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| Choose Language |
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Metro
Orlando
A diverse region awaits, highlighted
by numerous styles of life in three very different
 There
are many words that can be used to describe metro Orlando.
Such words include warm and friendly, growing and fun,
sprawling and attractive. Quite possibly no word describes
the region, however, better than this one: diverse.
Of course, our Hispanic population is evidence of that
fact. Yet, there are many of way in which the region
is wonder fully diverse.
Consider, for example, the three counties that comprise
metro Orlando: Orange, Seminole and Osceola.
Orange County, established in 1824, is the region’s
most populous county. Led by the city of Orlando, it
is also the region’s commercial focal point.
Although the geographic area consists of more than
900 square miles, most of the business activity occurs
in and around downtown Orlando, with eight cities surrounding
that downtown core. By population, the largest communities
are Winter Park, Apopka, Ocoee and Winter Garden.
Seminole County was established in 1913 and consists
of nearly 300 square miles. Located north of Orlando,
the county offers a small-town ambiance but, thanks
to Interstate 4 and the Central Florida GreeneWay,
there is also big-city access. Additionally, the county
boasts a growing high-tech corridor and enticing locales
for corporate headquarters. The county includes seven
cities, the largest of which are Altamonte Springs,
Sanford, Winter Springs and Casselberry.
With around 1,400 square miles of land, Osceola County
sits to the southwest of Orange and Seminole counties.
It was established in 1887 and remained largely rural
until recently. Change in the county is afoot, led
by industrial growth in tourism, manufacturing and
product distribution. Now, Osceola is being counted
as among Florida’s fastest-growing areas. Most
of the county’s residents live in and around
two cities: Kissimmee and St. Cloud.
By virtue of the rich diversity, metro Orlando is growing
faster that almost any other region in the country.
The region consists of 1.5 million people and projects
to be the nation’s second-fastest-growing population
and employment market through 2008. Each week, the
region welcomes nearly 2,400 new adult residents.
Yes, metro Orlando opens its arms to the world.
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| TRANSPORTATION |
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Highways
• Interstate
4 runs through Orlando, stretching
north and south in the city.
Statewide, I-4 extends northeast
and southwest across Florida
from Daytona Beach and Interstate
95 on the Atlantic coast
to Tampa and Interstate 75
on the Gulf of Mexico.
• The area is served by the following highways: U.S. Highway 441 (Orange
Blossom Trail), U.S. Highway 17, U.S. Highway 92, U.S. Highway 27 and State Road
436 (Semoran Boulevard).
• State Road 408 moves traffic through the city of Orlando. It is connected
by a full interchange to I-4 and also connects to Florida’s Turnpike.
• The Central Florida GreeneWay, or State Road 417, is a nearly 100-mile,
limited-access beltway encircling Metro Orlando.
• The Bee Line Expressway provides direct limited access to Kennedy Space
Center, Port Canaveral and the beaches along the Atlantic coast.
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Public
transportation
• Lynx
operates a modern bus
system in Orange, Seminole
and Osceola counties.
Included in its regularly
served routes are stops
at area shopping centers,
government complexes,
schools, financial institutions,
industrial and commercial
sites and tourist attractions.
Standard one-way fare is $1.25.
• The Lymmo operates in downtown Orlando, taking riders (free of charge)
to several activity centers. The loop contains 13 sheltered stations and six
other stops. Buses run seven days a week from early morning to late in the
evening; hours vary. Wait times are estimated at no longer than five minutes;
a round-trip takes about 18 minutes.
Source:
2000 Census, University of
Florida Population Studies,
Florida Estimates of Population,
Economic Development Commission
of Mid-Florida.
Note: Totals
by ethnicity and age don’t
equal gross population figures
because the numbers were
obtained by various sources.
Orange
County
Population: 896,344
Square
Miles: 907
County Information:
(407)
836-5500
Seminole
County
Population: 365,196
Square
Miles: 298
County Information:
(407)
665-0411
Osceola
County
Population: 172,493
Square
Miles: 1,385
County Information: (407)
343-2200
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