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.[6] 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,[7] New York exerts a significant impact upon commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and entertainment. The home of the United Nations Headquarters,[8] New York is an important center for international diplomacy[9] and has been described as the cultural capital of the world.[10][11]
On one of the world's largest natural harbors,[12] New York City consists of five boroughs, each of which is a county of New York State.[13] The five boroughs—The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island—were consolidated into a single city in 1898.[14] With a census-estimated 2012 population of 8,336,697[15] distributed over a land area of just 302.64 square miles (783.8 km2),[4] New York is the most densely populated major city in the United States.[16] As many as 800 languages are spoken in New York,[17][18] making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world.[19] 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,[20] and is also part of the most populous Combined Statistical Area in the United States, containing an estimated 23.4 million people.[21]
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.[22] The city and its surroundings came under English control in 1664[22][23][24] New York served as the capital of the United States from 1785 until 1790.[25] It has been the country's largest city since 1790.[26] The Statue of Liberty greeted millions of immigrants as they came to America by ship in the late 19th and early 20th centuries[27] and is a globally recognized symbol of the United States and its democracy.[28]
Many districts and landmarks in New York City have become well known to its approximately 55 million annual visitors.[29] Several sources have ranked New York the most photographed city in the world.[30][31][32] Times Square, iconified as "The Crossroads of the World",[33] is the brightly illuminated hub of the Broadway theatre district,[34] one of the world's busiest pedestrian intersections,[35][36] and a major center of the world's entertainment industry.[37] The names of many of the city's bridges, skyscrapers,[38] 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[39][40] and is home to the New York Stock Exchange, the world's largest stock exchange by total market capitalization of its listed companies.[41] Manhattan's real estate market is among the most expensive in the world.[42] Manhattan's Chinatown incorporates the highest concentration of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere.[43][44] Providing continuous 24/7 service,[45] the New York City Subway is one of the most extensive rapid transit systems worldwide. Numerous colleges and universities are in New York,[46] including Columbia University, New York University, and Rockefeller University, which have been ranked among the top 35 in the world.[47]
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