New York City, officially The City of New York, has the highest population of any city in the United States and is in a metropolitan area that ranks among the world’s most populous urban areas. A leading global city, New York City holds a powerful influence of commerce, finance, culture, and entertainment worldwide. The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island all make up New York City, which is located on the Atlantic coast of the northeastern part of the United States.
In 2007, New York’s estimated population was 8,274,527. New York is densely populated with 26,403 people per square mile. Nearly 170 languages are spoken in the city, and 36% of residents were born outside the United States. Modern immigrants arrive from the Dominican Republic, China, Jamaica, Guyana, Mexico, Ecuador, Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, Colombia, and Russia most often. New York is home to the largest Jewish community outside of Israel, with 12% of New Yorkers descending from Jewish roots. Nearly a quarter of the United States’ Indian population resides in New York, and New York has the largest African American community of any U.S. city. The five largest ethnic groups are Puerto Ricans, Italians, West Indians, Dominicans, and Chinese.
In 2005, the median household income in the wealthiest demographic was $188,697, while in the poorest it was $9,320. The largest regional economy in the United States, New York had an estimated gross metropolitan product of $1.13 trillion, making it the second largest city economy in the world. Forty-four Fortune 500 companies headquarter in New York. New York is also home to The New York Stock Exchange, and the NASDAQ. New York’s television and film industry is second only to Hollywood.