Nicknamed the “Big Apple,” New York City is the most populated city in the US. Poised around 8.4 million people in 2010, it is destined to reach 9 million people by 2025. With figures like that, it is no wonder New York City is rich with history and offers an extraordinary night life.

In 1613 the Dutch Fur Trading Company settled what we now know to be New York City and declared it New Amsterdam. By 1664 the English had conquered the area and claimed it for themselves. It was the British who dubbed it New York. George Washington ended the British reign in 1783 and finally claimed the city for America.

Opening in 1825, the Erie Canal, allowed a water way from the Atlantic port of New York into the interior of the continent where agriculture was flourishing. This allowed New York City to prosper, and by 1835 it had surpassed Philadelphia as the largest city in the United States. With a huge surge of immigration in the 1850s as a result of the Great Irish Famine, the population continued to expand rapidly. By the time Brooklyn was incorporated into New York City in 1898, the area was well on its way to becoming the world’s leader in technology, commerce, communication and industry.

New York City has long been a leader in the entertainment industry as well, offering Broadway theater, Jazz clubs, comedy clubs, exquisite restaurants, athletic venues, parks, concert halls and venues, museums, night clubs, and bars. Attracting the world’s greatest artists and musicians, the night life is spectacular. Famous clubs like Studio 54, Blue Note, or the 40/40 club are available for the wealthier set while thousands of unique lounges, clubs, bars, or restaurants can offer any tourist the exact experience they are looking for.

The Smoke-Free Air Act, passed in 2002, prohibits cigarette smoking in workplaces, children’s playgrounds, and public pools. A newly passed law will see the ban extended to the outdoors including parks, public beaches, boardwalks, marinas and pedestrian plazas. For those smokers who still wish to see all that New York has to offer but can not curb the smoking habit, the electronic cigarette is a perfect alternative (although the FDA wanted to ban electronic cigarettes in New York). Smokeless and odorless because it operates automatically every time a smoker inhales, the electronic cigarette allows an individual to continue to get their Nicotine fix while visiting Central Park or Times Square. Through this invention, smokers and non-smokers alike can experience the extraordinary place that is New York City.

A mega city may cover one or more metropolitan areas.

New York City

New York has a total population of above 22 million people and an annual population growth of 0.3%. This city is divided into 5 boroughs namely Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Staten Island. The city covers an area of 6,720 square miles with a population density of 26403 persons per square mile. New York was the capital of the United States between 1785 and 1790 and it has been the largest city in USA since then. The city is an important entertainment, financial and educational centre. It is home to Wall Street, the New York stock exchange, Columbia University, New York University and Rockefeller University.

Los Angeles

This is the second most populous city in the USA. It has a population of 17.8 million people and an annual; population growth of 1.10%. Just like New York this county is multicultural. It covers a land area of 4850 square miles. It has a population density of 8205 per square mile. This city was founded by Felipe de Neve, a Spanish Governor in 1781. In 1848 when the Mexican –American war ended, it was purchased in a Treaty and became part of the United States. It is the third largest economic center in the world and is home to Hollywood, the Entertainment capital of the world. It is also home to the University of South California and the University of California, Los Angeles.

Chicago, Illinois

It is the third most populous city in the USA with a population of about 2.85 Million people and a population density of 12,750 per square mile. The city was founded in 1833 and is a major center for industry, telecommunications and infrastructure. It is home to the second busiest airport in the world, the O’Hare International Airport.

Dallas, Texas

This area basically covers 12 counties, an area of 9286 square miles. It has a population of over 6.8 million people. This city was founded in 1841 but only formally incorporated in 1856. It is home to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport one of the world’s largest.

Philadelphia

This area is also known as Delaware valley and has a population of 6 million. It covers a total area of 5118 square miles. The cities population density is 11223.6 per square mile. It was created by the act of consolidation in 1854.