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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Coordinates: 51.7611° N 1.2534° W
University of OxfordMotto: Established: Type: Endowment: Chancellor: Vice-Chancellor: Students: Undergraduates: Postgraduates: Location: Colours: Affiliations: Website:

Latin: Universitas Oxoniensis

Dominus Illuminatio Mea "The Lord is my Light"

Unknown, teaching existed since 1096[1]

Public

£3.6 billion (inc. colleges)[2]

The Rt Hon. Baron Patten of Barnes

Dr John Hood

24,640[3]

16,140[3]

8,500[3]

Oxford, Oxfordshire, England

Oxford (dark) blue[4]

IARU Russell Group Coimbra Group Europaeum EUA LERU 'Golden Triangle'

ox.ac.uk

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The University of Oxford (informally "Oxford University", or simply "Oxford"), located in the city of Oxford, England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. [5] It is also regarded as one of the world's leading academic institutions. The name is sometimes abbreviated as Oxon. in post-nominals, from the Latin "Oxoniensis" although Oxf is sometimes used in official publications.
The university traces its roots back to at least the end of the 11th century, although the exact date of foundation remains unclear. After a dispute between students and townsfolk broke out in 1209, some of the academics at Oxford fled north-east to the town of Cambridge, where the University of Cambridge was founded. The two universities have since had a long history of competition with each other (see Oxbridge rivalry).
The University of Oxford is a member of the Russell Group of research-led British universities, the Coimbra Group (a network of leading European universities), the League of European Research Universities, and is also a core member of the Europaeum. Academically, Oxford is consistently ranked in the world's top ten universities.[6][7] For more than a century, it has served as the home of the Rhodes Scholarship, which brings highly accomplished students from a number of countries to study at Oxford as postgraduates.

Contents [hide] 1 History 2 Organisation 2.1 Central governance 2.2 Colleges 2.3 Teaching and degrees 2.4 Academic year 3 Finances 4 Admission 4.1 Procedure 4.2 Access 4.3 Scholarships and financial support 5 Collections 5.1 Libraries 5.2 Museums 6 Reputation 7 League table rankings 8 Notable alumni and academics 9 Affiliates and other institutions 9.1 Departments 9.2 Clubs and societies 9.3 Media 9.4 Buildings and parks 9.5 Other institutions 10 Oxford in literature and other media 11 References 12 Further reading 13 See also 14 External links &nbsp

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[edit] History

The town of Oxford was already an important centre of learning by the end of the 12th century. Teachers from mainland Europe and other scholars settled there, and lectures are known to have been delivered by as early as 1096. The expulsion of foreigners from the University of Paris in 1167 caused many English scholars to return from France and settle in Oxford. The historian Gerald of Wales lectured to the scholars in 1188, and the first known foreign scholar, Emo of Friesland arrived in 1190. The head of the University was named a chancellor from 1201, and the masters were recognised as a universitas or corporation in 1231. The students associated together, on the basis of geographical origins, into two “nations”, representing the North (including the Scots) and the South (including the Irish and the Welsh). In later centuries, geographical origins continued to influence many students' affiliations when membership of a college or hall became customary in Oxford. Members of many religious orders, including Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites, and Augustinians, settled in Oxford in the mid-13th century, gained influence, and maintained houses for students. At about the same time, private benefactors established colleges to serve as self-contained scholarly communities. Among the earliest were John I de Balliol, father of the future King of Scots; Balliol College bears his name. Another founder, Walter de Merton, a chancellor of England and afterwards Bishop of Rochester, devised a series of regulations for college life; Merton College thereby became the model for such establishments at Oxford as well as at the University of Cambridge. Thereafter, an increasing number of students forsook living in halls and religious houses in favour of living at colleges.
The new learning of the Renaissance greatly influenced Oxford from the late 15th century onward. Among University scholars of the period were William Grocyn, who contributed to the revival of the Greek language, and John Colet, the noted biblical scholar. With the Reformation and the breaking of ties with the Roman Catholic Church, the method of teaching at the university was transformed from the medieval Scholastic method to Renaissance education, although institutions associated with the university suffered loss of land and revenues. In 1636, Chancellor William Laud, archbishop of Canterbury, codified the university statutes; these to a large extent remained the university's governing regulations until the mid-19th century. Laud was also responsible for the granting of a charter securing privileges for the university press, and he made significant contributions to the Bodleian Library, the main library of the university.
The university was a centre of the Royalist Party during the English Civil War (1642–1649), while the town favoured the opposing Parliamentarian cause. Soldier-statesman Oliver Cromwell, chancellor of the university from 1650 to 1657, was responsible for preventing both Oxford and Cambridge from being closed down by the Puritans, who viewed university education as dangerous to religious beliefs. From the mid-18th century onward, however, the University of Oxford took little part in political conflicts.
Administrative reforms during the 19th century included the replacement of oral examinations with written entrance tests, greater tolerance for religious dissent, and the establishment of four colleges for women. Women have been eligible to be full members of the university and have been entitled to take degrees since 1920. Although Oxford's emphasis traditionally had been on classical knowledge, its curriculum expanded in the course of the 19th century and now attaches equal importance to scientific and medical studies.
The list of distinguished scholars at the University of Oxford is long and includes many who have made major contributions to British politics, the sciences, medicine, and literature. More than forty Nobel laureates and more than fifty world leaders have been affiliated with the University of Oxford. Since its foundation in 1823, the Oxford Union, a private club devoted to formal debating and other social activities, has numbered among its members many of Britain's most noted political leaders.
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[edit] Organisation

As a collegiate university, Oxford's structure can be confusing to those unfamiliar with it. The university is essentially a federation: it comprises over forty self-governing colleges and halls, along with a central administration headed by the Vice-Chancellor. The academic departments are located centrally within this structure; they are not affiliated to any particular college. The departments perform research, provide facilities for teaching and research, organise lectures and seminars, and determine the syllabi and guidelines for the teaching of students. Colleges then organise the tutorial teaching for their undergraduates. The members of an academic department are spread around many colleges; though certain colleges do have subject strengths (e.g. Nuffield College as a centre for the social sciences), they are the exception, and most colleges will have a broad mix of academics and students from a diverse range of subjects. Facilities such as libraries are provided on all these levels: by the central university (the Bodleian), by the departments (individual departmental libraries, such as the English Faculty Library), and by colleges (all of which maintain a multi-discipline library for the use of their members).
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[edit] Central governance

The university's formal head is the Chancellor (currently Lord Patten), though as with most British universities, the Chancellor is a titular figure, rather than someone involved with the day-to-day running of the university. Elected by the members of Convocation, a body comprising all graduates of the university, the Chancellor holds office until death.
The Vice-Chancellor, currently Dr John Hood, is the de facto head of the University. Five Pro-Vice-Chancellors have specific responsibilities for Education; Research; Planning and Resources; Development and External Affairs; and Personnel and Equal Opportunities. The University Council is the executive policy-forming body, which consists of the Vice-Chancellor as well as heads of departments and other members elected by Congregation, in addition to observers from the Student Union. Congregation, the ‘parliament of the dons’, comprises over 3,700 members of the University’s academic and administrative staff, and has ultimate responsibility for legislative matters: it discusses and pronounces on policies proposed by the University Council. Oxford and Cambridge (which is similarly structured) are unique for this democratic form of governance.
Two university proctors, who are elected annually on a rotating basis from two of the colleges, supervise undergraduate discipline. The collection of University Professors is called the Statutory Professors of the University of Oxford. They are particularly influential in the running of the graduate programmes within the University. Examples of Statutory Professors are the Chichele Professorships and the Drummond Professor of Political Economy. The various academic faculties, departments, and institutes are organised into four divisions, each with their own Head and elected board. They are the Humanities Division; the Social Sciences Division; the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division; and the Medical Sciences Division.
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[edit] Colleges

There are 39 colleges of the University of Oxford and seven Permanent Private Halls, each with its own internal structure and activities. All students, and most academic staff, are affiliated with a college. The heads of Oxford colleges are known by various titles, according to the college, including warden, provost, principal, president, rector, master or dean. The colleges join together as the Conference of Colleges to discuss policy and to deal with the central University administration. Teaching members of the colleges (fellows and tutors) are collectively and familiarly known as dons (though the term is rarely used by members of the university itself). In addition to residential and dining facilities, the colleges provide social, cultural, and recreational activities for their members. Colleges have responsibility for admitting undergraduates and organising their tuition; for graduates, this responsibility falls upon the departments.
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[edit] Teaching and degrees

Undergraduate teaching is centred upon the tutorial, where 1-4 students spend an hour with an academic discussing their week’s work, usually an essay (arts) or problem sheet (sciences). Students usually have around two tutorials a week, and can be taught by academics at any other college - not just their own - as expertise and personnel requires. These tutorials are complemented by lectures, classes and seminars, which are organised on a departmental basis. Graduate students undertaking taught degrees are usually instructed through classes and seminars, though naturally there is more focus upon individual research.
The university itself is responsible for conducting examinations and conferring degrees. The passing of two sets of examinations is a prerequisite for a first degree. The first set of examinations, called either Honour Moderations (‘Mods’ and ‘Honour Mods’) or Preliminary Examinations (‘Prelims’), are usually held at the end of the first year (after two terms for those studying Law or after five terms in the case of Classics). The second set of examinations, the Final Honour School (‘Finals’), is held at the end of the undergraduate course. Successful candidates receive first-, upper or lower second-, or third-class honours based on their performance in Finals. Research degrees at the master's and doctoral level are conferred in all subjects studied at graduate level at the university.
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[edit] Academic year

The academic year is divided into three terms, determined by Regulations.[8] Michaelmas Term lasts from October to December; Hilary Term from January to March; and Trinity Term from April to June.
Within these terms, Council determines for each year eight-week periods called Full Terms, during which undergraduate teaching takes place. These terms are shorter than those of many other British universities.[9] Undergraduates are also expected to prepare heavily in the three vacations (known as the Christmas, Easter and Long Vacations).
Internally at least, the dates in the term are often referred to by a number in reference to the start of each full term, thus the first week of any full term is called "1st week" and the last is "8th week". The numbering of the weeks continues up to the end of the term, and begins again with negative numbering from the beginning of the succeeding term, through "minus first week" and "noughth week", which precedes "1st week". Weeks begin on a Sunday.
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[edit] Finances

In 2005/06 the University had income of £609m, and the colleges £237m (of which £41m is a flow-through from the University). For the University, key sources were HEFCE (£166m) and research grants (£213m). For the colleges, the largest single source was endowments and interest (£82m) and residential charges (£47m). While the University has the larger operating budget, the colleges have a far larger aggregate endowment, at around £2.7bn compared to the University's £900m.[10]
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[edit] Admission

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[edit] Procedure

The admission process for undergraduates is undertaken by the individual colleges, working with each other to ensure that the best students gain a place at the University regardless of whether they are accepted by their preferred college. Selection is based on achieved and predicted exam results; candidate-submitted written work; interviews, which are held between applicants and college tutors; and, in some subjects, written admission tests prior to interview. Personal statements and school references are also considered. Prospective students apply through the UCAS application system, in common with all British universities, but (along with applicants for Cambridge) must observe an earlier deadline. They must also complete an additional, Oxford-specific form. Because of the high volume of applications and the direct involvement of the faculty in admissions, students are not permitted to apply to both Oxford and Cambridge in the same year, with the exception of applicants for Organ Scholarships and those applying to read for a second undergraduate degree.
The decentralised, college-based nature of the admissions procedure necessitates a number of mechanisms to ensure that the best students are offered admission to the University, regardless of whether the college they originally applied to can accommodate them. As such, colleges can 'pool' candidates to other colleges, whereby candidates can be interviewed at and/or offered admission to another college. Some applicants are also awarded an 'open offer', which does not carry an attachment to a particular college until A Level results day in August. The colleges have recently signed up to what they call a 'common framework' outlining the principles and procedures they observe.
Undergraduate and graduate students may name preferred colleges in their applications. For undergraduate students, an increasing number of departments practice college reallocation to ensure that the ratio between potential students and subject places available at all colleges are as uniform as possible. Students who named colleges which are over-subcribed are reallocated to under-subscribed colleges for their subjects. For the Department of Physics, college reallocation is done on a random basis after a shortlist of candidates is drawn up and before candidates are invited for interviews at the university[11]. As a result of this, the college eventually offering a candidate a place to read a subject may not be the one he/she originally applied to.
For graduate students, many colleges express a preference for candidates who will be undertaking research in an area of interest of one of its fellows. St Hugh's College, for example, states that it accepts graduate students in most subjects, principally those in the fields of interest of the Fellows of the college.[12] Perhaps as a consequence of this, it is not uncommon for a graduate student to be a member of his/her supervisor's college, although this is not an official university requirement. For graduate students, admission is first handled by the relevant department, and then by a college.
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[edit] Access

Despite the University's claims that its admissions policies avoid bias to candidates of certain socioeconomic or educational backgrounds,[13] the fairness of Oxford admissions have continued to attract considerable public controversy through episodes such as the Laura Spence Affair in 2000.[14] Although the University puts effort into attracting working-class students,[citation needed] Oxbridge entrance remains a central focus for many private and selective-state schools, and the lack of a more representative social mix remains a point of national controversy.[15] In 2007, the University refined its admissions procedure to take into account the academic performance of applicants' schools.[16]
Students who apply from state schools and colleges have a comparable acceptance rate to those from independent schools (25% and 32% of applicants accepted respectively, 2006). However, most pupils who are accepted from state schools come from "elite" grammar and selective schools, rather than comprehensives.[17] Only about half of applications come from the state sector,[18] and the University of Oxford funds many initiatives to attract applicants from this sector, including the Oxford Access Scheme, Target Schools, and the FE Access Initiative.[19] Most colleges also run their own access schemes and initiatives.
The University is also open to overseas students (primarily from American universities) who may enrol in study abroad programmes during the summer months. Mature and part-time students are supported by the Oxford University Department for Continuing Education.
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[edit] Scholarships and financial support

There are many opportunities for students at Oxford to receive financial help during their studies. The Oxford Opportunity Bursaries, introduced in 2006, are university-wide means-based bursaries available to any British undergraduate. With a total possible grant of £10,235 over a 3-year degree, it is the most generous bursary scheme offered by any British university.[20] In addition, individual colleges also offer bursaries and funds to help their students. For graduate study, there are many scholarships attached to the University, available to students from all sorts of backgrounds, from the famous Rhodes Scholarships to the new Weidenfeld Scholarships.[21] In October 2007, it was announced that Oxford would be launching a fund-raising campaign with a goal in excess of £1 billion. Of the money raised, approximately one quarter is expected to go towards student financial support.[22]
Students successful in early examinations are rewarded by their colleges with scholarships and exhibitions, normally the result of a long-standing endowment, although when tuition fees were first abolished, the amounts of money available became purely nominal. Scholars, and exhibitioners in some colleges, are entitled to wear a more voluminous undergraduate gown; "commoners" (originally those who had to pay for their "commons", or food and lodging) being restricted to a short, sleeveless garment. The term "scholar" in relation to Oxbridge, therefore, had a specific meaning as well as the more general meaning of someone of outstanding academic ability. In previous times, there were "noblemen commoners" and "gentlemen commoners", but these ranks were abolished in the 19th century. "Closed" scholarships, which were accessible only to candidates who fitted specific conditions such as coming from specific schools, exist now only in name.
Until 1866 one had to belong to the Church of England to receive the BA degree from Oxford, and "dissenters" were only permitted to receive the MA in 1871. Knowledge of Ancient Greek was required until 1920, and Latin until 1960. Women were admitted to degrees in 1920.
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[edit] Collections

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[edit] Libraries

Oxford’s central research library is the Bodleian, founded by Sir Thomas Bodley in 1598 and opened in 1602[23]. With over 8 million volumes housed on 117 miles (188 km) of shelving, it is the second-largest library in the UK, after the British Library. It is a legal deposit library, which means that it is entitled to request a free copy of every book published in the UK. As such, its collection is growing at a rate of over three miles (five kilometres) of shelving every year.[24] Its main central site consists of the Radcliffe Camera, the Old Schools Quadrangle, the Clarendon Building, and the New Bodleian Building. A tunnel underneath Broad Street connects the buildings. There are plans to build a new book depository in Osney Mead,[25] and to remodel the New Bodleian building[26] to better showcase the library’s various treasures (which include a Shakespeare First Folio and a Gutenberg Bible) as well as temporary exhibitions. Several other libraries, such as the Radcliffe Science Library and the Oriental Institute Library, also fall within the Bodleian Group’s remit.
As well as the Bodleian, there are a number of other specialised libraries in Oxford, such as the Sackler Library which holds classical collections. In addition, most academic departments maintain their own library, as do all colleges. The University’s entire collection is catalogued by the Oxford Libraries Information System, though with such a huge collection, this is an ongoing task.[27] Oxford University Library Services, the head of which is Bodley’s Librarian, is the governing administrative body responsible for libraries in Oxford. The Bodleian is currently engaged in a mass-digitisation project with Google.[28][29]See also: Category:Libraries in Oxford &nbsp

[edit] Museums

Oxford maintains a number of museums and galleries in addition to its libraries. The Ashmolean Museum, founded in 1683, is the oldest museum in the UK, and the oldest university museum in the world.[30] It holds significant collections of art and archaeology, including works by Michelangelo, Leonardo, Turner, and Picasso, as well as treasures such as the Parian Marble and the Alfred Jewel. The Ashmolean is currently undertaking a £49m redevelopment[31] which will double the display space as well as provide new facilities.
The Museum of Natural History holds the University’s anatomical and natural history specimens. It is housed in a large neo-Gothic building on Parks Road, in the University’s Science Area.[32][33] Among its collection are the skeletons of a Tyrannosaurus rex and triceratops, and the most complete remains of a dodo found anywhere in the world. It also hosts the Simonyi Professorship of the Public Understanding of Science, currently held by Richard Dawkins.
Adjoining the Museum of Natural History is the Pitt Rivers Museum, founded in 1884, which displays the University’s archaeological and anthropological collections, currently holding over 500,000 items. It recently built a new research annexe; its staff have been involved with the teaching of anthropology at Oxford since its foundation, when as part of his donation General Augustus Pitt Rivers stipulated that the University establish a lectureship in anthropology.
The Museum of the History of Science is housed on Broad St in the world’s oldest-surviving purpose-built museum building.[34] It contains 15,000 artifacts, from antiquity to the 20th century, representing almost all aspects of the history of science. In the Faculty of Music on St Aldate's is the Bate Collection of Musical Instruments, a collection mostly comprising of instruments from Western classical music, from the medieval period onwards. The Botanic Garden is the oldest botanic garden in the UK, and the third-oldest scientific garden in the world. It contains representatives from over 90% of the world’s higher plant families. Christ Church Picture Gallery holds a collection of over 200 old master paintings.See also: Category:Museums in Oxford

[edit] Reputation

In the subject tables of the Times Good University Guide 2008, Oxford is ranked as the top university in the UK with Cambridge as the second [35]. The Department of Politics has scored top marks in the Guardian's University Guide 2009 receiving top marks of 100. This puts the Department way ahead of rival departments at LSE (80), St Andrew's (79.3) and Cambridge (77.6). Oxford's Physiological Sciences course is ranked first of 48 'Anatomy and Physiology' courses. Oxford regularly tops the league in English, Fine Art, Business Studies, Materials technology, Middle Eastern and African Studies, Music, Philosophy, and Politics, are also first and Education and Linguistics share first with Cambridge. Oxford comes second after Cambridge in a further seventeen subjects. The University then takes three third-places and an equal-third, as well as a fourth, fifth, and equal-sixth place in one subject each.[36]
In the Guardian's subject tables for institutions in tariff-band 6 (universities whose prospective students are expected to score 400 or more tariff points) Oxford took first place for Anatomy and Physiology, Anthropology, Biosciences, Business and Management Studies, Earth and Marine Sciences, Economics, English, Law, Materials and Mineral Engineering, Modern Languages, Music, Politics, Psychology, and Sociology. Oxford came second to Cambridge in Geography, Archaeology, Classics, History, History of Art, Mathematics, Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies. Oxford came second to Aberdeen in General Engineering, and third in Fine Art, General Engineering and Physics; fourth place in Chemistry and Medicine; sixth place in Computer Science and IT.[37]
According to the THES - QS World University Rankings Oxford is jointly rated the second best university alongside the University of Cambridge and Yale University.
Oxford is one of four UK universities that belong to the Coimbra Group, one of four UK universities that belong to the League of European Research Universities, and one of three UK universities that belong to both. It is the only UK university to belong to the Europaeum group.
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[edit] League table rankings

U.K. Universities 2008 2007 2006 2005Times Good University Guide Guardian University Guide Sunday Times University Guide Daily Telegraph

1st[38]	1st[39]	&nbsp	1st[40]
1st[41]	&nbsp	2nd[42]	1st[43]
2nd[44]	&nbsp	2nd[45]	2nd[45]
&nbsp	2nd[46]	&nbsp	&nbsp

World Universities 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003THES - QS World University RankingsAcademic Ranking of World Universities

2nd[47]	3rd[48]	4th[49]	5th	N/A
10th[50]	10th[51]	10th[52]	8th[53]	9th[54]

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[edit] Notable alumni and academics

There are many famous Oxonians, as alumni of the University are known:
25 British Prime Ministers have attended Oxford (including William Gladstone, Herbert Asquith, Clement Attlee, Harold Macmillan, Harold Wilson, Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair).[55] At least 25 other international leaders have been educated at Oxford.[56] This number includes King Harald V of Norway,[57] King Abdullah II of Jordan,[56] three Prime Ministers of Australia (John Gorton, Malcolm Fraser and Bob Hawke)[58][59][60] two Prime Ministers of India (Manmohan Singh and Indira Gandhi)[56][61] Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan,[56] Norman Washington Manley (Chief Minister of Jamaica)[62], and Bill Clinton, the first American President to attend Oxford.[56][63] The Burmese democracy activist and Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi was a student of St Hugh's College.[64] Including Aung San Suu Kyi, 47 Nobel prize winners have studied or taught at Oxford.[56]
Oxford has also produced at least 12 saints, and 20 Archbishops of Canterbury, including the current incumbent Rowan Williams (who studied at Wadham College and was later a Canon Professor at Christ Church.[56] At least nine Olympic medal winners have academic connections with the university, including Sir Matthew Pinsent, quadruple gold medallist rower.[56][65] T. E. Lawrence was a student at Jesus College,[66] while other illustrious members have ranged from the explorer, courtier, and man of letters Sir Walter Raleigh (who attended Oriel College, though left without taking a degree)[67] to the media magnate Rupert Murdoch.[68] The founder of Methodism, John Wesley, studied at Christ Church and was elected a fellow of Lincoln College.[69]
Amongst the long list of writers associated with Oxford are Evelyn Waugh,[70] Lewis Carroll,[71] Aldous Huxley,[72] Oscar Wilde,[73] C. S. Lewis,[74] J. R. R. Tolkien,[75] Graham Greene,[76] Phillip Pullman,[56] Vikram Seth[56] and Plum Sykes,[77] the poets Percy Bysshe Shelley,[78] John Donne,[79] A. E. Housman,[80] W. H. Auden,[81] and Philip Larkin,[82] and Poets Laureate Thomas Warton,[83] Henry James Pye,[84] Robert Southey,[85] Robert Bridges,[86] Cecil Day-Lewis,[87] Sir John Betjeman,[88] and Andrew Motion.[89]Danny Gray
Some contemporary scientists include Stephen Hawking,[56] Richard Dawkins[90] and Nobel prize-winner Anthony James Leggett,[91] and Tim Berners-Lee,[56] co-inventor of the World Wide Web.
Actors Hugh Grant,[92] Kate Beckinsale,[92] Dudley Moore,[93] Michael Palin,[56] and Terry Jones[94] were undergraduates at the University, as were Oscar winner Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck[56] and film-maker Ken Loach.[95].
More complete information on famous senior and junior members of the University can be found in the individual college articles (an individual may be associated with two or more colleges, as an undergraduate, postgraduate, and/or member of staff).
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[edit] Affiliates and other institutions

Well-known organisations and institutions officially connected with the University include:
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[edit] Departments

See: Category:Departments of the University of Oxford

[edit] Clubs and societies

• Oxford University Student Union
• Oxford Union Society (debating society)
• Oxford University Dramatic Society
• Oxford University Boat Club (rowing club participating in the Boat Race)
• Oxford University RFC (rugby club participating in the Varsity Match)
• Oxford University A.F.C. (association football club)

See also:

• Category:Oxford student societies
• Category:Oxford student sports clubs

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[edit] Media

• Oxford University Press (world's largest university press)
• Oxide Radio (Student radio station)
• Isis (Student publication)
• Cherwell (Student publication)
• The Oxford Student (Student publication)
• The Triple Helix Oxford] (Student publication)

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[edit] Buildings and parks

• Sheldonian Theatre
• Tom Tower
• Radcliffe Camera
• University Church of St Mary the Virgin
• Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford
• Oxford University Parks
• Oxford Botanic Garden and Harcourt Arboretum
• Rhodes Trust, the centre of the Rhodes Scholarship

See also:

• Category:Buildings and structures in Oxford
• Category:Churches in Oxford
• Category:Parks and open spaces in Oxford

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[edit] Other institutions

There are other higher and further education institutions in Oxford, including various independent "colleges", not associated with the University. These include Oxford Brookes University; Ruskin College, Oxford - an adult education college - which, although not part of the University of Oxford, has close links with it; and the former Lady Spencer Churchill teaching college (now the Wheatley campus of Oxford Brookes).
The University of Oxford is an Educational Alliance Partner of the Meade 4M Community which supports the University's 'Project Jetwatch' program.
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[edit] Oxford in literature and other media

Oxford University is the setting for numerous works of fiction. Quickly becoming part of the cultural imagination, Oxford was mentioned in fiction as early as 1400 when Chaucer in his Canterbury Tales referred to a "Clerk [student] of Oxenford": "For him was levere have at his beddes heed/ Twenty bookes, clad in blak or reed,/ of Aristotle and his philosophie/ Than robes riche, or fithele, or gay sautrie". As of 1989, more than 533 Oxford-based novels had been identified, and the number continues to rise.[citation needed] Famous literary works range from Brideshead Revisited, by Evelyn Waugh, to the trilogy His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman, which features an alternate-reality version of the University. Sir Humphrey Appleby, GCB, KBE, MVO, MA (Oxon) attended the fictional Baillie College in Yes Minister, and the Complete Yes Minister book's introduction, dated Sept. 2019 was written from the equally fictitious Hacker College, presumably named for Sir James (or Lady Annie) Hacker, Minister for Administrative Affairs in Yes Minister and Prime Minister in Yes, Prime Minister, MP for Birmingham South-East.
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[edit] References

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[edit] Further reading

• Annan, Noel, The Dons: Mentors, Eccentrics and Geniuses HarperCollins (London, 1999)
• Batson, Judy G., Oxford in Fiction, Garland (New York, 1989).
• Betjeman, John, An Oxford University Chest, Miles (London, 1938).
• Brooke, Christopher and Roger Highfield, Oxford and Cambridge, Cambridge University Press (Cambridge, 1988).
• Casson, Hugh, Hugh Casson's Oxford, Phaidon (London, 1988).
• Catto, Jeremy (ed.), The History of the University of Oxford, Oxford University Press (Oxford, 1994).
• De-la-Noy, Michael, Exploring Oxford, Headline (London, 1991).
• Dougill, John, Oxford in English Literature, University of Michigan Press (Ann Arbor, 1998).
• Feiler, Bruce, Looking for Class: Days and Nights at Oxford and Cambridge, Perennial (New York, 2004).
• Fraser, Antonia (ed.), Oxford and Oxfordshire in Verse, Penguin (London, 1983).
• Kenny, Anthony &amp Kenny, Robert, Can Oxford be Improved?, Imprint Academic (Exeter, 2007)
• Knight, William (ed.), The Glamour of Oxford, Blackwell (New York, 1911).
• Pursglove, Glyn and Alistair Ricketts (eds.), Oxford in Verse, Perpetua (Oxford, 1999).
• Hibbert, Christopher, The Encyclopaedia of Oxford, Macmillan (Basingstoke, 1988).
• Horan, David, Cities of the Imagination: Oxford, Signal (Oxford, 2002).
• Miles, Jebb, The Colleges of Oxford, Constable (London, 1992).
• Morris, Jan, Oxford, Faber and Faber/OUP (London, 1965/2001).
• Morris, Jan, The Oxford Book of Oxford, Oxford Univ. Press (Oxford, 2002).
• Pursglove, G. and A. Ricketts (eds.), Oxford in Verse, Perpetua (Oxford, 1999).
• Seccombe, Thomas and H. Scott (eds.), In Praise of Oxford (2 vols.), Constable (London, 1912).
• Snow, Peter, Oxford Observed, John Murray (London, 1991).
• Tames, Richard, A Traveller's History of Oxford, Interlink (New York, 2002).
• Thomas, Edward, Oxford, Black (London, 1902).
• Tyack, Geoffrey, Blue Guide: Oxford and Cambridge, Black (New York, 2004).
• Tyack, Geoffrey, Oxford: An Architectural Guide, Oxford Univ. Press (Oxford, 1998).

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[edit] See also

Also associated with the University:

• Academic dress of the University of Oxford
• Oxbridge Scarf Colours
• Gaudy Celebrations
• Oxford University (UK Parliament constituency)
• Commemoration Balls
• Encaenia
• May Morning Celebration
• Boat races: Eights Week and Torpids, and the annual Boat Race against Cambridge University
• Formal Hall
• Punting
• Town and gown
• Oxbridge rivalry
• Serial comma - also known as the Oxford Comma
• Oxford '-er'
• Oxford bags
• Oxford University Police
• Bullingdon Club
• Isis (magazine)
• The Language Report

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[edit] External links

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

State of New York
&nbsp &nbsp Flag of New York Seal Nickname(s): The Empire State Motto(s): Excelsior[1] &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp
Official language(s)	None
Demonym	New Yorker
Capital	Albany
Largest city	New York City
Largest metro area	New York metropolitan area
Area	Ranked 27th in the US
- Total	54,556 sq mi (141,299 km²)
- Width	285 miles (455 km)
- Length	330 miles (530 km)
- % water	13.3
- Latitude	40° 30′ N to 45° 1′ N
- Longitude	71° 51′ W to 79° 46′ W
Population	Ranked 3rd in the US
- Total	18,976,457
- Density	401.92/sq mi 155.18/km² (6th in the US)
Elevation	&nbsp
- Highest point	Mount Marcy[2] 5,344 ft (1,629 m)
- Mean	1,000 ft (305 m)
- Lowest point	Atlantic Ocean[2] 0 ft (0 m)
Admission to Union	July 26, 1788 (11th)
Governor	David Paterson (D)
Lieutenant Governor	Joseph Bruno (R) (acting)
U.S. Senators	Charles Schumer (D) Hillary Rodham Clinton (D)
Congressional Delegation	List
Time zone	Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Abbreviations	NY US-NY
Website	www.ny.gov

New York state insigniaMottoSloganBirdAnimalFishInsectFlowerTreeSongQuarter

&nbsp
Excelsior (Ever upward)
I Love New York
Eastern bluebird
Beaver
Brook trout; salt water - Striped bass
Pink Ladybug [3]
Rose
Sugar maple
"I Love New York"
2001
&nbsp
Reptile	Snapping turtle
Beverage	Milk
Colors	Blue &amp Gold
Fossil	Sea scorpion
Gemstone	Garnet

New York (pronounced /n(j)uːˈjɔɹk//) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States, and is the country's third most populous state. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, and shares a water border with Rhode Island as well as an international border with the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario.
New York City, which is both the largest city in the state and in the United States, is known for its history as a gateway for immigration to the United States and its status as a financial, cultural, transportation, and manufacturing center. It was named after the 17th century Duke of York, James Stuart, future James II and VII of England and Scotland.
New York was inhabited by the Algonquin, Iroquois, and Lenape Native American groups at the time Dutch and French nationals moved into the region in the early 17th century. First claimed by Henry Hudson in 1609, the region came to have Dutch forts in Fort Orange, near the site of the present-day capital of Albany in 1614 and was colonized by the Dutch in 1624, at both Albany and Manhattan; it later fell to British annexation in 1664. About one third of all of the battles of the Revolutionary War took place in New York. New York became an independent state on July 9, 1776 and enacted its constitution in 1777. The state ratified the United States Constitution on July 26, 1788 to become the 11th state. According to the US Department of Commerce, it is also the state of choice for foreign visitors, leading both Florida and California in tourism.

Contents [hide] 1 Geography 1.1 Climate 1.2 State parks 2 History 3 Demographics 3.1 Population 3.2 Racial and ancestral makeup 3.3 Religion 3.4 Cities and towns 4 Economy 5 Transportation 6 Politics and government 6.1 Politics 7 Education 8 Sports 9 Navy vessel namesakes 10 See also 11 References 12 External links &nbsp

//

Geography

New York covers 54,556 square miles (141,299 km²) and ranks as 27th largest state by size.[4] The Great Appalachian Valley dominates eastern New York, while Lake Champlain is the chief northern feature of the valley, which also includes the Hudson River flowing southward to the Atlantic Ocean. The rugged Adirondack Mountains, with vast tracts of wilderness, lie west of the valley. Most of the southern part of the state is on the Allegheny plateau, which rises from the southeast to the Catskill Mountains. The western section of the state is drained by the Allegheny River and rivers of the Susquehanna and Delaware systems. The Delaware River Basin Compact, signed in 1961 by New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and the federal government, regulates the utilization of water of the Delaware system. The highest elevation in New York is Mount Marcy in the Adirondacks.[2]
New York's borders touch (clockwise from the west) two Great Lakes (Erie and Ontario, which are connected by the Niagara River); the provinces of Ontario and Quebec in Canada; Lake Champlain; three New England states (Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut); the Atlantic Ocean, and two Mid-Atlantic states (New Jersey and Pennsylvania). In addition, Rhode Island shares a water border with New York.
Contrasting with New York City's urban atmosphere, the vast majority of the state is dominated by farms, forests, rivers, mountains, and lakes. New York's Adirondack Park is the largest state park in the United States. It is larger than the Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Glacier and Olympic National Parks combined. New York established the first state park in the United States at Niagra Falls in 1885. Niagara Falls, on the Niagara River as it flows from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, is a popular attraction. The Hudson River begins with Lake Tear of the Clouds and flows south through the eastern part of the state without draining Lakes George or Champlain. Lake George empties at its north end into Lake Champlain, whose northern end extends into Canada, where it drains into the Richelieu and then the St. Lawrence Rivers. Four of New York City's five boroughs are on the three islands at the mouth of the Hudson River: Manhattan Island, Staten Island, and Brooklyn and Queens on Long Island.
"Upstate" and "Downstate" are common terms used to distinguish New York State counties north of suburban Westchester and Rockland counties, on the one hand, from the New York City metropolitan area on th other. Upstate New York typically includes the Catskill and Adirondack Mountains, the Shawangunk Ridge, the Finger Lakes and the Great Lakes in the west; and Lake Champlain, Lake George, and Oneida Lake in the northeast; and rivers such as the Delaware, Genesee, Mohawk, and Susquehanna. Central New York is the region centered around Syracuse and Utica, regions west of Syracuse are "Western New York" (i.e. Rochester and Buffalo), Binghamton, Elmira and west along the Pennsylvania line is the "Southern Tier," and "The North Country" is the region between the Adirondacks and the Canadian border, from the Watertown area to Plattsburgh. Residents of neighboring states and provinces may use the term "New York State" to refer to Upstate New York, to distinguish the region from New York City.
&nbsp

Climate

New York has a humid continental climate.[5] Weather in New York is heavily influenced by two continental air masses: a warm, humid one from the southwest and a cold, dry one from the northwest. A cool, humid airflow from the North Atlantic also has an effect on weather in the state, albeit to a lesser extent than the continental ones.[5] Many continental frontal boundaries move across New York, and storm systems moving north along the coast often affect the southern areas of the state.[5]
The winters are long and cold in the Plateau Divisions of the state. In the majority of winter seasons, a temperature of −13 °F (−25 °C) or lower can be expected in the northern highlands (Northern Plateau) and 5 °F (−15 °C) or colder in the southwestern and east-central highlands (Southern Plateau). The Adirondack region records from 35 to 45 days with below zero temperatures in normal to severe winters.[citation needed] Much of Upstate New York, particularly Western and Central New York, are typically affected by lake-effect snows. This usually results in high yearly snowfall totals in these regions. Winters are also long and cold in both Western and Central New York, though not as cold as the Adirondack region. The New York City metro area in comparison to the rest of the state is milder in the winter. Thanks in part to geography (its proximity to the Atlantic and being shielded to the north and west by hillier terrain), the New York metro area usually sees far less snow than the rest of the state. Lake-effect snow rarely affects the New York metro area, except for its extreme northwestern suburbs. Winters also tend to be noticeably shorter here than the rest of the state.[citation needed]
The summer climate is cool in the Adirondacks, Catskills, and higher elevations of the Southern Plateau. The New York City area and lower portions of the Hudson Valley have rather warm summers by comparison, with some periods of high, uncomfortable humidity. The remainder of New York State enjoys pleasantly warm summers, marred by only occasional, brief intervals of sultry conditions. Summer daytime temperatures usually range from the upper 70s to mid 80s °F (25 to 30 °C) over much of the State, producing an atmospheric environment favorable to many athletic, recreational, and other outdoor activities.
New York ranks 46th among the 50 states in the amount of greenhouse gases generated per person. This efficiency is primarily due to the state's relatively higher rate of mass transit use.[6]
Monthly Normal High and Low Temperatures For Various New York CitiesCity Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov DecAlbanyBinghamtonBuffaloLong BeachNew YorkRochesterSyracuse

31/13	34/16	44/25	57/36	70/46	78/55	82/60	80/58	71/50	60/39	48/31	36/20
28/15	31/17	41/25	53/35	66/46	73/54	78/59	76/57	68/50	57/40	44/31	33/21
31/18	33/19	42/26	54/36	66/48	75/57	80/62	78/60	70/53	59/43	47/34	36/24
39/23	40/24	48/31	58/40	69/49	77/60	83/66	82/64	75/57	64/45	54/36	44/28
38/26	41/28	50/35	61/44	71/54	79/63	84/69	82/68	75/60	64/50	53/41	43/32
31/17	33/17	43/25	55/35	68/46	77/55	81/60	79/59	71/51	60/41	47/33	36/23
31/14	34/16	43/24	56/35	68/46	77/55	82/60	80/59	71/51	60/40	47/32	36/21
Temperatures listed using the Fahrenheit scale
Source: [3]

New York has an overall temperate climate. In places like Smithtown on Long Island, the climate is warmer than somewhere up north like Ticonderoga, where both the latitude and altitude is higher.[citation needed] In Smithtown, the average high July temperature is 83 degrees fahrenheit,[7] while in Ticonderoga the average high in July is 81 degrees fahrenheit.[8]
&nbsp

State parks

See also: List of New York state parks New York has many state parks and two major forest preserves. Adirondack Park, roughly the size of the state of Vermont and the largest state park in the United States, was established in 1892 and given state constitutional protection in 1894. The thinking that led to the creation of the Park first appeared in George Perkins Marsh's Man and Nature, published in 1864. Marsh argued that deforestation could lead to desertification; referring to the clearing of once-lush lands surrounding the Mediterranean, he asserted "the operation of causes set in action by man has brought the face of the earth to a desolation almost as complete as that of the moon."
The Catskill Park was protected in legislation passed in 1885,[9] which declared that its land was to be conserved and never put up for sale or lease. Consisting of 700,000 acres (2,800 km²) of land,[9] the park is a habitat for bobcats, minks and fishers. There are some 400 black bears living in the region. The state operates numerous campgrounds and there are over 300 miles (480 km) of multi-use trails in the Park.
The Montauk Point State Park boasts the famous Montauk Lighthouse, commissioned by President George Washington, which is a major tourist attraction and is located in the township of East Hampton, Suffolk County. Hither Hills park offers camping and is a popular destination with surfcasting sport fishermen.
&nbsp

History

During the 17th century, Dutch trading posts established for the purchase of pelts from the Iroquois and other tribes expanded into the colony of New Netherlands. The first of these trading posts were Fort Nassau (1614, near present-day Albany); Fort Orange (1624, on the Hudson River just south of nowadays city of Albany (to replace the already mentioned Fort Nassau), developing into settlement Beverwijck (1647), and into nowadays Albany); Fort Amsterdam (1625, to develop into the town New Amsterdam which is present-day New York City); and Esopus, (1653, now Kingston). The British captured the colony during the Second Anglo-Dutch War and governed it as the Province of New York. Agitation for independence during the 1770s brought the American Revolution, which for New York was also a civil war.
New York endorsed the Declaration of Independence on July 9, 1776.[10] The New York state constitution was framed by a convention which assembled at White Plains, New York on July 10, 1776, and after repeated adjournments and changes of location, terminated its labors at Kingston, New York on Sunday evening, April 20, 1777, when the new constitution was adopted with but one dissenting vote. It was not submitted to the people for ratification. It was drafted by John Jay. On 30 July 1777, George Clinton was inaugurated as the first Governor of New York at Kingston.
The Capture of Fort Ticonderoga provided the cannon and gunpowder necessary to force a British withdrawal from the Siege of Boston in 1775. The first major battle of the American Revolutionary War after independence was declared - and the largest battle of the entire war - was fought in New York at the Battle of Long Island (a.k.a Battle of Brooklyn) in 1776, and the first of two major British armies were captured by the Continental Army at the Battle of Saratoga in 1777, influencing France to ally with the revolutionaries. The withdrawal of General George Washington from Manhattan Island was followed by the British making New York City their military and political base of operations in North America for the duration of the conflict, and consequently the center of attention for Washington's intelligence network. The notorious British prison ships of Wallabout Bay saw more American combatants die of intentional neglect than were killed in combat in every battle of the war, combined. Four of the Iroquois nations fought on the side of the British. They were defeated in the Sullivan Expedition of 1779.[11] Suffering privations, many members moved to Canada. Most, absent or present, lost their land after the war. Some of the land purchases are the subject of modern-day claims by the individual tribes.[12] As per the Treaty of Paris. the last vestige of British authority in the former Thirteen Colonies - their troops in New York City - departed in 1783, which was long afterwards celebrated as Evacuation Day.[13]
New York state was one of the original thirteen colonies that became the United States. It was the 11th state to ratify the United States Constitution, on July 26, 1788.[14]
Transportation in western New York was difficult before canals were built in the early part of the nineteenth century. The Hudson and Mohawk Rivers could be navigated only as far as Central New York. While the St. Lawrence River could be navigated to Lake Ontario, the way westward to the other Great Lakes was blocked by Niagara Falls, and so the only route to western New York was over land. Governor DeWitt Clinton strongly advocated building a canal to connect the Hudson River with Lake Erie, and thus all the Great Lakes. Work commenced in 1817, and the Erie Canal was finished in 1825.[15] The canal opened up vast areas of New York to commerce and settlement, and enabled port cities such as Buffalo to grow and prosper.
The Statue of Liberty was dedicated in New York Harbor on October 28, 1886. Ellis Island opened as the primary immigration depot in the U.S. in 1892.See also: New York State Constitutions

Demographics

&nbsp

Population

Historical populationsCensus Pop. %±

1790	340,120	&nbsp	—
1800	589,051	&nbsp	73.2%
1810	959,049	&nbsp	62.8%
1820	1,372,851	&nbsp	43.1%
1830	1,918,608	&nbsp	39.8%
1840	2,428,921	&nbsp	26.6%
1850	3,097,394	&nbsp	27.5%
1860	3,880,735	&nbsp	25.3%
1870	4,382,759	&nbsp	12.9%
1880	5,082,871	&nbsp	16.0%
1890	5,997,853	&nbsp	18.0%
1900	7,268,894	&nbsp	21.2%
1910	9,113,614	&nbsp	25.4%
1920	10,385,227	&nbsp	14.0%
1930	12,588,066	&nbsp	21.2%
1940	13,479,142	&nbsp	7.1%
1950	14,830,192	&nbsp	10.0%
1960	16,782,304	&nbsp	13.2%
1970	18,236,967	&nbsp	8.7%
1980	17,558,072	&nbsp	-3.7%
1990	17,990,455	&nbsp	2.5%
2000	18,976,457	&nbsp	5.5%
Est. 2007	19,297,729	&nbsp	1.7%

As of 2006, New York was the third largest state in population after California and Texas, with an estimated population of 19,306,183.[16] This represents an increase of 329,362, or 1.7%, since the year 2000; it includes a natural increase since the last census of 601,779 people (1,576,125 births minus 974,346 deaths) and a decrease due to net migration of 422,481 people out of the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 820,388 people, and migration within the country produced a net loss of about 800,213.
In spite of the open land in the state, New York's population is very urban, with 92% of residents living in an urban area.[17]
New York is a slow growing state with a large rate of migration to other states. In 2000 and 2005, more people moved from New York to Florida than from any one state to another.[18] New York state is a leading destination for international immigration, however. The center of population of New York is located in Orange County, in the town of Deerpark.[19] New York City and its eight suburban counties (excluding those in New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania) have a combined population of 13,209,006 people, or 68.42% of the state's population.[20]
&nbsp

Racial and ancestral makeup

The major ancestry groups in New York state are African American (15.8%), Italian (14.4%), Irish (12.9%), and German (11.1%).[21] According to a 2004 estimate, 20.4% of the population is foreign-born.
New York is home to the largest Dominican and Jamaican American population in the United States. The New York City neighborhood of Harlem has historically been a major cultural capital for sub saharan African-Americans and Bedford Stuyvesant is the largest in the United States. Queens, also in New York City, is home to the state's largest Asian-American population, and is also the most diverse county in the United States.
In the 2000 Census, Italian-Americans make up the largest ancestral group in Staten Island and Long Island, followed by Irish-Americans. Albany and southeast-central New York are heavily Irish-American and Italian-American. In Buffalo and western New York, German-Americans are the largest group; in the northern tip of the state, French-Canadians.
6.5% of New York's population were under 5 years of age, 24.7% under 18, and 12.9% were 65 or older. Females made up 51.8% of the population.
New York State has a higher number of Italian-Americans than any other U.S. state.
According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 13.61% of the population aged 5 and over speak Spanish at home, while 2.04% speak Chinese (including Cantonese and Mandarin), 1.65% Italian, and 1.23% Russian [4].
&nbsp

Religion

Catholics comprise more than 40% of the population in New York.[22] Protestants are 30% of the population, Jews 5%, Muslims 3.5%, Buddhists 1%, and 13% claim no religious affiliation.
&nbsp

Cities and towns

For lists of cities, towns, and counties in New York, see List of cities in New York, List of towns in New York, List of villages in New York, List of counties in New York, List of census-designated places in New York and Administrative divisions of New York. The largest city in the state and the most populous city in the United States is New York City, which comprises five counties, the Bronx, New York (Manhattan), Queens, Kings (Brooklyn), and Richmond (Staten Island). New York City is home to more than two-fifths of the state's population. The ten largest cities are:[23]

1. New York City (8,274,527)
2. Buffalo (279,745)
3. Rochester (211,091)
4. Yonkers (196,425)
5. Syracuse (141,683)
6. Albany (93,523)
7. New Rochelle (72,967)
8. Mount Vernon (67,924)
9. Schenectady (61,280)
10. Utica (59,336)

The location of these population centers within the state stays remarkably true to the major transportation and trade routes in the early nineteenth century, primarily the Erie Canal and railroads paralleling it. Today, Interstate 90 acts as a modern counterpart to commercial water routes.
The smallest city is Sherrill, New York, located just west of the Town of Vernon in Oneida County. Albany is the state capital, and the Town of Hempstead is the civil township with the largest population.
The southern tip of New York State—New York City, its suburbs including Long Island, the southern portion of the Hudson Valley, and most of northern New Jersey—can be considered to form the central core of a "megalopolis", a super-city stretching from the northern suburbs of Boston to the southern suburbs of Washington D.C. in Virginia and therefore occasionally called "BosWash".

&nbsp Albany &nbsp &nbsp	&nbsp Beacon &nbsp &nbsp	&nbsp Binghamton &nbsp &nbsp	&nbsp Buffalo &nbsp &nbsp
&nbsp Elmira &nbsp &nbsp	&nbsp Hempstead &nbsp &nbsp	&nbsp Ithaca &nbsp &nbsp	&nbsp Mount Vernon &nbsp &nbsp
&nbsp New Rochelle &nbsp &nbsp	&nbsp New York City &nbsp &nbsp	&nbsp Newburgh &nbsp &nbsp	&nbsp Niagara Falls &nbsp &nbsp
&nbsp Plattsburgh &nbsp &nbsp	&nbsp Poughkeepsie &nbsp &nbsp	&nbsp Rochester &nbsp &nbsp	&nbsp Saranac Lake &nbsp &nbsp
&nbsp Saratoga Springs &nbsp &nbsp	&nbsp Schenectady &nbsp &nbsp	&nbsp Syracuse &nbsp &nbsp	&nbsp Troy &nbsp &nbsp
&nbsp Utica &nbsp &nbsp	&nbsp Watertown &nbsp &nbsp	&nbsp White Plains &nbsp &nbsp	&nbsp Yonkers &nbsp &nbsp

&nbsp

Economy

New York's gross state product in 2006 was $1.02 trillion, ranking third in size behind the larger states of California and Texas.[24] If New York were an independent nation, it would rank as the 16th largest economy in the world behind South Korea. Its 2005 per capita personal income was $40,072, an increase of 4.2% from 2004, placing it fifth in the nation behind Maryland, and eighth in the world behind Ireland. New York's agricultural outputs are dairy products, cattle and other livestock, vegetables, nursery stock, and apples. Its industrial outputs are printing and publishing, scientific instruments, electric equipment, machinery, chemical products, and tourism.
A recent review by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found 13 states, including several of the nation's largest, face budget shortfalls for FY2009. New York faces a deficit that could be as large as $4.3 billion.[25]
New York exports a wide variety of goods such as foodstuffs, commodities, minerals, manufactured goods, cut diamonds, and automobile parts. New York's five largest export markets in 2004 were Canada ($30.2 billion), United Kingdom ($3.3 billion), Japan ($2.6 billion), Israel ($2.4 billion), and Switzerland ($1.8 billion). New York's largest imports are oil, gold, aluminum, natural gas, electricity, rough diamonds, and lumber.
Canada is a very important economic partner for the state. 23% of the state's total worldwide exports went to Canada in 2004. Tourism from the north is also a large part of the economy. Canadians spent US$487 million in 2004 while visiting the state.
New York City is the leading center of banking, finance and communication in the United States and is the location of the New York Stock Exchange, the largest stock exchange in the world by dollar volume. Many of the world's largest corporations are based in the city.
The state also has a large manufacturing sector that includes printing and the production of garments, furs, railroad equipment and bus line vehicles. Many of these industries are concentrated in upstate regions. Albany and the Hudson Valley are major centers of nanotechnology and microchip manufacturing, while the Rochester area is important in photographic equipment and imaging.
New York is a major agricultural producer, ranking among the top five states for agricultural products such as dairy, apples, cherries, cabbage, potatoes, onions, maple syrup and many others. The state is the largest producer of cabbage in the U.S. The state has about a quarter of its land in farms and produced US$3.4 billion in agricultural products in 2001. The south shore of Lake Ontario provides the right mix of soils and microclimate for many apple, cherry, plum, pear and peach orchards. Apples are also grown in the Hudson Valley and near Lake Champlain. The south shore of Lake Erie and the southern Finger Lakes hillsides have many vineyards. New York is the nation's third-largest grape-producing state, behind California, and second largest wine producer by volume. In 2004, New York's wine and grape industry brought US$6 billion into the state economy. The state has 30,000 acres (120 km²) of vineyards, 212 wineries, and produced 200 million bottles of wine in 2004. A moderately sized saltwater commercial fishery is located along the Atlantic side of Long Island. The principal catches by value are clams, lobsters, squid, and flounder. These areas have been increasing as environmental protection has led to an increase in ocean wildlife.
&nbsp

Transportation

New York has one of the most extensive and one of the oldest transportation infrastructures in the country. Engineering difficulties because of the terrain of the state and the unique issues of the city brought on by urban crowding have had to be overcome since the state was young. Population expansion of the state generally followed the path of the early waterways, first the Hudson River and then the Erie Canal. Today, railroad lines and the New York State Thruway follow the same general route. The New York State Department of Transportation is often criticized for how they maintain the roads of the state in certain areas and for the fact that the tolls collected along the roadway have long passed their original purpose. Until 2006, tolls were collected on the Thruway within The City of Buffalo. They were dropped late in 2006 during the campaign for Governor (both candidates called for their removal).
In addition to New York City's famous mass transit subway, four suburban commuter railroad systems enter and leave the city, including the Long Island Rail Road, MTA Metro-North, the PATH system and five of NJTransit's rail services. Many of the other cities have urban and regional public transportation. Buffalo also has a Subway line, sometimes called a Lightrail System run by the NFTA, and Rochester had a subway system, although it is mostly destroyed. Only a small part exists under the old Erie Canal Aqueduct.
Portions of the transportation system are intermodal, allowing travelers to easily switch from one mode of transportation to another. One of the most notable examples is AirTrain JFK which allows rail passengers to travel directly to terminals at John F. Kennedy International Airport.See also: Transportation in New York City

Politics and government

Under its present constitution (adopted in 1938), New York is governed by the same three branches that govern all fifty states of the United States: the executive branch, consisting of the Governor of New York and the other independently elected constitutional officers; the legislative branch, consisting of the bicameral New York State Legislature; and the judicial branch, consisting of the state's highest court, the New York Court of Appeals, and lower courts. The state has two U.S. senators, 29 members in the United States House of Representatives, and 31 electoral votes in national presidential elections (a drop from its 41 votes during the 1970s).
New York's capital is Albany. The state's subordinate political units are its 62 counties. Other officially incorporated governmental units are towns, cities, and villages. New York has more than 4,200 local governments that take one of these forms. About 52% of all revenue raised by local governments in the state is raised solely by the government of New York City, which is the largest municipal government in the United States.[26]
The state has a strong imbalance of payments with the federal government. New York State receives 82 cents in services for every $1 it sends in taxes to the federal government in Washington.[27] The state ranks near the bottom, in 42nd place, in federal spending per tax dollar.[28]
Many of New York's public services are carried out by public benefit corporations, frequently called authorities or development corporations. Well known public benefit corporations in New York include the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which oversees New York City's public transportation system, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, a bi-state transportation infrastructure agency.
New York's legal system is explicitly based on English common Law. Capital punishment was declared unconstitutional in 2004.[29]
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Politics

In the last few decades, New York State has generally supported candidates belonging to the Democratic Party in national elections. Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry won New York State by 18 percentage points in 2004, while Democrat Al Gore won the state by an even larger margin in 2000. New York City is a major Democratic stronghold with liberal politics. Many of the state's other urban areas, such as Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse are also Democratic. Rural upstate New York, however, is generally more conservative than the cities and tends to favor Republicans. Heavily populated Suburban areas such as Westchester County and Long Island have swung between the major parties over the past 25 years, but more often support Democrats.
New York City is the most important source of political fund-raising in the United States for both major parties. Four of the top five zip codes in the nation for political contributions are in Manhattan. The top zip code, 10021 on the Upper East Side, generated the most money for the 2000 presidential campaigns of both George W. Bush and Al Gore.[30]
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Education

The University of the State of New York oversees all public primary, middle-level, and secondary education in the state, while the New York City Department of Education manages the public school system in New York City.
At the college level, the statewide public university system is the State University of New York (SUNY). The City University of New York (CUNY) is the public university system of New York City. SUNY schools SUNY Geneseo and Binghamton University are consistently ranked in the top two best values in education in the nation, according to Kiplinger's. Binghamton University was ranked as the, "Premier Public University in the Northeast," according to the Fisk Guide to Colleges. The SUNY system consists of 64 community colleges, technical colleges, undergraduate colleges and universities. The four university centers are University at Albany, Binghamton University, University at Buffalo and SUNY Stony Brook.
In addition there are many notable private universities, including the oldest Catholic institution in the northeast, Fordham University. New York is home to both Columbia University and Cornell University, making it the only state to contain more than one Ivy League school.
In total, New York State is home to 307 degree granting institutions making it the second in number behind California. Among the most notable and highest ranked institutions are:

• Bard College
• Binghamton University
• Clarkson University
• Colgate University
• Columbia University
• Cornell University
• Fordham University
• Hamilton College
• Ithaca College
• Manhattanville College
• Marist College
• New York University (NYU)
• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)
• University of Rochester
• Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
• Sarah Lawrence College
• Siena College
• Skidmore College
• SUNY Geneseo
• SUNY New Paltz
• SUNY Stony Brook
• Syracuse University
• Union College
• Vassar College

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Sports

New York hosted the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, the Games known for the USA-USSR hockey game dubbed the "Miracle on Ice" in which a group of American college students and amateurs defeated the heavily-favored Soviet national ice hockey team 4-3 and went on to win the gold medal. Lake Placid also hosted the 1932 Winter Olympics. Along with St. Moritz, Switzerland and Innsbruck, Austria, it is one of the three places to have twice hosted the Winter Olympic Games.
New York is the home of one National Football League team, the Buffalo Bills, (based in the suburb of Orchard Park); Although the New York Giants and New York Jets represent the New York metropolitan area, they play in Giants Stadium, which is located in East Rutherford, New Jersey. New York also has two Major League Baseball teams, the New York Yankees (based in The Bronx), and the New York Mets (based in Queens). Three National Hockey League franchises (the New York Rangers in Manhattan, the New York Islanders in Long Island and the Buffalo Sabres) are based in New York. A National Basketball Association team, the New York Knicks is based in Manhattan.
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Navy vessel namesakes

There have been at least six United States Navy ships named USS New York in honor of the state. The keel was laid for the USS New York (LPD 21) on September 10, 2004 and she will be the seventh US Navy ship to be named for the state. The New York's motto will be "Never Forget."
The USS New York is one of several ships in the San Antonio-class of amphibious transport dock ships (LPD stands for Landing Ship Transport, Dock). The ship will be used to transport and land Marines, their equipment and supplies, such as amphibious vehicles and helicopters. It is one of three similar ships that are being built and being given names that are associated with September 11. The others are the LPD 24 USS Arlington (named because of the location of The Pentagon) and the LPD 25 USS Somerset (named after the county in Pennsylvania where United Airlines Flight 93 crashed).
Twenty-four tons of steel from the World Trade Center have been recycled for construction of the ship. Approximately seven tons were used to make the bow section of the ship's hull. The steel from the World Trade Center has been treated with reverence by the ship builders. Several workers have postponed their retirements for the honor of constructing the USS New York.
According to Naval records, several other ships have carried the name the USS New York. This new ship was given the name the USS New York when former New York governor George Pataki wrote to Secretary of the Navy Gordon England and requested that the Navy use the name to honor the victims of September 11 and to give it to a surface ship that would be used to fight the War on Terror. This is an exception to the current use of state names for submarines only.
The first ship to carry the name USS New York was an armed gondola built by Revolutionary War General Benedict Arnold in 1776. She was burned to avoid capture later in the Revolutionary War.
The second ship named USS New York was a 36-gun frigate built in New York and commissioned in 1800. She saw service in the Mediterranean in the war against the Barbary Pirates. She was burned by the British in 1814 while she was in the Washington Navy Yard.
The third USS New York was one of nine built to discourage a future war with Britain after the war of 1812. The threat abated, so she was never launched. Union forces later burned the 74-gun ship of the line to avoid her capture at the start of the American Civil War.
Beginning in 1863, a screw sloop that was being built that would have carried the name USS New York, but it also never got launched, being sold in 1888.
The fifth USS New York (ACR 2) was a armored cruiser commissioned in 1893. She was used in the Spanish-American War and was the flagship of Rear Admiral William T. Sampson in the Battle of Santiago de Cuba (July 3, 1898), which destroyed the Spanish fleet. She was later renamed the USS Saratoga in 1911 and then renamed again as the USS Rochester in 1917.
The sixth was the battleship USS New York (BB 34), commissioned in 1914. She saw service in both World War I and World War II. She participated in atomic testing off the Bikini Islands surviving both an atmospheric explosion and an underwater detonation. She was used as a target ship in 1948 and was sunk off Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Finally, there was a Los Angeles-class nuclear attack submarine USS New York City (SSN 696) in service from 1979 until 1997 when she was decommissioned.[31][32]
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See also

• New York census statistical areas
• List of sister cities in New York
• List of New York state symbols
• Alcohol laws of New York

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References

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External links

Find more about New York on Wikipedia's sister projects:

Dictionary definitions

Textbooks

Quotations

Source texts

Images and media

News stories

Learning resources

• New York travel guide from Wikitravel
• New York State at the Open Directory Project
• New York State Office of Parks Recreation and Historic Preservation
• State of New York Website
• New York Governor Website
• NYProfiles.com - Profiles of New Yorkers
• I Love New York - official New York State tourism website
• Population of each county
• USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of New York
• US Census Bureau
• New York State Facts
• New York Newspapers--&gt

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[hide] v • d • e &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp State of New York Albany (capital) &nbsp
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Topics	Administrative divisions · Congressional districts · Demographics · Economy · Education · Elections · Geography · Government · History · People · Politics · Transportation &nbsp &nbsp
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Regions	Adirondack Mountains · Allegheny Plateau · Capital District · Catskill Mountains · Central · Champlain Valley · City of New York · Finger Lakes · Holland Purchase · Hudson Highlands · Hudson Valley · Long Island · Mohawk Valley · New York Metro · North Country · Ridge and Valley · Saint Lawrence Seaway · Shawangunks · Ski country · Southern Tier · Thousand Islands · Upstate · Western &nbsp &nbsp
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Metro areas	Albany/Schenectady/Troy/Saratoga Springs · Binghamton · Buffalo/Niagara Falls · Elmira/Corning · Glens Falls · Ithaca · Jamestown · Newburgh/Middletown · New York City · Poughkeepsie · Rochester · Syracuse · Utica/Rome &nbsp &nbsp
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Preceded by Virginia

List of U.S. states by date of statehood Ratified Constitution on July 26, 1788 (11th)

Succeeded by North Carolina

Coordinates: 43°N 75°W / 43, -75 (New York)
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