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A beautiful south Florida island city

Miami, a city and port on the southeast coast of Florida, the seat of Dade Co., situated on the western shore of Biscayne Bay. Miami is one of the most popular win ter resorts in the United States. Temperatures average 82°F. (28°C.) in July, and 67°F. (19°C.) in January. The city covers 52 square miles (135 sq km), including 18 square miles (47 sq km) of water. Five causeways connect Miami with Miami Beach, an independent city, and with Key Biscayne, an island in Biscayne Bay.

The city was first incorporated in 1896. By 1910 the population had increased to 5,471, and in 1920 it was 29,571. The Florida real estate boom of 1922 to 1926 made Miami the mecca of fortune seekers. In 1926 the boom ended and prices fell drastically. Miami also suffered one of its worst hurricanes.

Houses and buildings constructed in haste during the boom crumbled. Another hurricane ravaged the Florida Keys in 1935, killing more than 400. The city recovered and continued its phenomenal growth in the years following World War II. Beginning in the 1960's an influx of Cuban immigrants added a large Spanish-speaking contingent to the area's population and formed the basis of a flourishing Latin-American business community in the city. The Cuban presence, however, added to the pressures on the city's black population, displacing many from service jobs; high unemployment, combined with anger sparked by incidents of racially-motivated police brutality, led to major riots in Miami's black communities; 18 died in riots in May 1980, and further rioting in July and December resulted in many injuries.

Miami has many points of interest, including Fort Dallas, the Miami Seaquarium, the Viscaya Museum and Gardens (the former James R. Deering estate), the Historical Museum of Southern Florida, Fairchild Tropical Gardens, the Orange Bowl stadium, and Hialeah race track.

Miami's many parks and deep-sea fishing provide recreation and sports for thousands of winter visitors. Nearby are the Everglades National Park, a preserve for tropical birds and wildlife, and numerous resorts. Educational institutions in the city include Florida International University, Miami-Dade Community College, St. Thomas University, International Fine Arts College, and several business, medical, and technical colleges.

The University of Miami is located nearby, at Coral Gables. Miami is one of the state's most important air, rail, and shipping terminals. Miami International Airport is one of the busiest in the United States. The Port of Miami serves steamship companies that sail along the Atlantic Coast, to Latin America, and throughout the Caribbean Sea. Miami is the trading center of a famous agricultural area, the Redland district.

This region, to the west and south of Miami, produces two and sometimes three crops a year of citrus fruit and vegetables. The leading industry is tourism, which accounts for two thirds of Miami's income. Other industries have included the manufacture of electronics items, plastics, clothing, furniture, and metal products. During the 1960's Miami and nearby Coral Gables became a major center of trade and commerce with Latin America.

Miami is one of 27 municipalities that constitute Metropolitan Dade County (pop. 1990, 1,937,094), which in 1957 became the first metropolitan area government in the United States. Metro, as it is popularly known, has authority over all countywide functions except the state courts and the public schools. Its powers are those usually associated with municipal governments, including traffic control and the maintenance of roads, parks, and hospitals. Pop. 1990, 358,458.