Geography of New York (state)
The geography of New York (state) varies widely. Most of New York is dominated by farms, forests, rivers, mountains, and lakes. New York's Adirondack Park is larger than any U.S. National Park in the contiguous United States. Niagara Falls, on the Niagara River as it flows from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, is a popular attraction. The Hudson River begins near Lake Tear of the Clouds and flows south through the eastern part of the state without draining lakes George or Champlain. Lake George empties at its north end into Lake Champlain, whose northern end extends into Canada, where it drains into the Richelieu River and then the St. Lawrence. Four of New York City's five boroughs are on the three islands at the mouth of the Hudson River: Manhattan Island, Staten Island, and Brooklyn and Queens on Long Island.
| Region | Northeast United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 43°N 75.5°W |
| Area | |
| • Total | 54,555 sq mi (141,300 km2) |
| • Land | 86.4% |
| • Water | 13.6% |
| Borders | Ontario Quebec Vermont Massachusetts Connecticut New Jersey Pennsylvania |
| Highest point | Mount Marcy, 5,343 feet (1,629 m) |
| Lowest point | Atlantic Ocean, sea level |
| Longest river | Hudson River |
| Largest lake | Lake Erie |
"Upstate" is a common term for New York counties north of suburban Westchester, Rockland and Dutchess counties. Upstate New York typically includes the Catskill Mountains or areas North of the Catskill Mountains, the Capital district, The Adirondacks, the Erie Canal, Lake Champlain, Otsego Lake, Oneida Lake; rivers such as the Delaware, Genesee, Mohawk, and Susquehanna. The highest elevation in New York is Mount Marcy of the Adirondack Mountains. New York is the 27th-largest state.