New York facts
Some facts about New York
Here you will find a brief overview of New York with basic information, neighborhoods, climate and history.
New York Facts
New York or New York City as it is also called is the largest city in USA. The state with the same name is known as New York State to distinguish it from the city. New York State is the U.S.As third largest state.
New York City is the USA's most densely populated city.
In the town lives over 8.2 million people and it is estimated that in the entire region including New Jersey and Long Island there is almost 19 million people.
Population composition is unique, not only because it is densely populated, but also for diversity. 36% of the inhabitants were born outside the city and it is estimated that they speaks about 170 different languages and that there are around 180 different nationalities represented among the inhabitants.
The city takes up an area of 1214 square kilometers and the entire area covers 141 299 square kilometers.
New York is now a center in terms of trade, finance and politics but the city is also a leader in culture and entertainment.
New York is called the city that never sleeps and that is including communications, the subway is open around the clock.
Many cultural movements has emerged from New York City and the whole world has been influenced by art movements and music which originated from the "big apple".
New York City neighborhoods
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost district in New York City.
THis is the birthålace of the music movements rap and hip-hop.
In the Bronx you can find Yankee Stadium and the Bronx Zoo with more than 6000 animals.
Apart from a small part of Manhattan Bronx is the only city located on the mainland.
Bronx, almost 1.4 million inhabitants
Manhattan - New York
Manhattan is the most densely populated district and here you find the big part of New York's skyscrapers. Central Park, the green oasis is also located here.
Manhattan contains New York's financial center and here lays the head offices for several large companies, the UN, and a number of important universities and cultural attractions. Several museums, the Broadway Theater District, Greenwich Village, and Madison Square Garden are some sights an attractions for the visitor.Manhattan is loosely divided into lower, Midtown and Uptown parts.
Manhattan has about 1,6 miljoner inhabitants
Brooklyn- New York
Although Manhattan has a greater population density. the Brooklyn district has the largest population (over 2.5 million).
Brooklyn is known for its cultural, social and ethnic diversity.
Indipendent art and unique architecture have also made it known.
Brooklyn has a clear center core, and here is a long series of beach hotels and there are also Coney Island, established in 1870 as one of the earliest amusement parks in the U.S.. It has everything that a theme park should have and it has also known from many movies.
Queens- New York
To the area the largest neighborhood int the city and the most ethnically diversed one. Queens is growing and will eventually pass Brooklyn in terms of population. From the beginning there were only small towns and villages with small houses, founded by the Dutch inhabitants. Today the town holds neighborhoods for the middle class. It is also the only area in the U.S. where the average income among African-Americans is higher than for white people.
Here you find the Citi Field, home of the New York Mets, and there you can play playe tennis, among other things, and the U.S. Open is held here..
Two of New York's airports, Laguardia Airport and John F. Kennedy Interanational Airport lays in Queens.
Queens, has almost 2.3 million inhabitants
Staten Island - New York
Staten Island is a suburb of New York and is the smallest district. It connects to Brooklyn via the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, but also via the Staten Island Ferry. The ferry is free to ride and is one of the biggest tourist attractions since it gives an unparalleled view over New York, of Liberty Island and Ellis Island.
In central Staten Island there is a green area (Greenbelt), which covers 25 square kilometers. It is New York's last untouched natural area. There are a total of 56 kilometers of hiking routes and the area contains seven city parks. Along Sout Beach is the world's fourth longest boardwalk and is 4 km
The population of Staten Island is about 480 000.
The weather in New York
The climate in New York is subtropical and it has four climatic seasons and 234 days of sun per year. The average temperature varies from around 0 degrees in winter to 25 degrees in summer. During the summer's hottest weeks the middle temperature can rise to 32 degrees and inthe winter, during a few day it can be as cold as down to -12 degrees. Spring and autumn in New York is varied with both hot and cold days.
History of New York
Originally approximately 5 000 Indians, Tthe America's indigenous people, lived in the area which later became New York State.
It was in the early 1600s when Dutch and French began to take over the area and in 1609 Dutchman Henry Hudson proclaimed the area and around 1620 he began to colonize what is now called Manhattan.
It is said that in 1626 Manhattan was bought from the Indians for a few necklaces of glass pearls, which converted to the current monetary value would correspond to approximately $ 25. In 1664 the dutch lost the control of the area to the British. They created province of New York whose borders were roughly where they are today.
War of indepedence during 1775-1783 and in 1776 was fought mainly in New York state. 1776 USA was declared the independent. (At the 100 anniversary in 1886 the French people gave the statue of Liberty to the USA).
Between 1785-1790 New York was the capital och U.S.A. It was already North America's largest city with about 30 000 inhabitants.
The city grew quickly during industrialization and it is estimated that the population doubled every tenth years. Most of the revenue came at the time from manufacturing.
in 1870 there lived one million people in New York and in 1889 it put together Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx and Staten Island with New York to form New York City that is now commonly called New York.
After the First World War 1920 the city was at its peek and the economic growth was high in the city. Several projects were implemented including the Holland Tunnel between the City and New Jersey. New York also received a great many immigrants during this time.
Everything turned 1929 when New York fell into a depression as a result of the crash on Wall Street. Many construction was completed after the crash, including Emipre State Building, which had major problems finding tenants.
New York started to grow again after World War II and everywhere buiding projects was started and the economy flourished. The city start growing likenever before and the immigrants are on the line to enter the USA.
The rules for immigrants are however reinforced and Ellis Island, which previously was the first prospective Americans saw of the United States closed til end 1954
In 1951 the UN headquarters moved to Manhattan.
In the mid-1900s the economy changed of New York. The manufacturing industries fell to the benefit of the service and the service sector. The segregation between rich and poor is increasing and the Harlem riots breaks out.
Crime also increases during this time.
1975 the city had to take loans in order not to go bankrupt. The economy flourished, but the money generatde seemed to leave the city.
Between 1980 and 1990 New York countinue to grow and now it became a major financial center but it also grow to have an influence of culture and politics.
1994 Rudolph Giuliani became Mayor much because he promised to fight crime and after his victory there actaully was a reduction of crime for the first time. Today New York is considered to be one of the world's safestbig cities.
Prices of housing have recently rised to new heigths and as a result many areas outside Manhattan has grown since people no longer can afford to live in the core of New York City.
In September 11, 2001 the city was hit by terrorist attacks. Aircraft drove into the World Trade Center and the two skyscrapers "Twin Towers" collapsed and about 2 500 people died, including several firefighters and police officers.
The place where the Twin Towers stod is known as Ground Zero. Today it is a construction site and The Freedom Tower will eventually replace the "Twin Towers". Freedom Tower will be 1 776 feet (= 541 meters) a symbolic figure as it was in 1776 that the United States became independent.