Geography of New York

Introduction to Geography of New York

New York, a state in the eastern United States. It lies immediately west of New England and is the only state that fronts on both the Atlantic Ocean and the Great Lakes. Bordering New York are the states of Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. With an area of 54,475 square miles (141,089 km2), New York ranks 27th among the states in size.

New York is often said to consist of two unlike and sometimes divergent parts—New York City plus its urban environs and the rest of the state, called upstate New York. Most New Yorkers live in the New York City area, which is one of the largest and most cosmopolitan urban centers in the world. To a considerable extent, upstate New York is rural, although it does have a number of sizable cities.

Physical Geography

New York is a land of low mountains, hilly plateaus, and numerous lowlands consisting mainly of lake plains and river valleys. During the last Ice Age, glaciers advanced and retreated across the state, scouring the land and leaving widespread glacial debris. There are seven major regions.

The Adirondack Mountains, in the north, an ancient section of the Appalachians, cover about a fourth of the state. Geologically, they are linked to the Canadian Shield and contain some of the oldest rocks in North America. Once high and rugged, the Adirondacks have been lowered and smoothed by the erosive forces of running water, wind, and glacial ice. Characteristic of this scenic region are rounded, forest-clad peaks, sparkling lakes and streams, and primitive wilderness areas. In the northeast, Mount Marcy rises to a height of 5,344 feet (1,629 m), New York's highest point.

The Appalachian Plateau, also known as the Allegheny Plateau, spans nearly all of southern New York, or almost a third of the state. It is an eroded tableland that varies from hilly to rough. Steep escarpments mark part of the plateau's eastern edge; deep valleys occur within the plateau. The highest, and possibly the roughest, part consists of the Catskill Mountains, in the east. Here, forested summits rise to elevations of about 3,000 to 4,200 feet (915 to 1,280 m).

The Hudson Highlands and the Taconic Mountains, in the southeastern part of the state, make up most of the remaining mountainous areas of New York. Geologically, they are southern extensions of a highland situated mainly in New England. At Bear Mountain, between Newburgh and Peekskill, a scenic gorge of the Hudson River cuts through the highlands.

The Taconic Mountains jut northward from the Hudson Highlands and extend along part of New York's border with Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont. Berlin Mountain, east of Troy, reaches a height of almost 2,800 feet (853 m).

The Atlantic Coastal Plain extends from Staten Island, a borough of New York City, northeastward through Long Island. It is part of the low, almost level coastal plain that extends along the Atlantic coast from Massachusetts to the southern tip of Florida. Small hills of glacial origin dot northern Long Island; beaches, offshore bars, and small islands fringe much of the coast.

The Hudson and Mohawk Valleys. The Hudson Valley is a lowland corridor running north-south through the state, north of New York City. It is part of the Great Valley of the Appalachians and includes the lowlands around Lake George and Lake Champlain. The Mohawk Valley, extending westward from the Hudson Valley to about Rome, is a fairly broad lowland between the Adirondacks and the Appalachian Plateau. Because it provides the only lowland route from the Atlantic Ocean through the Appalachians, the Mohawk Valley has long been an important transportation route.

The Great Lakes Plain, which adjoins Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, is part of the vast Central Lowlands of the United States. The land was heavily glaciated during the last Ice Age and varies from flat to gently rolling. Some of it is poorly drained. Prominent glacial features include drumlins (elongated hills) and eskers (twisting ridges).

The St. Lawrence Valley begins at Lake Ontario and curves north and east to the Canadian border. It is a narrow lowland with terrain similar to the Great Lakes Plain, except near the Thousand Islands. Here, ancient rocks similar to those in the Adirondacks form hundreds of islands, divided between Ontario and New York.

The rivers of New York drain to the Atlantic through five major basins: the Hudson, St. Lawrence-Great Lakes, Delaware, Susquehanna, and Allegheny basins. The Hudson Basin, drained mainly by the Hudson and its chief tributary, the Mohawk, is of major importance. From Albany to New York City, some 140 miles (225 km), the Hudson is navigable to oceangoing ships. The St. Lawrence-Great Lakes Basin is the largest drainage basin in the state. Its rivers include the Niagara, Genesee, Oswego, Black, and Raquette rivers. The Delaware and Susquehanna rivers have their sources within the state, and they, together with the Allegheny and various tributaries, drain most of the southern part of the state.

Waterfalls and cascades are numerous. By volume of water carried, thundering Niagara Falls is one of the largest waterfalls in the world. Taughannock Falls, near Cayuga Lake, plunges 215 feet (66 m)—22 feet (7 m) more than the American Falls at Niagara. There are also cascades and falls at Ausable Chasm in the Adirondacks.

Hundreds of lakes, mostly of glacial origin, lend beauty to the state. Lake Champlain—shared by New York, Vermont, and Quebec—and Lake George are in the northeast. Nearby are the many lakes of the Adirondacks, including Lake Placid and the Saranac Lakes. The long, narrow Finger Lakes edge the Appalachian Plateau. Largest of these are Cayuga and Seneca lakes.

Between Rome and Syracuse is Oneida Lake, the largest body of water entirely within the state. In New York's southwest corner is Chautauqua Lake. Among large, man-made reservoirs are Sacandaga Reservoir, on the south edge of the Adirondacks, and Ashokan Reservoir, in the Catskills.

New York has a moist continental climate similar to that of the other northeastern states. It is marked by cold winters and warm summers; highly changeable weather; and ample precipitation throughout the year. Variations, however, occur within the state. In the southeast, especially along the coast, the tempering effects of the Atlantic Ocean are felt. The climate of the mountains and higher parts of the Appalachian Plateau is influenced by increased elevation and northerly location. This is particularly true in the Adirondacks, where summers are cool and winters rigorous. Also important in affecting local conditions are large lakes, especially Lakes Erie and Ontario, where summers are cooler and winters snowier than elsewhere in the state.

Average January temperatures range from 33° F. (1° C.) on Long Island to 15° F. (-9° C.) in several valleys of the Adirondacks. Temperatures below 0° F. (-18° C.) are rare along the coast, but occur in other parts of the state. July temperatures average from about 64° F. (18° C.) in parts of the Adirondacks to around 75° F. (24° C.) along the coast. During summer, daytime temperatures occasionally rise to more than 90° F. (32° C.), but rarely above 100° F. (38° C.).

Annual precipitation is roughly 30 to 50 inches (760 to 1,270 mm) throughout most of the state. Somewhat larger amounts fall in parts of the Catskills and the Adirondack Mountains. May through September is generally the wettest time of the year. Snowfall is extremely variable. Long Island receives only 20 inches (510 mm) a year, while most of the elevated areas receive well over five times that much. Some weather stations in the snow belt east of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario have reported as much as 300 inches (7,620 mm).

The frost-free, or growing, season lasts from approximately 100 days in the heart of the Adirondacks to as much as 220 days on Long Island. Hurricanes and tropical storms, tornadoes, and blizzards occasionally strike the state.

Economy

Until the 1970's New York was economically the leading state in the Union. It has since been equaled or surpassed in certain respects by several other states, most notably California. Nevertheless, New York remains economically strong. In the number of persons employed and in income generated by all economic activities it ranks among the leaders. Probably no state surpasses New York in the variety of goods produced. Many of the nation's largest firms have their headquarters in New York; most are located in or near New York City.

Many thousands of New Yorkers are employed in wholesale and retail businesses. The sales volume of the state's wholesale trade far exceeds that of any other state, amounting to roughly one-eighth of the nation's total. Construction and transportation also employ large numbers of workers and contribute heavily to the state's economy. New York's ports, particularly New York City's, handle a large part of the nation's general cargo shipping.

New York is the nation's financial center. Clustered in New York City, especially on or near Wall Street, are major stock exchanges and many of the nation's largest commercial banks. The total assets of New York's commercial banks are far greater than those of the banks of any other state.

Tourism contributes substantially to the economy of New York. Among the chief tourist features are the cultural and entertainment attractions of New York City; Niagara Falls; and the Catskill and Adirondack mountains with their summer and winter resorts. Conventions, held mainly in New York City, are also economically important.

New York ranks among the nation's top five manufacturing states. Major activities, according to value added by manufacture, are printing and publishing and the making of precision instruments, electrical and electronic equipment, machinery, chemicals, clothing, and foods and beverages. In printed and published materials and in the production of instruments, clothing, and leather and leather products, New York leads all other states.

The New York City area is by far the most important manufacturing center in the state. Elsewhere in New York, manufacturing is centered mainly in the cities of the Hudson and Mohawk valleys and along Lakes Erie and Ontario. Among these cities are Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, and Schenectady. Binghamton, in the Appalachian Plateau region, is also a significant manufacturing city.

Printing and publishing and apparel manufacturing are heavily concentrated in the New York City area. In addition it is a prime producer of electrical machinery, foods, fabricated metals, and chemicals, especially Pharmaceuticals. Buffalo is a center of heavy industry, producing iron and steel, fabricated metal products, transportation equipment, machinery, and chemicals. Flour milling is also a major economic activity in Buffalo. Rochester is best known for the production of photographic equipment and supplies, copying and business machines, and optical goods. Syracuse concentrates on the production of electrical equipment. Electrical equipment for industrial use is a specialty of Schenectady.

New York's farm acreage has been declining for many years, and farms occupy only about one-fourth of the state. Most of the decline in acreage has come through the abandonment of poorer farmland.

Livestock and livestock products provide roughly 70 to 75 per cent of all farm income in New York. Dairying is the mainstay, accounting for about half of all farm income. In number of milk cows and dairy farms and in annual production of milk and cheese, New York generally ranks among the top two or three states in the nation. The chief dairying areas are in the Hudson, St. Lawrence, and Mohawk valleys. Cattle rank second as a source of farm income. Eggs are also important.

Hay and corn are New York's chief crops by value and acreage planted. Both are used primarily on the farms for the feeding of livestock. Fruit is of great significance. In the production of apples and grapes New York normally ranks second or third among the states. Most of the grapes come from vineyards in the vicinity of the Finger Lakes and Lake Erie and are used for making wine. Also important is the production of greenhouse and nursery products, potatoes, and several vegetables grown for commercial canning and freezing.

Commercial fishing is carried on in the bays and offshore waters around Long Island and in Lakes Erie and Ontario. Much of the marine catch consists of shellfish from Long Island Sound.

Somewhat more than half of New York is classified as forest land. Trees include many species of hardwoods and softwoods. Lumber and wood production, however, is relatively meager, partly because much of the forested area, particularly in the Adiron dacks and in the Catskills, is set aside as preserves where commercial lumbering is prohibited.

New York usually ranks among the lower half of the states in the value of its annual mineral production. Stone, salt, sand and gravel, and zinc are among the principal minerals produced.

New York has excellent transportation systems. The main highway routes are the Interstate highways and other federal primary roads. The most heavily traveled of the Interstate routes is the New York State Thruway (I-87 and I-90), which extends from New York City through Albany and Buffalo to the Ohio border. A complex network of expressways serves the New York City area.

More than a score of railways serve the state. Most of the trackage is operated by Conrail. Amtrak provides high-speed service between New York City and several other easterns cities, including Boston and Washington, D.C. Railways and subways play an important role in transporting commuters in the New York City area.

Kennedy International and La Guardia airports, in New York City, are the chief centers of air transportation in the state. Kennedy International is one of the world's largest and busiest air terminals, handling many of the nation's international flights. La Guardia handles only domestic flights. Also serving the New York City area is Newark International Airport, in New Jersey. Commercial air service is also available in the larger cities elsewhere in the state.

Water transportation is highly developed in New York. Ocean shipping is conducted primarily at port facilities in New York City, which are operated, in conjunction with adjacent facilities in New Jersey, by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. In addition, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario ports have direct access to St Lawrence Seaway shipping. New York is also served by the New York State Barge Canal, the main branch of which follows roughly the route of the old Erie Canal.

The People

In 2000 New York had a population of 18,976,457— 986,002, or 5.5 per cent, greater than in 1990. It dropped to third in rank among the states. The population density was 401.8 persons per square mile (155.2 per km2), a little over five times that of the United States as a whole.

Whites made up 67.9 per cent of the population; blacks, 15.9 per cent; Asians, 5.5 per cent. Many of the Asians were of Chinese and Asian Indian origin. Nearly three-fourths of the nonwhite population lived in New York City. People of Hispanic origin, in large part Puerto Rican and Mexican, accounted for 15.1 per cent of the population.

Annual events in New York

Education

Schooling is compulsory from age 6 to 16. Since the Unification Act of 1904 coordinated the state's educational agencies, the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York has been the administrative body that supervises elementary, secondary, and higher education in the state. The commissioner of education is the executing officer of the Board of Regents and is appointed by the board. The members of the board are elected.

The State University of New York (SUNY), created by the legislature in 1948, consists of almost 70 centers of higher education. The system includes state colleges and universities and locally operated community colleges supervised by SUNY. It also includes several specialized colleges operated on the campuses of private universities.

SUNY colleges of arts and sciences are at Brockport, Buffalo, Cortland, Fredonia, Geneseo, New Paltz, Old Westbury, One onta, Oswego, Plattsburgh, Potsdam, and Purchase. Empire State College at Saratoga Springs is a nonresidential unit. University level campuses are at Albany, Binghamton Buffalo, and Stony Brook, Long Island There are health science centers in Brooklyn and Syracuse.

Two agricultural and technical collegia are part of SUNY. Other specialized schools include the colleges of agriculture and life sciences, veterinary medicine, and human ecology and the school of industrial and labor relations at Cornell University, Ithaca; the College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse; the College of Optometry, New York City; the Institute of Technology at Utica-Rome, Utica; and the Maritime College, New York City.

The City University of New York is a municipal institution in New York City that is largely state funded. It includes 10 colleges, among them Brooklyn, City, Hunter and Queens colleges, and several community colleges.

The federal government maintains U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

Government

New York is governed under its 1894 constitution, the fourth in its history. At least every 20 years the people vote on the question of calling a constitutional convention to propose amendments.

The legislature, which meets annually, consists of a senate of 61 members and an assembly of 150, all elected for two-year terms.

The elected state officials are the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, and comptroller, all elected for four-year terms. The governor appoints the heads of most of the state's executive departments.

The judiciary is headed by the Court of Appeals, which has seven justices appointed by the governor for 14-year terms. The Supreme Court is the court of general jurisdiction. This court has more than 400 justices elected for 14 years from 12 judicial districts. It does not meet in a single place but holds sessions in the 12 districts. There is also an appellate division of the Supreme Court, consisting of four judicial departments, each with a presiding justice and a varying number of associate justices appointed by the governor for five years. Other tribunals include the county, city, surrogate's, justice's, and family courts. There is a Court of Claims to hear claims against the state.

New York is divided into 62 counties (including the five boroughs of New York City, each of which occupies a separate county). New York is represented in Congress by 2 senators and 29 representatives.