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In terms of land area, Miami is one of the smallest major cities in the US. According to the US Census Bureau, the city encompasses a total area of 55.27 mi² (143.15 km²). Of that area, 35.67 mi² (92.68 km²) is land and 19.59 mi² (50.73 km²) is water. That means Miami consists over 400,000 people in a mere 35 sq miles (91 km²), making it one of the most built up cities in the US, along with New York City, San Francisco, and Chicago among others. Miami is located at 25°47`16?N, 80°13`27?W.

Beneath the plain lies the Biscayne Aquifer, a natural underground source of fresh water that extends from southern Palm Beach County to Florida Bay, with its highest point peaking around the cities of Miami Springs and Hialeah. Most of the South Florida metropolitan area obtains its drinking water from this aquifer. As a result of the aquifer, it is not possible to dig more than 15 to 20ft (4.57 to 6.1 m) beneath the city without hitting water, which impedes underground construction. For this reason there is no subway system in Miami.

The surface bedrock under the Miami area is called Miami oolite or Miami limestone. This bedrock is covered by a thin layer of soil, and is no more than 50 feet (15 m) thick. Miami limestone formed as the result of the drastic changes in sea level associated with recent glaciations or ice ages. Beginning some 130,000 years ago the Sangamon interglacial raised sea levels to approximately 25 feet (7.5 m.) above the current level. All of southern Florida was covered by a shallow sea. Several parallel lines of reef formed along the border of the submerged Florida plateau, stretching from the present Miami area to what is now the Dry Tortugas. The area behind this reef line was in effect a large lagoon, and the Miami limestone formed throughout the area from the deposition of oolites and the shells of bryozoans. Starting about 100,000 years ago the Wisconsin glaciation began lowering sea levels, exposing the floor of the lagoon. By 15,000 years ago, the sea level had dropped to 300 to 350 feet (110 m) below the contemporary level. The sea level rose rapidly after that, stabilizing at the current level about 4000 years ago, leaving the mainland of South Florida just above sea level.

The city ranks second-to-last in people over 18 with a high school diploma, with 47% of the populus not having that degree.

Miami is served by Miami-Dade County Public Schools, which is the largest school district in Florida and the fourth largest in the US. As of February 15, 2006 it has a student enrollment of 414,128. The district is also the largest minority public school system in the country, with 52% of its students being of Hispanic origin, 25% African US, and 6% non-white of other minorities. M-DCPS is also one of a few public school districts in the US to offer optional bilingual education. Miami also has several Catholic and Jewish private schools throughout the area.

Today the Miami Metro Area has a sizable community of citizens, lasting residents, and undocumented populuss of Argentines, Bahamians, Brazilians, Canadians, Chileans, Chinese, Colombians, Cubans, Dominicans, Ecuadorans, French, German, Greeks, Guatemalans, Guyanese, Haitians, Hondurans, Jamaicans, Indians, Italians, Mexicans, Nicaraguans, Russians, Trinidadians and Tobagonians, Turks, South Africans, and Venezuelans, as well as a sizeable Puerto Rican populus throughout the metropolitan area. While commonly thought of as mainly a city of Hispanic and Caribbean immigrants, the Miami area is home to large French, French Canadian, German, Italian, and Russian communities. The communities have grown to a prominent place in Miami and its suburbs, establishing area neighborhoods such as Little Haiti, Little Havana, Little Managua, and Little San Juan.