Travel Guide

Full Name

Miami

Former Name

Government Type

Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic tradition

Area Size

The city covers 143.15 km² and is the county seat of Miami-Dade County.

Time Zone

UTC/GMT -5 hours

Climate

Miami has a true tropical climate, with hot, humid summers, and warm, dry winters. The city does experience cold fronts from November through March. However, the average monthly temperature for any month has never been recorded as being under 64.4° F (January averages 67° F), which classifies the climate as being tropical.Most of the year is warm and humid, and the summers are almost identical to the climate of the Caribbean tropics.

Geography

Miami and its suburbs are located on a broad plain between the Florida Everglades to the west and Biscayne Bay to the east that also extends from Florida Bay north to Lake Okeechobee. The elevation of the area never rises above 12 m and averages at around 2 m above sea level in most neighborhoods, especially near the coast. The highest undulations are found along the coastal Miami Rock Ridge, whose substrate underlies most of the eastern Miami metropolitan region. The main portion of the city lies on the shores of Biscayne Bay which contains several hundred natural and artificially-created barrier islands, the largest of which contains the city of Miami Beach and its famous South Beach district. The Gulf Stream, a warm ocean current, runs northward just 24.1 km off the coast, allowing the city's climate to stay warm and mild all year.

Languages

English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and Pacific island 2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census)

Culture

As home to the Florida Grand Opera, the New World Symphony and the Jackie Gleason Theater of the Performing Arts, Miami's cultural life is very much alive and kicking. The local newspapers are a good way for visitors to find out what is on: the New Times or the Friday edition of the Miami Herald are best.

History

Miami was officially incorporated as a city on July 28, 1896, though 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. A Spanish mission was established a year later in 1567. In the mid-1800s Fort Dallas was built and subsequently, was a site of fighting during the Second Seminole War. In the 1920s, Miami prospered through the Florida Land Boom of the 1920's with an increase in population and infrastructure. By 1940, 172,172 people lived in the city and Miami had grown to become a large, growing city. The Miami area was better known as “Biscayne Bay Country” in the early years of its growth. The few published accounts from that period describe the area as a wilderness that held much promise.[5] The area was also characterized as “one of the finest building sites in Florida.”[6] However, the Great Freeze of 1894 changed all that, and the crops of the Miami area were the only ones in Florida that survived. Julia Tuttle, a local citrus grower, convinced Henry Flagler, a railroad tycoon, to expand his Florida East Coast Railroad to Miami. On July 28, 1896, Miami was officially incorporated as a city with a population of just over 300.

Travel Information

Flying is the most convenient and efficient way to get to Miami from out of state. Floridians and intrepid travelers can also opt to take buses or trains into town, or even drive their own cars. As a major business- and leisure-travel destination, Miami offers many transportation options to fit any budget or style.

Accommodation

Greater Miami accommodations are suited for work or play, offering amenities for every mood and budget. From fabulous chic boutiques to luxuriously tropical resorts, and charming romantic hideaways to comfortable family getaways.

Visa Requirements

Visas not required by nationals of the EU, Australia and Canada except the following: nationals of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania and Slovak Republic, who do require a visa. Landed Immigrants of Canada and British residents of Bermuda who are citizens of, and have valid passports from, Commonwealth countries or Ireland are not eligible to enter the USA without a visa. All passengers using US airports for transit purposes are required to obtain a transit visa. This does not affect qualified travellers travelling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program. To qualify for visa-free travel under the Visa Waiver Program, nationals must travel on a valid passport, for holiday, transit or business purposes only and for a stay not exceeding 90 days. Passengers must have the full address and ZIP code of where they are staying in the USA to be able to fully complete the I-94W form. Airlines are also required to collect passenger details, including the address of their first night's accommodation in the USA, before they board the aircraft. Holders of UK passports with the endorsement British Subject, British Dependent Territories Citizen, British Protected Person, British Overseas Citizen or British National (Overseas) Citizen do not qualify for the Visa Waiver Program. Nationals of countries not referred to above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements. Visas may be used for travel to the USA until the date it expires. Some visas are valid for multiple entries. The length of stay in the USA is determined by US immigration officials at the time of entry but is generally six months; there is, however, no set time. Apply to Embassy or consulate. Valid passport required by all nationals of countries referred to above; validity varies - for most countries the passport must be valid for at least six months from the date on which the holder enters the USA. If not, the holder will be admitted until the expiration date on the passport; check with the embassy. For nationals included in the Visa Waiver Program, passports must be valid for at least 90 days from date of entry. All travellers entering the USA under the Visa Waiver Program require individual machine-readable passports. Children included on a parent's passport also now require their own machine-readable passport. Travellers not in possession of machine-readable passports will require a valid USA entry visa. Passports issued on or after 26 October 2005 will need to have a biometric identifier in order for the holder to travel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Machine-readable passports issued between 26 October 2005 and 25 October 2006 require a digital photograph printed on the data page or an integrated chip with information from the data page. Machine-readable passports issued on or after 26 October 2006 will require an integrated chip with information from the data page. New Requirements for Travellers: As of 23 January 2007 all persons, including US citizens, travelling by air between the USA and Canada, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda are required to present a valid passport, or other approved document, when entering or re-entering the USA. Similar requirements for those travelling by land or sea will be introduced as early as 1 January 2008.

Getting Around

Miami-Dade Transit Service (MDT) provides a variety of useful transport options, including Metrorail, Metrobus and Metromover. At 34km, the Metrorail is the longest elevated rapid transit system in America. It runs from Kendall northwards through South Miami, Coral Gables, downtown Miami and then northwest to the Hialeah district. There are 22 stations and the entire journey takes 42 minutes. Trains run approximately every 10-20 minutes, every six minutes at peak times and every 30 minutes after 2000. Metrobus operates a comprehensive bus service with 94 routes, some running 24 hours a day. Blue and green bus-stop signs list the routes and destinations. Exact change only is handed to the driver upon boarding. Downtown Miami is served by the futuristic, driverless Metromover, an elevated, three-loop, fully automated monorail. This links major business, entertainment and cultural centres, hotels, shopping malls, government buildings and the Brickell Financial District, and also connects with the Metrorail and Metrobus. It operates daily from about 0500 to midnight, every three minutes or every 90 seconds during rush hour, with the outer Loop serving Brickell and Omni operating as one continuous loop from about 1900 until midnight. The Metromover is free to all travellers. It is safe, air-conditioned and it also provides unparalleled views of downtown Miami. The South Beach Local makes getting around South Beach a breeze. The bus runs every 10-15 minutes and is very cheap. A monthly Metropass allows for unlimited travel on the Metrobus, Metrorail and Metromover. Taxis are plentiful but it is not the norm to hail one in the street. They are easily available from taxi stands outside most hotels and shopping malls, although it is more common to telephone for one. Hiring a car is relatively straightforward. Drivers must be over 25 years old and possess a valid national driving licence and a credit card to hold a deposit of at least US$500.

Health & Safety

There are no specific health risks associated with travel within the USA. Medical facilities are excellent, but expensive. Only emergencies are treated without prior payment and treatment can be refused without evidence of insurance or proof of funds. Good medical insurance is essential. Travel within the United States is generally trouble-free, however travellers should be aware that the US shares with the rest of the world an increased threat from terrorist incidents. Security has been heightened particularly at airports. Travellers should also be alert to the dangers of car and street crime in cities and should use common sense and take basic precautions. Forecasting teams in the USA have predicted an increase in hurricane activity in the Atlantic for 2007, between June and November, putting the southern USA, including the Gulf Coast and the eastern US, at higher risk than usual.

National Holidays

1 Jan - New Year’s Day. 15 Jan - Martin Luther King Day. 19 Feb - Presidents’ Day. 28 May - Memorial Day. 4 Jul - Independence Day. 3 Sep - Labor Day. 8 Oct - Columbus Day. 12 Nov - Veterans' Day. 22 Nov - Thanksgiving Day. 25 Dec - Christmas Day.

Currency

US Dollar (USD)

Electricity

110 volts, 60Hz

Working Hours

Office Hours: Mon-Fri 9.00am - 5.30pm.

Emergency Numbers

911