Miami, City (pop., 2020: 442,241), southeastern Florida, U.S., situated on Biscayne Bay at the mouth of the Miami River. The southernmost large city in the continental U.S., it has a beach 7 mi (11 km) long. A Spanish mission was founded near the site in 1567, but permanent settlement did not begin until 1835, when U.S. forces built Fort Dallas for the removal of Seminole Indians to the West. The arrival of the railway in 1896 spurred development, and Miami was incorporated the same year. The city has been damaged by occasional hurricanes, notably in 1926 and 1935. Nearly 300,000 Cuban refugees have arrived since 1959 (see Cuba), establishing “Little Havana” within the city. It is a major resort and retirement centre, and its port handles the world’s largest number of cruise ship passengers. It is also a banking centre. Educational institutions include the University of Miami and Florida International University.
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