Fans of travel should definitely visit the city of Tampa in the state of Florida (USA). This locality is the third largest in the above region, after Jacksonville and Miami. Its area is just over 440 km 2. According to 2013 data, about 350 thousand people live here.
Where is the city of Tampa
Florida is the southern state of the USA, it is here, on the west coast of the peninsula, that Tampa is located. The city was founded in 1823. The locality is in Hillsborough County. By type of climate, this region is part of the tropical monsoon zone, where hot weather and high humidity prevail. The city is located on the coast of the bay of the same name. The maximum rainfall is in the summer.
Historical summary
The city was founded at the beginning of the XIX century. But the first European stepped on these lands much earlier - in 1528, almost 300 years before the creation of Tampa. A pioneer is a certain Panfilo de Narvaez - a conquistador from Spain. However, his expedition failed. Of the entire team, only one person survived. He owes his salvation to Hernando de Soto, who arrived on these lands a year later. Hernando in the city of Tampa was named a fort, as well as a park located in the Gulf of Mexico.
The creation of the city and its development
In 1821, the Spaniards sold the Florida peninsula to the United States. The primary objective of the acquisition was as follows:
- The US government, therefore, tried to reduce the number of raids of Indian tribes on their possessions.
- There was an opportunity to eliminate the shelters of runaway slaves who tried to hide in Florida from the wrath of slave owners from the southern states.
Until 1849, Tampa was a fortress, after which it received the status of a village. At that time, about 200 people lived in this settlement. Until the mid-80s of the 19th century, there were no prospects for its development. Tampa was a kind of fishing village. Road connections with other settlements in this region were very poor. The infrastructure is underdeveloped, industrial facilities were completely absent. Low population growth was due to the yellow fever epidemic. The carriers of the disease were mosquitoes that lived in swamps located nearby.
The economic development of Tampa began in 1883, after phosphate reserves were discovered in the region. This mineral has been widely used in the production of fertilizers. Over time, Tampa has become one of the largest suppliers of phosphate. Since the city is located on the coast of the ocean, transportation of natural fertilizers was carried out through the port, which also positively affected the economy of the region.
After a while, a railway was built connecting this settlement with other cities of America. These conditions have significantly improved the economic component. Trade revived and more and more people settled in Tampa.
Subsequently, more and more new industrial facilities began to appear. So in 1885, an American businessman Vicente Martinez Ibor, who was of Spanish descent, opened a cigar factory in Tampa. Raw materials were delivered to the port from Cuba, and the finished goods were transported by rail to other regions of the United States. The development of the industry entailed the expansion of the city. The population was growing rapidly, a large number of visitors came from Cuba and South America. By the beginning of the 20th century, the city of Tampa in the USA became one of the largest settlements in Florida, and also received the status of “Cigar Capital of the World”.
Origin of the word
Nobody knows the exact meaning of the name “Tampa”. It is known that this word came from the language of the indigenous inhabitants of this region - the Calusa Indian tribe. It is assumed that it meant "fire sticks", probably what the local people called lightning.
There is one more assumption. On maps compiled after 1695, a bay was designated that was called Tanpa. Since the Spanish colonists did not understand the language of the Indians well, they took the word "Tanpa" for the designation of the area. After some period of time, the name slightly changed in “Tampa”.
Climate features
The weather in this area is favorable for life. Despite the fact that the summer season is very hot, the temperature of the thermometer does not exceed 37 degrees Celsius, while in neighboring areas this figure is much higher. Such climatic features are associated with the location of Tampa. Proximity to the ocean is a deterrent to temperature growth. The greatest amount of precipitation falls precisely during the summer period.
Winter in this region is very warm and dry. The average temperature in January is just over 21 ° C. Freezing is a rare occurrence. Daytime temperatures in winter range from 20-25 ° C, at night it is 10-15 ° C.
The air masses of the tropics cause hurricanes to form, which fall almost every year on the Florida Peninsula. However, they pass Tampa side. The last time the elements affected the city in 1921.
Interesting places
If in doubt whether to go here, take a look at the photo of Tampa, there is something to see here. Each traveler will find something interesting for himself. The tourist infrastructure of the city is very developed. Along the coastline are hotels, bars, restaurants and nightclubs. A very great variety of entertainment complexes. The cost of rest is much lower than in Miami. In Tampa, concerts and various festivals are held annually, and you can attend numerous sporting events.
Holidays in Florida are primarily associated with the sea. There are several excellent beaches in the Tampa area that will satisfy the needs of tourists:
- Clearwater. Sandy beach located near the city. The coast and the seabed are covered with sand. Vacationers can rent umbrellas and sun loungers, there are also palm trees on the beach, in the shade of which you can hide from the sun.
- Saint Pete Beach. Let's just say this is not the best beach in Florida, but it deserves attention. Its northern part is fairly built up with multi-story buildings, but in the south there are a lot of plots suitable for summer holidays. The bottom and coastal area is covered with sand.
- Hanimun Island. The beach is part of the national park area. However, not all coastal areas are suitable for recreation. There are many areas covered with sand, but most of the coast is damaged by erosion.
- Fort de Soto Park. This beach is located in a conservation area in the western part of the peninsula. Here you can watch flocks of birds. There is also a picnic area and a dog beach.
- Caladeci. This beach is located on the island of the same name, which is located in the Gulf of Mexico, near the city of Tampa. This area belongs to the national park.
Tourists can visit the local zoo, where about 2 thousand different species of animals are collected. Also on its territory is a terrarium, where visitors are represented by numerous representatives of amphibians and reptiles.
Another interesting place is the aquarium. It contains numerous inhabitants of the depths (more than 20 thousand species): mammals, fish, turtles, aquatic plants. Here you can see electric stingrays, rare sharks, etc.
