Monthly Archives: February 2021

Chicago is America’s third-most-populous city and its metropolitan area, known as Chicagoland, has a population approaching 10 million people.  Chicago is a vibrant international city with a robust economy that is the corporate headquarters for 57 Fortune 1000 companies.  While manufacturing and food processing provide a strong foundation for its economy, the city is also an important financial center and is home to the Chicago Stock Exchange, Chicago Board Options Exchange, and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. The Chicago metropolitan area covers 14 counties across three states—Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin—and includes cities like Aurora, Naperville, Joliet, Elgin, Waukegan, Cicero, Skokie, Gary (Indiana), and Kenosha (Wisconsin).  Chicago has a large population of Korean immigrants and 2^nd and 3^rd generation Korean Americans.  Koreans have lived in Chicago for over 100 years and are one of the more successful immigrant groups in the city, excelling in education and business.  There are several Korean community organizations in the metro area such as the Korean Cultural Center of Chicago, Korean American Association of Chicago, Chicago Korean Education Center, and others.  Korean Air offers nonstop flights from Chicago O’Hare to Seoul-Incheon Airport.    

The city of Tampa, located on the Gulf Coast of Florida, is one of the three principal cities (the other two being St. Petersburg and Clearwater) that make up the Tampa Bay area.  The Tampa Bay area is the 18th-largest metropolis in the United States and has a population of 3.1 million people.  The metropolis is home to several Fortune 500 companies and has a strong foundation of financial services and information technology firms.   The metro area includes the counties of Hillsborough, Pinellas, Citrus, and Manatee, along with the towns of Brandon, Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Largo, Tarpon Springs, and Bradenton.  Although not officially part of the Tampa Bay Area, nearby Sarasota is a popular destination for international visitors thanks to the area’s beautiful beaches.  There are nearly 10,000 Korean immigrants in Tampa and the population is growing as more people break away from larger cities like Los Angeles and New York.  There are several Korean restaurants here and the area may soon have a Lotte Plaza Market, a Korean grocery chain with several locations on the East Coast.  The Tampa Bay area is also home to several Korean churches and other community organizations like the Tampa United Korean School that teaches Korean language, culture, and history to children. 

The Greater Miami Area is the seventh-largest metropolitan area in the United States and has a population of 6.2 million people.  The metropolitan area is composed of Miami-Dade County, Broward County, and Palm Beach County.  Its main cities include Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Hialeah, Coral Gables, Miami Gardens, Miramar, Homestead, Davie, Pembroke Pines, Hollywood, and Boca Raton.  This is a diverse community where 40% of the population was born in another country, and it is one of America’s most important cities for international trade.  Miami is a business hub for the Latin American region and is often thought of as the unofficial “Capital of Latin America”.  However, Miami’s ties with East Asia are modest when you consider the connections this city has with other parts of the globe.  There are a few Korean restaurants and stores in Miami, but overall, there is no centralized Korean community here like in many other major American cities.  Miami is home to several large universities like Florida International University which offers Korean language courses and study abroad programs in Korea.  Korea is also becoming recognized as a travel destination for people in Miami thanks to the increasing popularity of Korean pop music and dramas throughout Latin America.

The city of Orlando, located in the Central Florida region of the United States and known as “the City Beautiful”, is ranked as America’s 23rd most-populous city.  The Orlando metropolitan area has a population of 2.6 million people and is home to several theme parks including Walt Disney World, SeaWorld, and Universal Studios.  Orlando’s theme parks, natural attractions, and year-round warm weather make it one of the most-visited cities in the world.  The Orlando metropolitan area includes various cities and towns such as Kissimmee, Sanford, Winter Garden, Winter Park, Altamonte Springs, and Apopka.  The Orlando economy is expanding thanks to the internal migration of Americans from slow growth states along with the flow of immigrants from all over the world.  The number of immigrants from Korea is small compared to other groups, but the Korean community in Orlando is growing and the city is home to an increasing number of Korean owned businesses, churches, and other community organizations.  There is also the Orlando Korea Culture Center where local people can study the Korean language and engage in other cultural activities like Korean cooking, singing, and dancing.  This organization hosts the annual Orlando Korea Festival and K-Pop Contest. 

Charlotte is the 23rd-most populous city in the United States and is the most populous city in the state of North Carolina.  The Charlotte metropolitan area is a sixteen-county region that stretches into the state of South Carolina and includes the towns of Concord, Gastonia, Huntersville, Kannapolis, Indian Trail, Mooresville, Monroe, Salisbury, Matthews, Statesville, Rock Hill (SC), and Fort Mill (SC).  Known as the Queen City, this metropolis of 2.6 million people has been one of the country’s fastest-growing cities the past two decades.  Charlotte’s youthful population, low cost of living, and geographic location in America’s Sun Belt, have made it an attractive destination for business investment.  While the Interstate 85 corridor stretching from Atlanta to Charlotte has long been a popular investment area for European industrial companies, there are an increasing number of Asia-based firms making investments here, including those from South Korea.  Charlotte is home to a few thousand Korean immigrants and there are several Korean churches throughout the metro area.  There is also a school teaching the Korean language to children along with other nonprofit organizations like the Carolinas Asian-American Chamber of Commerce representing the interest of small businesses in the area.    

Atlanta has a population of over 6 million people, making it the 9th most populous metropolitan area in the United States.  Atlanta is the capital of Georgia, which is the 8th most populous of the 50 states.  The city and surrounding area—known as the Atlanta metropolitan area—is also the commercial capital of the Southeast United States and has the third-largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies in the country.  The metropolitan area includes the municipalities of Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, Chamblee, Roswell, Alpharetta, Marietta, Duluth, Norcross, Tucker, Lithonia, Decatur, Mableton, Clarkston, Conyers, and others.  Atlanta has become an extremely diverse and international city that includes one of the largest Korean immigrant communities in the country.  There are nearly 150,000 Koreans in Georgia and Korean is the third most spoken language in the state after English and Spanish.  The Korean immigrant community is centered in the town of Duluth and stretches into Johns Creek, Suwanee, and Norcross.  There are hundreds of Korean restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries, grocery stores, ‘noraebangs’, and ‘jimjilbangs’ in these neighborhoods.  Georgia is also home to Korean companies like Kia, LG, Hyundai, Kumho, Doosan, Shinhan Bank, Korean Airlines, and many others.

Denver, known as the “Mile High City” because of its elevation of 5,280 feet, is the capital of Colorado and is one of the fastest growing cities in America.  The Denver Metropolitan area is the 19th most populous metro area in the U.S. and has a population approaching three million people.  The region’s growing and diverse economy—along with its proximity to Rocky Mountain ski resorts—make Denver an attractive destination for people seeking a more active and balanced lifestyle.  Denver has a diverse economy and strong foundation of Fortune 500 companies operating in various industries such as healthcare, financial services, media, apparel, electronics, mining, aerospace, energy, and food and beverage.  The Denver Metropolitan area includes the towns of Arvada, Aurora, Castle Rock, Centennial, Lakewood, Littleton, Thornton, and Westminster.  An estimated 12% of Denver’s population is made up of immigrants, including some from Togo, a country in West Africa located on a thin strip of land between Ghana and Benin.  Togo is one of 21 African countries where French is one of the official languages.  Americans preparing for a trip to Togo can study French at Alliance Française de Denver, an organization teaching French language and culture with instructors from Togo.

The Greater Miami Area is the seventh-largest metropolitan area in the United States and has a population of 6.2 million people.  The metropolitan area is composed of Miami-Dade County, Broward County, and Palm Beach County.  Its main cities include Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Hialeah, Coral Gables, Miami Gardens, Miramar, Homestead, Davie, Pembroke Pines, Hollywood, and Boca Raton.  This is a diverse community where 40% of the population was born in another country, and it is one of America’s most important cities for international trade.  Miami is a business hub for the Latin American region and is often thought of as the unofficial “Capital of Latin America”.  Although the population of West African immigrants in Miami is small and there are very few immigrants from Togo, South Florida has potential to serve as a center of global trade between Africa and the Americas region on account of its geographic location as the closest U.S. city to West Africa.  It is also worth noting that Togo has the busiest container port in West Africa, providing access to the interior of the continent to countries like Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali -- further underscoring the potential for trade between Miami and Lomé (Togo’s seaport commercial center).

Editor's Note (UPDATED February 25, 2023) -- U.S. passports are taking up to seven weeks to process using the government's expedited service.  It is possible to get a passport in less time by scheduling an appointment with the Passport Agency by calling 877-487-2778 and appearing in person at their office.

Roswell residents who need to renew their U.S. passports have several options to maintain their ability to travel overseas.

Hundreds of thousands of Georgians renew their passports each year for business or leisure travel abroad, and demand for U.S. passports is increasing as the economic expansion continues.  The Metro Atlanta area is one of the fastest growing regions in the United States, with more jobs and higher pay increases than the national averages.  The U.S. State Department reported more than 487,000 passports were issued in Georgia during fiscal 2019 – which is 1 ½ times more than the 311,000 passports issued in 2013.

The city of Orlando, located in the Central Florida region of the United States and known as “the City Beautiful”, is ranked as America’s 23rd most-populous city.  The Orlando metropolitan area has a population of 2.6 million people and is home to several theme parks including Walt Disney World, SeaWorld, and Universal Studios.  Orlando’s theme parks, natural attractions, and year-round warm weather make it one of the most-visited cities in the world.  The Orlando metropolitan area includes various cities and towns such as Kissimmee, Sanford, Winter Garden, Winter Park, Altamonte Springs, and Apopka. While the West African immigrant community (including immigrants from Togo) in Orlando is small compared to other East Coast cities, the area has experienced tremendous population growth and is becoming very diverse.  Within the next ten years Orlando could have an immigrant population of nearly one million, as more people move here from overseas and from other parts of the United States to take advantage of Florida’s low taxes and attractive business environment.  Togo is obviously not the most popular travel destination for people in Orlando, however, there are still many church groups and other humanitarian organizations in Florida doing work in this country.