2022 Winter Newsletter

COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: MIAMI—DADE COUNTY

Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the county has a population of over 2.7 million, making it the most populous county in Florida and the seventh-most populous county in the United States. It is also Florida's third largest county in terms of land area, with over 2,100 square miles.

Miami-Dade has a diverse population and is the most populous majority- Hispanic county in the country. The Port of Miami (Port Miami) is a major seaport located in Biscayne Bay and easily accessible to the Caribbean and Latin American markets, as well as those of Asia and Europe by way of the Panama Canal. Port Miami is also known as the “Cruise Capital of the World” welcoming more cruise passengers to its terminals than any other port. Miami International Airport (MIA) is the United States’ top airport for international freight and the second-busiest U.S. airport for international passengers, boasting a lineup of over 90 air carriers. MIA is also the leading economic engine for Miami-Dade County and the State of Florida, generating business revenue of $31.9 billion annually and approximately 60 percent of all international visitors to Florida. The county is home to 34 incorporated municipalities, and a large unincorporated area, which makes up about half the total urban area. The northern, central, and eastern portions of the county are heavily urbanized with many high-rise buildings along the coastline, including South Florida's central business district (Brickell Avenue) and Downtown Miami. Southern Miami-Dade County includes the Redlands and Homestead areas, which make up the agricultural economy of the county. Agricultural Redland makes up roughly one third of Miami-Dade County's inhabited land area, and is sparsely populated, a stark contrast to the densely populated, urban northern portion of the county. Miami is surrounded by two national parks. To the west, the Everglades National Park, which is populated only by a Miccosukee tribal village and to the east, in Biscayne Bay, is Biscayne National Park and the Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserves. The name Miami comes from one of the native tribes that lived in the region in the 1600s and 1700s, the Mayaimi. The Mayaimi lived around Lake Mayaimi (now Lake Okeechobee) in the Belle Glade area of Florida from the beginning of the Common Era until the 17th or 18th century. In the languages of the Mayaimi, Calusa and Tequesta tribes, Mayaimi meant "big water.” Miami-Dade County, formerly known as Dade County, was created on January 18, 1836, under the Territorial Act of the United States. Dade County was named after Francis L. Dade, a soldier killed in 1835 in the Second Seminole War, at what has since been named the Dade Battlefield. At the time of its creation, Dade County included the land that is now within Palm Beach and Broward counties, together with the Florida Keys from Bahia Honda Key north and the mainland. On November 13, 1997, voters approved the county name change from Dade County to Miami-Dade County to acknowledge the international name recognition of Miami. The change in name also addressed a source of public dissatisfaction with the name "Dade" previously chosen to honor Francis L. Dade. Information courtesy of the Hon. Pedro J Garcia

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Winter 2022 Newsletter of the FCIAAO