What is New York?

Geography of New York

• Positioned between Boston to the north and Washington to the south, New York sits on the East Coast of the United States in New York State (whose capital is Albany, not New York City).
• New York City comprises five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island.
• The city sits on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Hudson River.
• New York covers just over 1,200 km² (463 sq mi), with 429 km² (166 sq mi) of water. Many forget that New York is also a waterfront city.

Population of New York

• New York City is home to just over 8.2 million people, making it the most populous city in the United States. By comparison, the second-largest city, Los Angeles, has roughly half that number.
• Manhattan, the city’s most famous borough, has 1.5 million residents on its own. Brooklyn is the most populous borough with nearly 2.5 million people, while Staten Island is the least populated with fewer than 500,000. Queens and the Bronx are home to 2.2 million and 1.3 million residents respectively.
• New York’s population density exceeds 10,000 people per km² (26,000 per sq mi), the highest among all major American cities.

New York’s Economy

• New York has long been one of the most economically active cities in the United States.
• Today, New York’s economy is driven primarily by the service sector, with a massive concentration of banks and insurance companies. The city is home to the world’s largest financial center and most influential stock exchange: the New York Stock Exchange, commonly known as Wall Street, named after the street where it is located.
• Tourism is another major source of wealth for the Big Apple. New York set records in 2019 with 66.6 million visitors, both international and domestic. Domestic visitors numbered 53.1 million while international visitors totaled 13.5 million. In 2025, the city remains just as popular, welcoming 65 million visitors, including 12.5 million from abroad.
• Real estate is another booming sector in New York. If you’re interested in buying property here, our guides can help you navigate the process.

Did You Know?

• New York has sister city relationships with 13 cities, including London, Madrid, Cairo, Beijing, and Tokyo.
• New York is often called the Big Apple. The origin of this nickname remains mysterious. Some say it comes from Southern musicians who had a frog in their throat before performing in New York. Others trace it back to the 1929 financial crisis, when many traders were reduced to selling apples on the street to survive.