One of the original thirteen colonies, New York was named for the 17th-century Duke of York, the future King James II of England.

New York has been known by many nicknames, most notably as the Empire State. There are several theories on the origin of the name. One commonly accepted tale says that, when George Washington was given a full map of New York prior to the Battle of New York, he remarked on New York's natural geographic advantages, proclaiming New York the "Seat of an Empire".

There are a limited number of hot dog stand licenses available in NYC, and some people have reportedly been on the waiting list for more than 20 years. But there's no waiting list for permits in the city's parks. Instead, these licenses go up for auction every five years, and prices can get really high. A license for a cart outside the Central Park Zoo sold for $289,500 per year.

Two-thirds of the state's population lives in the New York metropolitan area, including nearly 40% on Long Island.

The Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island (formerly Bedloe's Island) in New York Harbor. The statue is a figure of Libertas, a robed Roman liberty goddess. She holds a torch above her head with her right hand, and in her left hand carries a tabula ansata inscribed JULY IV MDCCLXXVI (July 4, 1776 in Roman numerals), the date of the U.S. Declaration of Independence.

The central part of the state is dominated by a group of eleven long, narrow, roughly north-south lakes known as the Finger Lakes, a popular vacation and tourist destination. Native American legend tells the story of the Great Spirit looking down favorably on the region and offering his blessing by placing his fingers upon the land.

The Empire State Building was the tallest building in the world from 1931, the year it was built, to 1972, when it lost its title to Chicago's Willis Tower. Its towering height makes it a target for lightning strikes--on average, about 20 to 25 strikes a year, but it was once struck eight times in a span of just 24 minutes. Fortunately, a lightning rod protects the iconic structure itself, as well as the people inside.

Albany is one of the oldest surviving settlements of the original British thirteen colonies, and is the longest continuously chartered city in the United States, known for its rich history, commerce, culture, architecture, and institutions of higher education. It became the capital of New York in 1797.

New York--not Washington, D.C.--was the site of the first presidential inauguration. George Washington took the oath of office on April 30, 1789, while standing on the balcony of Federal Hall in New York City.

One of the first birds to return north each spring, the lovely eastern bluebird was designated the official state bird of New York in 1970. It is also the state bird of Missouri.