New York City, New York

New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the largest city in the United States by population and one of the world’s major global cities. Located in the state of New York, the city has a population of 8.2 million within an area of 321 square miles (830 square kilometers), making it the most densely populated city in North America. With a population of over 22.1 million, the New York Metropolitan Area is one of the largest urban areas in the world. New York City is an international center for business, finance, fashion, medicine, entertainment, media and culture, with an extraordinary array of museums, art galleries, performance venues, media outlets, international corporations, and financial markets. The city is also home to the United Nations and too many of the world’s most famous skyscrapers. Popularly known as the “Big Apple,” and the “City That Never Sleeps,” it attracts people from all over the globe who come for its economic opportunity, culture and fast-paced cosmopolitan lifestyle. The city’s geography is characterized by its coastal position at the meeting of the Hudson River and the Atlantic Ocean in a naturally sheltered harbor. This position helped the city grow in significance as a trading city. The city’s land has been altered considerably by human intervention, with substantial land reclamation along the waterfronts since Dutch colonial times. Reclamation is most notable in Lower Manhattan with modern developments like Battery Park City. Much of the natural variations in topography have been evened out, particularly in Manhattan.