New York is the third most populous state after California and Texas. That makes it the most populous state in the Northeast. It is a Middle Atlantic state bordered by Canada to the north; Lake Ontario and Lake Erie to the northwest and west; Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont to the East; and Pennsylvania to the south. The Hudson River, named for explorer Henry Hudson, separates New York and New Jersey.
Albany, nicknamed the "Cradle of the Union" because it is where Ben Franklin presented his proposal to unite the colonies, is New York's capital. Visit New York City, one of the world's largest cities and the nation's leading financial center. It's the biggest city in New York and also the biggest city in the United States. Experience culture or be entertained at the city's numerous theatres, museums, and musical organizations. Other cities in the state include Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse.
Enjoy the state's famous landscape, which is made up of fertile river valleys, flourishing hills, high mountains, and beautiful lakes. Mount Marcy (5,344 feet), one of the summits of the Adirondack Mountains that make up one quarter of New York's land, is the highest point in the state.
New York is famous for many things, including its production, history, and tourist attractions. New York is a great place to see clothes being made or books being published; the state produces more clothes than any other state and is also the largest printing and publishing center in the country. Visit Manhattan, a part of New York City, and ride the elevator to the top of the World Trade Center, one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world and the headquarters for many of the United States' largest companies.
One of the original 13 colonies, New York is rich in history. The Dutch originally called the region New Netherland. New Amsterdam, which was established on Manhattan Island, later became New York City. The state is named for the Duke of York and Albany, who later became King James II. It is believed that George Washington nicknamed New York the "Empire State" because he believed it would become the "seat of the empire." New York is also nicknamed the "Excelsior State." "Excelsior" is a Latin word meaning "ever upward." The abbreviation for New York is NY. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Thomas Dewey, and Nelson Rockefeller were all governors of the state.
Go to New York to see the area where many Revolutionary War battles were fought. About one-third of the war's battles were fought in New York, the first capital of the United States from 1785 to 1790. George Washington was sworn in as the first President of the United States in New York. You can visit United Nations headquarters in New York City, where leaders from all over the world meet.
Climb to the top of The Statue of Liberty. Lady Liberty stands in one of New York's harbors and has welcomed millions of immigrants to the United States. Take a ferry to Ellis Island, where many immigrants first stepped on American soil - it's near New York City.
New York has many other tourist attractions. Looking for a romantic place? Niagara Falls was the most popular place for honeymooners before Walt Disney World opened in 1971. Do you want to laugh? Many famous comedians, including Sid Caesar, got their start at the Catskill Mountain resort area, a place where many tourists go to get away from city life. Do you like to be entertained? See the world famous Rockettes dance at Radio City Music Hall.
Although there is much to see, New York has many problems. Dangerous chemicals turned the Love Canal neighborhood of Niagara Falls into a toxic waste dump. New York City, like many other big cities, has many social problems, including racial conflict, poverty, crime, and drug addiction. However these problems are magnified because New York City is one of the biggest cities in the world.
