Miami Beach is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The city was incorporated on 26 March, 1915. Miami Beach has been one of America's pre-eminent beach resorts for almost a century. The city is often referred to under the umbrella term of "Miami," despite being a distinct municipality, making Miami and Miami Beach two separate cities. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 87,933. 55.5% of the population was foreign born. A 2005 population estimate for the city was 87,925.

Description

In 1979 Miami Beach's Art Deco Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Art Deco District is the largest collection of Art Deco architecture in the world and comprises hundreds of hotels, apartments and other structures erected between 1923 and 1943. Mediterranean, Streamline Moderne and Art Deco are all represented in the District. The Historic District is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the East, Lenox Court on the West, 6th Street on the South and Dade Boulevard along the Collins Canal to the North. The movement to preserve the Art Deco District's architectural heritage was led by former interior designer Barbara Capitman, who now has a street in the District named in her honor.

Government

Miami Beach is governed by a Mayor and 6 Commissioners. The mayor runs commission meetings and the mayor and all commissioners have equal voting power. The Mayor serves for terms of 2 years with a term limit of 4 terms and commissioners serve for terms of 4 years and are limited to 2 terms. Commissioners are not voted for by region and every two years 3 commission seats are voted upon.

As of November 2007 the Mayor is Matti Herrera Bower. The Commissioners are: Saul Gross, Jerry Libbin, Richard Steinberg, Ed Tobin, Deede Weithorn and Jonah Wolfson.

Image and cultural depictions

South Beach (also known as SoBe, or simply The Beach the area from 1st street to about 25th street) is one of the more popular areas of Miami Beach. Topless sunbathing is tolerated on certain designated areas of the beach. Before the TV show Miami Vice helped make the area popular, SoBe was under urban blight, with vacant buildings and a high crime rate. Today, it is considered one of the richest commercial areas on the beach, yet poverty and crime still remain in some places near the area.MSNBC: South Beach: Life imitates art, quite vicely www.msnbc.com

Miami Beach, particularly Ocean Drive of what is now the Art Deco District, was also featured prominently in the 1983 feature film Scarface and the Birdcage.

The New World Symphony Orchestra is based in Miami Beach, Florida, under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas.