View source for Fort Lauderdale, Florida

{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Fort Lauderdale
| official_name      = 
| settlement_type    = [[City]]
| image_flag         = Flag of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.svg
| image_seal         = Seal of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.svg
| nickname           = ''[[Venice]] of America''
| image_skyline      = {{multiple image
| border                          = infobox
| total_width                     = 280
| caption_align                   = center
| perrow = 1/2/2/1
| image1 = Skyline of Fort Lauderdale, Nov-15.jpg
| caption1 = City skyline
| image2 = Fort Laud FL MoDaS01.jpg
| caption2 = [[Museum of Discovery and Science]]
| image3 = Beach at Fort Lauderdale.jpg
| caption3 = Beach along [[Florida State Road A1A|FL A1A]]
| image4 = Fort_Laud_FL_MoA01.jpg
| caption4 = [[Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale|Museum of Art]]
| image5 = Florida-Fort Lauderdale-Bonnet House Theater-1900-1.jpg
| caption5 = Island Theater at [[Bonnet House]]
| image6 = Fort Lauderdale-harbor.jpg
| caption6 = [[Intracoastal Waterway]]
}}
| image_map          = {{maplink
  | frame              = yes
  | plain              = yes
  | frame-align        = center
  | frame-width        = 270
  | frame-height       = 270
  | frame-coord        = {{coord|qid=Q165972}}
  | zoom               = 11
  | type               = shape
  | marker             = city
  | stroke-width       = 2
  | stroke-color       = #0096FF
  | fill               = #0096FF
  | id2                = Q165972
  | type2              = shape-inverse
  | stroke-width2      = 2
  | stroke-color2      = #5F5F5F
  | stroke-opacity2    = 0
  | fill2              = #000000
  | fill-opacity2      = 0
}}
| map_caption        = Interactive map of Fort Lauderdale
| pushpin_map        = Florida#USA
| pushpin_relief     = yes
| pushpin_label      = {{nowrap|Fort Lauderdale}}
| pushpin_label_position = left
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Florida]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Florida|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Broward County, Florida|Broward]]
| established_title  = [[municipal incorporation|Established]]
| established_date   = March 27, 1911
| government_type    = [[Council-manager government|Commission-Manager]]
| leader_title       = [[List of mayors of Fort Lauderdale, Florida|Mayor]]
| leader_name        = [[Dean Trantalis]] ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]])
| leader_title1      = [[Vice Mayor]]
| leader_name1       = Pamela Beasley-Pittman
| leader_title2      = [[Commissioner]]s
| leader_name2       = Warren Sturman, Steven Glassman, John Herbst<ref name=CityOfficials>{{cite web |url=https://www.floridaleagueofcities.com/resources/municipal-directory |title=Municipal Directory: City of Fort Lauderdale |publisher=www.floridaleagueofcities.com |access-date=2019-03-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190301203034/https://www.floridaleagueofcities.com/resources/municipal-directory |archive-date=2019-03-01 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fortlauderdale.gov/government/city-commission |title=City of Fort Lauderdale, FL: City Commission |publisher=www.fortlauderdale.gov |access-date=2019-03-01}}</ref>
| leader_title3      = [[City Manager]]
| leader_name3       = Susan Grant<ref>{{cite web |title=About the City Manager |url=https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/government/departments-a-h/city-manager-s-office/about-the-city-manager |website=City of Fort Lauderdale Official Website |publisher=City of Fort Lauderdale |access-date=March 27, 2025}}</ref>
| leader_title4      = [[City Clerk]]
| leader_name4       = David Soloman<ref name=CityOfficials/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/departments/city-clerk-s-office/about-the-city-clerk-s-office |title=ABOUT THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE |publisher=www.fortlauderdale.gov |access-date=2019-03-01 |archive-date=2019-03-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190301201506/https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/departments/city-clerk-s-office/about-the-city-clerk-s-office |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_12.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 31, 2021}}</ref>
| area_magnitude     = 
| area_total_km2     = 94.01
| area_land_km2      = 89.58
| area_water_km2     = 4.44
| area_total_sq_mi   = 36.30
| area_land_sq_mi    = 34.59
| area_water_sq_mi   = 1.71
| area_water_percent = 4.71
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = <ref name="2020CensusPopulationByRace">{{cite web |title=P2: HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT ... - Census Bureau Table |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=P2&g=160XX00US1224000&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 |website=P2 &#124; HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=21 March 2023 }}</ref>
| population_total   = 182760
| pop_est_as_of      = 2022
| population_est     = 183146
| pop_est_footnotes  = <ref name="2022VintagePopulationEstimate">{{cite web |title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places in Florida: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022 |url=https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/tables/2020-2022/cities/totals/SUB-IP-EST2022-POP-12.xlsx |website=Florida |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=27 May 2023 |date=May 2023 }}</ref>
| population_rank    = [[List of United States cities by population|136th]] in the United States<br>[[List of municipalities in Florida|10th]] in Florida
| population_density_km2 = 2040.21
| population_density_sq_mi = 5284.07
| timezone           = Eastern (EST)
| utc_offset         = &minus;5
| timezone_DST       = EDT
| utc_offset_DST     = &minus;4
| coordinates        = {{Coord|26|8|N|80|9|W|region:US-FL_type:city(183,000) | display = inline,title}}
| elevation_footnotes = <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fallingrain.com/world/US/12/Fort_Lauderdale.html |title=Fort Lauderdale, United States Page |publisher=Falling Rain Genomics |access-date=2007-09-23}}</ref>
| elevation_m        = 2.75
| elevation_ft       = 9
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP Code]]s
| postal_code        = 33301–33332, 33334-33340, 33345–33346, 33348–33349, 33351, 33355, 33359, 33388, 33394<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.zipmap.net/Florida/Broward_County/Fort_Lauderdale.htm | title = Fort Lauderdale, Florida Zip Code Boundary Map (FL) | access-date = 15 February 2015}}</ref>
| area_code_type     = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area codes]]
| area_codes         = [[Area code 754|754]], [[Area code 954|954]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 12-24000
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 0282693<ref name="GR3">{{cite web | url = http://geonames.usgs.gov | access-date = 2008-01-31 | title = US Board on Geographic Names | publisher = [[United States Geological Survey]] | date = 2007-10-25}}</ref>
| blank2_name        = Primary Airport
| blank2_info        = [[Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport]]
| website            = {{URL|www.fortlauderdale.gov}}
| footnotes          = 
| named_for          = [[William Lauderdale]]
}}

'''Fort Lauderdale''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|l|ɔː|d|ər|d|eɪ|l}} {{respell|LAW|dər|dayl}}) is a coastal city located in the U.S. state of [[Florida]], {{convert|30|mi}} north of [[Miami]] along the [[Atlantic Ocean]]. It is the [[county seat|seat of government]] of and most populous city in [[Broward County, Florida|Broward County]] with a population of 182,760 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]],<ref name="2020CensusPopulationByRace" /> making it the tenth-most populous city in Florida. After Miami and [[Hialeah, Florida|Hialeah]], Fort Lauderdale is the third-most populous city in the [[Miami metropolitan area|Miami Metro Area]], which had a population of 6,166,488 in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 6, 2020 |title=Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Guidance on the Uses of the Delineations of These Areas |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Bulletin-20-01.pdf |access-date=January 3, 2020 |publisher=Executive Office of the President |page=59}}</ref>

Built in 1838 and first incorporated in 1911, Fort Lauderdale is named after a series of forts built by the United States during the [[Second Seminole War]].<ref>{{cite news |title=A look at Fort Lauderdale, from the 1880s to today |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/sfl-fort-lauderdale-historical-photo-gallery-20170228-photogallery.html |access-date=February 14, 2022 |publisher=sun-sentinel.com}}</ref> The forts took their name from Major [[William Lauderdale]] (1782–1838), younger brother of Lieutenant Colonel [[James Lauderdale]]. Development of the city did not begin until 50 years after the forts were abandoned at the end of the conflict. Three forts named "Fort Lauderdale" were constructed including the first at the fork of the [[New River (Broward County, Florida)|New River]], the second at Tarpon Bend on the New River between the present-day Colee Hammock and [[Rio Vista (Fort Lauderdale)|Rio Vista]] neighborhoods, and the third near the site of the Bahia Mar Marina.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fort Lauderdale and the Second Seminole War |url=https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/Home/ShowDocument?id=2740 |publisher=City of Fort Lauderdale |access-date= February 14, 2022}}</ref>

Known as the "[[Venice]] of America", Fort Lauderdale has 165 miles of inland waterways across the city.<ref>{{cite web |title=About Fort Lauderdale |url=https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/government/about-fort-lauderdale |publisher=City of Fort Lauderdale, FL |access-date=February 14, 2022}}</ref> In addition to tourism, Fort Lauderdale has a diversified economy including marine, manufacturing, finance, insurance, real estate, high technology, avionics/aerospace, film, and television production. The city is a popular [[tourist]] destination with an average year-round temperature of {{convert|75.5|F|C|abbr=on}} and 3,000 hours of sunshine per year. Greater Fort Lauderdale, encompassing all of [[Broward County, Florida|Broward County]], hosted more than 13 million overnight visitors in 2018.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=Visit Lauderdale Debuts as New Tourism Brand for Greater Fort Lauderdale During National Travel and Tourism Week |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/visit-lauderdale-debuts-as-new-tourism-brand-for-greater-fort-lauderdale-during-national-travel-and-tourism-week-301284647.html |access-date=14 February 2022 |publisher=PR Newswire |language=en}}</ref> Nearly four million cruise passengers annually pass through its [[Port Everglades]], making it the world's third-busiest cruise port.<ref>{{cite web |title=See which Florida cruise ports are among the largest in the world |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/morning_call/2015/06/see-which-florida-cruise-ports-are-among-the.html |publisher=www.bizjournals.com |access-date=14 February 2022}}</ref> With over 50,000 registered yachts and 100 marinas, Fort Lauderdale is also known as the "yachting capital of the world."<ref>{{cite web |title=Fort Lauderdale Yacht Charters {{!}} Tours, Taxis & Events |url=https://www.sunny.org/yachting/ |publisher=www.sunny.org |access-date=14 February 2022 |language=en-us}}</ref>

==History==
{{Main|History of Fort Lauderdale, Florida}}
{{For timeline}}
The area of present-day Fort Lauderdale was inhabited for over 2,000 years by the [[Tequesta]] Indians.<ref name=Hughes>{{Cite news |url=http://fulltext.fcla.edu//DLData/SN/SN01480340/0016_003/file5.pdf |title=Three Tequesta and Seminole hunting camps on the edge of the Everglades |last=Hughes |first=Kenneth J |periodical=Broward Legacy (Broward County Historical Commission). |volume=16 |year=1993 |pages=31–42 |access-date=2007-07-01 |issue=3 and 4 }}</ref> Contact with Spanish explorers in the 16th century proved disastrous for the Tequesta, as the Europeans brought with them diseases, including [[smallpox]], to which the native populations possessed no resistance. For the Tequesta, disease, coupled with continuing conflict with their [[Calusa]] neighbors, contributed greatly to their decline over the next two centuries.<ref name=McGoun>{{Cite news |url=http://fulltext10.fcla.edu/DLData/SN/SN01480340/0002_003/file66.pdf |title=A History of Broward County |last=McGoun |first=Bill |periodical=Broward Legacy (Broward County Historical Commission) |year=1978 |volume=2 |pages=15–22 |access-date=2007-07-03|issue=3 and 4 }}</ref>

===18th century===
By 1763, there were only a few Tequesta left in Florida, and most of them were evacuated to Cuba when the Spanish ceded Florida to the British in 1763, under the terms of the [[Treaty of Paris (1763)|Treaty of Paris]], which ended the [[Seven Years' War]].<ref name=Hughes /> Although control of the area changed between Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the [[Confederate States of America]], it remained largely undeveloped until the 20th century.{{citation needed|date=December 2022}} The Fort Lauderdale area was known as the "New River Settlement" before the 20th century.

===19th century===
In the 1830s, there were approximately 70 settlers living along the New River. [[William Cooley]], the local [[Justice of the Peace]], was a farmer and [[Wrecking (shipwreck)|wrecker]], who traded with the [[Seminole Indians]]. On January 6, 1836, while Cooley was leading an attempt to salvage a wrecked ship, a band of Seminoles attacked his farm, killing his wife and children, and the children's [[tutor]]. The other farms in the settlement were not attacked, but all the white residents in the area abandoned the settlement, fleeing first to the [[Cape Florida Light]]house on [[Key Biscayne]], and then to [[Key West, Florida|Key West]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.voneresearch.org/HistoryB.htm |title=Coastal History&nbsp;– The Seminole War Period |publisher=Vone Research |access-date=2007-07-21|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070928014231/http://www.voneresearch.org/HistoryB.htm |archive-date = September 28, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The first United States stockade named Fort Lauderdale was built in 1838,<ref name=fort>{{Cite news |url=http://fulltext10.fcla.edu/DLData/SN/SN01480340/0004_001/file29.pdf |title=Records in the Military Archives Division Which Relate to South Florida |last=Butler |first=Stuart |volume=4 |pages=11–20 |year=1981 |periodical=Broward Legacy (Broward County Historical Commission). |access-date=2007-07-15 |issue=1 and 2 }}</ref> and subsequently was a site of fighting during the Second Seminole War. The fort was abandoned in 1842, after the end of the war, and the area remained virtually unpopulated until the 1890s. In 1893, a ferry operated Frank Stranahan provided transit across New River. [[Florida East Coast Railroad]] also was completed, providing a route through the area, which sparked the city's development.

===20th century===
In 1911, the city was [[Municipal corporation|incorporated]]. In 1915, it was designated the county seat of newly formed [[Broward County, Florida|Broward County]].<ref name=BrowardCreation>{{Cite news| url=http://fulltext.fcla.edu//DLData/SN/SN01480340/0011_003/file5.pdf |title=The Creation of Broward County: Victory in Tallahassee| periodical=Broward Legacy (Broward County Historical Commission) |year=1988 |volume=11 |pages=6–8 |access-date=2007-07-02 |issue=3 and 4}}</ref>

Fort Lauderdale's first major development began in the 1920s, during the [[Florida land boom of the 1920s|Florida land boom]].<ref name=Foundations>
{{Cite news |url=http://fulltext.fcla.edu//DLData/SN/SN01480340/0008_001/file4.pdf |title=Foundations of Broward County Waterways|last=Kirk |first=Cooper |periodical=Broward Legacy (Broward County Historical Commission). |year=1985 |volume=8|pages=2–18 |access-date=2007-07-14 |issue=1 and 2 }}</ref> The [[1926 Miami hurricane|Great Miami Hurricane of 1926]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mfl/newpage/broward_events.html |title=Top 10 Weather Events-Broward County |publisher=NOAA |access-date=2007-07-01|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080418062208/http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mfl/newpage/broward_events.html |archive-date = April 18, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> and the [[Great Depression]] of the 1930s caused a great deal of economic dislocation. In July 1935, an African-American man named Rubin Stacy was accused of robbing a white woman at knifepoint. He was arrested and being transported to a Miami jail when police were run off the road by a mob. A group of 100 white men proceeded to hang Stacy from a tree near the scene of his alleged robbery. His body was riddled with some 20 bullets.<ref>{{Cite journal|title = Negro is Lynched by Mob in Florida|date = 20 July 1935|journal = New York Times}}</ref> The murder was subsequently used by the press in [[Nazi Germany]] to discredit U.S. critiques of its own persecution of Jews, Communists, and Catholics.<ref>{{Cite journal|title = Nazi Press Scorns U.S. on Lynch Horrors|date = 10 August 1935|journal = The Pittsburgh Courier}}</ref>

When [[World War II]] began, Fort Lauderdale became a major U.S. base, with a Naval Air Station to train pilots, radar operators, and fire control operators. A Coast Guard base at [[Port Everglades]] was also established.<ref name="Subs-Soldiers">{{Cite news |url=http://fulltext.fcla.edu//DLData/SN/SN01480340/0014_001/file3.pdf |title=Submarines and Soldiers: Fort Lauderdale in World War II |year=1991 |last=George |first=Paul S. |periodical=Broward Legacy (Broward County Historical Commission) |volume=14 |pages=2–14 |access-date=2007-07-05 |issue=1 and 2 }}</ref>

Until July 1961, only whites were allowed on Ft. Lauderdale beaches. There were no beaches for African-Americans in Broward County until 1954, when "the Colored Beach," today [[Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park]], was opened in [[Dania Beach]]; however, no road was built to it until 1965. On July 4, 1961, African Americans started a series of wade-ins as protests at beaches that were off-limits to them, to protest "the failure of the county to build a road to the Negro beach."<ref name=Bigdig30>{{cite news
|title=The Long Hard Fight for Equal Rights: A History of Broward County's Colored Beach and the Fort Lauderdale Beach 'Wade-ins' of the Summer of 1961|first=William G.|last=Crawford, Jr.|magazine=Tequesta|volume=67|year=2007|url=http://www.floridasbigdig.com/uploads/ColoredBeachWadeInTequesta0001.pdf|pages=19–49}}</ref>{{rp|30}}<ref>Deborah Work, ''My Soul Is a Witness: A History of Black Fort Lauderdale'', pp. 138-48</ref> On July 11, 1962, a verdict by [[Ted Cabot]] went against the city's policy of racial segregation of public beaches, and Broward County beaches were desegregated in 1962.

Fort Lauderdale is a major center for [[yacht]]ing,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.abelsonmagazine.com/why-monaco-and-fort-lauderdale-dominate-the-yachting-world/ |title=Why Monaco and Fort Lauderdale Dominate the Yachting World |work=Abelson Magazine |access-date=14 June 2025}}</ref><ref name=2006stats>{{cite press release|url=http://www.sunny.org/media/index.cfm?action=showArticle&articleID=447 |title=Greater Fort Lauderdale 2006 Statistics |publisher=Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau |date=March 2007 |access-date=2007-07-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929000625/http://www.sunny.org/media/index.cfm?action=showArticle&articleID=447 |archive-date=2007-09-29 }}</ref> one of the nation's largest tourist destinations,<ref name=2006stats/> and the center of a metropolitan division with 1.8 million people.<ref name=metropop>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/metro-micro/p25-1136.html |title=Population Change in Central and Outlying Counties of Metropolitan Statistical Areas: 2000 to 2007 |date=June 2009 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=April 24, 2021}}</ref>

===Population===
After end of [[World War II]], service members returned to the area, spurring an enormous population explosion that dwarfed the 1920s boom.<ref name=McGoun/> The 1960 census counted 83,648 people in the city, about 230% of the 1950 figure.<ref name=1960census>{{cite web |url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/11085788v1p11ch2.pdf |title=Census of Population:1960 Florida-Volume I Part 11 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |pages=11–9 |access-date=2007-07-01}}</ref> A 1967 report estimated that the city was approximately 85% developed,<ref name=george>{{Cite news |url=http://fulltext10.fcla.edu/DLData/SN/SN01480340/0014_003/file4.pdf |title=Downtown Fort Lauderdale: Its Demise and Renaissance in the Post-War Era |last=George |first=Paul S. |periodical=Broward Legacy (Broward County Historical Commission) |year=1991 |volume=14 |pages=9–19 |access-date=2007-07-17 |issue=3 and 4 }}</ref> and the 1970 population figure was 139,590.<ref name=1970census>{{cite web |url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1970a_fl1-01.pdf |title=1970 Census of Population |publisher=United States Census Bureau |pages=11–12 |access-date=2007-07-01 }}</ref>

After 1970, growth in the area shifted to suburbs to the west. As cities such as [[Coral Springs, Florida|Coral Springs]], [[Miramar, Florida|Miramar]], and [[Pembroke Pines, Florida|Pembroke Pines]] experienced explosive growth, Fort Lauderdale's population stagnated, and the city actually shrank by almost 4,000 people between 1980, when the city had 153,279 people,<ref name=1980census>{{cite web |url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_flABCs1-01.pdf |title=1980 Census of Population |publisher=United States Census Bureau |pages=11–20 |access-date=2007-07-01 }}</ref> and 1990, when the population was 149,377. A slight rebound brought the population back up to 152,397 at the 2000 census. Since 2000, Fort Lauderdale has gained slightly over 18,000 residents through annexation of seven neighborhoods in unincorporated Broward County.<ref name=annexation>{{cite web |url=http://naturescape-broward.com/planningservices/bbtn41.pdf |title=Broward by the Numbers:Unincorporated Broward |date=December 2005 |publisher=Broward County Planning Services Division |access-date=2007-07-15 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070810220305/http://naturescape-broward.com/planningservices/bbtn41.pdf |archive-date = August 10, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Geography==

===Location===
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|99.9|km2|order=flip}}, {{convert|90.0|km2|order=flip}} of which is land and {{convert|9.9|km2|order=flip}} of which is water (9.87%).<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US1224000| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212182237/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US1224000| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Fort Lauderdale city, Florida| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=October 22, 2013}}</ref> Fort Lauderdale is known for its extensive network of canals; there are {{convert|165|mi|km|0}} of waterways within the city limits.<ref name=waterways>{{cite web|url=http://www.fortlauderdale.gov/about.htm |title=About Fort Lauderdale |publisher=City of Fort Lauderdale |access-date=2007-07-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070807204136/http://www.fortlauderdale.gov/about.htm |archive-date=2007-08-07 }}</ref>

The city of Fort Lauderdale is adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean, includes {{convert|7|mi|km|0}} of beaches,<ref name=beach>{{cite web|url=http://www.fortlauderdale.gov/beach/index.htm |title=Fort Lauderdale Beach |publisher=City of Fort Lauderdale |access-date=2007-07-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070705184409/http://www.fortlauderdale.gov/beach/index.htm |archive-date=2007-07-05 }}</ref> and borders the following municipalities:{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}

[[File:Fort Lauderdale Aerial Shot.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Aerial photo of Fort Lauderdale]]
[[File:Tarpon River Neighborhood in Fort Lauderdale, Florida .jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Tarpon River neighborhood in Fort Lauderdale]]

'''On its east:'''
* [[Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Florida|Lauderdale-by-the-Sea]]
* [[Sea Ranch Lakes, Florida|Sea Ranch Lakes]]
'''On its south:'''
* [[Hollywood, Florida|Hollywood]]
* [[Dania Beach, Florida|Dania Beach]]
'''On its southwest:'''
* [[Davie, Florida|Davie]]
'''On its west:'''
* [[Plantation, Florida|Plantation]]
* [[Lauderhill, Florida|Lauderhill]]
* [[Lauderdale Lakes, Florida|Lauderdale Lakes]]
'''On its northwest:'''
* [[North Lauderdale, Florida|North Lauderdale]]
* [[Oakland Park, Florida|Oakland Park]]
* [[Tamarac, Florida|Tamarac]]
'''On its north:'''
* [[Wilton Manors, Florida|Wilton Manors]]
* [[Pompano Beach, Florida|Pompano Beach]]

The northwestern section of Fort Lauderdale is separate from the remainder of the city, connected only by the Cypress Creek Canal as it flows under I-95. This section of Fort Lauderdale borders the cities of Tamarac and Oakland Park on its south side. Oakland Park also borders Fort Lauderdale on the west side of its northeastern portion. The greater portion of Fort Lauderdale in the south is bordered, along its north side by Wilton Manors.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Harrison |first1=Carlos |title=Wilton Manors: South Florida's Most Famous Gayborhood |url=https://www.visitflorida.com/en-us/travel-ideas/wilton-manors-gayborhood-in-south-florida.html |access-date=23 January 2021 |work=Visit Florida}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Discover Which Municipalities Are Bordering Fort Lauderdale |url=https://www.thesourcetreatmentcenter.com/blog/municipalities-bordering-fort-lauderdale-florida/ |website=The Source |access-date=23 January 2021 |date=1 May 2020}}</ref>

Off the coast of Fort Lauderdale is the [[Osborne Reef]], an [[artificial reef]] made of discarded tires that has proven to be an ecological disaster.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna17189132 | title=Tire reef off Florida proves a disaster | agency=Associated Press | date=February 16, 2007 | access-date=2007-06-21}}</ref> The dumping began in the 1960s, with the intent of providing habitat for fish, while disposing of trash from the land. However, in the rugged and corrosive environment of the ocean, nylon straps used to secure the tires wore out, cables rusted, and tires broke free. The tires posed a particular threat after breaking free from their restraints. The tires then migrated shoreward, and ran into a living reef tract, washed up on its slope, and killed many things in their path. In recent years, thousands of tires have also washed up on nearby beaches, especially during hurricanes. Local authorities are now working to remove the 700,000 tires, in cooperation with the [[United States Army|U.S. Army]], [[United States Navy|Navy]], and [[United States Coast Guard|Coast Guard]].<ref name=reuters>{{cite news |last=Loney |first=Jim |date=July 9, 2007 |title=Florida raises ill-fated artificial reefs |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-reef-tires-feature-idUSN2943349920070709 |work=Reuters |access-date=2007-07-10}}</ref>

===Neighborhoods===
{{See also|List of neighborhoods in Fort Lauderdale}}
Fort Lauderdale has a program for designating and recognizing neighborhoods. Under the Neighborhood Organization Recognition Program,<ref name=norp>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.fortlauderdale.gov/neighborhoods/recognition/recognition.htm 
 |title=Neighborhood Organization Recognition Program 
 |publisher=City of Fort Lauderdale 
 |access-date=2013-06-24 
 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130623050142/http://www.fortlauderdale.gov/neighborhoods/recognition/recognition.htm 
 |archive-date=2013-06-23 
}}</ref> more than 60 distinct neighborhoods have received official recognition from the city. An additional 25–30 neighborhoods exist without official recognition, although the city's neighborhood map displays them as well.<ref>{{cite web
 |url         = http://gis.fortlauderdale.gov/PDFs/ITS/Neighborhood%20Associations%20%2811x17%29%20-%20Fort%20Lauderdale.pdf
 |title       = Neighborhood Associations
 |publisher   = City of Fort Lauderdale
 |access-date  = 2013-06-24
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20140701174600/http://gis.fortlauderdale.gov/PDFs/ITS/Neighborhood%20Associations%20%2811x17%29%20-%20Fort%20Lauderdale.pdf
 |archive-date = 2014-07-01
}}</ref>

===Climate===
According to the [[Köppen climate classification]], Fort Lauderdale has a [[tropical rainforest climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Af''). While the city does not have a fully [[dry season]], much of the seasonal rainfall comes between May and October. Winters are frequently dry and sunny, and drought can be a concern in some years.

Fort Lauderdale is situated in USDA [[hardiness zone]]s 10b to 11a near the coast.

The wet season runs from May through October, and weather is typically hot, humid, and wet with average high temperatures of {{convert|86|-|90|F|C|0}} and lows of {{convert|73|-|78|F|C|0}}. During this period, more than half of summer days may bring brief afternoon or evening thunderstorms with lightning and bursts of intense rainfall. The record high temperature of {{convert|100|F|C|0}} was recorded on June 22, 2009, and August 4, 1944.

The dry season often arrives some time in November, and lasts through early to mid April. Seasonable weather is often warm, dry, and sunny. Average high temperatures of {{convert|75|–|83|F|C|0}} and lows of {{convert|60|–|70|F|C|0}} are typical in the dry season. On rare occasions, cool fronts may make it all the way south to Fort Lauderdale, and the city will see a day or two of highs in the 60s °F (16–21&nbsp;°C) and lows in the 40s °F (4–10&nbsp;°C). Rare frosts occur every few decades, and only once in recorded history have [[snow flurries]] been reported in the air, which occurred on January 19, 1977.<ref>Lardner Jr., George; Meyers, Robert. "[https://www.proquest.com/docview/146900778/ Miami Is Hit by First Recorded Snow: State of Emergency Is Eyed for Virginia Thousands Idled as Cold Closes Factories, Businesses]". ''The Washington Post''. January 20, 1977. p. A1. ''"It also snowed in Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, Fort Myers, and yes, even in the Bahamas."''</ref><ref>South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) January 19, 2007.</ref> During the dry season (winter), brush fires can be a concern in many years.

Annual average precipitation is {{convert|60.95|in|mm|sigfig=3}}, with most of it occurring during the wet season from May through October. However, rainfall occurs in all months, even during the drier months from November through April, such as during the [[2023 Fort Lauderdale floods|April 2023 flash flood]] where about two feet of rain fell in half a day. Fort Lauderdale has an average of 131 precipitation days annually. The [[Atlantic hurricane season|hurricane season]] is between June 1 and November 30, with major hurricanes most likely to affect the city or state in September and October.<ref name=major>{{cite web
  |url=http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/E20.html
  |title=Frequently Asked Questions- When are major hurricanes likely to strike different states?
  |publisher=Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory
  |access-date=2007-07-21}}</ref> The most recent storms to directly affect the city were [[Hurricane Irma]] in 2017,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/2017/live-updates/weather/hurricane-irma-a-monster-storms-devastating-path/fort-lauderdale-picks-up-after-irma/ |last=Shapiro |first=Len |date=September 11, 2017 |title=Fort Lauderdale picks up after Irma |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=October 4, 2019}}</ref> in addition to [[Hurricane Katrina]] and [[Hurricane Wilma]], both of which struck the city in 2005. Other direct hits were [[Hurricane Cleo]] in 1964, [[Hurricane King]] in 1950, and the [[1947 Fort Lauderdale Hurricane]]. On [[2023 Fort Lauderdale floods|April 12, 2023]], Fort Lauderdale received {{convert|25.91|in|mm|sigfig=3}} of rainfall, causing historic flooding and the temporary closure of the [[Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wptv.com/weather/weather-news/more-than-25-inches-of-rain-flood-fort-lauderdale-most-within-6-hours|title=More than 25 inches of rain flood Fort Lauderdale, most within 6 hours|work=[[WPTV]]|date=April 13, 2023|access-date=April 13, 2023}}</ref>

{{Clear}}
{{Weather box
|location = [[Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport]], Florida (1991–2020 normals,{{efn|Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the highest and lowest temperature readings during an entire month or year) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.}} extremes 1912–present)
|single line = Y
| Jan high F = 75.6
| Feb high F = 77.4
| Mar high F = 79.7
| Apr high F = 82.9
| May high F = 85.8
| Jun high F = 88.4
| Jul high F = 90.0
| Aug high F = 90.0
| Sep high F = 88.3
| Oct high F = 85.4
| Nov high F = 80.8
| Dec high F = 77.7
|year high F = 83.5
|Jan mean F = 68.3
|Feb mean F = 70.3
|Mar mean F = 72.6
|Apr mean F = 76.4
|May mean F = 79.7
|Jun mean F = 82.5
|Jul mean F = 83.8
|Aug mean F = 84.0
|Sep mean F = 82.7
|Oct mean F = 79.9
|Nov mean F = 74.6
|Dec mean F = 71.2
|year mean F = 77.2
| Jan low F = 60.9
| Feb low F = 63.3
| Mar low F = 65.6
| Apr low F = 69.9
| May low F = 73.5
| Jun low F = 76.6
| Jul low F = 77.6
| Aug low F = 77.9
| Sep low F = 77.1
| Oct low F = 74.4
| Nov low F = 68.3
| Dec low F = 64.7
|year low F = 70.8
|Jan avg record high F =83.8
|Feb avg record high F =85.7
|Mar avg record high F =88.4
|Apr avg record high F =90.2
|May avg record high F =91.7
|Jun avg record high F =93.6
|Jul avg record high F =94.0
|Aug avg record high F =93.6
|Sep avg record high F =92.6
|Oct avg record high F =90.7
|Nov avg record high F =86.4
|Dec avg record high F =84.6
|year avg record high F=95.0
|Jan avg record low F = 43.1
|Feb avg record low F = 47.0
|Mar avg record low F = 50.8
|Apr avg record low F = 58.3
|May avg record low F = 65.8
|Jun avg record low F = 71.0
|Jul avg record low F = 72.3
|Aug avg record low F = 72.6
|Sep avg record low F = 72.3
|Oct avg record low F = 63.8
|Nov avg record low F = 54.3
|Dec avg record low F = 48.1
|year avg record low F= 40.7
|Jan record high F =  92
|Feb record high F =  94
|Mar record high F =  94
|Apr record high F =  96
|May record high F =  99
|Jun record high F = 100
|Jul record high F =  99
|Aug record high F = 100
|Sep record high F =  99
|Oct record high F =  95
|Nov record high F =  91
|Dec record high F =  90
|Jan record low F = 28
|Feb record low F = 28
|Mar record low F = 32
|Apr record low F = 40
|May record low F = 49
|Jun record low F = 57
|Jul record low F = 64
|Aug record low F = 66
|Sep record low F = 61
|Oct record low F = 46
|Nov record low F = 35
|Dec record low F = 29
|precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation inch = 2.90
| Feb precipitation inch = 2.38
| Mar precipitation inch = 2.38
| Apr precipitation inch = 3.02
| May precipitation inch = 5.56
| Jun precipitation inch = 9.55
| Jul precipitation inch = 5.41
| Aug precipitation inch = 7.89
| Sep precipitation inch = 8.02
| Oct precipitation inch = 7.37
| Nov precipitation inch = 3.69
| Dec precipitation inch = 2.78
|year precipitation inch = 60.95
| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
| Jan precipitation days = 7.0
| Feb precipitation days = 5.9
| Mar precipitation days = 6.3
| Apr precipitation days = 6.6
| May precipitation days = 10.4
| Jun precipitation days = 16.0
| Jul precipitation days = 15.7
| Aug precipitation days = 17.0
| Sep precipitation days = 16.1
| Oct precipitation days = 12.2
| Nov precipitation days = 9.6
| Dec precipitation days = 8.4
| year precipitation days = 131.2
|source 1 = NOAA<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=mfl
| title = NOWData – NOAA Online Weather Data
| publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
| accessdate = May 14, 2021
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USW00012849&format=pdf
| title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991&ndash;2020
| publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
| accessdate = May 14, 2021
}}</ref> 
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1920=2065
|1930=8666
|1940=17996
|1950=36328
|1960=83648
|1970=139590
|1980=153279
|1990=149377
|2000=152397
|2010=165521
|2020=182760
|estimate=183146
|estyear=2022
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="Census">{{cite web |title=U.S. Census Bureau |url=https://www.census.gov/ |website=U.S. Census Bureau }}</ref><br>
1920–1970<ref name="HistoricalCensus1890to1970">{{cite web |title=Census Counts: 1890-2020 |url=http://edr.state.fl.us/Content/local-government/data/data-a-to-z/FLmunicipalcensus.xls |website=Florida Municipal Population Census Counts: 1890 to 2020 |publisher=Office of Economic and Demographic Research, The Florida Legislature |access-date=12 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220404171529/http://edr.state.fl.us/Content/local-government/data/data-a-to-z/FLmunicipalcensus.xls |archive-date=4 April 2022 |date=2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> 1980<ref name="1980Census1">{{cite web |title=General Population Characteristics FLORIDA 1980 Census of Population |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_flABCs1-02.pdf |website=07553445v1chA-Cpt11sec1ch002.pdf |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=21 March 2023}}</ref> 1990<ref name="1990Census1">{{cite web |title=1990 Census of Population General Population Characteristics Florida Section 1 of 2 |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1990/cp-1/cp-1-11-1.pdf |website=Florida: 1990, Part 1 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=21 March 2023}}</ref><br>2000<ref name="2000CensusPopulationByRace">{{cite web |title=PL002: HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT ... - Census Bureau Table |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=PL002&g=160XX00US1224000&tid=DECENNIALPL2000.PL002 |website=PL002 &#124; HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE [73] |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=21 March 2023 }}</ref> 2010<ref name="2010CensusPopulationByRace">{{cite web |title=P2: HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT ... - Census Bureau Table |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=P2&g=160XX00US1224000&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2 |website=P2 &#124; HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=21 March 2023 }}</ref> 2020<ref name="2020CensusPopulationByRace" /> 2022<ref name="2022VintagePopulationEstimate" />
}}
Fort Lauderdale is the second-largest city in the [[Miami metropolitan area]] and the largest city in [[Broward County]], holding nearly a tenth of the county's population. It grew at a fast pace throughout the first seventy years of the twentieth century, with its population expanding from 91 in 1900 to 139,590 in 1970. After this, it experienced a period of slow growth. During the 1970s, the city's population only grew by 10.2% to 153,279 in 1980.

This began a period of stagnation for the city of Fort Lauderdale, even as the metro area and the county continued their population boom. In the 1980s, the population of the city shrank for the first time, and by the [[1990 United States census|1990 census]] the number of residents of Fort Lauderdale fell just below 150,000. The next decade saw a slight rebound, but by the time of the [[2000 United States census|2000 census]], the city's population was at 152,397, still below its first peak in 1980.

In the 21st century, the population grew significantly. By the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]], the city's population had reached 165,521 as its population grew by 8.6% over the previous decade. By the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the city's population had reached 182,760 as its population grew by 10.4% over the previous decade.
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%; text-align: right;"
!Historical demographics
!style="width: 5em;"|2020<ref name="2020CensusPopulationByRace" />
!style="width: 5em;"|2010<ref name="2010CensusPopulationByRace" />
!style="width: 5em;"|2000<ref name="2000CensusPopulationByRace" />
!style="width: 5em;"|1990<ref name="1990Census1" />
!style="width: 5em;"|1980<ref name="1980Census1" />
|-
|style="text-align:left"|[[Non-Hispanic whites|White]] (non-Hispanic)
|47.5%
|52.5%
|57.5%
|64.5%
|74.5%
|-
|style="text-align:left"|[[African American|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
|27.1%
|30.4%
|28.5%
|27.3%
|20.5%
|-
|style="text-align:left"|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]]
|19.2%
|13.7%
|9.5%
|7.2%
|4.2%
|-
|style="text-align:left"|[[Asian American|Asian]] (non-Hispanic)
|2.0%
|1.5%
|1.0%
|0.8%
|rowspan="3"|0.8%
|-
|style="text-align:left"|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] (non-Hispanic)
|0.2%
|0.2%
|0.2%
|0.2%
|-
|style="text-align:left"|[[Other races (U.S. Census)|Some other race]] (non-Hispanic)
|0.7%
|0.3%
|0.2%
|0.1%
|-
|style="text-align:left"|[[Multiracial Americans|Two or more races]] (non-Hispanic)
|3.3%
|1.4%
|3.2%
|N/A
|N/A
|-
!style="text-align:left"|Population
!style="text-align:right"|182,760
!style="text-align:right"|165,521
!style="text-align:right"|152,397
!style="text-align:right"|149,377
!style="text-align:right"|153,279
|}
<!--ADD TWO OR THREE PARAGRAPHS ABOUT RACIAL COMPOSITION AND HISTORICAL RACE NUMBERS IN FORT LAUDERDALE-->
{|class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="font-size: 90%; text-align: right;"
!Racial composition<br>before 1980  <ref>{{cite web |title=Table 10. Florida - Race and Hispanic Origin for Selected Large Cities and Other Places; Earliest Census to 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0076/FLtab.pdf |website=Table 10. Florida - Race and Hispanic Origin for Selected Large Cities and Other Places; Earliest Census to 1990 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=22 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828170235/https://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0076/FLtab.pdf |archive-date=28 August 2018 |date=13 July 2005 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
!style="width: 4em;"|1970
!style="width: 4em;"|1960
!style="width: 4em;"|1950
!style="width: 4em;"|1940
!style="width: 4em;"|1930
|-
|align="left" |[[White Americans|White]] (including [[White Hispanic|Hispanic]]) 
|85.2% ||76.5% ||76.6% ||71.2% ||77.0%
|-
|align="left" |[[African Americans|Black or African American]] (including [[Black Hispanic|Hispanic]])
|14.6% ||23.3% ||23.4% ||28.8% ||23.0%
|-
| align="left" |[[Asian Americans|Asian]]  (including [[Asian Hispanic|Hispanic]])
|0.1% ||N/A ||N/A ||N/A ||N/A
|-
|align="left" |[[Other races (U.S. Census)|Some other race]] (including [[Hispanic or Latino Americans|Hispanic]])
|0.2% ||0.1% ||< 0.1% ||< 0.1% ||< 0.1%
|-
|align="left" |[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] 
|2.2% ||N/A ||N/A ||N/A ||N/A
|-
|align="left" |[[Non-Hispanic whites|Non-Hispanic White]] 
|83.1% ||N/A ||N/A ||N/A ||N/A
|-
!align="left" |Population
!139,590 !!83,648 !!36,328 !!17,996 !!8,666
|}
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%; text-align: right;"
!Demographic characteristics
!style="width: 7em;"|2020<ref name="2020CensusHouseholds">{{cite web |title=H1 &#124; OCCUPANCY STATUS |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=H1&g=160XX00US1224000&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.H1 |website=H1: OCCUPANCY STATUS - Census Bureau Table |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=20 March 2023 }}</ref><ref name="2020CensusSexByAge">{{cite web |title=P12 &#124; SEX BY AGE FOR SELECTED AGE CATEGORIES |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=P12&g=160XX00US1224000&tid=DECENNIALDHC2020.P12 |website=P12: SEX BY AGE FOR SELECTED ... - Census Bureau Table |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=27 May 2023 }}</ref><ref name="2020CensusMedianAge">{{cite web |title=P13 &#124; MEDIAN AGE BY SEX |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=P13&g=160XX00US1224000&tid=DECENNIALDHC2020.P13 |website=P13: MEDIAN AGE BY SEX - Census Bureau Table |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=27 May 2023 }}</ref>
!style="width: 7em;"|2010<ref name="2010CensusHouseholds">{{cite web |title=H1 &#124; OCCUPANCY STATUS |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=H1&g=160XX00US1224000&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.H1 |website=H1: OCCUPANCY STATUS - Census Bureau Table |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=20 March 2023 }}</ref><ref name="2010CensusSexByAge">{{cite web |title=P12 &#124; SEX BY AGE |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=P12&g=160XX00US1224000&tid=DECENNIALSF12010.P12 |website=P12: SEX BY AGE - Census Bureau Table |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=20 March 2023 }}</ref><ref name="2010CensusMedianAge">{{cite web |title=P13 &#124; MEDIAN AGE BY SEX |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=P13&g=160XX00US1224000&tid=DECENNIALSF12010.P13 |website=P13: MEDIAN AGE BY SEX - Census Bureau Table |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=20 March 2023 }}</ref>
!style="width: 7em;"|2000<ref name="2000CensusHouseholds">{{cite web |title=H003 &#124; OCCUPANCY STATUS [3] |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=H003&g=160XX00US1224000&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.H003 |website=H003: OCCUPANCY STATUS [3] - Census Bureau Table |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=20 March 2023 }}</ref><ref name="2000CensusSexByAge">{{cite web |title=P012 &#124; SEX BY AGE [49] |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=P012&g=160XX00US1224000&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P012 |website=P012: SEX BY AGE [49] - Census Bureau Table |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=20 March 2023 }}</ref><ref name="2000CensusMedianAge">{{cite web |title=P013 &#124; MEDIAN AGE BY SEX [3] |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=P013&g=160XX00US1224000&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P013 |website=P13: MEDIAN AGE BY SEX [3] - Census Bureau Table |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=20 March 2023 }}</ref>
!style="width: 7em;"|1990<ref name="1990Census1" />
!style="width: 7em;"|1980<ref name="1980Census1" />
|-
|style="text-align:left"|Households
|103,140
|93,159
|80,862
|66,440
|67,623
|-
|style="text-align:left"|Persons per household
|1.77
|1.78
|1.88
|2.25
|2.27
|-
|style="text-align:left"|{{abbr|Sex Ratio|Sex ratio measured in number of males per 100 females}}
|109.7
|111.8
|110.0
|101.7
|92.5
|-
|style="text-align:left"|Ages 0–17
|16.2%
|17.6%
|19.4%
|18.8%
|19.3%
|-
|style="text-align:left"|Ages 18–64
|64.6%
|67.1%
|65.3%
|63.4%
|61.6%
|-
|style="text-align:left"|Ages 65 +
|19.2%
|15.3%
|15.3%
|17.8%
|19.1%
|-
|style="text-align:left"|Median age
|43.9
|42.2
|39.3
|37.1
|36.3
|-
!style="text-align:left"|Population
!style="text-align:right"|182,760
!style="text-align:right"|165,521
!style="text-align:right"|152,397
!style="text-align:right"|149,377
!style="text-align:right"|153,279
|}
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%; text-align: right;"
!colspan="4"|Economic indicators
|-
!style="width: 14em;"|2017–21 [[American Community Survey]]
!style="width: 7em;"|Fort Lauderdale
!style="width: 7em;"|Broward County
!style="width: 7em;"|Florida
|-
|style="text-align:left"|{{abbr|Median income|Median income in 2021 inflation-adjusted dollars}}<ref name="ACSPersonalIncome">{{cite web |title=S2001: EARNINGS IN THE PAST 12 ... - Census Bureau Table |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=S2001&g=040XX00US12_050XX00US12011_160XX00US1224000&tid=ACSST5Y2021.S2001 |website=S2001 &#124; EARNINGS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS (IN 2021 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS) |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=21 March 2023}}</ref>
|$38,304
|$36,222
|$34,367
|-
|style="text-align:left"|{{abbr|Median household income|Median household income in 2021 inflation-adjusted dollars}}<ref name="ACSHouseholdIncome">{{cite web |title=S1901: INCOME IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS ... - Census Bureau Table |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=S1901&g=040XX00US12_050XX00US12011_160XX00US1224000&tid=ACSST5Y2021.S1901 |website=S1901 &#124; INCOME IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS (IN 2021 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS) |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=21 March 2023}}</ref>
|$66,994
|$64,522
|$61,777
|-
|style="text-align:left"|Poverty Rate<ref name="ACSPoverty">{{cite web |title=S1701: POVERTY STATUS IN THE PAST ... - Census Bureau Table |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=S1701&g=040XX00US12_050XX00US12011_160XX00US1224000&tid=ACSST5Y2021.S1701 |website=S1701 &#124; POVERTY STATUS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=21 March 2023}}</ref>
|15.4%
|12.4%
|13.1%
|-
|style="text-align:left"|{{abbr|High school diploma|Percentage of the population aged 25+ with a high school diploma or higher}}<ref name="ACSEducationalAttainment">{{cite web |title=S1501: EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT - Census Bureau Table |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=S1501&g=040XX00US12_050XX00US12011_160XX00US1224000&tid=ACSST5Y2021.S1501 |website=S1501 &#124; EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=21 March 2023}}</ref>
|89.1%
|90.0%
|89.0%
|-
|style="text-align:left"|{{abbr|Bachelor's degree|Percentage of the population aged 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher}}<ref name="ACSEducationalAttainment" />
|39.3%
|34.3%
|31.5%
|-
|style="text-align:left"|{{abbr|Advanced degree|Percentage of the population aged 25+ with an advanced degree}}<ref name="ACSEducationalAttainment" />
|15.5%
|13.1%
|11.7%
|}
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%; text-align: right;"
!style="width: 20em;"|Language spoken at home{{refn|group=note|name=languages|Language spoken at home among residents at least five years old; only languages (or language groups) which at least 2% of residents have spoken at any time since 1980 are mentioned}}
!style="width: 5em;"|2015{{refn|group=note|name=ACS2015Language|Refers to 2013–2017 [[American Community Survey]] data;<ref name="ACS2015Language">{{cite web |title=C16001: LANGUAGE SPOKEN AT HOME FOR ... - Census Bureau Table |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=C16001&g=160XX00US1224000&tid=ACSDT5Y2017.C16001&moe=true |website=C16001 &#124; LANGUAGE SPOKEN AT HOME FOR THE POPULATION 5 YEARS AND OVER |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=21 March 2023 }}</ref> the last Decennial Census where language data was collected was in the [[2000 United States census|2000 census]]}}
!style="width: 5em;"|2010{{refn|group=note|name=ACS2010Language|Refers to 2008–2012 [[American Community Survey]] data;<ref name="ACS2010Language">{{cite web |title=B16001: LANGUAGE SPOKEN AT HOME BY - Census Bureau Table |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=B16001&g=160XX00US1224000&tid=ACSDT5Y2012.B16001&moe=true |website=B16001 &#124; LANGUAGE SPOKEN AT HOME BY ABILITY TO SPEAK ENGLISH FOR THE POPULATION 5 YEARS AND OVER |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=21 March 2023 }}</ref> the last Decennial Census where language data was collected was in the [[2000 United States census|2000 census]]}}
!style="width: 5em;"|2000<ref name="2000CensusLanguage">{{cite web |title=PCT010: AGE BY LANGUAGE SPOKEN AT ... - Census Bureau Table |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=PCT010&g=160XX00US1224000&tid=DECENNIALSF32000.PCT010 |website=PCT010 &#124; AGE BY LANGUAGE SPOKEN AT HOME FOR THE POPULATION 5 YEARS AND OVER [83] |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=21 March 2023 }}</ref>
!style="width: 5em;"|1990<ref name="1990Census2">{{cite web |title=1990 Census of Population General Social and Economic Characteristics Florida Section 1 of 3 |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1990/cp-2/cp-2-11-1.pdf |website=Florida: 1990, Part 1 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=21 March 2023}}</ref>
!style="width: 5em;"|1980<ref name="1980Census3">{{cite web |title=General Social and Economic Characteristics FLORIDA 1980 Census of Population |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_flABCs1-09.pdf |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=21 March 2023}}</ref>
|-
|style="text-align:left"|[[English language|English]] only
|71.4%
|74.0%
|75.1%
|80.7%
|90.3%
|-
|style="text-align:left"|[[Spanish language|Spanish]] or [[Spanish Creole]]
|15.9%
|13.0%
|9.4%
|6.8%
|3.6%
|-
|style="text-align:left"|[[French language|French]] or [[Haitian Creole]]
|6.9%
|7.4%
|9.6%
|7.6%
|1.6%
|-
|style="text-align:left"|Other languages
|5.8%
|5.6%
|5.9%
|4.9%
|4.5%
|}
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%; text-align: right;"
!style="width: 20em;"|Nativity
!style="width: 5em;"|2015{{refn|group=note|name=ACS2015Nativity|Refers to 2013–2017 [[American Community Survey]] data;<ref name="ACS2015ForeignBorn1">{{cite web |title=B05001: Nativity and Citizenship ... - Census Bureau Table |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=B05001&g=160XX00US1224000&tid=ACSDT5Y2017.B05001&moe=true |website=B05001 &#124; Nativity and Citizenship Status in the United States |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=21 March 2023 }}</ref><ref name="ACS2015ForeignBorn">{{cite web |title=B05006: PLACE OF BIRTH FOR THE ... - Census Bureau Table |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=B05006&g=160XX00US1224000&tid=ACSDT5Y2017.B05006&moe=true |website=B05006 &#124; PLACE OF BIRTH FOR THE FOREIGN-BORN POPULATION IN THE UNITED STATES |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=21 March 2023 }}</ref> the last Decennial Census where foreign-born population data was collected was in the [[2000 United States census|2000 census]]}}
!style="width: 5em;"|2010{{refn|group=note|name=ACS2010Nativity|Refers to 2008–2012 [[American Community Survey]] data;<ref name="ACS2010Nativity">{{cite web |title=B05001: NATIVITY AND CITIZENSHIP ... - Census Bureau Table |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=B05001&g=160XX00US1224000&tid=ACSDT5Y2012.B05001&moe=true |website=B05001 &#124; NATIVITY AND CITIZENSHIP STATUS IN THE UNITED STATES |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=21 March 2023 }}</ref><ref name="ACS2010ForeignBorn">{{cite web |title=B05006: PLACE OF BIRTH FOR THE ... - Census Bureau Table |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=B05006&g=160XX00US1224000&tid=ACSDT5Y2012.B05006&moe=true |website=B05006 &#124; PLACE OF BIRTH FOR THE FOREIGN-BORN POPULATION IN THE UNITED STATES |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=21 March 2023 }}</ref> the last Decennial Census where foreign-born population data was collected was in the [[2000 United States census|2000 census]]}}
!style="width: 5em;"|2000<ref name="2000CensusNativity">{{cite web |title=P021: PLACE OF BIRTH BY CITIZENSHIP ... - Census Bureau Table |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=P021&g=160XX00US1224000&tid=DECENNIALSF32000.P021 |website=P021 &#124; PLACE OF BIRTH BY CITIZENSHIP STATUS [15] |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=21 March 2023 }}</ref><ref name="2000CensusForeignBorn">{{cite web |title=PCT019: PLACE OF BIRTH FOR THE ... - Census Bureau Table |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=PCT019&g=160XX00US1224000&tid=DECENNIALSF32000.PCT019 |website=PCT019 &#124; PLACE OF BIRTH FOR THE FOREIGN-BORN POPULATION [126] |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=21 March 2023 }}</ref>
!style="width: 5em;"|1990<ref name="1990Census3">{{cite web |title=1990 Census of Population General Social and Economic Characteristics Florida Section 2 of 3 |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1990/cp-2/cp-2-11-2.pdf |website=Florida: 1990, Part 2 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=21 March 2023 }}</ref><ref name="1990Census2" />
!style="width: 5em;"|1980<ref name="1980Census3" />
|-
|style="text-align:left"|'''% population [[Natural-born-citizen clause (United States)|native-born]]'''
|'''76.2%'''
|'''78.1%'''
|'''78.3%'''
|'''82.6%'''
|'''90.1%'''
|-
|style="text-align:left"|... born in the [[United States]]
|73.7%
|75.7%
|76.4%
|80.8%
|89.0%
|-
|style="text-align:left"|... born in [[Puerto Rico]] or [[Territories of the United States|Island Areas]]
|1.5%
|1.5%
|1.1%
|0.9%
|rowspan="2"|1.1%
|-
|style="text-align:left"|... born to [[Jus sanguinis|American parents abroad]]
|1.0%
|0.9%
|0.8%
|0.9%
|-
|style="text-align:left"|'''% population [[Immigration to the United States|foreign-born]]{{refn|group=note|name=foreignborn|Only countries of birth which at least 1.5% of residents were born in at any time since 1980 are mentioned}}'''
|'''23.8%'''
|'''21.9%'''
|'''21.7%'''
|'''17.4%'''
|'''9.9%'''
|-
|style="text-align:left"|... born in [[Haiti]]
|4.6%
|4.1%
|5.8%
|4.3%
|N/A{{efn|name=NotCountedSeparately|Not counted separately; aggregated into "Other" category}}
|-
|style="text-align:left"|... born in [[Jamaica]]
|2.3%
|2.0%
|1.7%
|1.1%
|0.7%
|-
|style="text-align:left"|... born in [[Cuba]]
|1.6%
|1.8%
|1.3%
|1.2%
|0.9%
|-
|style="text-align:left"|... born in other countries
|15.3%
|14.0%
|12.9%
|10.8%
|8.3%
|}

{{As of|2010}}, those of (non-Hispanic white) European ancestry accounted for 52.5% of Fort Lauderdale's population. 10.3% of city residents were of [[Irish people|Irish]] origin, 10.1% [[German people|German]], 8.1% [[Italian people|Italian]], 7.1% [[English people|English]], 3.0% [[Polish people|Polish]], 2.1% [[French people|French]], 1.9% [[Russian people|Russian]], 1.7% [[Scottish people|Scottish]], 1.2% [[Scotch-Irish Americans|Scotch-Irish]], 1.0% [[Dutch people|Dutch]], 1.0% [[Swedish people|Swedish]], 0.6% [[Greek people|Greek]], 0.6% [[Hungarian people|Hungarian]], 0.5% [[Norwegian people|Norwegian]], and 0.5% [[French Canadian people|French Canadian]].<ref name=FTLdemo/><ref name=FTLpop/>

{{As of|2010}}, those of African ancestry accounted for 31.0% of Fort Lauderdale's population, which includes [[African American]]s. 10.0% of city residents were of [[West Indian]] or [[Afro-Caribbean American]] origin (6.4% [[Haitian people|Haitian]], 2.5% [[Jamaican people|Jamaican]], 0.4% [[Bahamian people|Bahamian]], 0.2% [[West Indies|Other or Unspecified West Indian]], 0.2% [[British West Indian]], 0.1% [[Trinidadian and Tobagonian]], 0.1% [[Barbadian people|Barbadian]]), 0.6% were [[Black Hispanic]]s, and 0.5% [[Sub-Saharan African|Subsaharan African]].<ref name=HiLaFoLa/><ref name=FTLdemo>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |title=Fort Lauderdale, Florida Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 - 2010 Demographic Profile Data |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=October 26, 2015 }}</ref><ref name=FTLpop>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |title=Fort Lauderdale, Florida: SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES - 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=October 26, 2015 }}</ref>

{{As of|2010}}, those of Hispanic or Latino ancestry accounted for 13.7% of Fort Lauderdale's population. 2.5% of city residents were of [[Cuban people|Cuban]] origin, 2.3% [[Puerto Rican people|Puerto Rican]], 1.7% [[Mexican people|Mexican]], 1.1% [[Colombian people|Colombian]], 0.9% [[Guatemalan people|Guatemalan]], 0.8% [[Salvadoran people|Salvadoran]], 0.6% [[Honduran people|Honduran]], and 0.6% [[Peruvian people|Peruvian]].<ref name=HiLaFoLa>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |title=Fort Lauderdale, Florida Hispanic or Latino by Type: 2010 - 2010 Census Summary File 1 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=October 26, 2015 }}</ref>

{{As of|2010}}, those of Asian ancestry accounted for 1.5% of Fort Lauderdale's population. 0.4% of city residents were of [[Indian people|Indian]] origin, 0.3% [[Filipino people|Filipino]], 0.3% [[Asian people|Other Asian]], 0.2% [[Chinese people|Chinese]], 0.1% [[Vietnamese people|Vietnamese]], 0.1% [[Japanese people|Japanese]], and 0.1% [[Korean people|Korean]].<ref name=FTLdemo/>

{{As of|2010}}, 0.6% were of [[Arab people|Arab]] ancestry.<ref name=FTLdemo/>

In 2010, 7.1% of the population considered themselves to be of only [[American people|American]] ancestry (regardless of race or ethnicity).<ref name=FTLdemo/><ref name=FTLpop/>

In 2000, Fort Lauderdale had the twenty-sixth highest percentage of [[Haiti]]an residents in the United States, at 6.9% of the city's population,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.epodunk.com/ancestry/Haitian.html |title=Ancestry Map of Haitian Communities |publisher=Epodunk.com |access-date=2007-10-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120923063913/http://www.epodunk.com/ancestry/Haitian.html |archive-date=2012-09-23 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and the 127th highest percentage of [[Cuba]]n residents, at 1.7% of the city's residents.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.epodunk.com/ancestry/Cuban.html |title=Ancestry Map of Cuban Communities |publisher=Epodunk.com |access-date=2007-10-22 |archive-date=2012-11-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121122040230/http://www.epodunk.com/ancestry/Cuban.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The city, along with adjacent small cities [[Oakland Park, Florida|Oakland Park]] and [[Wilton Manors, Fl|Wilton Manors]], is known for its notably large [[LGBT community]], and has one of the highest ratios of [[GLBT|gay men and lesbians]], with gay men being more largely present.<ref>{{cite web|author=The Miami Herald |url=http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2011/09/the-census-confirms-it-wilton-manors-is-one-of-the-united-states-gayest-places.html |title=Steve Rothaus' Gay South Florida |publisher=Miamiherald.typepad.com |access-date=2012-12-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Ost, Jason |url=http://www.urban.org/publications/900695.html |title=Facts and Findings from The Gay and Lesbian Atlas |publisher=Urban.org |access-date=2012-12-18 |archive-date=August 5, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100805102121/http://www.urban.org/publications/900695.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The city is also known as a popular vacation spot for [[gay]]s and [[lesbian]]s,<ref>{{cite news|last=Lee|first=Gary|title=Where the Boys Are, Part 2: Watch out, South Beach. Fort Lauderdale is making its moves as a top gay spot|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/13/AR2005051300662.html|access-date=2 September 2010|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=15 May 2005}}</ref> with many LGBT or LGBT-friendly hotels and guesthouses.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gayftlauderdale.com/fortlauderdale/hotelsgayclothingoptional/ |title=Hotels « Categories « Gay Fort Lauderdale Guide Gay Ft. Lauderdale Hotels |website=Gayftlauderdale.com |access-date=2017-01-23}}</ref> Fort Lauderdale hosts the [[Stonewall Library & Archives]], and in neighboring [[Wilton Manors]], there is the [[The Pride Center at Equality Park|Pride Center]], a large LGBT community center, in addition to the World AIDS Museum and Educational Center. The current mayor of Fort Lauderdale, [[Dean Trantalis]], is the first openly gay person to hold this office.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.local10.com/news/local/fort-lauderdale/dean-trantalis-makes-history-as-first-openly-gay-mayor-of-fort-lauderdale|title=Dean Trantalis makes history as first openly gay mayor of Fort...|last=Burke|first=Peter|website=www.local10.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-10-16|date=2018-03-14}}</ref>

==Economy==
[[File:Sunset in downtown 194344.jpg|thumb|Fort Lauderdale's [[central business district]] is the largest in Broward County, and second-largest in South Florida after [[Miami]].]]
Fort Lauderdale's economy has diversified over time. From the 1940s through the 1980s, the city was known as a [[spring break]] destination for college students.<ref name=sfhm91>{{Cite news |url=http://historymiamiarchives.org/pdfs/sfh-1991-1.pdf |title=Where the boys were |last=George |first=Paul S. |date=1991 |work=South Florida History Magazine |access-date=16 November 2017 |publisher=Historical Association of Southern Florida |issue=1 |pages=5–8 |via=[[HistoryMiami]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313063950/http://historymiamiarchives.org/pdfs/sfh-1991-1.pdf |archive-date=13 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The college crowd has since dwindled, however, with the city now attracting wealthier tourists.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgresults.cfm?destination=ft_lauderdale@64 | title=Fort Lauderdale Travel Guide | publisher=[[Fodor's]] | access-date=2007-06-21}}</ref> [[Cruise ship]]s and nautical recreation provide the basis for much of the revenue raised by tourism. There is a convention center west of the beach and southeast of downtown, with {{convert|600000|sqft|m2|0}} of space, including a {{convert|200000|sqft|m2|0|adj=on}} main exhibit hall.<ref name=ccsize>{{cite web|url=http://www.sunny.org/media/index.cfm?action=showArticle&articleID=60 |publisher=Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau |title=Fact Sheet-Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center |access-date=2007-07-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929000703/http://www.sunny.org/media/index.cfm?action=showArticle&articleID=60 |archive-date=2007-09-29 }}</ref> Approximately 30% of the city's 10 million annual visitors attend conventions at the center.<ref name=ccstat>{{cite press release|url=http://www.ftlauderdalecc.com/pdfs/newsletter21.pdf |title=Fall 2006 newsletter:The Way We Were |date=Fall 2006 |publisher=Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center |access-date=2007-07-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070810220305/http://www.ftlauderdalecc.com/pdfs/newsletter21.pdf |archive-date=2007-08-10 }}</ref>

The [[downtown]] area, especially around [[Las Olas Boulevard]], first underwent redevelopment starting in 2002,<ref>{{cite web|title=Las Olas Boulevard needs help, yet Mayor Seiler does nothing.|url=http://www.abetterftlauderdale.com/?p=884|publisher=A Better Fort Lauderdale: New Visions for Our City|access-date=3 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130724161433/http://www.abetterftlauderdale.com/?p=884|archive-date=2013-07-24|url-status=dead}}</ref>  and now hosts many new hotels and high-rise [[Condominium (living space)|condominium]] developments.<ref>{{cite news|last=Owers|first=Paul|title=Developers look to revive stretch of New River in Fort Lauderdale|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2012-01-06/features/fl-commercial-development-20120108_1_las-olas-riverfront-shirttail-charlie-coffee-shop|newspaper=Sun Sentinel|access-date=3 October 2012|archive-date=January 11, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111041828/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2012-01-06/features/fl-commercial-development-20120108_1_las-olas-riverfront-shirttail-charlie-coffee-shop|url-status=dead}}</ref> The city's [[central business district]] is the largest downtown in Broward County, although there are other cities in the county with commercial centers. Office buildings and high-rises include: [[Las Olas River House]], Las Olas Grand, [[110 Tower]] (formerly [[AutoNation]] Tower), [[Bank of America Plaza (Fort Lauderdale)|Bank of America Plaza]], [[One Financial Plaza (Fort Lauderdale)|One Financial Plaza]], Broward Financial Center, One East Broward Boulevard, [[Barnett Bank]] Plaza, [[PNC Center (Fort Lauderdale)|PNC Center]], New River Center, One Corporate Center, [[SunTrust]] Centre, 101 Tower, and [[SouthTrust]] Tower.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.Skyscraperpage.com |title=SkyscraperPage.com |access-date=September 2, 2010}} Other improvements include a wide array of new boutiques, art galleries, and restaurants.{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}}</ref>

Fort Lauderdale is a major manufacturing and maintenance center for yachts. The boating industry is responsible for over 109,000 jobs in the county.<ref name=boats>{{cite web | author =Cantanese Center for Urban and Environmental Studies | title = Interim Boat Facility Siting Plan | version = Draft | publisher = Broward County Environmental Protection Department | date=  January 2005 | url = http://www.broward.org/bio/bri00622.pdf |page=38 |access-date=2007-07-22|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070810220306/http://www.broward.org/bio/bri00622.pdf |archive-date = August 10, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> With its many canals, and proximity to the [[Bahamas]] and [[Caribbean]], it is also a popular yachting vacation stop, and home port for 42,000 boats, and approximately 100 marinas and boatyards.<ref name=2006stats /> Additionally, the annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, the world's largest<ref>{{cite web|title=World's Largest Boat Show Opens amid Cautious Optimism|url=http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20111026006438/en/World%E2%80%99s-Largest-Boat-Show-Opens-Cautious-Optimism|publisher=Business Wire|access-date=3 October 2012|date=2011-10-26}}</ref> [[boat show]], brings over 125,000 people to the city each year.<ref>[http://test.ifbso.com/index.php/visitor-numbers Visitor numbers] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100726110723/http://test.ifbso.com/index.php/visitor-numbers |date=July 26, 2010 }}, International Federation of Boat Show Organisers (IFBSO)</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://ci.ftlaud.fl.us/news/2006/boatshow.htm |title=47th Annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show |publisher=City of Fort Lauderdale |access-date=2007-07-22 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929024629/http://ci.ftlaud.fl.us/news/2006/boatshow.htm |archive-date=2007-09-29 }}</ref>

===Top employers===

According to the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance 2020 report,<ref>{{cite web |title=The Alliance - Business Facts & Statistics |url=https://www.gflalliance.org/information-center/business-facts-statistics/ |website=www.gflalliance.org |access-date=25 March 2022}}</ref> the city's top employers include:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Employer
! Employees
|-
|[[AutoNation]]
|3,000
|-
|[[Citrix]]
|1,700
|-
|[[Kaplan, Inc.|Kaplan]]
|1,291
|-
|Rick Case Automotive Group
|905
|-
|''[[Sun-Sentinel]]''
|897

|}

==Arts and culture==
[[File:Downtown Fort Lauderdale, Florida. USA - near Riverwalk at Night.jpg|thumb|Downtown nightlife.]]
{{See also|List of museums in Fort Lauderdale, Florida}}
Like many parts of Florida, the city's population has a strong seasonal variation, as "[[Snowbird (people)|snowbirds]]" from the northern United States, Canada, and Europe spend the winter and spring in Florida.<ref name=snowbird>{{cite news |url=http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/02/02/realestate/greathomes/02florida.html?pagewanted=1 |title=Snowbirds flock together for winter |last=Lawlor |first= Julia |work=The New York Times |date= 2 February 2007 |access-date=16 July 2007}}</ref> The city is known for its beaches, bars, nightclubs, and history as a [[spring break]] location, back in the 1960s and 1970s, for tens of thousands of college students.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/19/weekinreview/19marsh.html?ex=1300424400&en=c0c4cc57f4708c4d&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss | last=Marsh |first= Bill | title=The innocent birth of the spring bacchanal |work= The New York Times | date= 19 March 2006 | access-date=13 May 2007}}</ref> The city has discouraged college students from visiting the area since the mid-1980s, however, by passing strict laws aimed at preventing the mayhem that occurred in the 1970s and 1980s.<ref name=sfhm91/> The city had an estimated 350,000 college visitors for spring break 1985;<ref name=polk>{{cite news |url=http://www.polkonline.com/stories/033001/sta_spring-break.shtml |title=Fort Lauderdale says goodbye to wild, youthful spring breaks |last=Weber |first= Janelle |agency=Associated Press |date= 30 March 2001 |access-date= 15 July 2007|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927015809/http://www.polkonline.com/stories/033001/sta_spring-break.shtml |archive-date = 27 September 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> by 1989, that number had declined to about 20,000.<ref name=sfhm91/> Since the 1990s, Fort Lauderdale has increasingly catered to those seeking the resort lifestyle seasonally or year-round, and is often a host city to many professional venues, concerts, and art shows.{{citation needed|date=May 2022}}

Fort Lauderdale's arts and entertainment district, otherwise known as the Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment District, runs east–west along [[Las Olas Boulevard]], from the beach to the heart of downtown. The district is anchored in the West by the [[Broward Center for the Performing Arts]], and runs through the city to the intersection of Las Olas and A1A. This intersection is the "ground zero" of Fort Lauderdale Beach, and is the site of the [[Elbo Room]] bar featured in the 1960 film ''[[Where the Boys Are]]'', which led in large measure to the city's former reputation as a spring break mecca.<ref name=sfhm91/> The city and its suburbs host over 4,100 restaurants and over 120 nightclubs, many of them in the arts and entertainment district.<ref name=2006stats /> The city is also the setting for the 1986 movie ''[[Flight of the Navigator]]'', and host of [[Langerado]], an annual music festival. In 2013, the county welcomed about 1.3 million LGBT travelers who spent about $1.5 billion in area restaurants, hotels, attractions, and shops, according to the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Daniel |first1=Diane |title=Courting Transgender Tourists (Published 2015) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/20/travel/lgbt-gay-travel.html |access-date=23 January 2021 |work=The New York Times |date=16 September 2015}}</ref>

===Film festival===
<!---redirects target this section until article is created--->
The Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival has been presented annually since 1986.<ref>{{cite web | title=BCFS presents FLiFF36 | website=Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival | url=https://fliff.com/ | access-date=5 May 2022}}</ref>

===Sites of interest===
[[File:New River (Fort Lauderdale, Florida).jpg|thumb|The [[New River (Broward County, Florida)|New River]] provides a popular and scenic route for watercraft.]]
[[Hugh Taylor Birch State Park]] is a {{convert|180|acre|km2|adj=on}} park along the beach, with nature trails, camping and picnicking areas, canoeing, and features the Terramar Visitor Center, with exhibits about the ecosystem of the park.<ref name=birch>{{cite web |url=http://www.abfla.com/parks/HughTaylorBirch/hughtaylorbirch.html |title=Florida State Parks—Hugh Taylor Birch State Recreation Area |publisher=Florida Division of Recreation and Parks |access-date=2007-07-23}}</ref> Hugh Taylor Birch came to Florida in 1893. He purchased ocean-front property for about a dollar per acre, he eventually owned a 3.5-mile stretch of beachfront.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.floridastateparks.org/park-history/Hugh-Taylor-Birch |title=Florida State Parks |publisher=Florida State Parks |access-date=2017-01-23}}</ref> The [[Bonnet House]] is a historic home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States. Bonnet House's modern history began when Birch gave the Bonnet House property as a wedding gift to his daughter, Helen, and her husband, Chicago artist [[Frederic Clay Bartlett]] in 1919. The site was listed on the National Register of Historic places in 1984, and declared a historic landmark by the City of Fort Lauderdale in 2002.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bonnethouse.org/history/ |title=Ft. Lauderdale Bonnet House Museum and Gardens Historic Estate History |website=Bonnethouse.org |date=2014-06-20 |access-date=2017-01-23}}</ref>

[[File:Riverside Hotel 194800.jpg|thumb|The [[Riverside Hotel (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)|Riverside Hotel]], Fort Lauderdale's oldest operating hotel]]
[[New River Tunnel|Henry E. Kinney Tunnel]] on U.S. Route 1 is the only tunnel on a state road<!--not the only one on public land - Epcot Resorts Boulevard is a public (RCID) road!--> in the state of Florida.<ref name=tunnel>{{cite web |url=http://www.dot.state.fl.us/publicinformationoffice/kidzone/PhotoZone/kinneytunnel.htm |title=KidZone—Henry E. Kinney Tunnel |publisher=Florida State Department of Transportation |access-date=2007-07-23|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071102080721/http://www.dot.state.fl.us/publicinformationoffice/kidzone/PhotoZone/kinneytunnel.htm |archive-date = November 2, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> It was constructed in 1960, and its {{convert|864|ft|m|0|adj=on}} length travels underneath the New River and Las Olas Boulevard.

The Riverwalk Arts and Entertainment District in downtown Fort Lauderdale features the Broward Center for the Performing Arts; Museum of Discovery and Science, with its AutoNation 3D IMAX Theater; Florida Grand Opera; Fort Lauderdale Historical Center; Stranahan House; the [[Riverside Hotel (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)|Riverside Hotel]]; and the Museum of Art.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sunny.org/ways-to-play/ |title=Things to Do in Fort Lauderdale &#124; Attractions, Shopping & Tours |website=Sunny.org |date= |access-date=2017-01-23}}</ref>

[[Las Olas Boulevard]] is a popular thoroughfare in downtown Fort Lauderdale that runs from Andrews Avenue in the Central Business District to A1A and Fort Lauderdale Beach. The boulevard is a popular attraction for locals and visitors, being ideally situated close to Fort Lauderdale beach, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, and Port Everglades. It is considered to be South Florida's most architecturally unique, authentic, and eclectic shopping and dining district.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lasolasboulevard.com/ |title=Official Website of Las Olas BoulevardLas Olas Boulevard |website=Lasolasboulevard.com |access-date=2017-01-23}}</ref>

In addition to its museums, beaches, and nightlife,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fortlauderdaledaily.com/features/editors-picks-ultimate-guide-fort-lauderdales-restaurants-venues-and-more|title=Editors' Picks: The Ultimate Guide To Fort Lauderdale's Restaurants, Venues And More|website=Fort Lauderdale Daily|language=en|access-date=2019-08-08}}</ref> Fort Lauderdale is home to: the [[Fort Lauderdale Swap Shop]], a large indoor/outdoor flea market, and the site of the world's largest drive-in movie theater, with 13 screens;<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.miaminewtimes.com/1998-11-05/news/the-sultan-of-swap/1 |title=The Sultan of Swap |author=Rowe, Sean |newspaper=[[Miami New Times]] |date=November 5, 1998 |access-date=2007-07-23}}</ref> [[North Woodlawn Cemetery]], an African-American cemetery east of [[Interstate 95]] near Sunrise Boulevard, which was added to the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 2017;<ref>{{cite news|title=Fort Lauderdale African-American cemetery added to historic register|first=Dan|last=Sweeney|newspaper=Sun-Sentinel|url=http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fort-lauderdale/fl-reg-woodlawn-cemetery-historic-place-20171221-story.html|date=December 21, 2017}}</ref> [[Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale]], an evangelical megachurch in Fort Lauderdale;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hirr.hartsem.edu/cgi-bin/mega/db.pl?db=default&uid=default&view_records=1&ID=*&sb=4&State=FL |title=Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale |work=Hartford Institute for religion research |access-date=September 21, 2019}}</ref> and the annual Fort Lauderdale International [[Boat show|Boat Show]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/fort-lauderdale-boat-show/ |date=September 21, 2019 |title=Boat Show |work=[[Sun-Sentinel]] |access-date=September 21, 2019}}</ref> where almost 500 [[boat]]s, [[yacht]]s, and [[Superyacht|mega]]-yachts are on display.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.flibs.com/en/home.html |title=Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show - Boats on Display |work=[[Informa]]|access-date=September 21, 2019}}</ref>

===Historic structures===
The following are images of some of the remaining historical structures in Fort Lauderdale. Some are listed in the National Register of Historic Places:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/fl/broward/state.html |title=National Register of Historical Places - FLORIDA (FL), Broward County |website=Nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com |access-date=2017-01-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g34227-d636962-i67982460-Carrie_B_Cruises_Fort_Lauderdale_Broward_County_Florida.html |title=Haus von Bugsy Siegel - Picture of Carrie B Cruises, Fort Lauderdale |publisher=[[TripAdvisor]] |date=2013-06-16 |access-date=2017-01-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=McCaughan |first=Sean |url=http://miami.curbed.com/maps/the-38-essential-miamisouth-florida-hotels/hyatt-regency-pier-66 |title=And Now, The 38 Essential Miami/South Florida Hotels - Curbed Miami |website=Miami.curbed.com |date=2013-06-24 |access-date=2017-01-23}}</ref>
{{Gallery
|mode=packed-hover
|title=Fort Lauderdale, Florida
|width=180px
|height=200px
|align=center
|File: Florida-Fort Lauderdale-Bonnet House-1900-5.jpg |The Bonnet House was built in 1895 and is at 900 Birch Road. In 1919, the owner, Hugh Taylor Birch, gave the property to his daughter Helen and artist Frederic Clay Bartlett as a wedding gift. The property was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on July 5, 1984; reference #84000832.
|File: Florida-Fort Lauderdale-Dr. Willard Van Orsdel King House-1950.jpg|The [[Dr. Willard Van Orsdel King House]] was built in 1951 and is at 1336 Seabreeze Boulevard. On February 21, 2006, it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places; reference #06000059. 
|File: Florida-Fort Lauderdale-Bugsy Siegel House-1930.jpg|The Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel House in Fort Lauderdale, Florida along the riverside of New River. This was the residence of the infamous mobster known as [[Bugsy Seigel]].
|Fort-lauderdale-stranahan-house.JPG|[[Stranahan House]], the oldest building in Fort Lauderdale, originally built as a [[trading post]].}}

==Sports==
[[Lockhart Stadium]] in Fort Lauderdale was the home of the [[Fort Lauderdale Strikers (2006–2016)|Fort Lauderdale Strikers]], which played in the most recent incarnation of the [[North American Soccer League (2011–2017)|North American Soccer League]]. It was the home of the original [[Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1977-1983)|Fort Lauderdale Strikers]], which played in the previous version of the [[North American Soccer League (1968–1984)|North American Soccer League]]. The [[Miami Fusion]] of [[Major League Soccer]] played home games at this stadium from 1998 to 2001. The [[Florida Atlantic Owls football|Florida Atlantic University Owls]] football team played its home games at Lockhart Stadium from 2003 through 2010.<ref>{{cite news|title=Lockhart Stadium|url=http://www.sun-sentinel.com/topic/sports/lockhart-stadium-PLENT000193.topic|newspaper=South Florida Sun-Sentinel|access-date=3 December 2011|archive-date=November 4, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111104210014/http://www.sun-sentinel.com/topic/sports/lockhart-stadium-PLENT000193.topic|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| last=Harwitt| first=Sandra| title=New FAU stadium can't help winless Owls| url=http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/10/23/2467617/new-fau-stadium-cant-help-winless.html| access-date=3 December 2011| newspaper=Miami Herald| date=October 23, 2011}}</ref>

The [[Fort Lauderdale Fighting Squids]] compete in the United States Australian Football League.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://usafl.com/clubs/fort-lauderdale |title=Fort Lauderdale Fighting Squids |website=usafl.com |access-date=2024-05-30}}</ref>

The [[New York Yankees]], [[Baltimore Orioles]], and [[Kansas City Royals]] used to conduct [[spring training]] in the city at [[Fort Lauderdale Stadium]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/spring_training/ballpark.jsp?c_id=bal&year=2007 |title=Spring Training:Ballpark Information |publisher=Baltimore Orioles/Major League Baseball |access-date=2007-10-20}}</ref>

Fort Lauderdale is also home to the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Complex, which is at the [[International Swimming Hall of Fame]]. It contains two {{convert|25|yd|m|adj=on}} by 50-meter competition pools, as well as one 20 by {{convert|25|yd|m|adj=on}} diving well. The complex is open to Fort Lauderdale residents, and has also been used in many different national and international competitions since its opening in 1965. Ten [[List of world records in swimming|world records]] have been set there, from [[Catie Ball]]'s 100&nbsp;m breaststroke in 1966,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.zwemkroniek.com/recordhistorie.php?record=wrd50&afstand=100school |title=Recordhistorie Wereldrecords dames(50m):100 meter schoolslag |publisher=Zwemkroniek |access-date=2007-12-05|language=nl}}</ref> to [[Michael Phelps]]' 400&nbsp;m individual medley in 2002.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.zwemkroniek.com/recordhistorie.php?record=wrh50&afstand=400wissel |title=Recordhistorie Wereldrecords heren (50m):400 meter wisselslag |publisher=Zwemkroniek |access-date=2007-12-05 |language=nl}}</ref>

[[DRV PNK Stadium]] was opened in 2020 as the home of [[Inter Miami CF II]] (then Fort Lauderdale CF) which played in [[USL League One]] from 2020 to 2021 and plays in [[MLS Next Pro]] from 2022, and the temporary home of 2020 MLS expansion team [[Inter Miami CF]], until the completion of [[Miami Freedom Park]] in [[Miami]].

The [[War Memorial Auditorium (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)|War Memorial Auditorium]] has hosted [[professional wrestling]], [[boxing]], and [[mixed martial arts]] shows since its opening in 1950. In 2019, the [[Florida Panthers]] signed a 50-year lease with the venue, with plans to renovate it and add hockey facilities.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2019/10/18/Facilities/NHL-Panthers.aspx |title=NHL Panthers To Pay For $45M War Memorial Auditorium Renovation |work=Sports Business Journal |date=October 18, 2019 |access-date=July 23, 2021 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

''The Fort'' is a pickleball center that opened in 2024. It feature 43 [[pickleball]] courts, including the world's first dedicated pickleball stadium,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Galarza |first1=Monica |title=World's first pickleball stadium to open in Fort Lauderdale in 2024 |url=https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/worlds-first-pickleball-stadium-to-open-in-fort-lauderdale-in-2024/3198387/ |website=nbcmiami.com |publisher=NBCUniversal Media, LLC |access-date=30 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240124060953/https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/worlds-first-pickleball-stadium-to-open-in-fort-lauderdale-in-2024/3198387/ |archive-date=January 24, 2024 |date=January 7, 2024}}</ref> a {{convert|4000|sqft|sqm|adj=on}} event center, and several other sporting and entertainment venues. It serves as the headquarters and training center for the [[Association of Pickleball Players]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The Fort Established as Official Headquarters, Training Facility |url=https://www.theapp.global/news/the-fort-established-hq |website=theapp.global |publisher=Association of Pickleball Players |access-date=30 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913220321/https://www.theapp.global/news/the-fort-established-hq |archive-date=September 13, 2024 |date=January 18, 2024}}</ref>

[[Fort Lauderdale United FC|Fort Lauderdale United]] is a professional women's soccer team who plays in the [[USL Super League]] at [[Training Facility at Nova Southeastern University|Beyond Bancard Field]].  The team is set to launch a men's side in [[USL League One]] in 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |title=United Soccer League, Fort Lauderdale United FC Announce Men's League One Soccer Team in 2026 |url=https://www.ftlutd.com/news/2025/04/29/united-soccer-league-fort-lauderdale-united-fc-announce-mens-league-one-soccer-team-in-2026/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=Fort Lauderdale United FC |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Government==
[[File:The Fort Lauderdale City Hall in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.jpg|thumb|Fort Lauderdale City Hall]]
{{See also|List of Mayors of Fort Lauderdale}}
Fort Lauderdale has a [[Council-manager government|commission-manager]] form of government. City policy is set by a city commission of five elected members: the [[mayor]] and four [[district]] commission members. In 1998, the municipal code was amended to limit the mayoral term. The mayor of Fort Lauderdale now serves a three-year [[term of office|term]], and cannot serve more than three consecutive terms.<ref name=municode>{{cite web |url=http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?pid=10787&sid=9 |title=Fort Lauderdale Municipal Code Sec. 3.02. Creation, composition and term of commission |publisher=Municipal Code Corporation |access-date=2007-07-23}}</ref> The current mayor is [[Dean Trantalis]], who succeeded Jack Seiler in 2018. The longest-serving mayor is [[Jim Naugle]], who served from 1991 to 2009.<ref name=Naugle>{{cite web|url=http://www.fortlauderdale.gov/commission/bios/naugle.htm |title=Mayor Jim Naugle |publisher=City of Fort Lauderdale |access-date=2007-07-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070810204204/http://www.fortlauderdale.gov/commission/bios/naugle.htm |archive-date=2007-08-10 }}</ref> Administrative functions are performed by a [[city manager]], who is appointed by the city commission. [[Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue]] Department provides Fire and [[Emergency Medical Services]].

The town of Fort Lauderdale council in 1911 appointed Kossie A. Goodbread as its first [[City Marshal]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.flpd.org/about-flpd/police-history|title=Police History &#124; Fort Lauderdale Police Department|website=www.flpd.org}}</ref> G. D. Tenbrook, appointed Marshal in 1920, was the first to receive the title of [[Chief of Police]].<ref name="auto"/>  Between 1924 and 1926, the size of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department increased from two officers to 26 officers.<ref name="auto"/> [[Scott Israel]], later the Sheriff of Broward County and the Opa-locka Police Chief, worked for the Fort Lauderdale Police Department from 1979 to 2004.<ref name="whois">{{cite news|last1=Valys|first1=Phillip|title=Who is Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel?|url=http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/parkland/florida-school-shooting/fl-florida-school-shooting-who-is-broward-sheriff-scott-israel-20180223-story.html|accessdate=April 23, 2018|work=Sun-Sentinel|date=February 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303185800/http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/parkland/florida-school-shooting/fl-florida-school-shooting-who-is-broward-sheriff-scott-israel-20180223-story.html|archive-date=3 March 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> As of 2022, the department had 499 officers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.policedatainitiative.org/participating-agencies/ft-lauderdale-florida-police/|title=Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Police|date=April 6, 2017|website=Police Data Initiative}}</ref>

==Education==
{{See also|List of schools in Fort Lauderdale}}

According to 2000 census data, 79.0% of the city's population aged 25 or older were high school graduates, slightly below the national figure of 80.4%. Additionally, 27.9% held at least a baccalaureate, slightly higher than the national figure of 24.4%. [[Broward County Public Schools]] operates 23 public schools in Fort Lauderdale. The 2007 [[Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test]] (FCAT) results for Fort Lauderdale's public schools were mixed; while 10 (of 16) elementary schools and one (of four) middle schools received "A" or "B" grades, Sunland Park Elementary School<ref name=elementary>{{cite web|url=http://www.browardschools.com/schools/fcat/elementary.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040618165613/http://www.browardschools.com/schools/fcat/elementary.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2004-06-18 |title=FCAT School Grades—Elementary |publisher=[[Broward County Public Schools]] |access-date=2007-07-23 }}</ref> and Arthur Ashe Middle School<ref name=middle>{{cite web|url=http://www.browardschools.com/schools/fcat/middle.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040618171645/http://www.browardschools.com/schools/fcat/middle.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2004-06-18 |title=FCAT School Grades—Middle |publisher=Broward County Public Schools |access-date=2007-07-23 }}</ref> received failing grades. [[Boyd Anderson High School]], which is in [[Lauderdale Lakes, Florida|Lauderdale Lakes]] but whose attendance zone includes part of Fort Lauderdale, also received a failing grade.<ref name=high>{{cite web|url=http://www.browardschools.com/schools/fcat/high.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040618170802/http://www.browardschools.com/schools/fcat/high.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2004-06-18 |title=FCAT School Grades—High |publisher=Broward County Public Schools |access-date=2007-07-23 }}</ref> None of the three failing schools have failed twice in a four-year period, thus triggering the "Opportunity Scholarship Program" school choice provisions of the Florida's education plan.<ref name=choice>{{cite web|url=http://www.floridaschoolchoice.org/Information/OSP/ |title=Opportunity Scholarship Program |publisher=Florida Department of Education |access-date=2007-07-23 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070726215844/http://www.floridaschoolchoice.org/Information/OSP/ |archive-date=2007-07-26 }}</ref>

Ten institutions of higher learning have main or satellite campuses in the city:
<!-- please keep entries in alphabetical order -->
{{div col|}}
* [[The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale]]
* [[Broward College]] BC (Willis Holcombe Downtown Center)
* [[City College (Florida)|City College]]
* [[Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University]] (satellite campus)
* [[Florida Atlantic University]] FAU (satellite campus)
* [[Florida International University]] FIU (satellite campus)
* [[Keiser University]]
* [[Jersey College]]
* [[Nova Southeastern University]] NSU
* [[University of Phoenix]] (Cypress Creek Learning Center)
{{div col end}}
<!-- please keep entries in alphabetical order -->
Additionally, the [[Davenport, Iowa]]-based [[Kaplan University]]'s Corporate headquarters and an academic support center are in the city.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kaplan.com/aboutkaplan/pressreleases/archive/2007/july+11+-+Cypress+2.htm |title=Newsroom |publisher=Kaplan |access-date=August 31, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120042706/http://www.kaplan.com/aboutkaplan/pressreleases/archive/2007/july%2B11%2B-%2BCypress%2B2.htm |archive-date=November 20, 2008 }}</ref>

==Media==
{{see also|List of newspapers in Florida|List of radio stations in Florida|List of television stations in Florida}}
Fort Lauderdale is served by English-language newspapers ''[[Sun-Sentinel|South Florida-Sun Sentinel]]''<ref>{{cite web |last1=Jerabek |first1=Samantha |title=Discover the Best Fort Lauderdale, Florida Media Outlets |url=https://blueinteractiveagency.com/seo-blog/2019/03/fort-lauderdale-florida-media-outlets/ |website=Blue Interactive |access-date=23 January 2021 |date=21 March 2019}}</ref> and ''[[The Miami Herald]]'', [[Spanish language|Spanish]]-language newspapers ''[[El Sentinel del Sur de la Florida|El Sentinel]]'', ''[[El Nuevo Herald]],'' and an [[alternative newspaper]] ''[[New Times Broward-Palm Beach]]''.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}

==Transportation==
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| footer            = Fort Lauderdale is serviced by three major forms of public transit: [[Broward County Transit]] bus system (top), commuter rail [[Tri-Rail]] (middle), and inter-city rail [[Brightline]] (bottom).
}}

===Transit===
[[Broward County Transit]] (BCT), the county bus system, provides local bus transportation. BCT provides for connections with the bus systems in other parts of the metropolitan area: [[Miami-Dade Transit|Metrobus]] in [[Miami-Dade County, Florida|Dade County]], and [[Palm Tran]] in [[Palm Beach County, Florida|Palm Beach County]]. [[Tri-Rail]], a [[commuter rail]] system, connects south Florida's major cities and airports. In November 2006, Broward County voters rejected<ref name=voteno>{{cite web|url=http://www.browardsoe.org/ERSummaryType.aspx?eid=6&cid=1069 |title=2006 Elections-Funding for county-wide transportation improvements |publisher=Broward County Supervisor of Elections |access-date=2007-07-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928204830/http://www.browardsoe.org/ERSummaryType.aspx?eid=6&cid=1069 |archive-date=2007-09-28 }}</ref> a one-cent-per-hundred sales tax increase intended to fund transportation projects, such as [[light rail]] and bus system expansion.<ref name=tax>{{cite web |url=https://broward.villagesquare.us/event/pennysalestax/ |title=A Penny for Transportation? |date=October 10, 2018 |website=Broward College The Village Square |access-date=April 24, 2021}}</ref>
[[The Wave (streetcar)|The Wave]], a new {{convert|2.7|mi|adj=on}} electric streetcar system costing $125 million, was being planned for the downtown. Most of the construction funding would have come from federal ($62.5 million), state ($37 million), and city taxpayers ($10.5 million), with approximately $15 million from assessments on properties within the Downtown Development Authority. Broward County (BCT) had committed to operating the system for the first 10 years at an expected annual cost of $2 million, and had guaranteed funding to cover any shortfall in ridership revenues.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wavestreetcar.com/home |title=The Wave homepage |publisher=The Wave |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160121081144/http://www.wavestreetcar.com/home |archive-date=2016-01-21 }}</ref>  The construction cost of $50 million per mile was considerably higher than other recently built streetcar projects, in part due to the challenges of building an electric transit system over the 3rd Avenue drawbridge. The project was canceled in 2018 by the city and the county.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fl-sb-wave-streetcar-saga-returns-to-broward-commission-20180507-story.html|title=Broward follows Fort Lauderdale to end Wave streetcar project|last=Barszewski|first=Larry|date=May 8, 2018|work=South Florida Sun Sentinel|access-date=January 4, 2020}}</ref>

The Sun Trolley is a bus service, running buses (styled as [[Streetcars in North America|streetcars]]) around Fort Lauderdale and [[Broward County]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.visitflorida.com/listing/sun-trolley/20566/|title=Sun Trolley in Fort Lauderdale &#124; VISIT FLORIDA|website=www.visitflorida.com}}</ref>

===Passenger rail===
[[Brightline]] has a [[Fort Lauderdale station (Brightline)|station in Fort Lauderdale]], which connects to [[MiamiCentral|Miami]] and [[West Palm Beach station (Brightline)|West Palm Beach]] with multiple trains daily.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Neale |first1=Rick |title=Disney Springs to get Brightline station as part of Orlando-to-Tampa train route |url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2020/11/23/disney-springs-get-brightline-station-part-orlando-tampa-train-route/6391016002/ |access-date=23 January 2021 |work=Florida Today}}</ref> Construction recently completed extending the line beyond West Palm Beach to [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Solomon |first1=Joshua |title=Virgin Trains readying for first construction on Treasure Coast, staging in Fort Pierce |url=https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/shaping-our-future/all-aboard-florida/2019/07/31/virgin-trains-formerly-brightline-working-rail-fort-pierce/1874238001/ |access-date=23 January 2021 |work=Treasure Coast}}</ref>

[[Tri-Rail]] also provides daily commuter service between Palm Beach County, Broward County (including two stations in Fort Lauderdale), and Miami-Dade County with dozens of local stations. [[Amtrak]] provides long-distance passenger service daily on the ''[[Silver Meteor]]'' and ''[[Silver Star (Amtrak train)|Silver Star]]'' lines connecting to cities on the Atlantic coast via the [[Fort Lauderdale station]].{{citation needed|date=December 2022}}

===Airports===
[[File:Fort Lauderdale, Florida - FLL from airplane.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|[[Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport]]]]
[[File:Lauderdale from tri rail.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|[[Interstate 95 in Florida|Interstate 95]] as it passes through Fort Lauderdale. The city's skyline can be seen in the background.]]
[[File:State Road A1A north of Sunrise Blvd.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|[[Florida State Road A1A]], north of Sunrise Blvd.]]

[[Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport]], near [[Dania Beach, Florida]], is the city's main airport and is the fastest-growing major airport in the country as of 2005.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2005-02-15-orlando-airport_x.htm |title=Orlando surpasses Miami as Florida's busiest airport |date=February 15, 2005 |agency=Associated Press |access-date=2007-10-20}}</ref> This was, in part, attributable to service by [[Low cost airlines|low-cost carriers]], such as [[Spirit Airlines]], [[JetBlue Airways]], [[Southwest Airlines]], and [[Silver Airways]], resulting in lower airfares than nearby [[Miami International Airport]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=travel&res=9404E5D81F30F931A35752C0A9639C8B63&n=Top%2FReference%2FTimes%20Topics%2FSubjects%2FD%2FDiscount%20Selling | title=Lower fares shift traffic to less-used airports | author=Maynard, Micheline | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] | date=January 2, 2005 | access-date=2007-06-20}}</ref>

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood is an emerging international [[Airport|gateway]] for the Caribbean and Latin America. [[Miami International Airport]] and [[Palm Beach International Airport]] also serve the city.{{citation needed|date=December 2022}}

===Waterways===
Fort Lauderdale is home to [[Port Everglades]], the nation's third busiest cruise port.<ref name=cruise>{{cite web |url=http://broward.org/port/welcome.htm |title=Port Everglades |publisher=Broward County, Florida |access-date=2007-07-17}}</ref> It is Florida's deepest port, and is an integral petroleum receiving point.<ref name=petrol>{{cite web |url=http://broward.org/port/petroleum_extended_1.htm |title=Port Everglades-Petroleum |publisher=Broward County, Florida |access-date=2007-07-17|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070806020133/http://broward.org/port/petroleum_extended_1.htm |archive-date = August 6, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> Fort Lauderdale is served by a regular international passenger ferry service to [[Freeport, The Bahamas|Freeport]], [[Grand Bahama|Grand Bahama Island]], [[The Bahamas|Bahamas]] operated by Baleària Caribbean.{{citation needed|date=December 2022}}

===Roads===
Broward County is served by three major interstate highways ([[Interstate 75 in Florida|I-75]], [[Interstate 95 in Florida|I-95]], [[Interstate 595 (Florida)|I-595]]) and U.S. Highways, such as [[U.S. Route 1 in Florida|US 1]], [[U.S. Route 27 in Florida|US 27]] and [[U.S. Route 441 in Florida|US 441]]. The interchange between I-95 and I-595/SR 862 is known as the [[Rainbow Interchange]]. It is also served by [[Florida's Turnpike]] and State Road 869, also known as the [[Florida State Road 869|Sawgrass Expressway]].{{citation needed|date=December 2022}}

==Healthcare==

Fort Lauderdale is served by Broward General Medical Center and Imperial Point Medical Center, which are operated by [[Broward Health]], the third-largest hospital consortium in the United States. Broward General is a 716-bed<ref name=bed>{{cite web |url=http://www.browardhealth.org/body.cfm?id=2637 |title=Quick Facts |publisher=North Broward Hospital District |access-date=2007-07-20|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927014617/http://www.browardhealth.org/body.cfm?id=2637 |archive-date = September 27, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> acute care facility that is designated as a [[Level I trauma center]].<ref name=trauma>{{cite web |url=http://www.browardhealth.org/body.cfm?id=2139 |title=BGMC Services |publisher=North Broward Hospital District |access-date=2007-07-20|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927014643/http://www.browardhealth.org/body.cfm?id=2139 |archive-date = September 27, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> It is also home to Chris Evert Children's Hospital and a Heart Center of Excellence. The hospital serves as a major training site for medical students from [[Nova Southeastern University]]'s [[Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine|College of Osteopathic Medicine]], as well as [[nursing]] and [[paramedic]] programs from throughout the area.

Imperial Point Medical Center is a 204-bed facility<ref name=bed/> with a [[Hyperbaric oxygen therapy|hyperbaric medicine]] program.<ref name=hyperbaric>{{cite web |url=http://www.browardhealth.org/body.cfm?id=45 |title=Center for Wound Care & Hyperbaric Medicine |publisher=North Broward Hospital District |access-date=2007-07-21|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927014605/http://www.browardhealth.org/body.cfm?id=45 |archive-date = September 27, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Holy Cross Hospital (Fort Lauderdale)|Holy Cross Hospital]], a 571-bed<ref name=hcbed>{{cite web |url=http://www.holy-cross.com/General/history.php |title=History of Holy Cross Hospital |publisher=Holy Cross Hospital |access-date=2007-07-21|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070929063919/http://www.holy-cross.com/General/history.php |archive-date = September 29, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> hospital operated by the [[Sisters of Mercy]], was named by [[HealthGrades]] as one of the 50 best hospitals in the country for 2007.<ref name=holycross>{{cite web|url=http://www.healthgrades.com/consumer/index.cfm?fuseaction=mod&modtype=hospitals&modact=hospitals_search_results&prodtype=hosprat&state=FL&city=&maparea=&proc=&tabset=ab50 |title=HealthGrades-America's 50 Best Hospitals |publisher=HealthGrades, Inc. |access-date=2007-07-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928031051/http://www.healthgrades.com/consumer/index.cfm?fuseaction=mod&modtype=hospitals&modact=hospitals_search_results&prodtype=hosprat&state=FL&city=&maparea=&proc=&tabset=ab50 |archive-date=2007-09-28 }}</ref>
{{Further|A Child is Missing Alert}}

==Sister cities==
Fort Lauderdale's [[sister cities]] are:<ref>{{cite web |title=Sister Cities|url=https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/government/sister-cities|website=fortlauderdale.gov|publisher=City of Fort Lauderdale|access-date=2025-06-25}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=17em}}
*{{flagicon|GHA}} [[Agogo, Ghana|Agogo]], Ghana
*{{flagicon|BRA}} [[Belo Horizonte]], Brazil
*{{flagicon|HTI}} [[Cap-Haïtien]], Haiti
*{{flagicon|GER}} [[Duisburg]], Germany
*{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Gold Coast, Queensland|Gold Coast]], Australia
*{{flagicon|ISR}} [[Haifa]], Israel
*{{flagicon|TWN}} [[Kaohsiung]], Taiwan
*{{flagicon|ARG}} [[Mar del Plata]], Argentina
*{{flagicon|VEN}} [[Margarita Island]], Venezuela
*{{flagicon|ESP}} [[Mataró]], Spain
*{{flagicon|COL}} [[Medellín]], Colombia
*{{flagicon|TUR}} [[Muğla]], Turkey
*{{flagicon|PAN}} [[Panama City]], Panama
*{{flagicon|CRI}} [[Quepos]], Costa Rica
*{{flagicon|ITA}} [[Rimini]], Italy
*{{flagicon|DOM}} [[La Romana, Dominican Republic|La Romana]], Dominican Republic
*{{flagicon|BRA}} [[São Sebastião, São Paulo|São Sebastião]], Brazil
*{{flagicon|GRE}} [[Thessaloniki]], Greece
*{{flagicon|ITA}} [[Venice]], Italy
<!--Venice - not sister city and/or relationship ended-->
{{div col end}}

==See also==
<!-- Please keep entries in alphabetical order & add a short description [[WP:SEEALSO]] -->
* [[List of people from Fort Lauderdale, Florida]]
* [[List of sister cities of Fort Lauderdale, Florida]]
* [[List of tallest buildings in Fort Lauderdale]]
<!-- please keep entries in alphabetical order -->

== Notes ==
{{reflist|group=note}}
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Sister project links|wikt=no|v=no|n=no|q=no|s=no|b=no|voy=Fort Lauderdale|c=Fort Lauderdale}}
* {{Official website|http://www.fortlauderdale.gov/}}

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