Northeastern United States: Difference between revisions
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The Northeast, as defined by the Census Bureau, is the wealthiest region of the United States. The region accounts for approximately 25% of U.S. [[gross domestic product]] as of 2007.<ref>[http://www.bea.gov/bea/newsrel/GSPNewsRelease.htm Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by State] {{Dead link|date=March 2010}}</ref> |
The Northeast, as defined by the Census Bureau, is the wealthiest region of the United States. The region accounts for approximately 25% of U.S. [[gross domestic product]] as of 2007.<ref>[http://www.bea.gov/bea/newsrel/GSPNewsRelease.htm Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by State] {{Dead link|date=March 2010}}</ref> |
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==Geography== |
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{{Unreferenced section|date=June 2010}} |
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The Northeast region is the smallest in area of the four Census Bureau-defined regions of the US. The region's landscape varies from the rocky coast of [[New England]] to the fertile farmland of the [[Ohio River]] Valley behind the [[Allegheny Front]] in Ohio. Beginning at [[West Quoddy Head]] Peninsula in Maine, the easternmost point in the United States, the Atlantic coastline is largely rocky, with jagged cliffs rising up to a hundred feet above the ocean. South of the [[Isles of Shoals]] near the [[Maine]]/[[New Hampshire]] state line, the coastline begins to subside to sandy beaches which extend through the rest of the Northeast's Atlantic coastline. |
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Four major rivers pierce the coastline to empty into the Atlantic: the [[Delaware River]] at the New Jersey/Delaware state line, the [[Hudson River|Hudson]] at the New York/New Jersey state line, the [[Connecticut River]] in Connecticut (which technically empties into the [[Long Island Sound]] which then empties into the Atlantic), and the [[Kennebec River]] in Maine. A fifth river, the [[Susquehanna River]], is the longest river on the east coast of the United States and flows through New York and Pennsylvania but reaches tidewater in the South Atlantic region of the country. Two of the [[Great Lakes]], [[Lake Ontario]] and [[Lake Erie]], form part of the northern border of the region. |
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===Climate=== |
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Despite being geographically one of the smallest regions of the United States, the northeastern states possess a wide range of climates. Rainfall varies from over {{convert|50|in|m}} annually in some coastal areas, to {{convert|32|in|cm}} in the western part of [[Pennsylvania]] and [[New York]]. Snowfall can range from over {{convert|200|in|m}} per year in [[Upstate New York]] to only half of a foot or so in the coastal areas of southern New Jersey. |
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Generally, northern [[New England]], the parts of New York north of the [[Mohawk River]], highland areas in the [[Appalachians]] and some coastal areas possess a warm summer [[humid continental climate]] ([[Koppen climate classification]] ''Dfb''), with warm, humid summers and snowy, often bitterly cold winters. Cities in this zone include [[Syracuse, New York]]; [[Burlington, Vermont]]; and [[Portland, Maine]]. Portland's winters are softened because it is on the coast. |
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Below this line, much of the region (except for the higher elevations) has a hot summer [[humid continental climate]] (Koppen ''Dfa''), with hot, humid summers and cold, snowy winters. Much of New England and the northern part of the Mid-Atlantic States have this climate. [[Boston]], [[Hartford, Connecticut|Hartford]] and [[Pittsburgh]] have this climate. Portions of extreme southern New York State including [[New York City]]; northeast, central, and southern [[New Jersey]]; extreme southeastern [[Pennsylvania]] including Philadelphia; and southwestern Connecticut have a [[humid subtropical climate]] (Koppen ''Cfa''), with hot, humid summers and milder winters. |
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| ⚫ | Today, |
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==History== |
==History== |
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==See also== |
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* [[Geography of the United States]] |
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| ⚫ | Today, part of the Northeastern United States comprises the [[Northeast megalopolis]]. Almost the entire U.S. eastern seaboard, including the megalopolis, is linked by the [[I-95]] [[Interstate Highway System|Interstate]], which runs from [[Florida]] through [[Baltimore, Maryland|Baltimore]], [[Philadelphia]], [[New York City|New York]], and up to [[Boston]] and into [[Maine]]. |
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* [[East coast of the United States]] |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 01:03, 16 November 2010
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2010) |
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States.[1][2][3] The United States Census Bureau defines the Northeast region as nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.[4] Not all definitions of the Northeastern United States, however, are the same as the Census Bureau's.[1] The largest cities in this area include Boston, New York City, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
The Northeast, as defined by the Census Bureau, is the wealthiest region of the United States. The region accounts for approximately 25% of U.S. gross domestic product as of 2007.[5]
History
New England
New England is perhaps the best-defined region of the U.S., with more uniformity and more of a shared heritage than other regions of the country.[citation needed] New England has played a dominant role in American history.[citation needed] From the late 17th century to the mid to late 18th century, New England was the nation's cultural leader in political, educational, cultural and intellectual thought.[citation needed] During this time, it was the country's economic center.
The earliest European settlers of New England were English Protestants who came in search of religious liberty. They gave the region its distinctive political format — town meetings (an outgrowth of meetings held by church elders), in which citizens gathered to discuss issues of the day. Town meetings still function in many New England communities today and have been revived as a form of dialogue in the national political arena.
Soon after many descendants of original New England settlers migrated westward in search of land, new waves of immigrants from Canada, Ireland, Italy, and Eastern Europe moved into the region to take industrial jobs. Many of their descendants became educated and joined the middle classes. Despite a changing population, New England has maintained a distinct cultural identity. As a whole, the area of New England has tended to be liberal in its politics.[citation needed]
Certain architecture and sights have come to stand as New England icons:[citation needed] the simple woodframe houses and white church steeples that are features of many small towns, and lighthouses that dot the Atlantic coast. New England is well known for its mercurial weather, its crisp chill, and vibrantly colored foliage in autumn. In colonial times, the colder weather killed off germs and gave the region a healthier environment than that of the Chesapeake Bay colonies of Virginia and Maryland, where settlers suffered from summer illnesses and mortality was much higher.
Mid-Atlantic
The Census Bureau classifies some of the Mid-Atlantic states, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, as part of the South Atlantic region,[2] part of the Southern United States.
The northern Mid-Atlantic states provided the young United States with heavy industry and served as the "melting pot" of new immigrants from Europe.[citation needed] Cities grew along major shipping routes and waterways. Such cities included Philadelphia on the Delaware River and New York City on the Hudson River.
Dutch immigrants moved into the lower Hudson River Valley in what is now New Jersey and New York State. An English Protestant sect, the Friends (Quakers), settled Pennsylvania. In time, all these settlements came under English control. With the great shipping ports of Philadelphia and, later, New York City, the region continued to be a magnet for business, industry, and peoples of diverse nationalities.
Early settlers were mostly farmers and traders, and the region served as a bridge between North and South. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania midway between the northern and southern colonies, was the site of the Continental Congress, the convention of delegates from the original colonies that organized the American Revolution. The same city was the birthplace of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the U.S. Constitution in 1787.
The Mid-Atlantic, with two of America's largest cities, New York City and Philadelphia, has been a center for industry and international trade.[citation needed] Many immigrants are attracted to the region.[citation needed] New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey are rich in immigrant culture.[opinion] Still rich in cultures influenced by European heritage, the region has recently attracted more Asian and Hispanic immigrants.[citation needed] African immigrants also have many centers in urban and suburban areas.[citation needed]
Demography
The population of the northeastern United States is estimated at 54,680,626.[clarification needed][citation needed]
| Rank | Metropolitan Area | State(s) and/or Territory | 2009 Population Estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | CT, NJ, NY | 22,232,494 |
| 2 | Philadelphia | DE, MD, NJ, PA | 5,827,962 |
| 3 | Boston | MA, NH | 4,482,857 |
| 4 | Pittsburgh | PA | 2,355,712 |
| 5 | Providence | MA, RI | 1,600,856 |
| 6 | Hartford | CT | 1,189,113 |
| 7 | Buffalo | NY | 1,128,183 |
| 8 | Rochester | NY | 1,030,435 |
| Rank | City | State(s) and/or Territory | July 1, 2008 Population Estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York City | NY | 8,363,710 |
| 2 | Philadelphia | PA | 1,547,901 |
| 3 | Boston | MA | 620,535 |
| 4 | Pittsburgh | PA | 311,218 |
| 5 | Newark | NJ | 280,135 |
| 6 | Buffalo | NY | 272,632 |
| 7 | Jersey City | NJ | 242,389 |
| 8 | Rochester | NY | 206,759 |
| 9 | Yonkers | NY | 199,244 |
The Northeast megalopolis
Today, part of the Northeastern United States comprises the Northeast megalopolis. Almost the entire U.S. eastern seaboard, including the megalopolis, is linked by the I-95 Interstate, which runs from Florida through Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, and up to Boston and into Maine.
References
- ^ a b American Heritage Dictionary on dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/northeast
{{citation}}:|section=ignored (help); Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ a b "Census Regions and Divisions of the United States" (PDF). US Census Bureau.
- ^ "Census Bureau Regions and Divisions with State FIPS Codes".
- ^ US Regional Divisions, accessed 16 Apr 2008
- ^ Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by State [dead link]
