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A DIVERSE REGION
Metro Orlando offers numerous styles of life in three distinct counties.
Metro Orlando consists of 2,600
square miles of picturesque land
and diverse settings.
For most times of the year, metro
Orlando’s weather is a tropical
delight. The average temperature in
December is 62°F (17°C), and the
lowest average temperature is 48°F
(9°C) in January. The highest average
temperature is in July and
August, 92°F (34°C).
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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 wonderfully
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 three
counties consist of nearly 1.8 million people
and project to be one of the nation’s
fastest-growing population and employment
markets for the next several years.
Each week, the region welcomes nearly 432
new adult residents.
Yes, metro Orlando opens its arms to
the world.
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| TRANSPORTATION NETWORK |
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 HIGHWAYS
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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.
- Toll roads include State Road 528, State Road 408,
State Road 417 and State Road 429—100 miles
encircling metro Orlando.
- The Beachline Expressway provides direct limited
access to Kennedy Space Center, Port Canaveral
and the beaches along the Atlantic coast.
 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 $2.
- The Lymmo operates in downtown Orlando, taking
riders (free of charge) to several activity centers. The
loop contains 13 sheltered stations and six othe 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.
Thanks to federal money for highways and transportation,
the Lynx bus system has added buses, a new
interchange is completed for Interstate 4 and State Road
408, and work is ongoing for interchange ramps at
State Road 417 as well as Boggy Creek Road.
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AIRPORT TRAVEL
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 Orlando International Airport is the busiest hub
in the Florida and the 21st busiest worldwide.
In 2008, it accommodated nearly 35.3 million
passengers. In mid 2005, the nation’s first “Private Sector
Known Traveler Program” began at the airport. The volunteer
program is intended to improve the quality of the airport
and air travel experience by expediting the screening
process for frequent travelers.
In addition, Orlando Sanford International Airport is the
third most active international airport in Florida, with nearly
1.8 million passangers in 2008. Kissimmee Gateway Airport
can accommodate all corporate aircraft and many
commercial airliners.
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| LOCAL EMERGENCY SERVICES |
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407-246-4268; Radio: 1650 AM • cityoforlando.net/fire/emergency_management/index.htm
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407-836-9805 • OCOEM.com
407-343-7000 •
osceola.org/index.cfm?lsFuses=department/EmergencyServices
407-665-5102 • seminolecountyfl.gov/dps/index.asp
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| POPULATION |
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ORANGE |
SEMINOLE |
OSCEOLA |
METRO ORLANDO |
| POPULATION |
1,072,861 |
416,056 |
254,902 |
1,328,179 |
| White |
675,776 |
331,272 |
189,945 |
1,196,993 |
| Black |
214,283 |
38,821 |
24,768 |
277,872 |
| Asian |
52,107 |
15,575 |
7,671 |
75,353 |
American Indian/Eskimo/
Aleut |
4,547 |
651 |
899 |
6,097 |
| Other |
79,319 |
17,201 |
21,927 |
118,447 |
| Multi-Race |
46,829 |
12,536 |
9,692 |
69,057 |
| Hispanic |
263,547 |
61,235 |
101,950 |
426,732 |
| GENDER |
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| Male |
533,722 |
205,157 |
127,118 |
865,997 |
| Female |
539,139 |
210,899 |
127,784 |
877,822 |
| YEARS |
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| 00-14 Years |
231,966 |
79,131 |
54,283 |
365,380 |
| 15-24 Years |
150,562 |
57,257 |
35,425 |
243,244 |
| 25-44 Years |
323,374 |
112,092 |
75,319 |
510,785 |
| 45-64 Years |
259,884 |
119,364 |
59,896 |
439,144 |
| 65+ Years |
107,145 |
48,196 |
29,973 |
185,314 |
ORANGE COUNTY
Population: 1,072,861
Square Miles: 907
County Information:
407-836-5500 |
SEMINOLE COUNTY
Population: 416,056
Square Miles: 298
County Information:
407-665-0411 |
OSCEOLA COUNTY
Population: 416,056
Square Miles: 1,385
County Information:
407-343-2200 |
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| HELPING OUR COMMUNITIES |
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 It is our commitment to provide our valued customers with
simple and straightforward business solutions that are easy
to use. You’ll see this commitment demonstrated every day
by the thousands of dedicated people EMBARQ employs to
help link your Central Florida business to the world.
But our commitment doesn’t end there. In 2008, our associates
volunteered more than 10,000 hours to assist organizations in
our Florida communities, and we will continue to assist even
more in the coming year.
Your everyday dedication to your communities is something
we are honored to be a part of. Thank you for making  us a part
of your success. EMBARQ is proud to support these groups:
- After School Programs
- Central Florida Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Gala
- Chambers of Commerce organizations in Orange,
Seminole, Osceola and Lake counties
- Easter Seals-Vino, Java & All That Jazz event
- Environmental Clean-Up
- Heart of Florida United Way
- Holiday Adopt-a-Family programs
- Junior Achievement
- Junior Achievement Bowl-a-thon and In-school Teaching
- Lovell Elementary Mentor Program
- Rotary Clubs mentoring
- Tutoring programs
- Walk-a-thons
- CBS Radio Parent Challenge
- Georgefest in Eustis
- Mount Dora Arts Festival
- Orlando Magic Partnership
- Rhythm and Blues Fest in Kissimmee
- Winter Garden Theatre Re-Grand Opening
- WLOQ Gross Communication’s Fall for Jazz
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