Sarasota, situated in Southwest Florida, serves as both a city and the county seat of Sarasota County. Positioned at the southern tip of the Greater Tampa Bay Area, it lies to the north of Fort Myers and Punta Gorda. Officially encompassing Sarasota Bay and numerous barrier islands stretching between the bay and the Gulf of Mexico, Sarasota holds the status of a principal city within the broader Sarasota metropolitan area. As per the 2020 U.S. census, Sarasota recorded a population of 54,842.

Within the city limits, various keys are present, such as Lido Key, St. Armands Key, Otter Key, Casey Key, Coon Key, Bird Key, and sections of Siesta Key. Longboat Key stands out as the largest key, acting as a barrier between the bay and the gulf.

The city experienced substantial growth during the early 20th-century real estate boom, expanding its limits to cover nearly 70 square miles (180 km2). However, with the subsequent crash of the speculation boom in 1926, the city’s boundaries contracted significantly, reducing to less than a quarter of its expanded area.