New York City is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State and comprising five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. With an estimated population of over 8.5 million in 2025, it is the most densely populated major city in the country and serves as the global center for finance, culture, technology, and international diplomacy, being home to the United Nations headquarters. The city is remarkably diverse, with an estimated 800 languages spoken, making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world, and it serves as the premier gateway for legal immigration to the U.S. Originally settled by Dutch colonists who founded New Amsterdam in 1626, the city was renamed New York in 1664 after the English took control, and it later served as the U.S. capital from 1785 to 1790 before the modern five-borough city was consolidated in 1898. Anchored by Wall Street, the New York metropolitan area boasts the world's largest metropolitan economy, with a gross metropolitan product exceeding $2.44 trillion and home to the two largest stock exchanges in the world. However, this immense wealth comes with extreme costs, as the city is the most expensive in the world for expatriates and leads globally in the number of billionaires and millionaires, while also facing significant affordability challenges.