Miami, Florida

Nickname: The Magic City, M-I-A, The 305

Miami was officially incorporated as a city on July 28, 1896, although the area was first inhabited for more than a thousand years by the Tequesta Indians and was claimed for Spain in 1566 by Pedro Menéndez de Avilés. In the mid-1800s Fort Dallas was built and subsequently, was a site of fighting during the Second Seminole War. Miami's importance as an international, financial, and cultural center has elevated Miami to the status of world city. Because of Miami's cultural and linguistic ties to North, South, and Central America, as well as the Caribbean, Miami is many times referred to as "The Gateway of the Americas." Florida's large Spanish-speaking population and strong economic ties to Latin America also make Miami and the surrounding region an important center of the Hispanic world.

Miami is also home to one of the largest, most influential ports in the United States, the Port of Miami. The port is often times 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. Miami also boosts many leading universities such as the University of Miami, one of the United States' top teaching and research universities, and Florida International University, Florida's fifth-largest public research university. Miami currently has the five tallest skyscrapers in the state of Florida with the tallest being the Four Seasons Hotel & Tower.