Tampa, Florida

Tampa ( TAM-pə) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Hillsborough County. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. It is the third-most populous city in Florida (after Jacksonville and Miami) and the 49th-most populous city in the U.S., with a population of 403,364 at the 2020 census. The Tampa Bay metropolitan area, at over 3.42 million residents, is the second-largest metropolitan area in Florida and 17th-largest metropolitan area in the United States. The Greater Tampa Bay area has over 4 million residents and generally includes the Tampa and Sarasota metro areas. Tampa's origins can be traced to the establishment of Fort Brooke in 1824, soon after the United States acquired the Florida territory from Spain. The surrounding settlement of Tampa was formally incorporated in 1849 but remained small and isolated until the mid-1880s, when the arrival of Henry B. Plant's railroad and Vicente Martinez Ybor's cigar factories jump-started a period of rapid economic and population growth. "Tampa Town" was reincorporated into the city of Tampa in 1887 and had evolved into a prosperous modern community by the early 20th century. In the 21st century, Tampa has developed a diverse economy, driven by healthcare, finance, insurance, technology, cybersecurity, tourism, construction, professional services and maritime trade. Port Tampa Bay is the largest port in Florida, responsible for over $15 billion in economic impact. The city hosts a number of major employers, including Bloomin' Brands, WellCare, and Fortune 500 companies Crown Holdings and The Mosaic Company. Tampa hosts the headquarters of United States Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base, described as the most important military HQ after the Pentagon. Tampa's cultural landscape features the Tampa Museum of Art, Straz Center for the Performing Arts, and the historic Ybor City district, which reflects the city's Cuban and Spanish heritage. The city is also home to prominent educational institutions, including the University of South Florida and University of Tampa. The area's major league professional sports teams include the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFL), Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL), and Tampa Bay Rays (MLB).

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