Tampa

Tampa (pop. 285,300), city in Florida, at the head of Tampa Bay, an arm of the Gulf of Mexico. Inhabited by Native American tribes when Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto landed there in 1539, the area did not see European settlement until 1823. In the late 19th century Tampa grew as a manufacturing center and as home to a prosperous cigar industry; it became a tourist center following the arrival of the railroad. Today Tampa is a major seaport, industrial hub, and retirement center, and houses 2 universities and numerous cultural and tourist attractions, including Busch Gardens and the Florida State Fair.

See also: Florida.