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New York is located in the Mid-Atlantic, bordered by Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, and Canada (Ontario and Quebec) to the north and west. It is also bordered by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Lake Champlain to the east. New York ranks 27th in size among the state with a total area of 54,475 sq mi (141,090 sq km). According to the 2000 census, New York ranks 3rd for population in the U.S. with 19.0 million people, more than any state but Texas and California. Four fifths of New Yorkers live in urban areas, with 8 million of them living in New York City.
New York City is comprised of five boroughs (or counties): Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. The Bronx is located on mainland New York, but the other boroughs are located on islands and are connected by bridges and tunnels. Other cities in New York State are the state capital Albany, Utica, Syracuse, and Rochester and Buffalo, both located on the Great Lakes.
Glacial activity during the last Ice Age determined New York's topography, leaving behind four distinct land forms - upland, lowland, plateau, and coastal plain. The hilly and forested upland areas are the New England Upland on the southeastern border of the state and the mountainous Adirondack Upland in the northeast. The Adirondacks are some of the oldest mountains in America and also home to New York's highest peak, Mt. Marcy at 5,344 feet (1,629 m). There are three lowland areas that are well suited for farming. The Great Lakes Lowland and the St. Lawrence Lowland run along the northwest border of New York and are characterized by fertile soil. The Hudson-Mohawk Lowland is located in the eastern part of the state encompassing the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers and is home to rich farmland. The Appalachian Plateau covers the southern portion of the state and is characterized by heavy snowfall, small towns, dairy farms, and a flat, rocky topography. The plateau is home to the Finger Lakes, a popular vacation area. The Atlantic Coastal Plain with its beautiful ocean beaches is located in southeastern New York and encompasses part of New York City and Long Island.
New York is home to over 8,000 lakes, nine major rivers, 127 miles (204 km) of Atlantic Ocean shoreline, and 371 miles (597 km) of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario shorelines. The Hudson River and the Mohawk River dominate the state and are connected to Lake Erie by the Erie Canal, which was built in the early 1800s to make shipping goods to New York City easier. The Genesee and Oswego flow northward into Lake Ontario while the Delaware, Susquehanna, and Allegheny flow south from the Appalachians and provide a water supply for New York City. The East River separates Long Island from Manhattan. One of the most famous waterfalls in the world, Niagara Falls, is located between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario on the U.S.-Canadian border and is a source of hydroelectric power as well as a popular vacation spot.
The climate in New York is fairly temperate with winter temperatures averaging from 14 F (-10 C) to 33 F (0.5 C) and summer temperatures averaging from 64 F (18 C) to 77 F (25 C). The state receives 32 to 45 inches (810 to 1,140 mm) of precipitation a year, with the Catskills receiving the greatest amount of rain and the eastern shore of Lake Erie and Buffalo receiving the greatest amount of snow. The skies above New York are often cloudy, and most cities have less than 100 completely clear days a year.
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