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The city of Orlando is the county seat of Orange County, Florida. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 185,951 (metropolitan area 1,644,561).
The city is best known for the tourist attractions in the area, particularly the nearby Walt Disney World, which is in the Reedy Creek Improvement District. Other area attractions include SeaWorld and a Universal Studios theme park, the latter of which is in Orlando proper.
Orlando is served primarily by Orlando International Airport, though nearby Orlando Sanford International Airport also serves the area.
Some historians date Orlando's name to around 1836 when a soldier named Orlando Reeves allegedly died in the area, during the war against the Seminole Indian tribe.
The city was incorporated in 1872Events January 2 Brigham Young, is arrested for bigamy (25 wives). February 20 In New York City the Metropolitan Museum of Art opens. March 1 Yellowstone National Park is established as the world's first national park March 5 George Westinghouse patents t. During World War IIWorld War II was the most extensive and costly armed conflict in the history of the world, involving the great majority of the world's nations, being fought simultaneously in several major theatres, and costing tens of millions of lives. The war was fough, a number of Army personnel were stationed at the Pincastle AAF. Some of these servicemen stayed in Orlando to settle and raise families. In 19561956 is a leap year starting on Sunday. see link for calendar) Events January January 1 End of Anglo- Egyptian Condominium in Sudan. January 16 President Gamal Abdal Nasser of Egypt vows to reconquer Palestine January 26 1956 Winter Olympic Games open in the aerospace/defense company Martin MariettaMartin Marietta Corporation was founded in 1961 through the merger of The Martin Company, the designers of the Titan I, and American-Marietta Corporation. The combined company got the contract to build the Titan II and became a leader in aggregates, cemen (now Lockheed MartinLockheed Martin is an aerospace manufacturer formed in 1995 by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland and employs 130,000 people worldwide. Robert J. Stevens is the CEO. It is a major defense con) established a plant in Orlando.
In addition, Orlando is close enough to Patrick Air Force Base , Cape Canaveral Air Force StationThe Cape Canaveral Air Force Station is the East Coast launch facility of the Department of Defense of the United States. Located on Cape Canaveral, it depends on Patrick Air Force Base, home of the 45th Space Wing. It is next to the Kennedy Space Center., and Kennedy Space Center for residents to commute to work from the city's suburbs. It also allows easy access to Port Canaveral , an important cruise shipLegend of the Seas moored at San Diego, California A cruise ship or less commonly cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the amenities of the ship are considered an essential part of the experience. Cruisin terminal.
The most critical event for Orlando's economy occurred in 1965 when Walt Disney announced the plans for Walt Disney World. The famous theme park opened in October, 1971, ushering in an explosive population and economic growth for the Orlando metropolitan area, which now encompasses Orange, Seminole, Osceola, and Lake counties. Another important event was the hurricane season of 2004, when Hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Jeanne battered the Orlando area, causing widespread damage and flooding.