About Broward County
AT A GLANCE
Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization
Broward County is the nation's 18th largest county, consisting of 31 municipalities throughout 1,120 square miles. It is the center of South Florida, nestled between Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties, housing more than 5 million residents altogether. The Broward County Public School system is the sixth largest, fully accredited K-12 and adult school system in the United States.
Broward County has a booming tourism industry. The area has a tropical climate and an average year-round temperature of 77 degrees, making it a premier destination for nearly 10 million visitors each year, 2.4 million of those traveling from other countries. In 2010, the County saw $8.69 billion in visitor expenditures.
A BRIEF HISTORY
Broward County was named for Florida's 19th governor, Napoleon Bonaparte Broward, who served from January 3, 1905- January 5, 1909. Prior to his political career, Broward was known across the state for using his steamboat to smuggle guns to Cuban revolutionaries before the start of the Spanish-American War of 1898. He was later elected sheriff of Duval County, served on the Jacksonville city council, in the 1901 House of Representatives, and on the state board of health.
During his tenure as governor, Broward vowed to create an "Empire of the Everglades," and was instrumental in draining and developing part of the wetlands. The project gained international attention and drew developers from around the world, prompting a land sales boom in the 1920s. When the Great Depression began, however, the boom had stopped, as had work in the Everglades. *
*Source: The University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries, Florida Department of State