City (pop., 2000: 303,447), west-central Florida, U.S. Located on the northeastern end of Tampa Bay , the U.S. Army established Fort Brooke on the site in 1824 to oversee the removal of the Seminole Indians.
The town was incorporated in 1855. Tampa developed as a cigar-making centre after the town's first cigar factory was established (1886). It now has a wide range of industries and is a major distribution centre. It is a winter and fishing resort and major tourist destination; attractions include Busch Gardens.