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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.