Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Fort Lauderdale
Nickname: 
Venice of America
Interactive map of Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale
Coordinates: 26°8′N 80°9′W / 26.133°N 80.150°W / 26.133; -80.150
CountryUnited States
StateFlorida
CountyBroward
EstablishedMarch 27, 1911
Named afterWilliam Lauderdale
Government
  TypeCommission-Manager
  MayorDean Trantalis (D)
  Vice MayorPamela Beasley-Pittman
  CommissionersWarren Sturman, Steven Glassman, John Herbst
  City ManagerSusan Grant
  City ClerkDavid Soloman
Area
  Total
36.30 sq mi (94.01 km2)
  Land34.59 sq mi (89.58 km2)
  Water1.71 sq mi (4.44 km2)  4.71%
Elevation
9 ft (2.75 m)
Population
 (2020)
  Total
182,760
  Estimate 
(2022)
183,146
  Rank136th in the United States
10th in Florida
  Density5,284.07/sq mi (2,040.21/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
  Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes
33301–33332, 33334-33340, 33345–33346, 33348–33349, 33351, 33355, 33359, 33388, 33394
Area codes754, 954
FIPS code12-24000
GNIS feature ID0282693
Primary AirportFort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
Websitewww.fortlauderdale.gov

Fort Lauderdale (/ˈlɔːdərdl/ LAW-dər-dayl) is a coastal city located in the U.S. state of Florida, 30 miles (48 km) north of Miami along the Atlantic Ocean. It is the county seat of and most populous city in Broward County with a population of 182,760 at the 2020 census, making it the tenth-most populous city in Florida. After Miami and Hialeah, Fort Lauderdale is the third-most populous city in the Miami Metro Area, which had a population of 6,166,488 in 2019.

Built in 1838 and first incorporated in 1911, Fort Lauderdale is named after a series of forts built by the United States during the Second Seminole War. The forts took their name from Major William Lauderdale (1782–1838), younger brother of Lieutenant Colonel James Lauderdale. Development of the city did not begin until 50 years after the forts were abandoned at the end of the conflict. Three forts named "Fort Lauderdale" were constructed including the first at the fork of the New River, the second at Tarpon Bend on the New River between the present-day Colee Hammock and Rio Vista neighborhoods, and the third near the site of the Bahia Mar Marina.

Known as the "Venice of America", Fort Lauderdale has 165 miles of inland waterways across the city. In addition to tourism, Fort Lauderdale has a diversified economy including marine, manufacturing, finance, insurance, real estate, high technology, avionics/aerospace, film, and television production. The city is a popular tourist destination with an average year-round temperature of 75.5 °F (24.2 °C) and 3,000 hours of sunshine per year. Greater Fort Lauderdale, encompassing all of Broward County, hosted more than 13 million overnight visitors in 2018. Nearly four million cruise passengers annually pass through its Port Everglades, making it the world's third-busiest cruise port. With over 50,000 registered yachts and 100 marinas, Fort Lauderdale is also known as the yachting capital of the world."