New York City
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For other uses, see New York City (disambiguation).
"NYC" and "New York, New York" redirect here. For other uses, see NYC (disambiguation) and New York, New York (disambiguation).
New York City
City
City of New York
Clockwise from top: Midtown Manhattan, the United Nations Headquarters, the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, Times Square, and the Unisphere in Queens
Flag
Seal
Nickname(s):
Main article: Nicknames of New York City
Location in New York State
Country United States of America
State New York
Counties
Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond
Historic colony Province of New York
New Netherland
Settled 1624
Incorporated 1898
Government
• Type Mayor–Council
• Body New York City Council
• Mayor Michael Bloomberg (I), term ends December 31, 2013; to be succeeded by Bill de Blasio (D)
Area[1]
• Total 468.5 sq mi (1,213 km2)
• Land 302.6 sq mi (784 km2)
• Water 165.8 sq mi (429 km2)
• Metro 13,318 sq mi (34,490 km2)
Elevation 33 ft (10 m)
Population
• Estimate (2012) 8,336,697[4]
• Rank 1st, U.S.
• Density 27,550/sq mi (10,640/km2)
• Metro 19,831,858 (1st)
• CSA 23,362,099 (1st)
Demonym New Yorker
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code(s) 100xx–104xx, 11004–05, 111xx–114xx, 116xx
Area code(s) 212, 347, 646, 718, 917, 929
FIPS code 36-51000
GNIS feature ID 975772
Website www.nyc.gov
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world. The city is referred to as New York City or the City of New York to distinguish it from the State of New York, of which it is a part. A global power city,New York exerts a significant impact upon commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and entertainment. The home of the United Nations Headquarters, New York is an important center for international diplomacy and has been described as the cultural capital of the world.
Located on one of the world's largest natural harbors,[14] New York City consists of five boroughs, each of which is a county of New York State. The five boroughs—The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island—were consolidated into a single city in 1898. With a census-estimated 2012 population of 8,336,697distributed over a land area of just 302.64 square miles (783.8 km2), New York is the most densely populated major city in the United States.As many as 800 languages are spoken in New York,making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world.By 2012 census estimates, the New York Metropolitan Area's population remains by a significant margin the United States' largest Metropolitan Statistical Area, with approximately 19.8 million people, and is also part of the most populous Combined Statistical Area in the United States, containing an estimated 23.4 million people.
New York traces its roots to its 1624 founding as a trading post by colonists of the Dutch Republic and was named New Amsterdam in 1626. The city and its surroundings came under English control in 1664 and were renamed New York after King Charles II of England granted the lands to his brother, the Duke of York.New York served as the capital of the United States from 1785 until 1790.It has been the country's largest city since 1790.The Statue of Liberty greeted millions of immigrants as they came to America by ship in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is a globally recognized symbol of the United States and its democracy.
Many districts and landmarks in New York City have become well known to its approximately 50 million annual visitors. Times Square, iconified as "The Crossroads of the World", is the brightly illuminated hub of the Broadway theatre district, one of the world's busiest pedestrian intersections, and a major center of the world's entertainment industry.The names of many of the city's bridges, skyscrapers, and parks are known around the world. New York City's financial district, anchored by Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, has been called the world's leading financial center and is home to the New York Stock Exchange, the world's largest stock exchange by total market capitalization of its listed companies. Manhattan's real estate market is among the most expensive in the world. Manhattan's Chinatown incorporates the highest concentration of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere.Providing continuous 24/7 service,the New York City Subway is one of the most extensive rapid transit systems worldwide. Numerous colleges and universities are located in New York,including Columbia University, New York University, and Rockefeller University, which have been ranked among the top 35 in the world.