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This article is about the city in Florida.
For other uses, see .
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Nickname(s): "Magic City," "The Gateway to the Americas," "Capital of Latin America"
Location in
and the state of Florida
Location in the United States
Coordinates: :
July 28, 1896
Government
 o Type
 o 
 o City Manager
Daniel J. Alfonso
 o 
55.27 sq mi (143.1 km2)
 o Land
35.68 sq mi (92.4 km2)
 o Water
19.59 sq mi (50.7 km2)
 o Urban
1,116.1 sq mi (2,891 km2)
 o Metro
6,137 sq mi (15,890 km2)
6 ft (2 m)
Highest elevation
42 ft (13 m)
Population ()
 o 
 o Estimate (2013)
 o Rank
 o Density
11,135.9/sq mi (4,299.6/km2)
 o 
5,502,379 ()
 o 
5,564,635 ()
 o Summer ()
of 1925 is Miami's historical .
Miami (; Spanish pronunciation: ) is a city located on the
coast in southeastern
and the county seat of . The
in the United States, with a population of 417,650, it is the principal, central, and most populous city of the , and the
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Miami's metro area is the eighth-most populous and
in the United States, with a population of around 5.5 million.
Miami is a major center and a leader in finance, commerce, culture, media, entertainment, the arts, and international trade. In 2012, Miami was classified as an
in the World Cities Study Group’s inventory. In 2010, Miami ranked seventh in the United States in terms of finance, commerce, culture, entertainment, fashion, education, and other sectors. It ranked thirty-third among global cities. In 2008,
magazine ranked Miami "America's Cleanest City", for its year-round good air quality, vast green spaces, clean drinking water, clean streets and city-wide recycling programs. According to a 2009
study of 73 world cities, Miami was ranked as the richest city in the United States, and the world's fifth-richest city in terms of . Miami is nicknamed the "Capital of Latin America", is the second largest U.S. city with a Spanish-speaking majority, and the largest city with a
plurality.
is home to the largest concentration of international banks in the United States, and many large national and international companies. The
is a major center for hospitals, , medical centers, and
industries. For more than two decades, the , known as the "Cruise Capital of the World," has been the number one cruise passenger port in the world. It accommodates some of the world's largest
and operations, and is the busiest port in both passenger traffic and cruise lines.
Main articles:
Approximately 400 men voted for Miami's incorporation in 1896 in the building to the left.
The Miami area was inhabited for thousands of years by indigenous cultures. The
occupied the area for a thousand years before encountering Europeans. An Indian village of hundreds of people dating to 500–600 B.C. was located at the mouth of the Miami River.
In 1566 the explorer, , claimed it for . A Spanish
was constructed one year later in 1567. Spain and Great Britain successively "controlled" Florida, and Spain ceded it to the United States in 1821. In 1836, the US built
as part of its development of the Florida Territory and attempt to suppress and remove the . The Miami area subsequently became a site of fighting during the .
Miami is noted as "the only major city in the United States conceived by a woman, ", a local citrus grower and a wealthy
native. The Miami area was better known as "Biscayne Bay Country" in the early years of its growth. In the late 19th century, reports described the area as a promising wilderness. The area was also characterized as "one of the finest building sites in Florida." The
of 1894–95 hastened Miami's growth, as the crops of the Miami area were the only ones in Florida that survived. Julia Tuttle subsequently convinced , a railroad tycoon, to expand his
to the region, for which she became known as "the mother of Miami." Miami was officially incorporated as a city on July 28, 1896 with a population of just over 300. It was named for the nearby , derived from , the historic name of .
Black labor played a crucial role in Miami's early development. During the beginning of the 20th century, migrants from the
and African-Americans constituted 40 percent of the city's population. Whatever their role in the city's growth, their community's growth was limited to a small space. When landlords began to rent homes to African-Americans in neighborhoods close to Avenue J (what would later become NW Fifth Avenue), a gang of white man with torches visited the renting families and warned them to move or be bombed.
During the early 20th century, northerners were attracted to the city, and Miami prospered during the 1920s with an increase in population and infrastructure. The legacy of
was embedded in these developments. Miami's chief of police, H. Leslie Quigg, did not hide the fact that he, like many other white Miami police officers, was a member of the . Unsurprisingly, these officers enforced social codes far beyond the written law. Quigg, for example, "personally and publicly beat a colored bellboy to death for speaking directly to a white woman."
The collapse of the , the , and the
in the 1930s slowed development. When
began, Miami, well-situated on the southern coast of Florida, became a base for US defense against . The war brought an increase in Miami' by 2 people lived in the city.
rose to power in Cuba in 1959, many wealthy
sought refuge in Miami, further increasing the population. The city developed businesses and cultural amenities as part of the . In the 1980s and 1990s, South Florida weathered social problems related to drug wars, immigration from Haiti and Latin America, and the widespread destruction of . Racial and cultural tensions were sometimes sparked, but the city developed in the latter half of the 20th century as a major international, financial, and cultural center. It is the second-largest U.S. city (after ) with a Spanish-speaking majority, and the largest city with a
plurality.
Miami and its metropolitan area grew from just over one thousand residents to nearly five and a half million residents in just 110 years (). 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.
The mouth of the
Miami and its suburbs are located on a broad plain between the
to the west and
to the east, which also extends from
north to . The elevation of the area never rises above 40 ft (12 m) and averages at around 6 ft (1.8 m) above mean sea level in most neighborhoods, especially near the coast. The highest undulations are found along the coastal , 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 , the largest of which contains
and . The , a warm , runs northward just 15 miles (24 km) off the coast, allowing the city's climate to stay warm and mild all year.
View from one of the higher points in Miami, west of downtown. The highest natural point in the city of Miami is in , near the bay, along the
at 24 feet (7.3 m) .
The surface bedrock under the Miami area is called Miami
or Miami . 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
or . Beginning some 130,000 years ago the
raised sea levels to approximately 25 feet (8 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 , stretching from the present Miami area to what is now the . 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 . Starting about 100,000 years ago the
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 (90 to 110 m) below the contemporary level. The sea level rose quickly after that, stabilizing at the current level about 4000 years ago, leaving the
of South Florida just .
Beneath the plain lies the , a natural underground source of fresh water that extends from southern
to , with its highest point peaking around the cities of
and . Most of the
obtains its drinking water from this aquifer. As a result of the aquifer, it is not possible to dig more than 15 to 20 ft (5 to 6 m) beneath the city without hitting water, which impedes underground construction. For this reason, the
systems in and around Miami are elevated or .
Most of the western fringes of the city extend into the , a subtropical marshland located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Florida.
have ventured into Miami communities and on major highways.
In terms of land area, Miami is one of the smallest major cities in the United States. According to the , the city encompasses a total area of 55.27 sq mi (143.1 km2). Of that area, 35.67 sq mi (92.4 km2) is land and 19.59 sq mi (50.7 km2) is water. That means Miami comprises over 400,000 people in 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, Boston, Chicago, and Philadelphia.
Downtown Miami Skyline as seen from the Rusty Pelican restaurant on .
skyline as seen from .
Downtown Miami skyline as seen from the Port of Miami.
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Map of Miami neighborhoods.
Main article:
is the city's largest , with buildings ranging from 1896 to 1939 in the heart of .
area has the fastest-growing neighborhoods in the city.
Miami is partitioned into many different sections, roughly into North, South, West and Downtown. The heart of the city is
and is technically on the eastern side of the city. This area includes , , , and . Downtown is 's central business district, and Florida's largest and most influential central business district. Downtown has the largest concentration of international banks in the U.S. along . Downtown is home to many major banks, , financial headquarters, cultural and tourist attractions, schools, parks and a large residential population. East of Downtown, across
is . Just northwest of Downtown, is the , which is Miami's center for hospitals,
with hospitals such as , Miami VA Hospital, and the 's .
The southern side of Miami includes ,
and . Coral Way is a historic residential neighborhood built in 1922 connecting Downtown with , and is home to many old homes and tree-lined streets. Coconut Grove was established in 1825 and is the location of Miami's City Hall in , the , , many , bars, restaurants and
shops, and as such, is very popular with local . It is a historic neighborhood with narrow, winding roads, and a heavy tree canopy. Coconut Grove has many parks and gardens such as , , , and is the home of the Coconut Grove Convention Center and numerous historic homes and estates.
The western side of Miami includes , West Flagler, and , and is home to many of the city's traditionally immigrant neighborhoods. Although at one time a mostly Jewish neighborhood, today western Miami is home to immigrants from mostly Central America and , while the west central neighborhood of
is a multicultural community of many ethnicities.
The northern side of Miami includes , a district with a great mix of diversity with many , , , , and artists. , and , are neighborhoods of Midtown and are made up mostly of high-rise residential towers and are home to the . The wealthier residents usually live in the northeastern part, in Midtown, the , and the , with many sought after 1920s homes and home of the , a style of architecture originated in Miami in the 1950s. The northern side of Miami also has notable African American and Caribbean immigrant communities such as ,
(home of the ), and .
Main article:
Typical summer afternoon thunderstorm rolling in from the .
Miami has a
( Am) with hot and humid summers and short, warm winters, with a marked drier season in the winter. Its sea-level elevation, coastal location, position just above the , and proximity to the
shapes its climate. With January averaging 67.2 °F (19.6 °C), winter features mild
cool air usually settles after the passage of a , which produces much of the little amount of rainfall during the season. Lows occasionally fall below 50 °F (10 °C), but very rarely below 35 °F (2 °C). Highs generally range between 70–77 °F (21–25 °C).
The wet season begins some time in May, ending in mid-October. During this period, temperatures are in the mid 80s to low 90s (29–35 °C), accompanied by high humidity, though the heat is often relieved by afternoon
that develops off the Atlantic Ocean, which then allow lower temperatures, but conditions still remain very muggy. Much of the year's 55.9 inches (1,420 mm) of rainfall occurs during this period. Dewpoints in the warm months range from 71.9 °F (22.2 °C) in June to 73.7 °F (23.2 °C) in August.
Extremes range from 27 °F (-2.8 °C) on February 3, 1917 to 100 °F (38 °C) on July 21, 1940. Miami has never recorded any snowfall although there were disputed claims of
on January 19, 1977.
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
season, which is mid-August through the end of September. Although tornadoes are uncommon in the area, one struck in
and again in .
Miami falls under the
10b Plant .
Climate data for Miami (),
normals, extremes 1895-present
Record high °F (°C)
Average high °F (°C)
Daily mean °F (°C)
Average low °F (°C)
Record low °F (°C)
Average rainfall inches (mm)
Average rainy days (≥ 0.01 in)
Mean monthly
Source: NOAA (relative humidity and sun ), The Weather Channel
U.S. Decennial Census
The city proper is home to less than one-thirteenth of the population of South Florida. Miami is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States. The , which includes ,
counties, had a combined population of more than 5.5 million people, ranked seventh largest in the United States, and is the largest
in the Southeastern United States. As of 2008, the United Nations estimates that the Miami
is the 44th-largest in the world.
The 2010 US Census file for Hispanic or Latino origin reports that 34.4% of the population were of
origin, 15.8% shared a
background (7.2% , 5.8% , 1.2% , and 1.0% ), 8.7% were of
descent (3.2% , 1.4% , 1.2% , 1.2% , and 0.7% ), 4.0% had
origins (0.5% ), 3.2% descended from , 2.4% were , and 1.5% had
As of 2010, those of African ancestry accounted for 19.2% of Miami's population, which includes . Out of the 19.2%, 5.6% were
(4.4% , 0.4% , 0.4% , 0.1% , and 0.1% , 0.1% ), 3.0% were , and 0.4% were .
As of 2010, those of (non-Hispanic white) European ancestry accounted for 11.9% of Miami's population. Out of the 11.9%, 1.7% were , 1.6% , 1.4% , 1.0% , 0.8% , 0.6% , and 0.5% were .
As of 2010, those of Asian ancestry accounted for 1.0% of Miami's population. Out of the 1.0%, 0.3% were
(1,206 people), 0.3%
(1,804 people), 0.2%
(647 people), 0.1% were
(433 people), 0.1%
(245 people), 0.1%
(213 people), and 0.0% were
(125 people).
In % of the population considered themselves to be of only
ancestry (regardless of race or ethnicity.) And 0.5% were of
ancestry, as of 2010.
As of 2010, there were 158,317 households of which 14.0% were vacant. 22.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.3% were married couples living together, 18.1% have a female head of household with no husband present, and 43.1% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older (4.0% male and 7.3% female.) The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.15.
In 2010, the city population was spread out with 18.8% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 33.1% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.8 years. For every 100 females there were 99.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.1 males.
As of 2010, the median income for a household in the city was $29,621, and the median income for a family was $33,379. Males had a median income of $27,849 versus $24,518 for females. The
for the city was $19,745. About 22.2% of families and 27.3% of the population were below the , including 37.1% of those under age 18 and 32.8% of those aged 65 or over.
In % of the county's population was , with 41.1% being . Of foreign-born residents, 95.4% were born in , 2.4% were born in , 1.4% born in , 0.5% born in , 0.2% in , and 0.1% were born in .
In 2004, the
(UNDP) reported that Miami had the highest proportion of foreign-born residents of any major city worldwide (59%), followed by Toronto (50%).
In 1960, non-Hispanic whites represented 80% of
county's population. In 1970, the Census Bureau reported Miami's population as 45.3% Hispanic, 32.9% non-Hispanic White, and 22.7% Black. Miami's explosive population growth has been driven by internal migration from other parts of the country, primarily up until the 1980s, as well as by , primarily from the 1960s to the 1990s. Today, immigration to Miami has slowed significantly and Miami's growth today is attributed greatly to its fast urbanization and high-rise construction, which has increased its inner city neighborhood population densities, such as in , , and , where one area in Downtown alone saw a 2,069% increase in population in the 2010 Census. Miami is regarded as more of a , than it is a , with residents still maintaining much of, or some of their . The overall culture of Miami is heavily influenced by its large population of Hispanics and blacks mainly from the
There has been a
in Miami since the early 1980s. In November 2011,
opened a new building for the church. The church was built as a center for the 10,000 Scandinavians that live in Florida. Around 4,000 of them are Norwegian. The church is also an important place for the 150 Norwegians that work at .
According to a 2014 study by the
is the most prevalently practiced religion in Miami (68%), According to a 2014 study by the , 68% of the population of the city identified themselves as Christians, with 39% professing attendance at a variety of churches that could be considered , and 27% professing
beliefs. followed by
ranks third in Miamai, followed by , and a variety of other religions, as well as
or self-identifying with no organized religious affiliation (24%).
Miami Demographics
Miami-Dade County
Total population
18,801,310
Population, percent change, 2000 to 2010
Population density
11,135.9/sq mi
1,315.5/sq mi
350.6/sq mi
(including )
Historic Ethnic Makeup of Miami
(of any race)
As of % of Miami's population age five and over spoke only
at home while 22.7% of the population spoke
at home. About 6.3% spoke other
at home. About 0.4% spoke
or / at home. The remaining 0.3% of the population spoke
at home. In total, 77.3% spoke another language other than English.
As of % of residents spoke
at home, while those who only spoke English made up 25.45%. Speakers of
were 5.20%, and
speakers comprised 0.76% of the population. Other languages that were spoken throughout the city include
at 0.11%, and
at 0.08% of the population. Among U.S. cities, Miami has one of the highest proportions of residents who speak languages other than English at home (74.55% in 2000).
Due to English-speakers moving away from the area, the percentage of residents who speak only English is expected to continue to decline.
Organizations such as the Miami-Dade
and its iconic Red Kettle Christmas Campaign, ,
Miami, Human Services Coalition of South Florida, and Citizens for a Better South Florida, among many other organizations have been working to engage Miamians in volunteerism.
Downtown is 's main hub for finance, commerce and .
has the largest concentration of international banks in the U.S.
As seen in 2006, the
in Miami has inspired popular opinion of ""
is the world's largest cruise ship port, and is the headquarters of many of the world's largest cruise companies
Miami is a major center of commerce, finance, 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) in 2010 and based on the level of presence of global corporate service organizations, Miami is considered a "Alpha minus ". Miami has a Gross Metropolitan Product of $257 billion and is ranked 20th worldwide in GMP, and 11th in the United States.
Several large companies are headquartered in or around Miami, including but not limited to: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
and . Because of its proximity to Latin America, Miami serves as the headquarters of Latin American operations for more than 1400 multinational corporations, including , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and .
Miami is a major television production center, and the most important city in the U.S. for Spanish language media. ,
have their headquarters in Miami, along with their production studios. The
produces much of the original programming for Telemundo, such as their
and talk shows. In 2011, 85% of Telemundo's original programming was filmed in Miami. Miami is also a major music recording center, with the
headquarters in the city, along with many other smaller . The city also attracts many artists for music video and film shootings.
Since 2001, Miami has been undergoing a large
with more than 50 skyscrapers rising over 400 feet (122 m) built or currently under construction in the city.
is ranked third-most impressive in the U.S., behind
and , and 19th in the world according to the Almanac of Architecture and Design. The city currently has the eight tallest (as well as thirteen of the fourteen tallest) skyscrapers in the state of Florida, with the tallest being the 789-foot (240 m) .
During the mid-2000s, the city witnessed its largest real estate boom since the . During this period, the city had well over a hundred approved high-rise construction projects in which 50 were actually built. In 2007, however, the housing market crashed causing lots of foreclosures on houses. This rapid high-rise construction, has led to fast population growth in the city's inner neighborhoods, primarily in ,
and , with these neighborhoods becoming the fastest-growing areas in the city. The Miami area ranks 8th in the nation in foreclosures. In 2011, Forbes magazine named Miami the second-most miserable city in the United States due to its high foreclosure rate and past decade of corruption among public officials. In 2012,
magazine named Miami the most miserable city in the United States because of a crippling housing crisis that has cost multitudes of residents their homes and jobs. The metro area has one of the highest violent crime rates in the country and workers face lengthy daily commutes.
are among the nation's busiest ports of entry, especially for cargo from South America and the Caribbean. The Port of Miami is the world's busiest cruise port, and MIA is the busiest airport in Florida, and the largest gateway between the United States and Latin America. Additionally, the city has the largest concentration of international banks in the country, primarily along
in , Miami's financial district. Due to its strength in international business, finance and trade, many international banks have offices in Downtown such as , which has its U.S. headquarters in Miami. Miami was also the host city of the 2003
negotiations, and is one of the leading candidates to become the trading bloc's headquarters.
As of 2011,
accounts for 176,000 jobs and has an annual economic impact in Miami of $18 billion. It is the 11th-largest cargo container port in the United States. In 2010, a record 4.33 million passengers traveled through PortMiami. One in seven of all the world’s cruise passengers start from Miami.[]
has the country's second-largest concentration of medical and research facilities. It is the center of Miami's growing
Tourism is also an important industry in Miami. Along with finance and business, the beaches, conventions, festivals and events draw over 38 million visitors annually into the city, from across the country and around the world, spending $17.1 billion. The
in , is reputed as one of the most glamorous in the world for its nightclubs, beaches, historical buildings, and shopping. Annual events such as the , , , , and
attract millions to the metropolis every year.
Miami is the home to the
and the headquarters of the , responsible for military operations in Central and South America. In addition to these roles, Miami is also an industrial center, especially for stone quarrying and warehousing. These industries are centered largely on the western fringes of the city near
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 , Texas (ranked #2). Miami is also one of the very few cities where its local government went bankrupt, in 2001. However, since that time, Miami has experienced a revival: in 2008, Miami was ranked as "America's Cleanest City" according to Forbes for its year-round good air quality, vast green spaces, clean drinking water, clean streets and city-wide recycling programs. In a 2009 UBS study of 73 world cities, Miami was ranked as the richest city in the United States (of four U.S. cities included in the survey) and the world's fifth-richest city, in terms of .
Largest employers in Miami
No. of Employees
City of Miami
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, the second-largest performing arts center in the United States.
In addition to such annual festivals like Calle Ocho Festival and Carnaval Miami, Miami is home to many entertainment venues, theaters, museums, parks and performing arts centers. The newest addition to the Miami arts scene is the , the second-largest performing arts center in the United States after the
in New York City, and is the home of the . Within it are the Ziff Ballet Opera House, the center's largest venue, the Knight Concert Hall, the Carnival Studio Theater and the Peacock Rehearsal Studio. The center attracts many large-scale operas, ballets, concerts, and musicals from around the world and is Florida's grandest performing arts center. Other performing arts venues in Miami include the Herbert and Nicole Wertheim Performing Arts Center, , , Colony Theatre, Lincoln Theatre, , Actor's Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre, , , , Playground Theatre, Wertheim Performing Arts Center, the
for outdoor music events.
The city attracts a large number of musicians, singers, actors, dancers, and orchestral players. Miami has numerous orchestras, symphonies and performing art conservatories. Some of these include the , FIU School of Music, , , , , , , as well as the music, theater and art schools of the city's many universities and schools.
Miami is also a major fashion center, home to models and some of the top modeling agencies in the world. Miami is also host to many fashion shows and events, including the annual
held in the .
The city is home to numerous museums as well, many of which are in . These include the , , , , , , and the Miami-Dade Cultural Center, home of the . Miami is also the home of the world's largest art exhibition, dubbed the "Olympics of Art", . The event is held annually in December, and attracts thousands of visitors from around the world.
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The city is a major music production city and attracts many annual music festivals, such as
Miami music is varied.
brought the
and , while
and the rest of the
have brought
to Miami from their homelands instantly popularizing them in .
brought , and , while
have brought, , , , and
to the area as well.
In the early 1970s, the Miami
sound came to life with , featuring the music of , with such hits as "Get Down Tonight", "(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty" and "That's the Way (I Like It)"; and the Latin-American disco group, , with their hit singles "Get Off" and "Hot Number". Miami-area natives
were also popular music artists during the 1970s disco era. The
moved to Miami in 1975 and have lived here ever since then. Miami-influenced,
and the , hit the popular music scene with their Cuban-oriented sound and had hits in the 1980s with "Conga" and "Bad Boys".
Miami is also considered a "hot spot" for , , a style of dance music popular in the 80's and 90's heavily influenced by , hip-hop, and disco. Many popular Freestyle acts such as Pretty Tony, , , and , originated in Miami. / acts
are based in the city, while
artist , and the
were born in Miami, but musically based elsewhere. Also,
is from Miami, and rock/ bands
each formed in neighboring Fort Lauderdale. Popular Cuban American female recording artist, , was born in Miami in 1985, and became the first Hispanic person in history to perform the "Star Spangled Banner" at a presidential inauguration.
The 1980s and '90s also brought the genre of high energy
to dance floors and car subwoofers throughout the country.
spawned artists like 2 Live Crew (featuring Uncle Luke), 95 South, Tag Team, 69 Boyz, Quad City DJ's, and Freak Nasty. Examples of these songs are "Whoomp! (There It Is)" by Tag Team in 1993, "Tootsee Roll" by 69 Boyz in 1994, and "C'mon N' Ride It (The Train)" by the Quad City DJ's in 1996. These songs all reached the top 10 in the pop charts and gave Miami Bass a new commercial success.
This was also a period of alternatives to alcohol-fueled, "meat market" nightclubs, the warehouse party, ,
and outdoor festival scenes of the late 1980s and early 1990s were havens and proving grounds for the latest trends in , especially house and its ever-more hypnotic, synthetic offspring
and , in clubs like the infamous
better known as Warsaw and The Mix where DJs like
(who was the resident DJ for both) and radio. The new sound fed back into mainstream clubs across the country. The scene in SoBe, along with a bustling secondhand market for electronic instruments and turntables, had a strong democratizing effect, offering amateur, "bedroom" DJs the opportunity to become proficient and popular as both music players and producers, regardless of the whims of the professional music and club industries. Some of these notable DJs are
(better known as JellyBean Benetiz), , and .
Miami is also home to a vibrant techno and dance scene and hosts the , the largest dance event in the world,
music-themed celebrations and festivals. Along with neighboring , Miami is home to nightclubs such as , Mansion, Parkwest, Ink, and Cameo. The city is known to be part of , along with places such as ,
There are also several
artists out of Miami. They include , , , , , , , , , and the Miami Bass group .
are a popular espresso beverage found in cafeterias around Miami. They are particularly popular for breakfast or in the afternoon with a .
The cuisine of Miami is a reflection of its diverse population, with a heavy influence especially from
and from . By combining the two with , it has spawned a unique South Florida style of cooking known as
cuisine. Floribbean cuisine is widely available throughout Miami and South Florida, and can be found in restaurant chains such as .
Cuban immigrants in the 1960s brought the , , , and , all of which have grown in popularity to all Miamians, and have become symbols of the city's varied cuisine. Today, these are part of the local culture, and can be found throughout the city in window cafés, particularly outside of supermarkets and restaurants. Restaurants such as
is a landmark eatery of Miami. Located on the Atlantic Ocean, and with a long history as a , Miami is also known for its seafood, with many seafood restaurants located along the , and in and around . Miami is also the home of restaurant chains such as ,
Main article:
The Miami area has a unique dialect, (commonly called the "Miami accent") which is widely spoken. The dialect developed among second- or third-generation , including , whose first language was English (though some , , and
who were born and raised the Miami area tend to adopt it as well.) It is based on a fairly
but with some changes very similar to dialects in the
(especially the , , and .) Unlike , Coastal Southern American, and Northeast American dialects and Florida Cracker dialect (see section below), "Miami accent" it also incorporates a rhythm and pronunciation heavily influenced by Spanish (wherein rhythm is ). However, this is a native dialect of English, not learner E it is possible to differentiate this variety from an
spoken by second-language speakers in that "Miami accent" does not generally display the following features: there is no
of /?/ before initial consonant clusters with /s/, speakers do not confuse of /d?/ with /j/, (e.g., Yale with jail), and /r/ and /rr/ are pronounced as
instead of
[r] in Spanish.
View of the "Moon over Miami", a famous phrase that has inspired many pop culture items, including a , , and .
Miami is a center for television and film production. The city has acted as the backdrop for many movies, and many television shows, telenovelas, and awards shows have been set or filmed in Miami. In the mid-2000s, Miami started to become a popular backdrop for reality television shows. Additionally, Miami is a major center, worldwide, for Spanish-language television and film production.
Miami has inspired the names of musical groups as well as of numerous albums and song titles. For example, the late country singer
() sang a song called "Miami, My Amy", about a special woman from M the song is one of his biggest hits to this day.
The video games,
(which became one of the best selling video games in 2002) and , take place in Vice City, a fictional city inspired by Miami, which includes some of the same architecture and geography. The game also includes characters who speak
and Spanish, as do many people found in Miami.
The Video game
takes place in Miami. The game is based on and is a quasi- to the 1983
reprising his role as , with
providing Montana's voice. The game begins in the film's final scene, with Tony Montana's mansion being raided by Alejandro Sosa's () assassins.
, home of the
Miami Jai Alai fronton, known as "The Yankee Stadium of Jai Alai"
Miami's main four sports teams are the
of the , the
of the , the
of , and the
of the . As well as having all four major professional teams, Miami is also home to the
for professional tennis, numerous
venues, and golf courses. The city streets has hosted professional auto races, the
and later the . The
oval hosts
national races.
play within Miami's city limits. The Heat play at the
home ballpark is , located in
on the site of the old
in suburban . The
play in nearby
at the . The , who play at
in nearby Fort Lauderdale, in the , the second tier of the American soccer pyramid. Miami is also home to Paso Fino horses, where competitions are held at Tropical Park Equestrian Center.
The , a member of the , hosts their college football championship games at Sun Life Stadium. The stadium
the Miami metro area has hosted the game a total of ten times (five Super Bowls at the now , including
and five at the ), tying New Orleans for the most games.[]
Miami is also the home of many college sports teams. The two largest are the , whose
plays at , and
plays at .
The following table shows the Miami area major professional teams and Division I teams with an average attendance of more than 10,000:
Major professional and D-I college teams (attendance & 10,000)
Venue (Capacity)
Attendance
League Championships
National titles (5) — , , 2001
(3) — , 2013
, built in 1891 in Miami's
neighborhood.
Miami's tropical weather allows for year-round outdoors activities. The city has numerous marinas, rivers, bays, canals, and the Atlantic Ocean, which make boating, sailing, and fishing popular outdoors activities.
has numerous
which make
popular. There are over 80 parks and gardens in the city. The largest and most popular parks are
(located in the heart of Downtown and the location of the
and ), , , Morningside Park, , and .
Other popular cultural destinations in or near Miami include , , , , , , , , and .
Miami City Hall at
in . The city's primary administrative offices are held here.
Main article:
The government of the City of Miami () uses the
type of system. The city commission consists of five commissioners which are elected from single member districts. The city commission constitutes the governing body with powers to pass ordinances, adopt regulations, and exercise all powers conferred upon the city in the city charter. The mayor is elected at large and appoints a city manager. The City of Miami is governed by Mayor
and 5 City commissioners which oversee the five districts in the City. The commission's regular meetings are held at Miami , which is located at 3500 Pan American Drive on
in the neighborhood of
 – Mayor of the City of Miami
 – Miami Commissioner, District 1 (Chairman)
Marc Sarnoff – Miami Commissioner, District 2
, , , , , , ,
Frank Carollo – Miami Commissioner, District 3
Francis Suárez – Miami Commissioner, District 4
Keon Hardemon – Miami Commissioner, District 5 (Vice-Chairman)
, , , , , , ,
Daniel J. Alfonso – City Manager
Victoria Méndez – City Attorney
Todd B. Hannon- City Clerk
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Main article:
, Miami's oldest continuously used high school structure
has the largest enrollment of any university in , and is one of the state's primary research universities.
Public schools in Miami are governed by , which is the largest school district in Florida and the fourth-largest in the United States. As of September 2008 it has a student enrollment of 385,655 and over 392 schools and centers. The district is also the largest minority public school system in the country, with 60% of its students being of Hispanic origin, 28%
and 2% non-white of other minorities. Miami is home to some of the nation's best high schools, such as , ranked the nation's best , , , ranked 20th-best public high school in the U.S., , and the . M-DCPS is also one of a few public school districts in the United States to offer optional
in Spanish, French, German, , and .
Miami is home to several well-known Roman Catholic, Jewish and non-denominational private schools. The
operates the city's Catholic private schools, which include: St. Hugh Catholic School, St. Agatha Catholic School, , , , , , amongst numerous other Catholic elementary and high schools.
All-boys Catholic college preparatory schools are
and . All-girls Catholic preparatory schools are
Non-denominational private schools in Miami are , , and . Other schools in the area include , , , and .
Founded in 1925, the
is the oldest college in Florida south of .
Miami has over 200,000 students enrolled in local colleges and universities, placing it seventh in the nation in per capita university enrollment. In 2010, the city's four largest colleges and universities (MDC, FIU, UM, and Barry) graduated 28,000 students.
Colleges and universities in and around Miami:
(satellite location, UK public)
Overall, amongst Miamians 25 years and older, 67% had a , and 22% had a
or higher.
In 2011, Miami was ranked as the sixth-most-read city in the U.S. with high book sales.
Miami is also home to both for-profit and nonprofit organizations that offer a range of professional training and other, related educational programs. , for example is a nonprofit organization that offers free professional certification training directed towards successfully passing
A+ and Network+ certification exams as a route to securing jobs and building careers.
Former headquarters of
Miami has one of the largest television markets in the nation and the second largest in the state of Florida. Miami has several major newspapers, the main and largest newspaper being .
is the major and largest Spanish-language newspaper. The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald are Miami's and South Florida's main, major and largest newspapers. The papers left their longtime home in downtown Miami in 2013. The newspapers are now headquartered at the former home of
Other major newspapers include , headquartered in , , headquartered in , , , Miami Times, and Biscayne Boulevard Times. An additional Spanish-language newspapers, Diario Las Americas also serve Miami. The Miami Herald is Miami's primary newspaper with over a million readers and is headquartered in Downtown in Herald Plaza. Several other student newspapers from the local universities, such as the oldest, the 's , 's , 's The Metropolis, 's The Buccaneer, amongst others. Many neighborhoods and neighboring areas also have their own local newspapers such as the Aventura News, Coral Gables Tribune, Biscayne Bay Tribune, and the Palmetto Bay News.
A number of magazines circulate throughout the greater Miami area, including , Southeast Florida's only city/ , a hot-spot social scene glossy, and South Florida Business Leader.
Miami is also the headquarters and main production city of many of the world's largest television networks,
companies, broadcasting companies and production facilities, such as , , , , , , ,
and . In 2009, Univisión announced plans to build a new production studio in Miami, dubbed 'Univisión Studios'. Univisión Studios is currently headquartered in Miami, and will produce programming for all of Univisión Communications' television networks.
Miami is the twelfth largest radio market and the seventeenth largest television market in the United States. Television stations serving the Miami area include:
(also PBS).
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Main article:
serves as the primary international airport of the Greater Miami Area. One of the busiest international airports in the world, Miami International Airport caters to over 35 million passengers a year. The airport is a major hub and the single largest international gateway for . Miami International is the busiest airport in Florida, and is the United States' second-largest international port of entry for foreign air passengers behind New York's , 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, Asia, and the Middle East.
Alternatively, nearby
also serves commercial traffic in the Miami area.
in an unincorporated area serve general aviation traffic in the Miami area.
headquarters at the .
Further information:
Miami is home to one of the largest ports in the United States, the . It is the largest cruise ship port in the world. 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. In 2007, the port served 3,787,410 passengers. Additionally, the port is one of the nation's busiest cargo ports, importing 7.8 million tons of cargo in 2007. Among North American ports, it ranks second only to the
in New Orleans in terms of cargo tonnage imported/exported from Latin America. The port is on 518 acres (2 km2) and has 7 passenger terminals. China is the port's number one import country, and
is the number one export country. Miami has the world's largest amount of cruise line headquarters, home to: , , , , and . In 2014, the
was completed and will serve the PortMiami.
is the city's
system and connects the city's central core with its outlying suburbs
is Miami's
that runs north-south from Miami's suburbs in
Main article:
Public transportation in Miami is operated by
and , and includes
(), heavy-rail
(), an elevated
(), and buses (). Miami has Florida's highest transit ridership as about 17% of Miamians use transit on a daily basis.
Miami's heavy-rail rapid transit system, , is an elevated system comprising two lines and 23 stations on a 24.4-mile (39.3 km)-long line. Metrorail connects the urban western suburbs of , , and inner-city Miami with suburban , , ,
via the central business districts of , the , and . A free, elevated , , operates 21 stations on three different lines in greater , with a station at roughly every two blocks of Downtown and . Several expansion projects are being funded by a transit development sales tax surcharge throughout Miami-Dade County.
, a commuter rail system operated by the
(SFRTA), runs from
northward to , making eighteen stops throughout , , and
Construction is currently underway on the
and , a massive transportation hub servicing , , , , , , , , private automobiles, bicycles and pedestrians adjacent to Miami International Airport. Completion of the Miami Intermodal Center is expected to be completed by winter 2011, and will serve over 150,000 commuters and travelers in the Miami area. Phase I of Miami Central Station is scheduled to begin service in the spring of 2012, and Phase II in 2013.
Two new light rail systems, Baylink and the Miami Streetcar, have been proposed and are currently in the planning stage. BayLink would connect
with , and the Miami Streetcar would connect Downtown with .
Miami is the southern terminus of 's Atlantic Coast services, running two lines, the
and the , both terminating in New York City. The Miami Amtrak Station is located in the suburb of
on NW 79 St and NW 38 Ave. Current construction of the
will move all Amtrak operations from its current out-of-the-way location to a centralized location with , , , , and the
all within the same station closer to Downtown. The station was expected to be completed by 2012, but experienced several delays and was later expected to be completed in late 2014, again pushed back to early 2015.
was a proposed government backed
system that would have connected Miami, Orlando, and Tampa. The first phase was planned to connect
and was offered federal funding, but it was turned down by Governor Rick Scott in 2011. The second phase of the line was envisioned to connect Miami. By 2014, a private project known as
by a company of the historic
began construction of a
line in South Florida that is planned to eventually terminate at .
(left) and
(right) connect
(Port Boulevard) connects downtown and
by bridge over .
Miami's road system is based along the numerical "Miami Grid" where
forms the east-west
forms the north-south . The corner of Flagler Street and Miami Avenue is in the middle of
in front of the Downtown
(formerly the
headquarters). The Miami grid is primarily numerical so that, for example, all street addresses north of Flagler Street and west of Miami Avenue have "NW" in their address. Because its point of origin is in , which is close to the coast, therefore, the "NW" and "SW" quadrants are much larger than the "SE" and "NE" quadrants. Many roads, especially major ones, are also named (e.g., ), although, with exceptions, the number is in more common usage among locals.
All streets and avenues in
follow the Miami Grid, with a few exceptions, most notably , ,
and . One neighborhood, , is thusly named because its streets run off the Miami Grid in a 45-degree angle, and therefore are all named roads.
is served by four Interstate Highways (, , , ) and several U.S. Highways including , , , and .
Some of the major
(and their common names) serving Miami are:
(Airport Expressway):
mainline (SR 91)/ to /
(Palmetto Expressway):
to U.S. Route 1/
(Dolphin Expressway): Downtown to SW 137th Ave via
(Don Shula Expressway): 826/Bird Road to Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike/
(Snapper Creek Expressway): SR 874/ to U.S. Route 1/Pinecrest &
(Gratigny Parkway)
Miami Causeways
Year built
Miami has six major
that span over
connecting the western mainland, with the eastern barrier islands along the Atlantic Ocean. The
is the southernmost causeway and connects
with . The
connects the
with . The northernmost causeway, the , is the smallest of Miami's six causeways, and connects
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.
In recent years the city government, under Mayor , has taken an ambitious stance in support of
in Miami for both recreation and commuting. Every month, the city hosts "Bike Miami", where major streets in Downtown and Brickell are closed to automobiles, but left open for pedestrians and . The event began in November 2008, and has doubled in popularity from 1,500 participants to about 3,000 in the October 2009 Bike Miami. This is the longest running such event in the US. In October 2009, the city also approved an extensive 20-year plan for bike routes and paths around the city. The city has begun construction of bike routes as of late 2009, and ordinances requiring bike parking in all future construction in the city became mandatory as of October 2009.
In 2010, Miami was ranked as the 44th-most bike-friendly city in the US according to .
A 2011 study by
ranked Miami the eighth-most walkable of the fifty largest cities in the United States, but a 2013 survey by Travel + Leisure ranked Miami 34th for "public transportation and pedestrian friendliness."
Main article:
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, Colombia (since 1971)
, Argentina (since 1979)
, Japan (since 1990)
, Peru (since 1977)
, Spain (since 2014)
, Haiti (since 1991)
, China (since 2005)
, Brazil (since 2006)
, Chile (since 1986)
, Dominican Republic (since 1987)
, Portugal
Official records for Miami were kept at the
from September 1895 to November 1900, the Miami
from December 1900 to May 1911, the Weather Bureau Office from June 1911 to February 1937, at various locations in and around the city from March 1937 to July 1942, and at Miami Int'l since August 1942. For more information, see .
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