Miami is a city located at the tip of a peninsula at the southernmost edge of the state of Florida. It is bordered by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of America. Miami is the southernmost of America’s major metropolitan cities, and the Greater Miami area—city plus surrounding communities—has a population of about six million people.
Before the arrival of European settlers, this land was home to small Native American tribes. The first European explorers and settlements appeared in what is now Florida toward the end of the 18th century. Most of them were sailors, early explorers, and—quite often in those days—treasure hunters.
In the mid-19th century, the first small European settlement was established on the site of today’s metropolis. It was known as the Village of Miami. By the late 1800s, its population had grown to several hundred residents, most of whom made their living by cultivating citrus crops.
A turning point came in 1894, when railroad magnate Henry Flagler decided to build a coastal hotel in the area. To support this project, a railroad line was extended to the settlement. Just two years after construction began, the railway became operational.
As a result, in 1896, the Village of Miami officially gained city status—even though only about 450 people lived there at the time. During World War I, Miami’s population grew at an extraordinary pace, and by the 1930s the city was home to more than 110,000 residents.
From the early 2000s onward, Miami entered a massive high-rise construction boom, often compared to the skyscraper wave that transformed New York and Chicago in the 1930s. Since then, nearly one hundred towers taller than 120 meters have been planned, with about fifty already completed. Unlike earlier skyscraper booms in other U.S. cities—dominated by office buildings—Miami’s towers are almost entirely residential.
Today, tourism and real estate development are the cornerstones of Miami’s economy. World-famous beaches, high-end service, and endless entertainment options draw around 40 million visitors each year, securing Miami’s status as one of the most desirable destinations in the United States.