Comparison and contrast between Miami and Havana.

Miami and Havana: A Comparison

Miami is a port city in the United States and one of the most populated places in the country's south-eastern region. The city is well-known for its commercial and tourism appeal, as well as its location in the state of Florida. Miami first gained public recognition in the nineteenth century, and it has since developed to be a major city and regional economic center.

Havana is Cuba's capital city, and it has a port, making it one of the most important commercial cities in the Caribbean. As compared to Miami, Havana is geographically small accommodating millions of people from Cuba and around the world. The city started as a trading port in the 16th century and slowly grew over time to be a metropolitan and economic town.

Comparison

Miami did not have roots in the colonial period as settlement began in the mid-19th century. It was a vast unoccupied region which people preferred as a retirement destination but since the construction of the railway line that linked it to other eastern coast, cities attracted more people who came to do business. For Havana, the city was colonized by the Spanish and settlement began in the 16th century as the city became a major shipping port for Spanish colonist (Thomas 1). The city grew as a rest of the booming business due to the port and more people have been going to the city making it populous. Both cities are tourist destinations which attract millions of people from around the world who come to enjoy the climate and serene environment. What makes the two cities attractive tourist destinations is the proximity to the Caribbean and the warm weather.

The proximity of both cities to the Caribbean Sea makes them be vulnerable to frequent hurricanes that affect them from time to time. Miami, for instance, was hit by hurricanes in the 1926 and 1935 which affected the economy of the city though steady growth has been experienced because of increased population and more business happening in the port. The climate in the two cities provides a convenient environment for fruits and environment to grow. Some of the fruits growing in Havana include Citrus, banana, pineapples, mango and other tropical fruits (Sinclair 158). On the other hand, Miami is known to produce oranges which blossoms in all seasons of the year.

Contrast

While Havana has a tropical wet and dry climate, Miami has monsoon climate where there is the presence of trade winds making the area to have mild weather in both summer and winter. The mild weather in the two cities creates a conducive environment for tourism to flourish. Another contrast is the culture of the people between the two cities. The people living in Havana are still upholding the Spanish culture while the presence of people from a different culture in Miami makes them uphold the American culture. Despite the difference in culture and politics between the two cities, it is easy to adapt to both towns as the people are friendly and welcoming and some of the foods in Havana are served in Miami (Elena 15).