The city of Jacksonville is the biggest city within Florida and is the county seat of Duval County. Jacksonville's people number over 1 million. Jacksonville City sits within the First Coast region of northeast Florida along the banks of the St. John River. The city of Jacksonville is consistently ranked one of the "Hottest Cities in America" for business relocations and expansions in an annual poll featured in Expansion Management magazine. It is also rated eleventh in Inc. Magazine's list of "Best Cities for Doing Business" in 2006.
Jacksonville City has a cultural scene which is quickly growing for both of its visitors and residents alike. Its unique museums are a sight to behold due to its diverse galleries and collections. The Jacksonville Maritime Museum is a museum dedicated to preserving its maritime history. It is a museum which is free housing manuscripts, ship models and naval artifacts that have a place in the history of Jacksonville City. The Museum of Science and History showcases the only planetarium of the area and a complete exhibit on Northeast Florida's colorful history. The Ritz Theatre and LaVilla Museum celebrates the rich legacy of the African-American community within the city of Jacksonville. Its permanent collection includes over 700 works in various media, representing famous 20th and 21st century international and national artists. The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens is popular for its significant American and European paintings, famous collection of Meissen porcelain and gorgeous formal gardens. For individuals who love music and theatre, Downtown Jacksonville's Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts houses the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, considered as one of the nation's top ensembles.
Jacksonville City is strategically located between the Atlantic Ocean and the St. John River. The port is the largest deepwater port in the Southern US. This port is a main center for distribution, automobile imports and transportation. The largest industry of the city, then again, is its broad diversification. The area's financial system is rather balanced among the insurance, manufacturing, information services, consumer goods, biomedical technology, financial services, and distribution trades. The Port of Jacksonville is one of the players within Jacksonville's economy. It has an estimated 50,000 jobs in Northeast Florida and contributes approximately 3 billion within Northeast Florida's economy these days.