ENCYCLOPÆDIA Britannica DISCOVER AMERICA New York The Empire State CHICAGO LONDON NEW DELHI PARIS SEOUL SYDNEY TAIPEI TOKYO
INTRODUCTION Few places in the United States rival New York in terms of population culture and economic importance Only two states California and Texas have more residents New York City with about 8 million people is the nation’s largest city The value of the goods and services produced in the state is higher than that of most countries throughout the world From its sandy beaches and rugged mountains to the hustle and bustle of New York City the state of New York is a place of sharp contrasts New York was one of the original 13 colonies Its nickname the Empire State is thought to have come from George Washington who said in 1784 that he envisioned New York as the seat of empire Since then the people of New York have worked hard to live up to their state’s nickname Today New York is a national leader in manufacturing finance education and the arts There are nearly 600 miles of waterfront in New York City 4 NEW YORK Lake Ontario borders both New York and the Canadian province of Ontario The state of New York covers a total area of 53,013 square miles making it the 28th largest state in the country In terms of area New York City is the largest city in the state of New York It covers some 300 square miles and its metropolitan area covers more than 1,100 square miles New York’s state motto is Excelsior which means ever upward
INTRODUCTION 5 New York is part of the Middle Atlantic region of the United States From southwest to northeast New York is bordered by Lake Erie the Canadian province of Ontario Lake Ontario and the Canadian province of Quebec To the east are the New England states of Vermont Massachusetts and Connecticut The Atlantic Ocean and New Jersey are to the southeast and Pennsylvania is to the south There are many ways to get to the Empire State Air travelers have a number of options especially in the area of New York City The three largest airports that serve the state are John F Kennedy International Airport LaGuardia Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport which is actually in neighboring New Jersey Each year these three airports combine to serve about 90 million passengers and handle nearly 3 million tons of cargo The state is also reachable by car via several major interstate and other highways New York has more than 110,000 miles of roads and highways Trains also serve many parts of the state and play an important role in transporting commuters from New York City to surrounding areas New York Location Map Capital Albany Interstate highways 0 35 70 Mi Scale Since much of New York City is on Manhattan Island bridges such as the Brooklyn and Williamsburg bridges provide important links for commuters New York City’s Triborough Bridge which opened in 1936 is actually three bridges that connect the boroughs of Manhattan Queens and the Bronx The Verrazano Narrows Bridge connects Staten Island and Brooklyn New York City’s other two boroughs When it opened in 1964 it was the world’s longest suspension bridge 56 113 0 Population 18,976,457 Km Size 53,013 square miles Highest peak Mount Marcy 5,344 feet
