Bikini Bottom (The Life of SpongeBob SquarePants)

Bikini Bottom is a city and the main setting of The Life of SpongeBob SquarePants. It is the residence of the series' main characters.
== Location ==
The city is located on the floor of the Pacific Ocean, under the central lagoon of Bikini Atoll. Bikini Atoll itself is part of the Marshall Islands, although the authority of said country does not extend - officially, at least - to underwater settlements, including Bikini Bottom.
Neptune's Road 1 runs from Bikini Bottom to the east across the Wilderness; it connects the city with the Crossroads Ships Graveyard.
== Establishments/organizations: ==
=== Establishments ===
==== Residential ====
* SpongeBob's House, located at 124 Conch Street, the pineapple residence of the series' main character SpongeBob SquarePants and his pet Gary the Snail, located near Squidward and Patrick's houses.
* Squidward's House, located at 122 Conch Street, the residence of the series' tritagonist Squidward Tentacles, located between SpongeBob and Patrick's houses, shaped like the head of a moai (Easter Island monolithic statues).
* Patrick's House, located at 120 Conch Street, the residence of the series' deuteragonist Patrick Star, which is actually a large brown rock with a sunken interior large enough to accommodate Patrick and his few possessions.
* Sandy's Treedome is an airtight treedome which serves as the residence of the squirrel Sandy Cheeks, a friend of SpongeBob and Patrick. It is located not far from the houses of SpongeBob, Squidward, and Patrick.
==== Government ====
* Lord Mayor's House, located in downtown Bikini Bottom, is the official residence of the Lord Mayor, Bikini Bottom's chief executive. It is quite a commanding presence; built in the Second Empire architectural style, it boasts three floors and a prominent blue mansard roof.
* Bikini Bottom Courthouse, located in downtown Bikini Bottom, directly across the street from the Lord Mayor's House, is home to the court of law of the city. It is a Bristol Byzantine building. The exterior is mostly in gold, with some bright red.
==== Restaurants ====
* Krusty Krab, the most popular restaurant in Bikini Bottom, famous for its legendary Krabby Patty. The recipe of the Krabby Patty remains a secret to anyone other than the restaurant's owner and operator, Eugene H. Krabs.
* Chum Bucket, a restaurant located right across the street from the Krusty Krab, owned and operated by Krabs' archnemesis Sheldon J. Plankton. The Chum Bucket is significantly less popular compared to the Krusty Krab, and Plankton has spent much time and energy attempting to steal the Krabby Patty Secret Formula so he can produce it at the Chum Bucket and become profitable.
==== Retail establishments ====
* Bikini Bottom Central Department Store, a mammoth-sized retail establishment which enjoys widespread popularity among the Bikini Bottomites. A somewhat high, wide building built in the New Objectivity architectural style, consisting of ten floors and ten wings; the wings are connected by a narrow central corridor spanning the entire length of the building.
==== Health ====
* Bikini Bottom General Hospital, the most famous and revered hospital in Bikini Bottom. Praised for its excellent service, but criticized for its Brutalist architecture (which, according to critics, make the hospital look "lifeless" and "inhospitable") and sometimes charging patients too high (which also created accusations of "hostility" to the lower class) ("Our Temporary Manager, Mr. SquarePants!").
== Trade ==
Various businesses have established themselves in Bikini Bottom, including restaurants, stores, and manufacturers.
The largest retail establishment in the city is the mammoth-sized, luxurious, ten-floor Bikini Bottom Central Department Store, which caters to the middle and upper classes of the city. The department store enjoys widespread popularity among the Bikini Bottomites and as a result is highly profitable. 
The restaurant industry in Bikini Bottom is largely dominated by one single firm: the Krusty Krab, which is wildly popular among the Bikini Bottomites for its great food quality and affordable price (although the price is sometimes raised by the management). The only firm attempting to compete with the Krusty Krab is the Chum Bucket, located directly across the street from the former, which has not met with much success since its establishment.
== Politics ==
=== Government ===
Bikini Bottom is led by the Lord Mayor, who is chief executive of the city. The Lord Mayor's official residence is the Lord Mayor's House, located in downtown Bikini Bottom.
=== Law ===
The Bikini Bottom legal system operates on common law. The Bikini Bottom Courthouse serves as home to the court of law of the city. It is located in downtown Bikini Bottom, just across the street from the Lord Mayor's House.
== Transportation ==
There is a good-quality system of roads covering the city and its surrounding suburbs. The most common modes of transportation are the boatmobile and automobile. Many boatmobiles and automobiles roam the city streets every day, sometimes causing traffic jams. Buses and taxis are also common, although not as much as privately-owned boatmobiles and automobiles ("Our Temporary Manager, Mr. SquarePants!").
== Health ==
The most respected hospital in Bikini Bottom is the Bikini Bottom General Hospital, which is privately-owned and revered by Bikini Bottomites for the excellent quality of care provided to the patients. However, the hospital has also come under criticism for its Brutalist architecture, which according to critics make the hospital look unappealing, and charging patients too high at times.
Category:Locations