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New York City. Pop. 8,683,000. State – New York (NY). Currency – US Dollar. Language – English. Time Zone – GMT - 5 hours. Main Airports – John F. Kennedy JFK, Newark EWR. Average Temperatures – 3°C (Jan), 30°C (Jul). Best time to go – year round destination as there is always things to do in the ‘Big Apple’. New York was founded by Dutch settlers in 1625 and was originally called New Amsterdam until it’s capture by the British in 1664 when it was named New York, (after the Duke of York and Albany). The city developed as a great industrial centre, a trading port, and the initial destination for millions seeking a new and better life in the United States. New York is now the largest city in the United States of America and is also a major global city. It is one of three major centres of the world economy, along with London and Tokyo and is home to more Fortune 500 companies than any other city. New York also has the largest stock exchange by dollar trading volume and is regarded as the financial capital of the globe. The city is also a great artistic, cultural centre and is home to – Broadway, Carnegie Hall, Guggenheim Museum, Brooklyn Museum of Art, The Lincoln Center, New York Philharmonic Orchestra, New York City Ballet, and the New York Public Library. The city is organised in 5 boroughs – MANHATTAN (home to most of the skyscrapers), THE BRONX (home of the Yankee Stadium), BROOKLYN (the most populous borough), QUEENS (hosts the US Tennis Open), and STATEN ISLAND (connected to Brooklyn by the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge). Within the 5 boroughs are some well known neighbourhoods including - Financial District, Tribeca, Chinatown, Little Italy, Lower East Side, SoHo, Greenwich Village, Meatpacking District, East Village, Gramercy-Flatiron-Union Square, Chelsea, Murray Hill, Midtown, Hell's Kitchen, Upper West Side, Upper East Side, Morningside Heights, El Barrio, and Harlem. Visitors to New York will be able to see some of the most famous iconic buildings in the world ranging from - Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, Times Square, Rockefeller Plaza, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Empire State Building, Flatiron Building, World Trade Center Site, and the Grand Central Terminal. New York is also a major shopping city and luxury shopping along Fifth and Madison Avenues will put a dent in your credit card. After a busy shopping day why not take in a sporting event by watching the - New York Knicks (Basketball), New York Yankees and the New York Mets (Baseball), New York Giants and New York Jets (Gridiron Football), or the New York Rangers (Ice Hockey).