New York, New York

Demographics:

• The population of New York is estimated at 8,363,710
• There are 3,021,588 households within the city limits
• The average income per household is $48,631
• People who live in New York use the area codes 212 (Find a phone number in New York here)

Many famous people have lived in New York, including:
Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Frank Sinatra, Lou Reed, Joey Ramone, Deborah Harry, Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey, Sammy Davis Jr., Neil Diamond, P. Diddy, Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel, Billy Joel, Jennifer Lopez, Barry Manilow, George and Ira Gershwin, Ella Fitzgerald, Barbara Streisand, Alan Alda, Woody Allen, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Mel Brooks, Matthew Broderick, Robert DeNiro, Heath Ledger, Kirk Douglas, Richard Dreyfus, Jackie Gleason, Rita Hayworth, Danny Kaye, Christopher Reeve, Adam Sandler, Martin Scorsese, Jon Stewart, Christopher Walken, Greta Garbo, Sarah Jessica Parker, Tony Randall, Denzel Washington, George Carlin, Chris Rock, Anderson Cooper, Dan Rather, Peter Jennings, Barbara Walters, Bob Costas, Jake LaMotta, Vince Lombardi, Mike Tyson, Joe DiMaggio, Vin Scully, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, John McEnroe, Joe Namath, Lou Gehrig, Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, Bugsy Siegel, Calvin Klein, Louis Farrakhan, Frederick Douglass, Malcolm X, Al Sharpton, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Millard Fillmore, Martin Van Buren, Alexander Hamilton, John D. Rockefeller, Any Warhol

Historical Notes:
George Washington was inaugurated as first President of the United States in the Manhattan district of New York City.

New York City was given the nickname "The Big Apple" by musicians who were lucky enough to get a gig in the city.

During the 1800's, New York was notorious for the "5 Boroughs" areas which had many gangs that fought for control of the area and a vast amount of political corruption.

Although the first European explorer to discover the New York harbor was Giovanna Di Verrazzano in 1524, it wasn't until nearly a century later that a settlement was established in the New York City area. Dutch colonists arrived in 1624 and called the territory New Amsterdam. Among them was a man named Peter Minuet who is said to have purchased the land for about $24 worth of trinkets. In 1664 British troops moved in, easily took over, and re-named the area New York.

New York's population skyrocketed in the 1800's and 1900's as immigrants from all over the world came through Ellis Island to find a new life in America. The Statue of Liberty welcomed people from all walks of life, and shipload after shipload took her up on the offer. As the city expanded new ideas were needed to accommodate people, which led to compact housing being built up quickly and the introduction of the New York City Subway in 1904. New York quickly became a noted city of industry with skyscrapers permeating the downtown area.

In the 1900's New York earned a reputation for being a financial hub in the United States and globally. Wall Street and the World Trade Center were prominently recognized as international economic leaders. On September 11th, 2001 a horrifying terrorist attack destroyed the World Trade Center as passenger jets were flown directly into each tower. It was a tragedy that will never be forgotten, but one which only strengthened the resolve of the city and caused its people to be even stronger.

New York City is known around the world as a city of industry, entertainment, tourism and diversity. Millions of people visit each year and enjoy the vast array of attractions the city has to offer.