

In 2005, the Miami area witnessed its largest real estate boom Florida land boom of 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.

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. 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.

See also: List of foreign consulates in Miami.

People and culture Demographics {{USCensusPop| 1990= 358548| 2000= 362470| estimate= 404048| estyear= 2006| estref={{cite web |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation?_event=ChangeGeoContext&geo_id=16000US1245000&_geoContext=&_street=&_county=Miami%2C+Florida&_cityTown=Miami%2C+Florida&_state=&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&_submenuId=population_0&ds_name=null&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null®=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry= |title=U.S. Census Population Finder: Miami, Florida |publisher=[U.S. Census Bureau |accessdate=2007-08-02--> --> (shredded flank steak in a tomato sauce base), black beans, yellow rice, plantains and fried yuca with beer.Miami is the 43rd most populous city in the U.S. The South Florida metropolitan area, which includes Miami-Dade County, Florida, Broward County, Florida and Palm Beach County, Florida counties, with a combined population of more than 5.4 million people, ranks sixth in the United States, behind Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex and is 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:

In terms of national origin and/or ethnic origin, the city is 34.1% Cubans, 22.3% African American, 5.6% Nicaraguan, 5.0% Haitian, 3.6% Puerto Rican and 3.3% Honduran. In 2004, the United Nations (UNDP) ranked Miami first in terms of percentage of residents born outside of the country it is located in (59%), followed by Toronto (43%).

There were 134,198 households out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.6% were Marriage 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation’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.

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 to the United States. Greater Miami is regarded as a cultural melting pot, while still maintaining some of their cultural traits. The overall culture of Miami and Miami-Dade County, Florida 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 language or Haitian Creole language).

Languages A wide variety of languages are commonly spoken throughout the city. The City of Miami has three official languages: English language, Spanish language, and Haitian Creole language. Miami has the largest Spanish-speaking population in the western hemisphere outside Latin America.

As of 2000, speakers of Spanish language as their first language accounted for 66.75% of residents, while English language was spoken by 25.45%, Haitian Creole by 5.20%, and French language speakers comprised 0.76% of the population.Other languages that were spoken throughout the city include Brazilian Portuguese language at 0.41%, German language at 0.18%, Italian language at 0.16%, Arabic language at 0.15%, Chinese language at 0.11%, and Greek language 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%.)

Today there are sizable permanent resident and undocumented populations of Argentina, Bahamians, Brazilians, Canada, Chileans, Chinese people, Colombians, Cubans, Dominican Republic, Ecuadorans, French people, German people, Greek people, Guyanese, Haitians, Honduras, Jamaicans, Indians, Italian peoples, Mexico, Nicaraguans, Russians, Trinidad and Tobago, South Africans, and Venezuelans, as well as a sizeable Puerto Rico 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 people, French Canadian, German American, Italian American, and Russian American communities. The communities have grown to a prominent place in Miami and its suburbs, establishing area neighborhoods such as Little Haiti, Little Havana, Little Havana, and Wynwood Art District.

Media 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, Florida, Monroe County, Florida, 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 Television Network), WFOR (CBS), WHFT (TBN), WLTV (Univision), WPLG (American Broadcasting Company), WPXM (i television network), WSCV (Telemundo), WSVN (Fox Broadcasting Company), WTVJ (NBC), WPBT (PBS), WLRN (also PBS) and WSBS Mega TV

Sports {| class="wikitable" style="margin: 0 auto; width:80%;"|+ Miami professional sports teams|-!Club!Sport!League!Venue!League Championships|-|Miami Dolphins|[National Football League|[Super Bowl (2)
|-|Florida Panthers|[National Hockey League|Eastern Conference Champions 1996|-|[Miami Heat|[National Basketball Association|[NBA Finals
|-|Florida Marlins|[Major League Baseball; National League|[Dolphin Stadium (2)
|-|Miami Masters|Tennis & [Women's Tennis Association|Tennis Center at Crandon Park|[Soccer|[Tropical Park Stadium|[Basketball|[Miami Arena during 2004 playoffs.The Miami Heat is the only major league team that plays its games in Miamis 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 (game), 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 at the BankAtlantic Center in the city of Sunrise, Florida. Miami is also the home of the Florida International University Golden Panthers at FIU Stadium and the University of Miami Hurricanes at the Miami Orange Bowl. 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 (American Basketball Association), Miami Matadors (ECHL), Miami Manatees (WHA2), Miami Gatos (North American Soccer League), Miami Screaming Eagles (World Hockey Association), Miami Seahawks (All-America Football Conference), Miami Sol (Women's National Basketball Association), Miami Toros (North American Soccer League), Miami Tropics (Spring Football League), and the Florida Bobcats (Arena Football League). The Miami Fusion, a defunct Major League Soccer team played at Lockhart Stadium in nearby Broward County.

Professional wrestlers living in Miami include Carlitos Colón, Hazem Ali, Alvin Burke, Jr. and The Rock (entertainer).

Education 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.

Colleges and universities in the city proper:

Other colleges and universities in the county:

Transportation Air travel 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, and statistically handles more passengers originating or terminating their travel in South Florida.

showing 6 cruise ships docked 3/25/2007.

Seaports 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 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.

Public transportation Local public transportation includes Miami-Dade Transit#Metrobus, Miami-Dade Metromover, and Miami-Dade Metrorail—an elevated rapid transit system—each operated by Miami-Dade Transit. Furthermore, Tri-Rail, a commuter 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 Miami-Dade Transit#Metrobus system is also an option for those looking to reach destinations not served by the main transit lines.A new light rail system is proposed and is called BayLink. BayLink will connect Downtown Miami with the South Beach of Miami Beach, Florida.

Road and rail Miami is the southern terminus of Amtrak Atlantic Coast services, with its final station located in the suburb of Hialeah, Florida.

Miami-Dade County is served by four Interstate Highways (Interstate 75, Interstate 95 in Florida, Interstate 195 (Florida), Interstate 395 (Florida)) 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:

In 2007, Miami was identified as having the rudest drivers in the United States, the second year in a row to have been cited, in a poll commissioned by automobile club AutoVantage. Miami is also consistently ranked as one of the most dangerous cities in the United States for pedestrians.

Miami in popular culture lit hot neon pink, one of the colors that has become the epitome of Miami's fashion nostalgia.


There are many television shows set in Miami. The controversial Emmy winning drama Nip/Tuck, CBS's CSI: Miami, and Showtime's Dexter (TV series) all take place in Miami. The Jackie Gleason Show was taped in Miami Beach from 1964 to 1970. The NBC show Good Morning, Miami was fictionally based around the workings of a Miami television station. The popular sitcoms The Golden Girls and Empty Nest (TV series), as well as the detective series Surfside 6 were also based in the Miami area. In the 1980s, no show rivaled Miami Vice in establishing Miami as a mecca of cool for the MTV generation. Keeping with its modern music tradition, the city has recently hosted the 2004 and 2005 MTV Video Music Awards. A recent show to be set in Miami is the USA Network's Burn Notice, which is filmed on location and in studios located in Miami.

In the mid-2000s, Miami started to become a popular backdrop for reality television shows. Reality programming set in the city include the TLC (TV channel) show Miami Ink; Discovery Channel's After Dark; Animal Planet's Miami Animal Police; MTV's 8th & Ocean, Room Raiders, and The Real World: Miami; Bravo's Top Chef; VH-1's Hogan Knows Best; Court TV's Bounty Girls: Miami, Vice Squad Miami, and Beach Patrol Miami; and the Discovery Times Channel's Real Miami Cops.

Video games Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories take place in Vice City a fictional city inspired by Miami, including some of the same architecture and geography. There were also people and gangsters in the game who speak Haitian Creole and Spanish language..

Miami is a center for Latin television and film production. As a result, many Spanish-language programs are filmed in the many television production studios, predominantly in Hialeah, Florida and Doral, Florida. This includes gameshows, variety shows, news programs, and telenovelas like Morelia and La Mujer de Mi Vida. Arguably, the most famous Miami-filmed programs are Sábado Gigante, a Saturday night variety show seen throughout the United States, South America and Europe, and the daytime talk show

Miami Heat Official NBA Site
Players, statistics, tickets. In the process of building a bigger and better arena for their games in downtown Miami.

Miami travel guide introduction - Time Out Travel
A guide to the sights and attractions of Miami, United States ... What Manhattan is to the state of New York, Miami is to Florida. It’s a state that’s not unlike a big box of ...

Miami city guide, United States - Time Out Travel
Miami, United States travel guide with information on hotels, restaurants, bars, shopping and sightseeing. ... What Manhattan is to the state of New York, Miami is to Florida. It ...

Miami events, nightlife, restaurants & hotels | miami.com
Online community with information on movies, dining, entertainment, and stories.

Miami Hotels. Save More on Cheap Accommodation in Miami
Miami hotels and accommodation - cheap, fast and secure reservation service provided by HotelClub Miami

Miami Hotel
ROOM RATES: Single rooms from £25 per person per night Double rooms from £45 per room per night Triple/quad/family rooms from £75 per room per night

miami hotel chelmsford uk hotel restaurant bar conference centre
Includes description of services offered with pictures and contact details.

Avis Car Rental UK - Miami International Airport
Avis car hire at Miami International Airport. Get special offers and discounts on car rental at Miami International Airport when you book online with Avis

Miami, Florida - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Miami (pronounced maɪˈæmi or maɪˈæmə) is a global city in southeastern Florida, in the United States. Miami is the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county ...

Letsgo2 Miami - Create Holidays to Miami from the UK
Dynamically package a flight and hotel and create holidays to Miami. Departures from all major UK airports. Let us take you there!

 

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