Having been the capital of the United States only for a year, New York is often called one of the world's capitals. The significant part of international business, finance, commerce, fashion, cinema and so on and so far is concentrated there.

New York City has a nickname "the big apple" ?. There are several legends connected to the term, all they have in common only that the term appeared in 1920-30. The first legend says that during the Great depression well-to-do families had to make ends-meet by selling apples. The second refers to jazz musicians. They said 'There are many apples on the success tree, but when you pick New York City, you pick the Big Apple.' There is an opinion that the nickname came from the 'The Big Apple" ? club in New York. The other legend says that the nickname was invented by the sportswriter John Fitzgerald, who named his column about NYC's racetracks "Around the Big Apple".

New York City is located on the Atlantic coast of the United States, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The area of the modern New York began to be settled by the Europeans in the XVI century. Since the beginning of the XIX century New York has been the largest city in the United States. New York is a cosmopolitan city, where the emigrants make up the big part of its 8 million population.

New York City consists of five boroughs. They are Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island and Manhattan.

The most prestigious and renowned borough is Manhattan. It's an island where the best theaters, cinemas and shops are located. One of the biggest attractions in Manhattan is Central Park - an oasis of green in the middle of New York City. Here you can escape from the city noise, relax and enjoy nature. Manhattan is also filled up the highest skyscrapers with the offices of the leading international corporations. However Manhattan isn't only that chic. Harlem - one of the most dangerous city districts is also there. Many think that there's nothing more in New York, than Manhattan, but other four boroughs are also worth seeing.

Brooklyn occupies the western part of the Long Island and the largest in population of all the five boroughs. Brooklyn is famous for its Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Bridge and Brighton Beach. Brighton Beach is one of the largest Russian communities in the United States. The largest in area of New York City's five boroughs, Queens is more suburban in spirit. Like Brooklyn it is situated in the western part of the Long Island. Among the attractions in Queens are the New York Hall of Science and the Queens Zoo.

The Bronx is the only one borough that is part of mainland New York. The Harlem River separates The Bronx from the island of Manhattan. The Bronx's attractions include Yankee Stadium, home of the New York Yankees baseball club of the American League; the Bronx Zoo, Bronx High School of Science, Walton High School, Morris Park, the New York Botanical Garden. Staten Island is the least populated of the five boroughs and the most geographically separated. You can there by ferry from Manhattan. New York is magnetic city attracting a lot of tourists and emigrants every year.