Майами
Майа́ми (англ. Miami) – крупный город на юго-востоке штата Флорида, США, в округе Майами-Дейд. Майами и его окрестности расположены на северном побережье залива Бискейн в промежутке между Эверглейдс и Атлантическим океаном. Население города составляет 382,894 чел. (перепись 2005 года), что по населённости ставит его на второе место в штате Флорида после города Джексонвиль (англ. Jacksonville).

Майами официально получил статус города 28 июля 1896 года, в то время в нём проживало чуть более 300 человек. В 1940 году, в городе проживало уже около 172 тыс. человек. Согласно переписи населения 2000 года в самом городе жило уже более 362 тыс. человек, а если считать с окрестностями, то 5.4 млн человек [1].

Быстрый рост населения Майами в последние годы во многом связан как с внутренней (из других регионов страны), так и внешней (из-за границы) иммиграцией. В Майами и его окрестностях большой процент выходцев из Латинской Америки и Карибских островов, говорящих на испанском или гаитянском языках. Майами считается культурным и финансовым центром мирового значения, его культурные традиции тесно связаны с народами Северной, Южной, Центральной Америки и Карибского региона.

На сегодняшний день практически все крупнейшие корпорации мира имеют своё представительство в Майами. Город вовлечён в многочисленные политические дебаты в связи с близостью Кубы, а также в связи с проблемами терроризма, нелегальной иммиграции и распространения наркотиков.

Miami (pronounced mī-ăm'ē, mī-ăm'ə) is a major city in southeastern Florida, in the United States. It is the county seat of Miami-Dade County. Miami is a gamma world city[1] with an estimated population of 404,048. It is the largest city within the South Florida metropolitan area, which is the largest metropolitan area in the Southeastern United States with 5.5 million people. Miami and its surrounding cities make up the fifth largest urban area in the United States.[2] As of 2005, the United Nations estimates that the Miami Urban Agglomeration is the fourth largest in the United States, and the 44th largest in the world.[3]

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 financial 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 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.

As of 2007, Miami is undergoing a massive building boom that ranks second worldwide (and first in the United States) for the most buildings under construction that will be over 492 feet (150 m), with over 24 of such buildings currently under construction. Miami’s skyline also currently ranks third in the U.S. behind Chicago and New York City (and 18th in the world) according to the 2006 Almanac of Architecture and Design.[4] Including other nearby neighborhoods and cities, the Miami area has over 80 highrise towers under construction, such as the Biscayne Wall in Downtown Miami, a row of skyscrapers being built along the west side of Biscayne Boulevard. Miami currently has the five tallest skyscrapers in the state of Florida with the tallest being the Four Seasons Hotel & Tower.[5]

At only 35.68 square miles (92 km²) of land area, Miami has the smallest land area of any major U.S. city with a metro area of at least 2.5 million people. The city proper is home to less than 1 in 13 residents of the South Florida Metro Area. Additionally, 52% of Miami-Dade County’s population doesn't live in any incorporated city. Miami is the only major city in the United States bordered by two national parks, Everglades National Park on the west, and Biscayne National Park on the east.

Miami and its metro area grew from just over one thousand residents to nearly five and a half million residents in just 110 years (1896-2006). The city’s nickname, The Magic City, comes from this rapid growth. Winter visitors remarked that the city grew so much from one year to the next that it was like magic.[6] Miami is the only major city in the United States founded by a woman, Julia Tuttle.[7]