World famous Miami is the symbol of south Florida's glamour. Miami paints an image of palm trees, packed sandy beaches along turquoise waters full of powers boats, sailing boats, cruise ships, and jet skis making visible splashes. The hot sun shines on the Miami's hot beach bodies and blends in well with the white towering skyscrapers of luxurious apartments, condominiums and office buildings located along the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay. a As the sun sets, Miami turns into one of the hottest night life spots on the planet. The bars, cafes, night clubs, lounges and restaurants light up the streets and add more heat to the already hot night time atmosphere. But, there is so much more to Miami that its glamorous beach oriented lifestyle. The international flavor of Miami makes it a global city with significance in finance, commerce, media, entertainment, arts and international trade.

Miami is located in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The city of Miami has a population of over 400,000 people, making it the 43rd most populous city in the United States. The Miami Metropolitan Area expands to nearby Broward County and Palm Beach County, Florida Keys, and encompasses over 5.4 million people, making it the seventh largest metropolitan area in the United States. Miami has a very diverse population from all over the world. Being close to the Caribbean and Latina America, Miami naturally has a large Spanish speaking population. In fact, more than half of Miami's residents are Hispanic/Latino from any race. Miami is a true international city when it comes diversity.

Miami is the heart of South Florida, the wealthiest area in the state, and is also one of the richest cities in the nation, as well as the world. Miami has a land area of about 36 square miles, and an aquatic area of about 20 square miles of Biscayne Bay. The Islands across Miami within Biscayne Bay such as the city of Miami Beach and Key Biscayne are one of the most premier residential and resort locations in the Florida area and the United States. Surrounding Miami are densely populated waterfront communities that span the waters of the Atlantic Ocean for hundreds of miles. The coastline of Miami proper actually lacks beaches, as its occupied by dense residential and commercial waterfront areas. The best beaches in the Miami area are located in nearby communities of Miami Beach, Bal Harbour, Bay Harbor Islands, Sunny Isles Beach, Golden Beach, and Key Biscayne.

Miami Beach is a world famous Island city, having more than 200 hotels, 150 night club venues, and many upscale shops. Miami Beach's southern neighborhood of South Beach is particularly responsible for boasting the city's vibrant night life and resort scene. Besides tourists, South Beach is a popular place for the fashion and entertainment industry, as the site is often chosen for photo shoots because of its art décor architecture and beautiful beaches, full of many local and international models.

Miami is divided in dozens of sections, including several ethnic quarters such as Little Havana. The main areas of Miami include Midtown Miami and Downtown Miami, the central business district that dominates the city's skyline with modern skyscrapers.

Miami has a well developed transportation network by air, road, rail, and water to accommodate the large local and visiting population.

The Miami International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world, serving more than 33 million passengers a year. The airport is a hub for passenger airlines American Airlines, American Eagle, Gulfstream International Airlines under the Continental Connection name.

The Port of Miami is the largest cruise ship port in the world and is of the nation's busiest cargo ports, importing 7.8 million tons of cargo in 2007.

Public transportation in Miami is operated by Miami-Dade Transit and SFRTA, and includes commuter rail (Tri-Rail), heavy-rail rapid transit (Metrorail), an elevated people mover (Metromover), and buses.

Miami's heavy-rail rapid transit system, Metrorail, is an elevated system comprising 22 stations on a 22-mile (36-km)-long line. Metrorail runs from the western suburbs of Hialeah and Medley through the Civic Center, Downtown, Coconut Grove, Coral Gables and ends in the southern suburb of Pinecrest. A free, elevated people mover, Metromover, operates 21 stations on three different lines in downtown Miami, with a station roughly every two blocks. Several expansion projects are being funded by a transit development sales tax surcharge throughout Miami-Dade County.

Tri-Rail, a commuter rail system operated by the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority, runs from Miami International Airport northward to West Palm Beach, with eighteen stops.

The Miami Intermodal Center and Miami Central Station are planned to open in 2010 and will both serve as a major transportation hub connecting Metrorail, Amtrak, Tri-Rail, Metrobus, taxis, rental cars, private automobiles, bicycles and pedestrians adjacent to Miami International Airport.

Road traffic in Miami-Dade County runs along four Interstate Highways (I-75, I-95, I-195, I-395) and several U.S. Highways including U.S. Route 1, U.S. Route 27, U.S. Route 41, and U.S. Route 441.

Miami is one of the country's most important financial centers. It is a major center of commerce, finances, corporate headquarters, and hosts a strong international business community. Miami hosts the headquarters and offices of significant companies and organizations including Espírito Santo Financial Group, Alienware, Bank of America, HSBC, Bacardi, Telemundo, Wachovia, Telefónica, Lennar, Ryder, Greenberg Traurig, Ernst and Young, Mellon Financial and Burger King, just to name a few. Additionally, The Port of Miami, the world's largest cruise ship port, is the headquarters of Norwegian Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Seabourn Cruise Line, and Carnival Corporation. Having a close proximity to Latina America, Miami has a strong influence from the Spanish speaking world as well as other places as it has operations from over 1400 multinational corporations, including AIG, American Airlines, Cisco, Disney, Exxon, FedEx, Kraft Foods, Microsoft, Oracle, SBC Communications, Sony, and Visa International.

Miami is home to professional teams of Miami Dolphins (football NFL), Florida Panthers (Hockey NHL), Miami Heat (basketball NBA), Florida Marlins (baseball MLB). Additionally the teams Miami FC (Soccer USL-1) and Miami Tropics (basketball ABA) compete in lower professional leagues.

 

Major cultural venues in Miami include The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts , the second-largest performing arts center in the United States after the Lincoln Center in New York City. Additionally, the Jackie Gleason Theater in Miami Beach is another notable venue.