A perspective on New York City - ongoing...

New York City, officially named the City of New York, is the most populous city in the United States, the most densely populated major city in North America, and is the largest financial center in the world. The city is at the center of international finance, politics, entertainment, and culture. New York City is one of the world's major global cities (along with London, Tokyo and Paris) and is home to an almost unrivaled collection of world-class museums, galleries, performance venues, media outlets, international corporations, and stock exchanges. The city is also home to all of the missions to the United Nations, which has its headquarters in New York City. New York is widely regarded as one of the great intellectual, financial, and cultural centers of the world. Located in the state of New York, New York City has an area of 309 square miles (800 km²). Estimated in 2004 to have 8,168,388 residents, it is the heart of the New York Metropolitan Area, which is one of the largest urban conglomerations in the world with a population of over 22 million. New York City proper comprises five boroughs: Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island, with all but Staten Island having populations exceeding one million. It also stands in the middle of the BosWash megalopolis that runs down the Eastern Seaboard of the United States. (see: Metropolitan Combined Statistical Area) The city includes large populations of immigrants from over 180 countries who help make it one of the most cosmopolitan places on earth. Many people from all over the United States are also attracted to New York City for its culture, energy, and cosmopolitanism, and by their own hope of making it big in the "Big Apple." The city serves as an enormous engine for the global economy, and is home to more Fortune 500 companies than any other place in the United States. The city is estimated to have a Gross Metropolitan Product of nearly $500 billion. If it were a nation, the city would have the 17th highest gross domestic product in the world, far exceeding that of Switzerland ($377 billion) and nearly equaling that of Russia ($586 billion). Nicknames for the city include "The Big Apple", "The City That Never Sleeps", or just "The City" (though to a New Yorker, this generally refers to the borough of Manhattan). A resident of New York City is referred to as a New Yorker.
City of New York, New York

Official flag of City of New York, New York

Official seal of City of New York, New York
City flag
City seal
City nickname: "The Big Apple"
Location

Location of City of New York, New YorkLocation in the state of New York
Government
Counties(Boroughs)
Bronx (The Bronx)New York (Manhattan)Queens (Queens)Kings (Brooklyn)Richmond (Staten Island)
Mayor
Michael Bloomberg (R)
Physical characteristics
Area Land Water
1,214.4 km² 800.31 km² 414.09 km²
Population Total (2004) Density
21,923,089 (metropolitan area) 8,168,388(city proper) 10,292 (land)/km²
Latitude
40°47' N
Longitude
73°58' W
Time zone Summer (DST)
EST (UTC−5) EDT (UTC−4)
Official website: City of New York