Tampa (population around 335,700) is a city on the west coast of the state of Florida and the county seat of Hillsborough County.
The Tampa indigenous peoples were the first inhabitants of the region, whereas the Tocobaga were the most recent tribal inhabitants in the Tampa area. The Spanish people explored the area in the early 16th century, but it was not until the year 1824 that a permanent settlement was established. A United States Army outpost referred to as Fort Brooke was constructed at the place where the Tampa Convention Center presently stands. A small group of pioneers lived in the vicinity seeking protection from the Seminole Native American people. The village was called Tampa.
The city of Tampa is a tourist place and features numerous natural and cultural attractions. The natural assets of Tampa comprise white sand beaches, the ocean and a tropical climate. There are many guests and residents which come to enjoy a variety of water sports, like boating, jet skiing, sport fishing and parasailing. Attractions include Florida Aquarium, the Channelside shopping and Busch Gardens. Visitors to the historic Ybor City, northeast of downtown Tampa, can explore this Latin American quarter well-known for its cigar factories. Professional sports teams consist of Tampa Devil Rays, Lightning and Bay Bucaneers. There are various festivals in the city of Tampa; amongst the most unique is the Gasparilla Pirate Festival held in the latter part of January.
There are a lot of fine museums in the city of Tampa, like for example the Salvador Dali Museum, Pioneer Florida Museum, Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins, St. Petersburg Museum of History, Gulf Coast World of Science, Boatyard Village and the Children's Museum of Tampa. The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center and Tampa Theater have numerous excellent performances. Live theater is also staged at the Friday Morning Musicale within Hyde Park and Gorilla Theater within Drew Park. Top galleries comprise the Centre Gallery, African Art Gallery, Covivant Gallery, Graphicstudio and Artists Unlimited.
The city of Tampa is among the most diverse, integrated urban regions in the United States. 10 percent of residents are Latino and local culture is heavily influenced by this large Hispanic population.
Other than tourism, key industries in the Tampa Bay area comprise avionics, marine and defense electronics, business and information services, financial services, port/maritime, manufacturing and marine sciences. The Tampa Bay area economy is significantly impacted by three seaports situated here. The Port of Tampa is the 12th biggest cargo port in the nation. Major cruise lines operate from this particular port. The seaports employ approximately 130,000 people. In total, these ports contribute approximately $15 billion dollars per year to the local economy.