The
Tampa Bay Area, or
Tampa BayTampa Bay is a large natural harbor and estuary along the Gulf of Mexico on the west central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay....
, after the body of water it surrounds, is the second most populated metropolitan region in the state of
FloridaFlorida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...
, the 19th-largest metro area in the United States, the fourth largest in the
SoutheastThe US Southeast is the eastern portion of the Southern United States, but the Census Bureau does not provide a standard definition of a "Southeast" region of the United States, and organizations that need to subdivide the US are free to define a "Southeast" region to fit their needs...
behind only
MiamiSouth Florida, or more officially the Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach Metropolitan Area, encompasses a three-county area of the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Florida. The metropolitan area covers the counties of Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach. The three counties are the three most...
,
AtlantaAtlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, Georgia, is the eighth-largest metropolitan statistical area in the United States and consists of 28 counties in Georgia. Atlanta is the capital and the largest city in the state of Georgia with a population of 537,545. Its metropolitan statistical area has a...
and
WashingtonThe Washington Metropolitan Area, formally known as the Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC–VA–MD–WV MSA, is a U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Area defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget . It is also part of the larger Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area...
, and second largest on the Gulf Coast behind
HoustonHouston–Sugar Land–Baytown is a 10-county metropolitan area defined by the Office of Management and Budget. It is located along the Gulf Coast region in the U.S. state of Texas...
. The population for the Tampa-St. Petersburg MSA currently stands at 2,723,949, as of a July 1, 2007 estimate, and the Greater Tampa Bay Region contains 4 million residents when including immediately adjacent urban and suburban counties to the official MSA. The Tampa Bay Partnership and U.S. Census data showed an average annual growth of 2.47 percent, or a gain of approximately 97,000 residents per year between 2000 and 2006. The combined Greater Tampa Bay region experienced a combined growth rate of 14.8 percent, growing from 3.4 million to 3.9 million and hitting the 4 million mark on April 1, 2007 in the continuous Tampa Bay urban area. In 2008 the area's construction based boom was brought to a sudden halt by the
financial crisis of 2007–2009The financial crisis of 2007–2009 has been called the worst financial crisis since the one related to the Great Depression by leading economists, and it contributed to the failure of key businesses, declines in consumer wealth estimated in the trillions of U.S. dollars, substantial financial...
, and by 2009 it was ranked as the fourth worst performing housing market in the United States.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1821648-2,00.html
Counties
The following
countiesA county is a land area of local government within a country. A county may have cities and towns within its area. Originally, in continental Europe, a county was the land under the jurisdiction of a count .Counts are called earls in post-Celtic Britain, Ireland and France—the term is from Old...
constitute the Tampa-St. Pete-Clearwater MSA:
- Hernando County
Hernando County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 130,802. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county is 165,409 . Its county seat is Brooksville, Florida. Majority of the county's population is in Spring Hill, west portion of Hernando...
- Hillsborough County
Hillsborough County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. The 2000 population was 998,948. In 2007, the Hillsborough County Planning Commission conducted a population estimate that put the county's population at 1,204,770. Its county seat is Tampa, Florida. Hillsborough County is the...
- Pasco County
Pasco County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 344,765. The July 1, 2007 census estimate according to the U.S. Census Bureau for the county is 462,715. Its county seat is Dade City, Florida. It is the 38th fastest growing county in the country with...
- Pinellas County
Pinellas County is a county located in the state of Florida. Its county seat is Clearwater, Florida, and its largest city is St. Petersburg. This county is contained entirely within the telephone area code 727, except for some sections of Oldsmar, which has the area code 813...
Other counties are sometimes included in the Tampa Bay Area, depending on how the region is defined. For example, included in the jurisdiction of
TBARTAThe Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority, or TBARTA, is a transportation agency of the U.S. state of Florida which was created on July 1, 2007...
are the above counties, plus the following:
- Citrus County, Florida
Citrus County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 118,085. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county was 138,143 . Its county seat is Inverness, Florida...
- Manatee County, Florida
Manatee County is a county in the state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2008 estimate for the county was 315,766 Its county seat is Bradenton, Florida.Manatee County is part of the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- Sarasota County, Florida
Sarasota County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2008 estimate for the county was 372,057. Its county seat is Sarasota, Florida.Sarasota County is part of the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice Metropolitan Statistical Area....
Polk County, FloridaPolk County is a county located in the U.S. in Florida. As of 2000, the population was 483,924. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimates the county population to be 561,606. The county seat is Bartow. Its largest city is Lakeland...
is also frequently included in definitions of the Tampa Bay Area.
Cities
The following is a list of important cities and
unincorporated communitiesIn law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality. To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city or town with its own government. Thus, an unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
located in the Tampa Bay Area. Most of these locations are in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater MSA. Also frequently included in the Tampa Bay Area are cities in other Metropolitan Statistical Areas; among these are two of the primary cities in the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. Those that are not in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater MSA are indicated by a ★.
Primary cities
These cities are the primary cities of the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater MSA. Each has a population in excess of 100,000 inhabitants.
- Clearwater
Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, USA, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787; however, according to the 2005 U.S. Census Bureau's estimates, the city's population fell slightly to 108,687....
- St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The city is known as a vacation destination for North American and European vacationers. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 248,232. As of 2006, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 248,098. The 2007...
- Tampa
Tampa is a Gulf Coast city in Hillsborough County, on the west coast of the state of Florida in the United States. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. The population of Tampa in 2000 was 303,447...
Between 50,000 to 100,000 inhabitants
- Bradenton
Bradenton is a city in Manatee County, Florida, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's 2007 population to be 53,471. Bradenton is the largest Principal City of the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2007 estimated population of 682,833...
★
- Brandon
Brandon is an unincorporated census-designated place in Hillsborough County, Florida, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the community had a total population of 77,895...
(unincorporated)
- Largo
Largo is the third largest city in Pinellas County, Florida, USA and is part of the Tampa Bay Area. Centrally located, it is the crossroads of the county. As of the 2000 census, the City had a total population of 69,371. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 71,704...
- Lakeland
Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States, located approximately midway between Tampa and Orlando along Interstate 4. According to the 2006 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city had a population of 89,108. Lakeland is a principal city of the Lakeland-Winter Haven, Florida...
★
- Palm Harbor
Palm Harbor is a census-designated place and an unincorporated community in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. As of the 2000 census, the CDP had a total population of 59,248.-Culture:...
(unincorporated)
- Sarasota
Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the state of Florida in the United States. Its current official limits include Sarasota Bay and several barrier islands between the bay and the Gulf of Mexico....
★
- Spring Hill
Spring Hill is a census-designated place in Hernando County, Florida, United States. The estimated population was 92,144 in 2007 by the United States Census. Spring Hill belongs to Florida's Nature Coast and is in the Tampa-St. Petersburg metro area...
(unincorporated)
- Town 'n' Country
Town 'n' Country is a census-designated place in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. As of the 2000 census, the area had a total population of 72,523....
(unincorporated)
Between 10,000 to 50,000 inhabitants
- Auburndale
Auburndale is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 11,032 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2005, the city had a population of 12,381...
★
- Bartow
Bartow is a city in Central Florida east of the Tampa Bay area. The population was 15,340 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2005, the city had a population of 16,278. It is the county seat of Polk County. Bartow is also part of the Lakeland–Winter Haven...
★
- Bayonet Point (unincorporated)
- Bayshore Gardens (unincorporated) ★
- Bloomingdale
Bloomingdale is an unincorporated census-designated place in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. The population was 19,839 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bloomingdale is located at ....
(unincorporated)
- Citrus Park
Citrus Park is an unincorporated census-designated place in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. The population was 20,226 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Citrus Park is located at , or about nine miles northwest of Tampa...
(unincorporated)
- Dunedin
Dunedin is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The name comes from the Scots Gaelic Dùn Èideann meaning Edinburgh. The population was 35,691 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 36,632...
- Egypt Lake-Leto
Egypt Lake-Leto is a census-designated place and an unincorporated census area in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. The population was 32,782 at the 2000 census. The area is located just north of Tampa International Airport.-Geography:...
(unincorporated)
- East Lake
East Lake is a census-designated place in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The population was 29,394 at the 2000 census. It was one of the last areas, in the heavily-densed county, to develop and is still growing at a rapid pace...
(unincorporated)
- Elfers (unincorporated)
- Englewood
Englewood is a corruption of Dutch Engelse buurt, or "English neighborhood", which originally referred to Englewood, New Jersey's status as one of the few English-speaking settlements in Dutch-speaking New Netherland...
(unincorporated) ★
- Fruitville (unincorporated) ★
- Greater Carrollwood
Greater Carrollwood is a census-designated place and an unincorporated census area located in northwestern Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. The population was 33,519 at the 2000 census. The census area includes the separate communities of Carrollwood and Carrollwood Village.- ZIP code...
(unincorporated)
- Gulf Gate Estates (unincorporated) ★
- Gulfport
Gulfport is a city in Pinellas County, Florida and a suburb of St. Petersburg. The population of Gulfport was 12,527 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau wa 12,740. Gulfport is part of the Tampa-St...
- Haines City ★
- Holiday
Holiday is a census-designated place in Pasco County, Florida, United States. It is a suburb included in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 21,904 at the 2000 census....
- Homosassa Springs
Homosassa Springs is a census-designated place in Citrus County, Florida, United States. The population was 12,458 at the 2000 census.The name derives from the warm spring located in the Wildlife State Park that attracts manatees to the area....
(unincorporated) ★
- Hudson
Hudson is a census-designated place located at the westernmost end of Pasco County, Florida, United States. It is a suburb included in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area...
(unincorporated)
- Jasmine Estates (unincorporated)
- Keystone (unincorporated)
- Lake Magdalene (unincorporated)
- Land O' Lakes
Land O' Lakes is a census-designated place in Pasco County, Florida, in the United States. Land O' Lakes is part of the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida MSA. As of the 2000 census, the CDP population was 20,971. The city grew rapidly during the 1990s, growing from 7,800 residents to...
(unincorporated)
- Lealman
West and East Lealman, more commonly-known collectively as Lealman, is a census-designated place in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The population was 21,753 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
(unincorporated)
- Lake Wales ★
- Lakeland Highlands (unincorporated) ★
- Lakewood Ranch (unincorporated) ★
- Lutz
Lutz is an unincorporated census-designated place in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. The population was 17,081 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lutz is located at ....
(unincorporated)
- New Port Richey
New Port Richey is a city in Pasco County, Florida, United States. It is a suburban city included in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- North Port
North Port is a city in Sarasota County, Florida, United States. The population was 22,797 at the 2000 census. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S...
★
- Greater Northdale
Greater Northdale is an unincorporated census-designated place in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. The population was 20,461 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Greater Northdale is located at ....
(unincorporated)
- Oldsmar
Oldsmar is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The population was 11,910 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 13,706....
- Palm River-Clair Mel
Palm River-Clair Mel is an unincorporated census-designated place in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. The population was 17,589 at the 2000 census...
(unincorporated)
- Palmetto
Palmetto is a city in Manatee County, Florida, United States. The population was 12,571 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, its population recorded by the U.S...
★
- Pinellas Park
Pinellas Park is a city located in central Pinellas County, Florida. The population was 45,658 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 47,166 . The city was founded by Philadelphia publisher, F. A...
- Plant City
Plant City is a city in Hillsborough County, Florida, approximately midway between Brandon and Lakeland along Interstate 4. The population was 29,915 at the 2000 census. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S...
- Poinciana
Poinciana is a census-designated place in Osceola and Polk counties in the U.S. state of Florida. It lies southwest of Kissimmee and about 14 miles east of Haines City. It is the largest unincorporated master-planned community in the United States...
(unincorporated) ★
- Riverview
-Australia:*Riverview, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney**St Ignatius' College, Riverview*Riverview, Queensland, a suburb of Ipswich-Canada:*Riverview, Alberta, a hamlet in Alberta*Riverview, Manitoba, a neighbourhood in Winnipeg*Riverview, New Brunswick...
(unincorporated)
- Safety Harbor
Safety Harbor is a city on the west shore of Tampa Bay in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It was incorporated in 1917. The population was 17,203 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 17,550....
- Seminole
Seminole is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,890 at the 2000 census. As of 2007, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 19,195. St. Petersburg College has a campus in the city.-Geography:...
- South Bradenton (unincorporated) ★
- South Venice (unincorporated) ★
- Greater Sun Center
Greater Sun Center, known more commonly as Sun City Center, is an unincorporated census-designated place located in southern Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. It is located south of Tampa and north of Sarasota on I-75. As of the 2000 census, the population was 16,321...
(unincorporated)
- Tarpon Springs
Tarpon Springs is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The population was 21,003 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2004 estimates, the city had a population of 22,554....
- Temple Terrace
Temple Terrace is a city in northeastern Hillsborough County, Florida, USA, adjacent to Tampa. According to 2006 estimates, the city had a population of 23,405. It is the third and smallest incorporated municipality in Hillsborough County...
- University
University is an unincorporated census-designated place in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. The population was 30,736 at the 2000 census. However, as of the 2003 estimate by Rand McNally, the community population is approximately 33,200. It is the home of University of South Florida...
(unincorporated)
- Westchase
Westchase is an unincorporated census-designated place in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. The population was 11,116 as of the 2000 census. The Census area is co-extensive with the ZIP code that serves the area . Westchase is also one of the wealthiest areas of Hillsborough County.-...
(unincorporated)
- Winter Haven
* Winter Haven, Florida* Winter Haven High School* Winter Haven Red Sox* Winter Haven's Gilbert Airport* Winter Haven Super Sox* Winter Haven Area Transit* Winter Haven * Winter Haven Heights Historic Residential District...
★
- Venice
Venice is a city in Sarasota County, Florida, United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2007 estimates, the city had a population of 21,015. It is noted for its large snowbird population. Its newspaper is the Venice Gondolier Sun...
★
- Zephyrhills
Zephyrhills is a city in Pasco County, Florida. The population was 10,833 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2004 estimates, the city had a population of 11,854...
Demographics
According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the Tampa-St. Pete-Clearwater MSA consists of the following ethnic demographics:
- White (Non-Hispanic/Latino)- 1,821,955 76.0%
- Black - 248,058 10.4%
- Hispanic - 248,642 10.4%
- Asian/Pacific Islander - 57,235 2.4%
Population and age
Tampa Bay's expanding population has grown more than 11 percent in the past six years and is projected to grow an additional 9 percent by 2011. The Tampa Bay region's population is projected to increase from the current 3.8 million to more than 4.2 million in 2011. That translates to over 70,000 new people a year, mostly through
migrationHuman migration is movement by humans from one district to another, sometimes over long distances or in large groups....
.
| Population |
Tampa Bay |
| 2011 Projection |
4,207,447 |
| 2006 Estimate |
3,863,811 |
| 2000 Census |
3,469,880 |
| 1990 Census |
2,962,824 |
| Regional Counties |
2006 |
2011 Estimate |
| Hernando Hernando County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 130,802. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county is 165,409 . Its county seat is Brooksville, Florida. Majority of the county's population is in Spring Hill, west portion of Hernando...
|
154,045 |
171,593 |
HillsboroughHillsborough County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. The 2000 population was 998,948. In 2007, the Hillsborough County Planning Commission conducted a population estimate that put the county's population at 1,204,770. Its county seat is Tampa, Florida. Hillsborough County is the...
|
1,139,830 |
1,264, 811 |
ManateeManatee County is a county in the state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2008 estimate for the county was 315,766 Its county seat is Bradenton, Florida.Manatee County is part of the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice Metropolitan Statistical Area...
|
306,512 |
342,712 |
| Pasco Pasco County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 344,765. The July 1, 2007 census estimate according to the U.S. Census Bureau for the county is 462,715. Its county seat is Dade City, Florida. It is the 38th fastest growing county in the country with...
|
418,075 |
473,053 |
PinellasPinellas is the name of a peninsula located roughly half-way down the west coast of Florida. It forms the western boundary of Tampa Bay and comprises the bulk of Pinellas County. There is a city named Pinellas Park in south Pinellas. The peninsula is bounded on the north by Pasco County, Florida,...
|
937,182 |
959,546 |
| Polk Polk County is a county located in the U.S. in Florida. As of 2000, the population was 483,924. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimates the county population to be 561,606. The county seat is Bartow. Its largest city is Lakeland...
|
541,006 |
591,742 |
SarasotaSarasota County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2008 estimate for the county was 372,057. Its county seat is Sarasota, Florida.Sarasota County is part of the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice Metropolitan Statistical Area....
|
367,161 |
403,990 |
Nearly 20% of Tampa Bay's population is in the 18-34 age group.
| Age |
Tampa Bay Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and estuary along the Gulf of Mexico on the west central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay....
|
Percentage |
| 0-17 |
852,600 |
22.03% |
| 18-34 |
757,808 |
19.62% |
| 35-54 |
1,066,684 |
27.32% |
| 55-64 |
447,581 |
11.58% |
| 65 and over |
750,138 |
19.42% |
| MEDIAN AGE |
41.39 years old |
Ethnicity
| Ethnicity |
Tampa Bay |
Percentage |
CaucasianThe term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the indigenous populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, West Asia, Central Asia, and South Asia...
|
3,141,549 |
81.31% |
| Hispanic Hispanic is a term that historically denoted a relationship to the ancient Hispania . During the modern era, it took on a more limited meaning, relating to the contemporary nation of Spain....
or LatinoThe demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American or Spanish-speaking descent."* "A Latin American."...
|
479,936 |
12.42% |
African AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa. In the United States, the terms are generally used for Americans with at least partial Sub-Saharan African ancestry...
|
411,157 |
10.64% |
| Asian |
77,296 |
2.00% |
| Other |
149,948 |
3.89% |
| Two or more races |
83,861 |
2.17% |
HispanicHispanic is a term that historically denoted a relationship to the ancient Hispania . During the modern era, it took on a more limited meaning, relating to the contemporary nation of Spain....
or
LatinoThe demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American or Spanish-speaking descent."* "A Latin American."...
by Origin
| Ethnicity |
Tampa Bay |
Percentage |
| Mexican |
145,685 |
30.36% |
| Puerto Rican |
135,133 |
28.16% |
Cuban
|
63,728 |
13.28% |
| All Others |
135,390 |
28.21% |
Migration
From 2000-2004, total net
migrationHuman migration is movement by humans from one district to another, sometimes over long distances or in large groups....
for the Tampa Bay region was 262,961 or an average of 65,740 per year. During this time Tampa Bay accounted for nearly 20% of Florida's total net migration. The annual migration totals grew steadily since 2000 until 200 people a day moved to Tampa Bay in 2004. Two Tampa Bay region counties are among the top counties in the country for net in-migration. Pasco County ranks 8th in the nation for net migration and
Hillsborough CountyHillsborough County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. The 2000 population was 998,948. In 2007, the Hillsborough County Planning Commission conducted a population estimate that put the county's population at 1,204,770. Its county seat is Tampa, Florida. Hillsborough County is the...
ranks 13th out of more than 3,000 counties.
Avionics, Defense & Marine Electronics
The
University of South FloridaThe University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, and is a public research university located in Tampa, Florida, USA, with an autonomous campus in St. Petersburg, and branch centers in Sarasota and Lakeland...
’s Center for Ocean Technology, which has been a leader in MEMS research and development and has been using the technology to collect biological and chemical data to monitor water quality, provided underwater technology for
port securityPort security refers to the defense, law and treaty enforcement, and counterterrorism activities that fall within the port and maritime domain. It includes the protection of the seaports themselves, the protection and inspection of the cargo moving through the ports, and maritime...
at the 2004
Republican National ConventionThe Republican National Convention is the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States. Convened by the Republican National Committee, the stated purpose of the convocation is to nominate an official candidate in an upcoming U.S...
. USF’s Center for Robot-Assisted Search and Rescue used its miniature robots to assist rescue teams at
Ground ZeroThe term ground zero may be used to describe the point on the earth's surface where an explosion occurs...
following the September 11 terrorist attacks. Tampa Bay is home to
United States Central CommandThe United States Central Command is a theater-level Unified Combatant Command unit of the U.S. armed forces, established in 1983 under the operational control of the U.S. Secretary of Defense. It was originally conceived of as the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force .Its area of responsibility is...
which directs military operations in
AfghanistanThe Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in south central Asia. It is variously described as being located within Central Asia, South Asia, or the Middle East...
,
IraqIraq , officially the Republic of Iraq , also known as Mesopotamia, is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert.Iraq shares borders with Jordan to the west, Syria...
and the
middle EastThe Middle East is a region that spans southwestern Asia, southeastern Europe, and northeastern Africa. It has no clear boundaries, often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East...
.
Business and Information Services
Nearly one in four of the state's business and information services firms resides in Tampa Bay. These firms range from financial services firms to
information technologyInformation technology , as defined by the Information Technology Association of America , is "the study, design, development, implementation, support or management of computer-based information systems, particularly software applications and computer hardware." IT deals with the use of electronic...
providers to professional services organizations such as law firms, accounting firms, engineering firms,
consultingA consultant is a professional who provides advice in a particular area of expertise such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, medicine, finance, life management, economics,...
and more. As a gateway to the Florida High Tech Corridor, Tampa Bay is home to many information technology firms along with many business services providers.
Wall Street South
Tampa Bay's financial services cluster is the largest in the state of
FloridaFlorida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...
and ranks 20th in the nation in terms of domestic employment. The size and scope of this sector has drawn many service vendors to the region to support the financial services industry.
Financial Service Firms:
- JPMorgan Chase
- Citigroup
Citigroup Inc. , is a major American financial services company based in New York, NY. Citigroup was formed from one of the world's largest mergers in history by combining the banking giant Citicorp and financial conglomerate Travelers Group on April 7, 1998.Citigroup Inc...
- Deposit Trust & Clearing Corporation
- Raymond James Financial
- Franklin Templeton
- Metlife
- USAA
United Services Automobile Association is a Fortune 500 financial services company offering banking, investing, and insurance to people and families that serve, or served, in the United States military.USAA was founded in 1922 by a group of U.S...
- Progressive Insurance
- State Farm
State farm can refer to:*Sovkhoz, a type of state-owned farm in the Soviet Union*Volkseigenes Gut, a type of state-owned farm in East Germany*Państwowe Gospodarstwo Rolne, a type of state-owned farm in People's Republic of Poland...
Information Services
Tampa Bay serves as the gateway to the Florida High Tech Corridor which spans 23 counties. Created as a partnership between the
University of South FloridaThe University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, and is a public research university located in Tampa, Florida, USA, with an autonomous campus in St. Petersburg, and branch centers in Sarasota and Lakeland...
,
University of Central FloridaThe University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...
and now including the
University of FloridaThe University of Florida is a public land-grant, sea-grant, space-grant major research university located on a campus located in Gainesville, Florida, in the United States. The university traces its origins to 1853, and has continuously operated on its present Gainesville campus since the fall...
, the Florida High Tech Corridor promotes the growth of the high tech industry across
Central FloridaCentral Florida is the central region of the United States state of Florida, on the East Coast. The region enjoys a hot but stormy climate, with many thunderstorms, and hurricanes threatening often....
.
Research
Academic research is a key component of high-tech growth and a powerful economic engine. The presence of cutting-edge research in the region is vital to technology transfer, which enables innovative ideas discovered in academia to achieve
commercializationCommercialization is the process or cycle of introducing a new product into the market. The actual launch of a new product is the final stage of new product development, and the one where the most money will have to be spent for advertising, sales promotion, and other marketing efforts...
in the marketplace. Tampa Bay has several
powerhousePowerhouse or Power House may refer to:* Power station, a facility for the generation of electric power.* The Power-House, a 1916 novel by John Buchan* Powerhouse Arts District, Jersey City...
research centers that are engaged in both pure scientific research and aggressively pursuing technology transfer to enrich people’s lives.
Health Care
With more than 50 hospitals, dozens of clinics and ambulatory care centers, the Tampa Bay has an abundance of top-rated health care facilities for children and adults. The region also has a wealth of well-trained medical professionals – nearly 53,000 nurses and more than 9,200 physicians (including physician assistants) – provide care to Tampa Bay residents and visitors every year.
Medical Device Manufacturing
Tampa Bay ranks in the top 20 nationwide for medical device manufacturing clusters. The industry employs more than 10,000 people with an average wage in excess of $49,000 and produces over $2 billion worth of goods and services for an economic impact of more than 51,000 jobs and $5 billion.
Tampa Bay's history of manufacturing for the defense industry has created a workforce skilled in high-precision fabrication of electronic parts and assemblies and experience in dealing with government relations, easing the transition to the highly regulated medical manufacturing industry.
Microelectronics/Nanotechonology
Researchers at the
University of South FloridaThe University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, and is a public research university located in Tampa, Florida, USA, with an autonomous campus in St. Petersburg, and branch centers in Sarasota and Lakeland...
's Nanomaterials and Nanomanufacturing Research Center (NNRC), H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and the Center for Ocean Technogy at USF's College of Marine Science are researching how to use nanotechnology for a myriad of targeted uses including drug delivery, mechanized microsurgery, customized laser microchips, ways to turn sunlight into
electricityElectricity is a general term that encompasses a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge...
, purifying water, storing
hydrogenHydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. At standard temperature and pressure, hydrogen is a colorless, odorless, nonmetallic, tasteless, highly flammable diatomic gas with the molecular formula H
2...
in small nanotubes, designing and developing marine sensors using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and curing
cancerCancer is a class of diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth , invasion , and sometimes metastasis...
.
Education
University of South FloridaThe University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, and is a public research university located in Tampa, Florida, USA, with an autonomous campus in St. Petersburg, and branch centers in Sarasota and Lakeland...
in
TampaTâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city....
,
Florida CollegeFlorida College is a small, accredited, coeducational Christian college located in the City of Temple Terrace, Florida, eight miles northeast of the City of Tampa, Florida...
in Temple Terrace,
Clearwater Christian CollegeClearwater Christian College is a non-denominational Christian college in Clearwater, Florida on Tampa Bay. The school has an enrollment around six hundred students. Clearwater Christian College was founded in 1966. CCC has majors in the divisions of Biblical Studies, Humanities, Business,...
,
Eckerd CollegeEckerd College is a private 4-year coeducational liberal arts college at the southernmost tip of St. Petersburg, Florida, in the Tampa Bay metropolitan area. The college is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.- Campus :...
in St. Petersburg, and the
University of TampaThe University of Tampa, or UT, is a private, co-educational university in Downtown Tampa, Florida. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In 2006, the University celebrated its 75th anniversary...
are all four-year institutions located in the area.
St. Petersburg CollegeSt. Petersburg College is a fully accredited post-secondary education institution located in St. Petersburg, Florida, serving some 65,000 students annually...
and
Hillsborough Community CollegeHillsborough Community College is a two-year community college, located in Hillsborough County, Florida. The college has five campuses located throughout the county. Locations include: Brandon, Dale Mabry, Plant City, Ybor City MacDill AFB, and South Shore...
,
Manatee Community CollegeState College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota, formerly known as Manatee Community College, is a two-year community college, with a main campus based in Bradenton, Florida...
are community colleges in the area. Stetson University College of Law is the area's only law school and has campuses in Gulfport and
TampaTâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city....
.
Culture and recreation
Arts and culture make a big impact in Tampa Bay. In a single year, the economic impact of the cultural institutions in the Tampa Bay area was $521.3 million, according to a recent
PricewaterhouseCoopersPricewaterhouseCoopers is one of the world's largest professional services firms. It was formed in 1998 from a merger between Price Waterhouse and Coopers & Lybrand, both formed in London....
study. In 2004, 5.6 million people attended plays, musical performances, museum exhibits and other cultural institutions in Tampa Bay, supporting 7,800 jobs.
Long established communities, particularly those near the bay such as
CubaThe Republic of Cuba is an island country in the Caribbean. It consists of the island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city. Cuba is home to over 11 million people and is...
n flavored
Ybor CityThis article is about the historic neighborhood in Tampa, Florida. For the cigar manufacturer for which it was named, see Vicente Martinez Ybor....
, contain historic architecture. Fresh seafood and locally grown produce are available in many restaurants. Sports attractions include many professional quality golf courses, tennis courts, and pools. The area is highly noted for its beaches and nightlife as well. Other attractions include
Busch GardensBusch Gardens Tampa Bay is a 335 acre 19th century African-themed park located in Tampa, Florida. It opened on March 31, 1959 as an admission-free hospitality facility for the Tampa Anheuser-Busch brewery on the grounds of the manufacturing plant...
, the
Salvador Dalí MuseumThe Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States, houses the largest collection outside Europe of the works of the artist Salvador Dalí and is located on the campus of the University of South Florida St. Petersburg in downtown St. Petersburg.-History:Shortly before marrying in...
, the
Florida AquariumThe Florida Aquarium is a 501 not-for-profit organization, publicly operated institution located in Tampa, Florida. It is a large scale, aquarium and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The facility is home to more than 20,000 aquatic plants and animals from Florida and all...
, Museum of Science and Industry, the
Florida Holocaust MuseumThe Florida Holocaust Museum is a Holocaust museum located in St. Petersburg, Florida. Formerly known as the Holocaust Center, the museum officially changed to its current name in 1999. Founded in 1992, it moved to its current location in 1998...
,
Lowry Park ZooTampa's Lowry Park Zoo is a nonprofit zoo located in Tampa, Florida. In 2004, Lowry Park Zoo was voted the #1 Family Friendly Zoo in the US by Child Magazine , and is recognized by the State of Florida as the center for Florida wildlife conservation and biodiversity .Tampa's Lowry Park Zoological...
and
Weeki Wachee SpringsWeeki Wachee Springs is a natural tourist attraction located in Weeki Wachee, Florida, where underwater performances by "mermaids", women dressed with fins about their legs as well as other fancy outfits, can be viewed in an aquarium-like setting in the spring of the Weeki Wachee River...
.
Sports teams
The Tampa Bay Area is home to three major professional sports teams and a number of minor-league and college teams.
- National Football League
The National Football League is the largest professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing its name to the National Football League in 1922. The league currently consists of...
: Tampa Bay BuccaneersThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers are aprofessional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team, along with the Seattle Seahawks, joined the NFL in as expansion teams...
: Raymond James StadiumRaymond James Stadium, also known as "The Ray Jay", is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the NCAA's South Florida Bulls football team. The stadium seats 65,857, and it is expandable to 75,000 for special events...
in Tampa
- National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league as a joint venture for its self perpetuating membership of 30 franchised member clubs located in the United States and Canada...
: Tampa Bay LightningThe Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2004. The team is commonly referred to as the Bolts,...
: St. Pete Times ForumThe St. Pete Times Forum is an arena in Tampa, Florida, that has been used for ice hockey, basketball, and arena football games as well as concerts. It is home to the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League...
in Tampa
- Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. Specifically, Major League Baseball refers to the organization that operates the National League and the American League, by means of a joint organizational structure that has developed gradually between...
: Tampa Bay RaysThe Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball franchise based in St. Petersburg, Florida, and are the defending American League champions. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League...
: Tropicana FieldTropicana Field is a domed stadium in St. Petersburg, Florida, which has been the home of Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays since 1998. It has also served as the host stadium for the St. Petersburg Bowl, an NCAA-sanctioned college football bowl game since December 2008.-1980s:After Tampa was...
in St. Petersburg
- Arena Football League
The Arena Football League was founded in 1987 as an indoor American football by Jim Foster. It was played indoors on a smaller field than American football, resulting in a faster-paced and higher-scoring game...
: Tampa Bay StormThe Tampa Bay Storm are a member franchise of the Arena Football League. They are also one of the founding members of the league, then known as the Pittsburgh Gladiators. They are also the last of the original four Arena Football League teams to still exist, marking them as the oldest team in...
: St. Pete Times ForumThe St. Pete Times Forum is an arena in Tampa, Florida, that has been used for ice hockey, basketball, and arena football games as well as concerts. It is home to the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League...
in Tampa
- NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a voluntary association of about 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States and Canada...
Football, Div. IDivision I is the highest level of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the United States....
, Big EastThe Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the northeastern, southeastern and midwestern United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 23 NCAA sports...
: University of South Florida BullsThe South Florida Bulls are a Division I FBS college football program that plays its home games in Tampa, Florida. The team began playing in 1997, holding its first team meeting under a shade tree as the school had no proper football facilities on campus. Jim Leavitt is the only head coach in the...
: Raymond James StadiumRaymond James Stadium, also known as "The Ray Jay", is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the NCAA's South Florida Bulls football team. The stadium seats 65,857, and it is expandable to 75,000 for special events...
in Tampa
- NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a voluntary association of about 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States and Canada...
Basketball, Div. I, Big East: University of South FloridaThe University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, and is a public research university located in Tampa, Florida, USA, with an autonomous campus in St. Petersburg, and branch centers in Sarasota and Lakeland...
Bulls: The Sun Dome in Tampa
Major League Baseball Spring training teams in the area
Spring trainingIn Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to audition for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
in Tampa Bay is a favorite pastime of both residents and tourists alike.
- The New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of the Bronx, in New York City, New York and are a member of Major League Baseball's American League East Division...
of Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. Specifically, Major League Baseball refers to the organization that operates the National League and the American League, by means of a joint organizational structure that has developed gradually between...
play spring training games at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.
- The Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and are the defending World Series champions. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern...
of Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. Specifically, Major League Baseball refers to the organization that operates the National League and the American League, by means of a joint organizational structure that has developed gradually between...
play spring training games at Bright House Networks FieldBright House Field is a baseball stadium located in Clearwater, Florida, in the United States. The stadium was built in 2004 and has a maximum seating capacity of 8,500 people .The ballpark is the spring training home of the Philadelphia Phillies, and their Class A affiliate,...
in Clearwater.
- The Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League.The "Blue Jays" name originates from the bird of the same name...
of Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. Specifically, Major League Baseball refers to the organization that operates the National League and the American League, by means of a joint organizational structure that has developed gradually between...
play spring training games at Dunedin Stadium in Dunedin.
Also playing in the Grapefruit League in the Tampa Bay Area are the
Cincinnati RedsThe Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. They are members of the Central Division of the National League....
in Sarasota, the
Pittsburgh PiratesThe Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions, in addition to the distinction of playing in the first modern World Series. The Pirates are also often...
in Bradenton, and the
Detroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team based in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in . The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant 10 times...
in Lakeland.
Minor League teams
Minor League baseballMinor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in North America that compete at levels below that of Major League Baseball. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses, and many are members of Minor League Baseball, an umbrella organization for leagues...
teams in the area include:
Florida State LeagueThe Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced Minor League Baseball league operating in the state of Florida. Class A is the middle of five classifications of minor leagues that are affiliated with Major League Baseball teams...
(Single-A baseball)
- The Tampa Yankees
The Tampa Yankees are a minor league baseball team based in Tampa, Florida.The team, which plays in the Florida State League, is the High-A affiliate of the New York Yankees major league club. Home games are played at George M. Steinbrenner Field, a miniature replica of the Yankees' home stadium ...
: George M. Steinbrenner Field formerly Legends Field in Tampa
- The Clearwater Threshers
The Clearwater Threshers are a Florida State League baseball team based in Clearwater, Florida. Since the 2004 season, the team has played in the West Division of the Florida State League, and is the high-A affiliate. The Threshers play their home games at Bright House Field. Opened in 2004, the...
: Bright House Networks FieldBright House Field is a baseball stadium located in Clearwater, Florida, in the United States. The stadium was built in 2004 and has a maximum seating capacity of 8,500 people .The ballpark is the spring training home of the Philadelphia Phillies, and their Class A affiliate,...
in Clearwater
- The Dunedin Blue Jays
The Dunedin Blue Jays are a minor league baseball team based in Dunedin, Florida. The club plays their home games at Dunedin Stadium, which seats 5,510 fans...
: Dunedin Stadium at Grant Field in Dunedin
Sporting events
- The NCAA football Outback Bowl
The Outback Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The bowl was first called the Hall of Fame Bowl from 1986 to 1994. The name "Outback" comes from the game's title sponsor, Outback Steakhouse....
at Raymond James StadiumRaymond James Stadium, also known as "The Ray Jay", is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the NCAA's South Florida Bulls football team. The stadium seats 65,857, and it is expandable to 75,000 for special events...
is held annually, usually on January 1.
- The NCAA football St. Petersburg Bowl
The magicJack St. Petersburg Bowl is a NCAA Division I FBS college football bowl game that made its debut in 2008 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, the home of Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays, and featured teams from the Big East Conference and Conference USA...
at Tropicana FieldTropicana Field is a domed stadium in St. Petersburg, Florida, which has been the home of Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays since 1998. It has also served as the host stadium for the St. Petersburg Bowl, an NCAA-sanctioned college football bowl game since December 2008.-1980s:After Tampa was...
is held annually, usually in December. (Began in 2008)
- Four Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League, the premier association of professional American football. In most years, the Super Bowl is the most-watched American television broadcast. Many popular singers and musicians have performed during the event’s pre-game and...
s have been held in Tampa. They were Super Bowl XVIIISuper Bowl XVIII was an American football game that was played on January 22, 1984 at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1983 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Los Angeles Raiders defeated the National Football...
in 1984, Super Bowl XXVSuper Bowl XXV was an American football game played on January 27, 1991 at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1990 regular season...
in 1991, Super Bowl XXXVSuper Bowl XXXV was played on January 28, 2001 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 2000 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Baltimore Ravens defeated the National Football Conference champion New York...
in 2001 and Super Bowl XLIIISuper Bowl XLIII was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Arizona Cardinals to decide the National Football League champion for the 2008 season...
in 2009.
- Indy Racing League
The Indy Racing League, better known as IRL, is an American based open-wheel racing series sanctioning body.The League sanctions two series, the premier IndyCar Series , whose centerpiece is the Indianapolis 500, and Firestone Indy Lights, the official developmental series of the Indy...
's Honda Grand Prix of St. PetersburgThe Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is an IRL IndyCar Series race held in St. Petersburg, Florida. The race will be televised on Versus.Racing in the St. Petersburg area dates back to 1985. The SCCA Trans-Am Series held a race on a downtown waterfront circuit from 1985-1990. Local residents and...
is held annually during the first weekend of April.
Transportation
Transportation in the Tampa Bay Area is heavily affected by its position around
Tampa BayTampa Bay is a large natural harbor and estuary along the Gulf of Mexico on the west central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay....
. For more about marine transportation in the area, including the many bridges over Tampa Bay, see Tampa Bay#Transportation.
Air
Tampa International AirportTampa International Airport is a major public airport located six nautical miles west of the central business district of Tampa, in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. This airport is publicly owned by Hillsborough County Aviation Authority...
is the largest airport in the region with 21 carriers and more than 17 million passengers served last year. In addition to the recent opening of a new
terminalAn airport terminal is a building at an airport where passengers transfer between ground transportation and the facilities that allow them to board and disembark from airplanes....
, improvements are being planned to handle 25 million passengers by 2020. Traveler satisfaction has always been a top priority for "America's Favorite Airport." It has won high recognition in the international
J.D. Power and AssociatesJ.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services firm founded in 1968 by James David Power III. The firm conducts surveys of customer satisfaction, product quality, and buyer behavior for industries ranging from cars to marketing and advertising firms. The firm is best known for...
Global Airport Passenger Satisfaction Study for three consecutive years.
Condé NastCondé Nast may refer to:* Condé Montrose Nast, the founder of Condé Nast Publications* Condé Nast Publications, a major magazine publisher...
Traveler Magazine recognized TIA as the third best airport in the world and IATA Skytrax 2003 survey named TIA as the No. 2 airport in North America.
Sarasota-Bradenton International AirportSarasota-Bradenton International Airport is an airport located in Sarasota, Florida and just south of Bradenton, Florida. The airport is shared by both Manatee County and Sarasota County . Most airlines refer to the airport on destination maps and flight status displays as just "Sarasota", as...
has experienced a 19.2 percent increase in passenger traffic during the first quarter of 2005, mainly due to the addition of
AirTranAirTran may mean:* Airtrans APM, an automated people mover system* AirTran Airways, a low cost airline* AirTran Holdings, an airline holding company* AirTran JetConnect, an outsourced and defunct brand operated by Air Wisconsin...
airways and expanded service to destinations.
St. Petersburg-Clearwater International AirportSt. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport is a joint civil-military airport located in unincorporated Pinellas County, Florida, six miles north of St. Petersburg, serving St...
provides access to commercial airliners, and smaller charter craft. The airport is currently planning an expansion which will include new terminal facilities and runway extension. Dotting the landscape throughout the area, are many general aviation airports for the aircraft enthusiast and smaller corporate jets.
Rail and intermodal
CSX provides rail service for the entire Tampa Bay region. The railroad serves every major population and industrial center east of the
MississippiMississippi is a state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The state's name comes from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, and takes its name from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi . The state is heavily forested outside of the...
including
OntarioOntario is a province located in east-central Canada, the largest by population and second largest, after Quebec, in total area. Ontario is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba to the west and Quebec to the east, and 5 U.S...
and
MontrealMontreal is the second-largest city in Canada and the largest city in the province of Quebec. Originally called Ville-Marie , the city takes its present name from Mont-Royal, the triple-peaked hill located in the heart of the city, whose name was also initially given to the island on which the...
. CSX also connects with more than 166 bulk
intermodalIntermodal freight transport involves the transportation of freight in an intermodal container or vehicle, using multiple modes of transportation , without any handling of the freight itself when changing modes. The method reduces cargo handling, and so improves security, reduces damages and...
distribution terminals and rail-to-truck bulk
transloadingFor the data downloading process, see sideload.Transloading is the process of transferring a shipment from one mode of transportation to another. It is most commonly employed when one mode cannot be used for the entire trip, as for instance when goods must be shipped internationally from one inland...
facilities throughout its service area, linking it to all of North America.
On July 1, 2007, an
intermodal transportation authorityIntermodal passenger transport involves more than one mode of transport of passengers. Some modes of transportation have always been intermodal; for example, most major airports have extensive facilities for automobile parking and have good rail or bus connections to the cities nearby. Urban bus...
was created to serve the seven county Tampa Bay area. The
Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation AuthorityThe Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority, or TBARTA, is a transportation agency of the U.S. state of Florida which was created on July 1, 2007...
(TBARTA) was formed to develop bus,
rapid transitA rapid transit, metro, subway, underground, or elevated railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with high capacity and frequency, and which is grade separated from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically either in underground tunnels or elevated above street level...
, and other transportation options for the region.
Roads
The Tampa Bay Area is served by these interstate highways.
Interstate 4Interstate 4 is a 132.30-mile intrastate Highway located entirely within the state of Florida, United States. It goes from Interstate 275 in Tampa, Florida to Interstate 95 at Daytona Beach, Florida...
Interstate 75Interstate 75 is one of the Interstate Highways in the midwest and southeastern United States, and the primary north-south Interstate Highway along the west coast and southern end of the state of Florida. At , I-75 is the longest interstate in Florida...
Interstate 175
Interstate 275
Interstate 375
Hillsborough County is also served by other roadways such as the
Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown ExpresswayThe Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway is a fifteen-mile limited access toll road in Hillsborough County, Florida, It connects the bedroom community of Brandon with Downtown Tampa and South Tampa, near MacDill Air Force Base...
(SR 618) which commutes workers from Brandon into downtown Tampa and the Veterans Expressway/Suncoast Parkway (Toll 589) which serves traffic from the Citrus/Hernando County border southward into Tampa.
In Pinellas County,
US 19U.S. Route 19 runs along Florida's west coast from an interchange with U.S. Route 41 in Memphis, Florida, south of TampaUS 19 remains independent of I-75, even as the routes converge on Tampa and St. Petersburg, Florida. The route is co-signed with US 27 between Capps and Perry, Alternate U.S...
is the main north-south route through the county, and is being upgraded to
freewayA freeway is a type of road designed for safer high-speed operation of motor vehicles through the elimination of at-grade intersections. This is accomplished by preventing access to and from adjacent properties and eliminating all cross traffic through the use of grade separations and...
standards complete with frontage roads to ease congestion through the north part of the county. Also, the Bayside Bridge allows traffic to go from Clearwater into St. Petersburg without having to use US 19.
The
Courtney Campbell CausewayThe Courtney Campbell Causeway is the northernmost bridge across Old Tampa Bay, carrying State Road 60 between Clearwater and Tampa.-History:...
(SR 60) is one of the 3 roads that connect Pinellas County to Hillsborough County across the bay. The other two are the
Howard Frankland BridgeThe Howard Frankland Bridge carries Interstate 275 over Old Tampa Bay. It is by far the most traveled of the bay's bridges.-History:The Howard Frankland Bridge opened in 1959 and only carried four lanes . The bridge and approaches cost 16 million dollars...
(I-275) and
Gandy BridgeThe Gandy Bridge spans Tampa Bay from St. Petersburg, Florida, USA to Tampa, Florida. It is one of three bridges connecting Hillsborough County and Pinellas County, the others being the Howard Frankland Bridge and the Courtney Campbell Causeway....
(US 92). The
Sunshine Skyway BridgeThe Sunshine Skyway Bridge is a bridge spanning Tampa Bay, Florida, with a cable-stayed main span, and a length of 29,040 feet . It is part of I-275 and US 19 , connecting St. Petersburg in Pinellas County and Terra Ceia in Manatee County, Florida, passing through Hillsborough County waters...
is part of I-275 and connects
BradentonBradenton is a city in Manatee County, Florida, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's 2007 population to be 53,471. Bradenton is the largest Principal City of the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2007 estimated population of 682,833...
and other Manatee County and Sarasota County commuters into Pinellas County.
Climate
The
Tampa Bay areaThe Tampa Bay Area, or Tampa Bay, after the body of water it surrounds, is the second most populated metropolitan region in the state of Florida, the 19th-largest metro area in the United States, the fourth largest in the Southeast behind only Miami, Atlanta and Washington, and second largest on...
has a
humid subtropical climateHumid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and cool winters. This climate type covers a broad category of climates, and the term "subtropical" may be a misnomer for the winter climate....
(Koppen
Cfa), with warm temperatures and the threat of
thunderstormA thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, a hailstorm, or simply a storm is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder. The meteorologically-assigned cloud type associated with the...
s during the
summerSummer is one of the four temperate seasons, marked by the time of year with the longest days, and lies between spring and autumn. The seasons are popularly considered to start on different dates in different cultures based on astronomy and regional meteorology. When it is summer in the southern...
and the
winterWinter is the coldest season of the year, between autumn and spring.-Meteorology:Meteorological winter is the season having the shortest days and the lowest average temperatures. This corresponds to the months of December, January and February, which have the coldest weather and, especially in the...
frostFrost is the solid deposition of water vapor from saturated air. It is formed when solid surfaces are cooled to below the dew point of the adjacent air. Frost crystals' size differ depending on time and water vapor available. Frost is also usually translucent in appearance. There are many types of...
about every 2–3 years. The area is listed by the
USDAThe United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
as being in hardiness zone 10, which is about the northern limit of where coconut palms and royal palms can be grown. Highs usually range between 65 and 95
°FFahrenheit is the temperature scale proposed in 1724 by, and named after, the physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit . Today, the scale has been replaced by the Celsius scale in most countries; it is still in use for non-scientific purposes in the United States and a few other nations, such as...
(18 and 35
°CCelsius is a temperature scale that is named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius , who developed a similar temperature scale two years before his death...
) year round. Surprisingly to some,
Tampa'sTampa is a Gulf Coast city in Hillsborough County, on the west coast of the state of Florida in the United States. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. The population of Tampa in 2000 was 303,447...
official high has never reached 100 °F (38 °C) - the all-time record high temperature is 99 °F (37 °C).
St. Petersburg'sSt. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The city is known as a vacation destination for North American and European vacationers. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 248,232. As of 2006, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 248,098. The 2007...
all-time record high is exactly 100 °F (38 °C).
Pinellas CountyPinellas County is a county located in the state of Florida. Its county seat is Clearwater, Florida, and its largest city is St. Petersburg. This county is contained entirely within the telephone area code 727, except for some sections of Oldsmar, which has the area code 813...
lies on a
peninsulaA peninsula is a piece of land that is nearly surrounded by water but connected to mainland via an isthmus. Word origin: Latin paenīnsula : paene, almost + īnsula, island.A peninsula can also be a headland, cape, island promontory, bill, point, or spit....
between
Tampa BayTampa Bay is a large natural harbor and estuary along the Gulf of Mexico on the west central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay....
and the
Gulf of MexicoThe Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body of water in the world. Considered a smaller part of the Atlantic Ocean, it is an ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United...
, and much of the city of Tampa lies on a smaller peninsula jutting out into Tampa Bay. This proximity to large bodies of water both moderates local temperatures and introduces large amounts of
humidityHumidity is the amount of water vapour in the air. In daily language the term "humidity" is normally taken to mean relative humidity. Relative humidity is defined as the ratio of the partial pressure of water vapour in a parcel of air to the saturated vapour pressure of water vapour at a prescribed...
into the atmosphere. In general, the communities furthest from the coast have more extreme temperature differences, both during a single day and throughout the seasons of the year.
External links
- Tampa Bay 365 Daily photo stories of people, events, and places in the Tampa Bay area