New York City
New York City, officially City of New York, is a municipality in the state of New York, located on the easter coast of the United States of America. With a population of 8,143,197 as in 2005, it is the most populous city in the United States. The city is divided in five different areas, out of which the most popular is Manhattan, a financial and comercial center of the city. On a worldwide view, the New York is rated as an alpha world city, for its global importance in fashion, trading, education and arts.
The city is also an important turist destination, thanks to the many landmarks it has, these including the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, in Lower Manhattan, and many others. The city has also become the home of many buildings cataloged as some the tallest buildings in the world, like Empipre State Building, and the World Trade Center towers, which were destroyed in the September 11, 2001 attacks.
History
New York City was formerly named New Amsterdam, in recognition of the original Dutch settlement of the area. It was not the largest city in the colonies (Boston, then Philadelphia, held those honors). But after the completion of the Erie Canal, New York City became a trading center connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes and Midwest.
The use of Ellis Island as the checkpoint for millions of European immigrants in the late 1800s caused New York City's population to swell, as many settled in nearby areas.
