Miami-Dade County includes about 2,000 square miles (larger than the states of Rhode Island and Delaware). One-third of Miami-Dade County is located in Everglades National Park. The County is located southeast tip of the Florida peninsula.

The Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners is the governing body of unincorporated Miami-Dade County and has broad, regional powers to establish policies for services that transcend city boundaries. The government provides major metropolitan services countywide and city-type services for residents of unincorporated areas.

Miami-Dade has an Executive Mayor who is elected for a four Year term ; he can also run for a second term. As the administrative head of the county government the major has a veto power over certain County Commission actions. The County Commission has 133 members elected from 13 districts; is a legislative body that develops county policies and approaches the county budget. Commissioners are elected for four years and have no term limit. They are elected in staggered years chosen by odd districts and even districts in each election. The total County population was 2,398,245 in 2005.

Miami-Dade County officials have recognized the cultural diversity as one of the greatest assets. Recent surveys have suggested that although residents agree tensions exist between its diverse cultures, they are all in favor of making Miami-Dade County a better place to live. In response to this unique community need, the Office of Community Advocacy (OCA) was established. Dedicated and experienced staff members, along with the Board of County Commissioners' appointed residents work to provide quick intervention and fair mediation when faced with issues that could increase community tension. Special teams like as the nationally-recognized Goodwill Ambassadors, the streetwise Community Response Team, and its eight boards, the OCA helps residents coexist while making Miami-Dade County one of the nation’s most dynamically and culturally diverse metropolitan areas.