New York City
The most populous U.S. city and largest metropolitan area by population and urban area.
As of July 2025, New York City counts 8,584,629 residents packed into 300.46 square miles at the southern tip of New York State on New York Harbor. The five boroughs—Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island—act as coextensive counties within this hub, which anchors the Northeast megalopolis and functions as a global center for finance, commerce, culture, technology, entertainment, media, academics, scientific output, the arts, fashion, and international diplomacy via its United Nations headquarters. More than double the size of Los Angeles in population, it stands as the most densely populated major city in the U.S., while the metropolitan statistical area houses over 20.1 million people and the combined statistical area hit 23.5 million by 2020. About 800 languages are spoken across the five boroughs, making it the world's most linguistically diverse city; its metro region also hosted roughly 5.9 million foreign-born residents in 2023. History here traces back to 1624 when Dutch colonists set up Fort Amsterdam on lands inhabited by Munsee-speaking Lenape. Renamed New Amsterdam in 1626 and chartered as a city in 1653, it shifted to English control in 1664, briefly took the name New York after the Duke of York, then locked that title in place for good by 1674. After breaking from Great Britain, the site served as the national capital from 1785 through 1790 before the modern city emerged via the 1898 consolidation of its five boroughs. Wall Street anchors a premier financial and fintech scene hosting the two largest stock exchanges by market cap: the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq. With a gross metropolitan product exceeding US$2.44 trillion in 2024, its economy outpaces all but nine nations. Despite running a 24/7 rapid transit system, NYC tops global charts for urban automobile traffic congestion. By 2025, it ranks as the priciest city for expatriates and carries the highest residential rent costs in the U.S., with Manhattan leading the nation by average home price per square foot while generating the top county GDP in absolute and per capita terms. Fifth Avenue continues to operate as an ultra-luxury shopping corridor drawing fresh infrastructure investment, while the city maintains the global lead in billionaire counts, individuals holding over US$30 million in net worth, and millionaires.
- Role
- Global Financial and Cultural Capital
- Boroughs
- Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, Staten Island
- Status
- Most populous city in the United States
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
In the pre-Columbian era, the area was inhabited by Algonquians, including Munsee-speaking Lenape whose homeland included present-day Staten Island, Manhattan, the Bronx, western Long Island (Brooklyn and Queens), and the Lower Hudson Valley. The first documented European visit occurred in 1524 by Giovanni da Verrazzano, who claimed it for France as Nouvelle Angoulême. A Spanish expedition led by Estêvão Gomes arrived in January 1525, charting the mouth of the Hudson River. In 1609, Henry Hudson rediscovered the harbor for the Dutch East India Company. The first non-Native American inhabitant was Juan Rodriguez, a merchant from Santo Domingo who arrived in Manhattan during the winter of 1613–14. A permanent European presence began in 1624 with a settlement on Governors Island. In 1625, construction started on Fort Amsterdam on Manhattan Island. In 1626, Peter Minuit purchased Manhattan from the Canarsie band for "the value of 60 guilders." The city came under English control in 1664 when Stuyvesant surrendered without bloodshed to Colonel Richard Nicolls. During the Third Anglo-Dutch War, the Dutch seized New York on August 24, 1673, renaming it "New Orange," before returning it to England under the Treaty of Westminster in November 1674. Between 1660 and 1700, intertribal wars and epidemics reduced the Lenape population to 200.
In Their Own Story
Rain slicks the streets as the city pulses with continuous urban energy. From an open basement window, a saxophone cries out, wrestling with the rhythmic thrum of the subway deep beneath the street. Here, shadows hold stories waiting to be told in a place where chaos and beauty collide. The skyline stands as a testament to ambition, anchored by Wall Street in Manhattan's Financial District. Fifth Avenue serves as an ultra-luxury international shopping corridor undergoing additional infrastructure investment. Despite leading the world in urban automobile traffic congestion, the city maintains a 24/7 rapid transit system that keeps its residents moving.
Reader's Guide
New York City's history evolves from a Dutch trading post established in 1624 to the world's most influential metropolis. The five boroughs function as distinct worlds: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. Queens is home to over 800 languages, making it part of the most linguistically diverse city in the world. Landmarks include Central Park, Times Square, and the Statue of Liberty. Culturally, New York is an engine of innovation, spanning from Broadway's stages to Chelsea's galleries. The food scene offers everything from iconic slices to Michelin-starred cuisine. What truly defines the experience is its electric, sleepless energy.
Did You Know?
- An estimated 800 languages are spoken in New York City, making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world.
- The first non-Native American inhabitant was Juan Rodriguez, a merchant from Santo Domingo who arrived in Manhattan during the winter of 1613–14.
- New York served as the national capital of the United States from 1785 until 1790.
- As of 2024, the New York metropolitan economy had a gross metropolitan product over US$2.44 trillion, larger than all but nine countries.
- The city leads the world in urban automobile traffic congestion despite having a 24/7 rapid transit system.
Related in City Atlas
Links follow this subject's own source article.
Elsewhere in the City Atlas universe
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record