Sweetwater is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, within the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida. At the 2020 census its population was 19,363, within a compact area of about 2.4 square miles. The city is bordered by West Miami and Doral, and Florida International University's main campus lies just south of its limits. Sweetwater is best known as "Little Managua," a name reflecting its large, long-standing Nicaraguan-American community. The city is overwhelmingly Hispanic, and its culture is shaped by Central American and Cuban traditions carried by generations of immigrants who settled in western Miami-Dade. Incorporated in 1941, Sweetwater remained a small town of roughly 3,000 residents until the 1970s, when it grew faster than any other city in the county, transforming from a quiet community into a dense, vibrant suburb. Commerce is central to the city's identity. Dolphin Mall, one of the region's largest outlet and value shopping destinations with about 250 stores, has been part of Sweetwater since a 2010 vote, and the city sits near Miami International Mall and other major retail corridors. Its position along the Florida Turnpike, the Tamiami Trail (U.S. 41), and the Dolphin Expressway places residents minutes from Miami International Airport and the region's employment centers. Students attend Miami-Dade County Public Schools, including Sweetwater Elementary and several high schools, while FIU provides higher education immediately south. The city's density, its majority-immigrant heritage, and its role as a retail and transit crossroads give it an energy and convenience that distinguish it within western Miami-Dade. Sweetwater's combination of strong cultural identity, central location, retail anchors, and educational access makes it a practical and distinctive address in the Miami metro.