|
|
Key West lies near the end of the chain of islands known as the Florida Keys, and is the southern-most city in the continental United States. The island-community is located about 90 miles north of Cuba and 150 miles southwest of Miami.
The island has an area of 4.2 square miles, while the City (incorporating the northern part of neighboring Stock Island) has an area of 5.79 square miles. The City initially developed because of its proximity to the Florida Straits, the abutting Florida Reef, strong offshore ocean currents (the Gulf Stream), and the area's unpredictable winds, combined with a large natural deep-water harbor and deep channels into the harbor.
The Florida Straits are the northern-most sea passage from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean. For three centuries this passage formed part of the great nautical trade route that carried ships from Caribbean and South American ports to their European homelands.
The location of Key West serves
as a gateway both to the Caribbean and between the Atlantic Ocean
and the Gulf of Mexico was recognized by the military at an early
date.
|
Another important regional factor in the development of the City has been its proximity to Cuba, 90 miles to the south.
Tourism is the City's primary generator of local economic activity. In 1996, the City received an estimated 1.3 million annual visitors, including 274,000 airport arrivals; 427,000 cruise ship passengers; and 637,000 automobile passengers. Approximately 66 percent of the economic base (employment) in the city is directly or indirectly tied to tourism.
Coconut Grove /
Coral Gables
/ Downtown Miami
/ Key Biscayne /
Little Havana /
Miami Beach /
Beaches
Florida:
guide, hotels
 Hotels
Florida
hotels
Orlando
hotels
Disney hotels
Florida Keys Hotels
|
Miami
Miami
Arrival & information
 Transportation
Eating
Nightlife, entertainment
Bars & live music
Clubs
Best of Miami
Coconut
Grove
Coral
Gables
Downtown
Miami
Key
Biscayne
Little
Havana
Explore
Miami
Coconut Grove
Coral Gables
Downtown
Miami
Key Biscayne
Little Havana
Miami Beach
The
beaches
Google maps
v Orlando
hotels
v Disney hotels |
Florida
v Black River State park
v Bone Valley Museum
v Cedar Key State Museum
v Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
v Biscayne national Park
v Collier-Seminole State
Park
v Elliott Museum and
Gilbert's Bar House of
Refuge
v Flamingo Area &
Everglades National Park
v Grayton Beach Recreation
Area
v Key
West
v Natural Bridge
Battlefield
v Merritt Island National
Wildlife Refuge and
Canaveral National Seashore
v Santa Barbara - East
Beach
v T.H. Stone Memorial St.
Joseph Peninsula State Park
|
