New York has always been a city of superlatives: biggest, brashest, best - at least that's the opinions of its proud inhabitants - and with over 30 million visitors a year it seems that there are plenty of others who agree! After the events of 9/11 it's now a city known as much for its resilience in the face of tragedy as its economic power, cultural dominance and ethnic diversity. Sitting on the mouth of the River Hudson, New York straddles some 50 islands and is divided into five boroughs: Manhattan, Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens and The Bronx. Built on the labour of immigrants from across the world; even now, 30 per cent of its population are born abroad. The city has large Jewish, Italian, Hispanic and African American populations. With world famous sites including the enigmatic Statue of Liberty, the architectural wonders of the Rockerfeller Center and Empire State Building, and cultural and lifestyle quarters such as The Met, Greenwich Village and Manhattan Island - New York fits its reputations as the Big Apple sitting at the center of the world.
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New York. Video hosted on Google. New York can be anything you want it to be. It’s why countless people have pinned their dreams on the place, thrown caution to the wind and shown up on its doorstep. If you'd like your day to be filled with high culture, work your way through the tomes at the Pierpont Morgan Library, then onto the Metropolitan Museum of Art before rounding out your day with a little ballet at Lincoln Center. Or if you like your city grittier, spend an afternoon wandering through Little Korea, cross the river for some innovative art at Pierogi 2000 in Williamsburg and check out the moves at the West 4th St Basketball Courts. Just don’t be too shocked if your day of high culture turns edgy when you come across a gorgeous jazz singer on the subway platform – or if your bohemian day gets fancy when a chic boutique seduces you, and you’re shelling out for perfect shoes before you know it. Whatever. New York is easy that way. And it’s why visitors keep streaming in from all corners of the globe, grasping at their silver-screen visions – and finding them – but discovering plenty more on the way. New York is a city that’s surprising yet malleable, incredibly straightforward yet bafflingly complex. It’s got so many sides and so much to offer that it can be intimidating, even to the most urban-minded of visitors. But approach it with a combination of organization and openness, and you’ll be met with some staggering and unexpected rewards.
New York City (officially The City of New York) is the most populous city in the United States. The New York metropolitan area ranks among the world's most populous urban areas. It is a leading global city, exerting a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, and entertainment. The city is also an important center for international affairs, hosting the United Nations headquarters. Located on the Atlantic coast of the Northeastern United States, the city consists of five boroughs: The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island. It is the most densely populated major city in the United States, with an estimated 8,274,527 people occupying just under 305 square miles (790 km2). The New York metropolitan area's population is also the nation's highest, estimated at 18,815,988 people over 6,720 square miles (17,400 km2). New York is unique among American cities for its high use of and 24-hour availability of mass transit, and for the overall density and diversity of its population. In 2005, nearly 170 languages were spoken in the city and 36% of its population was born outside the United States. The city is sometimes referred to as "The City that Never Sleeps", while other nicknames include Gotham[9] and the Big Apple. Founded in 1624 as a commercial trading post by the Dutch, who called it New Amsterdam, it served as the capital of the United States from 1785 until 1790, and has been the nation's largest city since 1790. Today, the city has many landmarks and neighborhoods that are world famous. The Statue of Liberty greeted millions of immigrants as they came to America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Wall Street, in Lower Manhattan, has been a dominant global financial center since World War II and is home to the New York Stock Exchange. The city has been home to several of the tallest buildings in the world, including the Empire State Building and the twin towers of the former World Trade Center. New York is the birthplace of many cultural movements, including the Harlem Renaissance in literature and visual art, abstract expressionism (also known as the New York School) in painting, and hip hop, punk, salsa, disco and Tin Pan Alley in music. It is the home of Broadway theater.
From: Pilot Guides / Lonely Planet.
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