Miami (/maɪˈæmi/ my-AM-ee), officially the City of Miami is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. Miami has the third-largest skyline in the country, with over 300 high-rise buildings, 58 of which exceed 491 feet (150 meters). As the 12th largest urban economy in the country, Miami’s metropolitan area is by far the largest in Florida.
Downtown Miami is home to many large national and international companies as well as one of the highest concentrations of international banks in the United States. There are several major health facilities and hospitals affiliated with the University of Miami in the Health District, including Jackson Memorial Hospital, which has 1,547 beds and is the country’s largest hospital. Among the institutions that offer health care and research at the University of Miami are the Miller School of Medicine, an academic medical center and teaching hospital. The city’s seaport, Port Miami, is the busiest cruise port in both passenger traffic and cruise lines. After New York City, Miami is the second-largest tourist hub for international visitors. Due to its extensive commercial and cultural ties to Latin America, Miami is sometimes called the Gateway to Latin America.
The city of Miami and its suburbs lie on a broad plain extending from Lake Okeechobee southward to Florida Bay. Most neighborhoods in the area are around 6 feet (1.8 m) above sea level, especially near the coast. Most of the eastern Miami metro lies under the Miami Rock Ridge, which has the highest points. Miami Beach and South Beach are located on the largest of several hundred natural and artificial barrier islands in Biscayne Bay. Just 15 miles (24 km) off the coast runs the Gulf Stream, a warm ocean current that keeps the city’s climate mild all year round.
Miami is divided roughly into four areas: north, south, west, and downtown. Downtown Miami is located on the east side of the city and includes Brickell, Virginia Key, Watson Island, and Port Miami. With many major banks, courthouses, financial headquarters, cultural and tourist attractions, schools, parks, and a large residential population, Downtown Miami is Florida’s largest and most influential central business district. The United States’ largest concentration of international banks is on Brickell Avenue. Miami’s Health District is northwest of Downtown and is a center for hospitals, research institutes, and biotechnology, including Jackson Memorial Hospital, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, and the Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami.
Miami’s southern side is home to Coral Way, The Roads, and Coconut Grove. Between Downtown and Coral Gables, Coral Way is a historic neighborhood filled with old homes and tree-lined streets. The Coconut Grove neighborhood, established in 1825, is home to Miami’s City Hall at Dinner Key, the former Coconut Grove Playhouse, CocoWalk, and the Coconut Grove Convention Center. Many nightclubs, bars, restaurants, and bohemian shops make it very popular with local college students. Many historic homes and estates can be found in Coconut Grove, including Vizcaya Museum, The Kampong, and The Barnacle Historic State Park.
Little Havana, West Flagler, and Flagami are located on the western side of Miami. Western Miami used to be mainly Jewish, but today immigrants from Central America and Cuba live there, while Allapattah in west central Miami is a multicultural neighborhood.
Midtown encompasses the northern part of Miami, which is a diverse neighborhood with a mixture of Hispanics, West Indians, and European Americans. There is an Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in the Edgewater neighborhood of Midtown. There are ten galleries in Wynwood, as well as a large outdoor mural project in former warehouses. Miami’s wealthier residents usually live in the Design District and Upper Eastside, where there are many 1920s homes and examples of Miami Modern architecture. Little Haiti, Overtown (home of the Lyric Theater), and Liberty City are all notable African-American and Caribbean immigrant communities on the northern side of Miami.
Miami Coordinates: 25.775163°N 80.208615°W
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