New York State Facts: Capital, Major Cities, Geography & Economy

New York State is often pictured through New York City – skyscrapers, Wall Street, Broadway and millions of people packed into a small part of the state. That picture is important, but it is far from complete. New York stretches from the Atlantic coast and Long Island to the Canadian border and from the Hudson Valley west to Lake Erie.

Across that distance are the Adirondack and Catskill mountains, the Finger Lakes, major river valleys, productive farmland, forests, Great Lakes shorelines and cities with very different histories and economies. Albany is the capital, while New York City is the largest city.

This guide looks at New York State as a whole – its geography, capital, major cities, population, economy, GDP, history, government, education, landmarks and state symbols. It is designed as a reference for students, teachers, quiz learners and anyone who wants to understand how the different parts of New York fit together.

Quick Facts About New York State

FactNew York State
Official nameState of New York
Postal abbreviationNY
CapitalAlbany
Largest cityNew York City
U.S. regionNortheastern United States
StatehoodJuly 26, 1788
Order of statehood11th
Land area47,123.4 square miles
Water area7,435.1 square miles
Total areaAbout 54,558.5 square miles
Population20,002,427 – July 1, 2025 Census estimate, Vintage 2025
Population rank4th – July 1, 2025 Census estimates
Approximate population densityAbout 424.5 people per square mile of land, using the 2025 population estimate
Counties62
NicknameThe Empire State
Words on the current state arms“Excelsior” and “E pluribus unum”
Highest pointMount Marcy – 5,344 feet
Great Lakes bordering the stateLake Erie and Lake Ontario
Time zoneEastern Time
State birdEastern bluebird
State mammalBeaver
State flowerRose
State treeSugar maple

The U.S. Census Bureau estimated New York’s population at 20,002,427 on July 1, 2025. In the same Vintage 2025 series, California, Texas and Florida ranked ahead of New York in population.

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