Jacksonville, the largest city in area in the continental United States, is a rapidly growing metropolitan city in Northeast Florida, with approximately 860,610 (2106) residents. Under its strong mayor form of government, residents elect a mayor and a 19-member City Council, with five at-large members and 14 members elected by district. Lenny Curry is Jacksonville’s eighth mayor since the consolidation of Duval County and City of Jacksonville governments in 1968.
One of Jacksonville’s many natural assets is one of the largest urban park systems in the country. The active and passive parks and preservation lands are a key part of Jacksonville’s quality of life. So are the miles of beaches and waterways, a major symphony orchestra, a sports and entertainment complex downtown and a myriad of special events that this sports-loving city hosts each year. The home of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, the city welcomed its first Super Bowl in 2005.