A major global metropolis

New York—a metropolis ranking among the greatest not only in the United States but in the entire world—is located in New York State, in the eastern U.S. Incidentally, the state capital is Albany, not New York City itself. The city has a population of approximately 8 million—half that of the state—with the vast majority concentrated on Manhattan Island, which spans only about 21.5 kilometers in length. During the era of Dutch colonization, the area was the territory of indigenous peoples such as the Lenape and Wappinger; however, Britain took possession following the Second Anglo-Dutch War, and independence forces secured it during the subsequent War of Independence. After serving briefly as the nation's capital, the city underwent extensive development and modernization, evolving into the metropolis it is today. It has been the stage for numerous historical upheavals—ranging from the "Roaring Twenties" boom and the Great Depression to the tragic events of 9/11 at the dawn of the new century following the Cold War—yet it remains a global hub of economics and culture.