Key Largo is an unincorporated community in Monroe County, Florida, occupying the island of the same name at the northern end of the Florida Keys. The name comes from the Spanish "Cayo Largo," meaning "long key," and the island stretches for more than 30 miles along the island chain's upper reaches. With a population of about 12,400, Key Largo is the largest community in the upper Keys and the first major town travelers encounter when driving south from the mainland. The community is defined by its position between two bodies of water, with the Atlantic Ocean to the east and Florida Bay and the Gulf side to the west. That geography made Key Largo a hub for fishing and, more famously, for diving. The community markets itself as the diving capital of the world, and its reefs are protected within John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, the first underwater park in the United States. The park's coral reefs, shipwrecks, and the submerged Christ of the Abyss statue draw snorkelers and scuba divers from around the world. Life in Key Largo is oriented toward the water and the outdoors. Boating, fishing, kayaking, and paddleboarding are woven into daily life, and the community's marinas, charter fleets, and waterfront restaurants support a laid-back Keys lifestyle. Housing ranges from canal-front and oceanfront single-family homes to condominiums and older Keys cottages, with the private Ocean Reef Club at the island's northern end representing a distinct, members-only enclave with its own marina, airstrip, and amenities. The Overseas Highway, U.S. 1, runs the length of the island, placing Miami about an hour to the north and Key West roughly two hours to the south. That single-road geography gives Key Largo both convenient mainland access and the unmistakable, island-paced character of the Florida Keys, making it a gateway to the island chain for residents and visitors alike.