South Florida metropolitan area
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Common name: South Florida |
|
| Largest city Other cities |
Miami - Hialeah - Fort Lauderdale - West Palm Beach - Miami Beach - Hollywood |
| Population | Ranked 6th in the U.S. |
| - Total | 5,422,200 (2005 est.) |
| - Density | 1,571/sq. mi. 315/km² |
| Area | 6,137 sq. mi. 15,896 km² |
| State(s) | Florida |
| Elevation | |
| - Highest point | 15 feet (N/A m) |
| - Lowest point | 0 feet (0 m) |
The Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach[1] metropolitan area—colloquially referred to as South Florida metro—encompasses a three-county area of the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Florida. The metropolitan area has Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties. There are efforts underway to change the name of the metropolitan area to Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach to represent all three counties. It is commonly referred to as simply South Florida, and is roughly synonymous with the term Gold Coast. As of July 1, 2005, the region's population is estimated at 5,422,200 by the US Census Bureau;[2] making it the sixth largest metropolitan area in the United States, and largest metropolitan area in Florida. It is currently the 45th-largest metropolitan area in the world. It is also the largest metropolitan area in the United States that lacks a city with at least 500,000 people (Miami has over 380,000). Each of the three counties of the Metropolitan Statistical Area are their own Metropolitan Divisions.
Because the population of South Florida is largely confined to a strip of land between the Atlantic Ocean and the Everglades, the Miami Urbanized Area (that is, the area of contiguous urban development) is about 110 miles long (north to south), but never more than twenty miles wide, and in some areas only five miles wide (east to west). South Florida is longer than any other urbanized area in the United States except for the New York metropolitan area.[3] It was the eighth most densely populated urbanized areas in the United States in the 2000 census.[4] As of the 2000 census, the urbanized area had a land area of 2,890.7 square kilometres (1,116 square miles), with a population of 4,919,036, for a population density of 1,701.7 per square kilometre (4,407.4 per square mile). Miami and Hialeah (the second largest city in the metropolitan area) had population densities of more than 10,000 per square mile (more than 3,800 per square kilometre).[5][6] The Miami Urbanized Area was the fifth largest Urbanized Area in the United States in the 2000 census, ahead of the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas Urbanized Area.[7]
The Miami-Ft. Lauderdale-Pompano Beach MSA also includes several Urban Clusters (UCs) as of the 2000 Census which are not part of the Miami Urbanized Area. These are the Belle Glade UC, population 24,218, area 20,717,433 square metres and population density of 3027.6 per square mile; Key Biscayne UC, population 10,513, area 4,924,214 square metres and population density of 5529.5 per square mile; Redland UC, population 3,936, area 10,586,212 square metres and population density of 963.0 per square mile; and West Jupiter UC, population 8,998, area 24,737,176 square metres and population density of 942.1 per square mile.[8]
Palm Beach County was added to the official Miami–Fort Lauderdale metropolitan area for the first time in 2000, giving it a considerable boost in population and in ranking among U.S. metropolitan areas.
Contents |
[edit] Counties
[edit] Metropolitan divisions
The metropolitan area contains three distinct urban centers, subdividing the region into separate metropolitan divisions.
| Metropolitan Division | 2005 Population |
|---|---|
| Miami--Miami Beach--Kendall | 2,376,014 |
| Fort Lauderdale--Pompano Beach--Deerfield Beach | 1,777,638 |
| West Palm Beach--Boca Raton--Boynton Beach | 1,268,548 |
[edit] Cities
[edit] Principal cities
- Miami
- Fort Lauderdale
- Miami Beach
- West Palm Beach
- Pompano Beach
- Kendall
- Boca Raton
- Deerfield Beach
- Boynton Beach
- Delray Beach[9]
[edit] Cities with 100,000 or more inhabitants
[edit] Cities, towns, and census-designated places with between 10,000 and 100,000 inhabitants
[edit] Cities, towns, and census-designated places with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants
[edit] Demographics
As of the 2005 American Community Survey[10] there is a total of 5,334,685 people living in the metropolis. Of these people, 3,756,468 are white, 1,075,174 are black or African American, 111,196 are Asian, 3,346 are Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander and 91,520 are of two or more races. 2,580,023 people are male and 2,754,662 are female. South Florida has the second largest American Jewish population in the United States (500,000 people).
[edit] Education
In Florida, each county is also a school district. Miami-Dade County Public Schools, is operated by an independently-elected School Board. A professional Superintendent of Schools manages the day-to-day operations of the district, who is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the School Board. The Miami-Dade County Public School District is currently the 4th largest public school district in the nation. Palm Beach County is served by the School District of Palm Beach County. As of 2006, it was the 5th largest school district in Florida and the 14th largest school district in the United States. Broward County has the 5th largest school district in the United States.
Some colleges and universities in South Florida include:
- Florida International University (public)
- University of Miami (private)
- Miami-Dade College (public)
- Barry University (private/Catholic)
- Florida Memorial University (private)
- St. Thomas University (private/Catholic)
- Johnson and Wales University (private)
- Broward Community College (public)
- Florida Atlantic University (public)
- Nova Southeastern University (private)
- Palm Beach Community College (public)
- Palm Beach Atlantic University (private)
- Lynn University (private)
[edit] Transportation
The South Florida metropolitan area is served by five interstate highways operated by the Florida Department of Transportation in conjunction with local agencies. I-95 runs north to south along the coast, ending just south of downtown Miami. I-75 runs east to west, turning south in western Broward County; it connects suburban North Miami-Dade to Naples on the west coast via Alligator Alley, which transverses the Florida Everglades before turning north. I-595 connects the Broward coast and downtown Fort Lauderdale to I-75 and Alligator Alley. I-195 and I-395 both connect the main I-95 route to Biscayne Boulevard and Miami Beach, which is located across Biscayne Bay. I-195 and I-395 also connect (at their interchanges with I-95) to the Airport Expressway (State Road 112) and the Dolphin Expressway (State Road 836), respectively, both of which run west to Miami International Airport; the Dolphin Expressway also connects to Florida's Turnpike and the western suburbs of Miami-Dade County.
Locally, the area is served by three county transit authorities: Palm Tran (Palm Beach County), Broward County Transit, and Miami-Dade Transit. The latter not only operates bus, but metro rapid transit (the Metrorail) and a downtown people mover (Metromover). Additionally, the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority operates Tri-Rail, a commuter rail system that connects the three primary cities of South Florida (Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach), and most intermediate points.
South Florida is served by three major airports:
- Miami International Airport (MIA)
- Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
- Palm Beach International Airport
The metropolis also has four seaports. These are Port of Miami, Port Everglades, Port of Palm Beach and the Miami River Port.
[edit] Major Freeways and Tollways
Interstate 95
Interstate 75
Interstate 195
Interstate 395
Interstate 595
Florida's Turnpike- Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
Dolphin Expressway (State Road 836)
Gratigny Parkway (State Road 924)
Airport Expressway (State Road 112)
Don Shula Expressway (State Road 874)
Snapper Creek Expressway (State Road 878)
Sawgrass Expressway (State Road 869)
Palmetto Expressway (State Road 826)
Hialeah Expressway (State Road 934)
[edit] Climate
South Florida has a tropical climate.[11] The metropolis does experience cold fronts from November through March, however most of the year is warm and humid, and the summers are reminiscent of a true tropical climate. In addition, the metropolis sees most of its rain in the summer (wet season) and is mainly 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 hurricane season largely coincides with the wet season.
Climate Zones of the World, under Koppen's System, retrieved August 8, 2006 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 see temperatures below 75 ºF (24 ºC). 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 ºF (15 ºC), rarely dipping below 40 ºF (4 ºC), and the equivalent maxima usually range between 65 and 75 °F (18-24 °C).
Hurricane season officially runs from June 1 through November 30, although hurricanes can develop beyond those dates. The most likely time for South Florida to be hit is during the peak of the Cape Verde season which is mid August through the end of September.[12] Due to its location between two major bodies of water known for tropical activity, South Florida is also statistically the most likely major city to be struck by a hurricane in the world, trailed closely by Nassau, Bahamas, and Havana, Cuba. Many hurricanes have affected the metropolis, including Betsy in 1965, Andrew in 1992, Irene in 1999, and Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma in 2005. In addition, a tropical depression in October of 2000 passed over the city, causing record rainfall and flooding. Locally, the storm is credited as the No Name Storm of 2000, though the depression went on to become Tropical Storm Leslie upon entering the Atlantic Ocean.
[edit] Area codes
- 305 Miami-Dade County/ Florida Keys
- 786 Miami Dade County
- 954 Broward County
- 754 Broward County
- 561 Palm Beach County
[edit] Sports
- The Florida Marlins of Major League Baseball and the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League play at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
- The Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association play at AmericanAirlines Arena in downtown Miami.
- The Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League play at BankAtlantic Center in suburban Sunrise, Florida.
- The Baltimore Orioles conduct Spring training in the city at Fort Lauderdale Stadium.
- South Florida also hosts the college sports teams of the University of Miami, Florida International University, Florida Atlantic University, Barry University and Nova Southeastern University.
[edit] Government
The metropolis is governed by the 3 counties in the area. In total there are 107 municipalities or incorporated places in the metropolis. Each one of the municipalities has its own city,town or village government, although there is no distinction between the 3 names. A lot of the land in the metropolis is unincorporated, which means it does not belong to any municipality, and therefore is governed directly by the county it is located in.
[edit] Media
South Florida is served by several English-language and two major Spanish-language daily newspapers. The Miami Herald is Miami's primary newspaper with over a million readers. It also has news bureaus in Broward County, Monroe County, and Nassau, Bahamas. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel circulates primarily in Broward and southern Palm Beach counties and also has a news bureau in Havana, Cuba. The Palm Beach Post serves mainly Palm Beach County, especially the central and northern regions, and the Treasure Coast. The Boca Raton News publishes five days a week and circulates in southern Palm Beach County.[13] El Nuevo Herald, a subsidiary of the Miami Herald, and Diario Las Americas,[14] are Spanish-language daily papers that circulate mainly in Miami-Dade County. La Palma and El Sentinel are weekly Spanish newspapers published by the Palm Beach Post and Sun-Sentinel, respectively, and circulate in the same areas as their English-language counterparts.
South Florida is split into two separate television/radio markets: The Miami-Fort Lauderdale market serves Miami-Dade, Broward and the Florida Keys. The West Palm Beach market serves Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast region.
Miami-Fort Lauderdale is the 12th largest radio market and the 16th largest television market in the U.S. Television stations serving the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area include WAMI (Telefutura), WBFS (MyNetworkTV), WSFL (The CW), WFOR (CBS), WHFT (TBN), WLTV (Univision), WPLG (ABC), WPXM (ION), WSCV (Telemundo), WSVN (FOX), WTVJ (NBC), WPBT (PBS), and WLRN (also PBS).
- See also: List of radio stations in Florida
[edit] References
- ^ Office of Management and Budget Bulletin 06-01, December 18, 2006: Update of Statistical Area Definitions and Guidance on Their Uses - URL retrieved December 18, 2006
- ^ Annual Estimates of the Population of Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2005
- ^ PDFMiami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach: Linear & Visionless - retrieved August 2, 2006
- ^ USA Urbanized Areas Over 500,000: 2000 Rankings - Rank by Density - URL retrieved September 5, 2006
- ^ Lists of Census 2000 Urbanized Areas and Urban Clusters - URL retrieved August 27, 2006
- ^ NOTE: large (2.8 MB) PDF file - UMiami, florida Urbanized Area Outline Map, 2000 Census - URL retrieved August 27, 2006
- ^ USA Urbanized Areas: 2000 Ranked by Population - URL retrieved September 5, 2006
- ^ State-sorted list for UCs - URL retrieved August 27, 2006
- ^ Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas defined by the Office of Management and Budget, December 2005 - retrieved August 9, 2006
- ^ American Community Survey - URL retrieved January 4, 2007
- ^ Köppen Climate Classification Map: South Florida=Aw=tropical wet & dry
- ^ Weather.com Vulnerable cities: Miami, Florida, retrieved February 19, 2006
- ^ Boca Raton News home page - URL retrieved August 19, 2006
- ^ Diario Las Americas
