2. Manhattan The smallest in area of the five boroughs making up New York City, it consists principally of the island of Manhattan, which runs roughly 13 miles from north to south and two miles from east to west. It is surrounded by the Harlem River to the northeast and north, the East River to the east, Upper New York Bay to the west. and New York Bay to the South. The borough of Manhattan exist co-extensively with New York county. In addition to the island of Manhattan, it contains several smaller islands, and the neighborhood of Marble Hill which is geographically part of the Bronx. Manhattan is the site of virtually all of the skyscrapers that are the symbol of New York City, and it is the oldest and densest of the urbanized area.

3. Manhattan was the first part of the city to be settled by Europeans when the Dutch East India Company established a permanent outpost on the southeastern most tip of the island in 1624. New Amsterdam fell to the British in 1664, who renamed the settlement New York. Most of the streets in lower Manhattan are narrow and twisting and reflect their having been laid out before Boston, Philadelphia and Williamsburg even existed. Everything north of Houston Street however is marked by a grid pattern which was adopted in 1807.

4. New York's Central Park is the first urban landscaped park in the United States. Originally conceived in the salons of wealthy New Yorkers in the early 1850's, the park project spanned more than a decade and cost the city ten million dollars. The purpose was to refute the European view that Americans lacked a sense of civic duty and appreciation for cultural refinement and instead possessed an unhealthy and individualistic materialism that precluded interest in the common good. The bruised egos of New York high society envisioned a sweeping pastoral landscape, among which the wealthy could parade in their carriages, socialize, and "be seen," and in which the poor could benefit from clean air and uplifting recreation without lifting the bottle. Central Park

5. The Statue of Liberty National Monument officially celebrated her 100th birthday on October 28, 1986. The people of France gave the Statue to the people of the United States over one hundred years ago in recognition of the friendship established during the American Revolution. Over the years, the Statue of Liberty's symbolism has grown to include freedom and democracy as well as this international friendship. The Statue of Liberty

6. Broadway is the street in New York that has become the worldwide name in theatre entertainment. Theater on Broadway dates back to 1810, when most actors were imported from European countries. Actor Junius Brutus Booth and his sons became one of America`s first great acting families.

7. By the 19th Century, the development of American theatre was in full swing. Throughout the 1900's Broadway shows were strongly influenced by the events of the time, from comedic spoofs to heartfelt dramas. The 1920's, 30's, and 40's saw many ups and downs in theatre production, due to historical events such as prohibition, the stock market crash, war, and the draw to Hollywood for much of Broadway`s top talent. Today, the longest running show in Broadway history is still in production. The Phantom of the Opera debuted on Broadway in 1988. The "Great White Way" is a nickname for the Midtown section of Broadway that encompasses the Theatre District, between 42nd and 53rd Streets. The headline "Found on the Great White Way" appeared in the February 3, 1902, edition of the New York Evening Telegram inspired by the millions of lights on theater marquees and billboard advertisements that illuminate the area.

8. The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, USA, on 53rd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It has been singularly important in developing and collecting modernist art, and is often identified as the most influential museum of modern art in the world. The museum's collection offers an unparalleled overview of modern and contemporary art, including works of architecture and design, drawings, painting, sculpture, photography, prints, illustrated books, film, and electronic media. MoMA 's library and archives hold over 300,000 books, artist books, and periodicals, as well as individual files on more than 70,000 artists. The archives contain primary source material related to the history of modern and contemporary art. The Museum of Modern Art

9. Empire State Building The Empire State Building is one of the most famous skyscrapers in the world, built in just 18 months during the Great Depression, it was the world's tallest building from 1931-1972.

10. It's original cost, including the price of land, was $40,948,000, a very low figure for a building of this size even at that time. The building itself cost only $24,718,000. The observation tower at the top of the Empire State Building was originally intended to be a dock for mooring airships. However, after several futile attempts at mooring a zeppelin in the strong winds present at 1250 feet, the idea was scrapped. The top of the Empire State Building is lit up at night in different colors to celebrate various holidays. For a long time after Sept. 11, 2001, it was continuously lit red, white, and blue.

11. The I Love New York logo is a rebus created by Milton Glaser consisting of the capital letter I, followed by a red heart symbol ( ♥ ), below which are the capital letters N and Y, set in a rounded slab serif typeface called American Typewriter. The logo and advertising campaign have been used since the mid-1970s to promote tourism in New York City - and also in New York State. The trademarked logo appears in souvenir shops and brochures throughout the state, some licensed, many not.

12. The logo has become a part of the American pop cultural canon, since inspiring countless knock-offs (t-shirts, bumper stickers, etc.) of the "I …" form. New York, in turn, has tried to uphold its trademark by filing a total of nearly 3,000 trademark objections against imitators. The logo has also been used in relation to other places. One example is New Cross, London, where the logo has been altered to read "I Love NX" due to the growing interest in the area because of a suggested rise of new music scene in the area.

13. Cool Facts About New York City Hong Kong is the only city in the world with more completed skyscrapers than New York City. New York City is now the most populated city in the USA with more than 8.2 million people. 36% of the current population of New York City was born outside the United States. New York City served as the capital of the United States in the 1780s before it was moved to Philadelphia and then Washington D.C. In 1698, New York City only had a population of 4,937 people. The English conquered the city from the Dutch in 1664, and “New Amsterdam” became “New York.”

14. The New York subway system is the largest mass transit system in the world with 468 stations and 842 miles (1355 km) of track. About 40% of the New York Subway system is above ground. The first underground section of the Subway was opened in 1904. Unlike most major subways systems around the world, the New York Subway runs 24 hours a day. The Metropolitan Museum of Art (“The Met”) contains over 2 million works, making it one of the largest art museums in the world. The Met contains one the most comprehensive collection of Asian art in the West. By Kseniya Dabizha 2A1