New York is a state located in the Northeastern United States. According to the 2010 United States Census, New York is the 27th most populous state with a population of 19,378,102. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont to the east.
The state of New York has a maritime border with Rhode Island east of Long Island, as well as an international border with the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the north and Ontario to the west. New York is commonly referred to as New York State to distinguish it from New York City, the state’s most populous city and its economic hub.
With an area of 54,556 square miles (141,300 km2), New York is the fifth-largest state in the United States after Alaska, Texas, California, and Montana. New York is the 43rd largest state by land area and is ranked 38th in the land area amongst the 50 states and Washington, D.C.
New York is one of the original thirteen colonies that formed the United States. New York City, the state capital, was the site of the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776.
New York City was also the capital of the United States from 1785 until 1790. Albany, the state capital since 1797, is the oldest continuously inhabited European-American settlement in the United States and the longest continuously chartered city in the United States.
The Hudson River begins at Lake Tear of the Clouds in the Adirondack Mountains. The river flows south through the Hudson Valley, then turns southeast and eventually forms the boundary between New York City and New Jersey at the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. From there, the river flows generally southwest until it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at New York Harbor.
The second-longest river in New York is the Mohawk River, which rises in the Adirondack Mountains and flows south through the Mohawk Valley to the Hudson River at Cohoes. The Hudson River School, a group of painters active in the mid-19th century, is named after the river.
New York’s geography can be divided into four regions: the Hudson River Valley, the Appalachian Mountains and the Great Lakes, the Adirondack Mountains, and Long Island.
The Hudson River Valley includes the Hudson River and its tributaries, as well as the Catskill Mountains. The Appalachian Mountains include the Allegheny Plateau and the Appalachian Plateau.
The Great Lakes region includes the Finger Lakes, the Great Lakes, and the Saint Lawrence River. Long Island is an island located in the southeastern part of the state, just east of Manhattan.
New York has a humid continental climate, with cold, snowy winters and hot, humid summers. The climate of New York is heavily influenced by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf Stream, which moderate the temperature.
New York is a major agricultural state, producing dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and potatoes. The state is also a leading producer of maple syrup. New York’s economy is also heavily focused on the financial industry, with Wall Street located in Lower Manhattan.
New York is home to many world-renowned museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Guggenheim Museum. New York City is also home to the Statue of Liberty, one of the most recognizable symbols of the United States.
