Northeastern United States facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Northeastern United States American Northeast, the Northeast
Region
New York City Boston Acadia National Park Niagara Falls Adirondack Mountains The Palisades Philadelphia
A map of the Northeastern United States as defined by the Census Bureau
Subregions	New England Mid-Atlantic
Country	United States
States	Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania
Area
• Region	181,324 sq mi (469,630 km2)
• Land	162,257 sq mi (420,240 km2)
• Water	19,067 sq mi (49,380 km2)  9.51%
• Urban	74,800 sq mi (194,000 km2)
Highest elevation (Mount Washington, New Hampshire)	6,288 ft (1,916.66 m)
Lowest elevation (Atlantic Ocean)	0 ft (0 m)
Population  (2020)
• Region	57,609,148
• Density	317.7139/sq mi (122.6700/km2)
Demonym(s)	Northeasterner, Yankee
GDP
• Region	$5.1 trillion (2022)
• Per capita	$88,600 (2022)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)

The Northeastern United States is one of the four main regions of the United States. It's also called the Northeast or the American Northeast. This area is on the Atlantic coast of North America. It shares borders with Canada to the north, the Southern United States to the south, the Midwestern United States to the west, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east.

The United States Census Bureau defines the Northeast region for collecting statistics. It includes six New England states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It also includes three other northeastern states: New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Sometimes, people include Delaware, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. in this region too.

The Northeast is home to the Northeast megalopolis, a huge urban area with many large cities. These include Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia. About 67% of the region's 57.6 million people live in this megalopolis. The region's economy was worth $5.1 trillion in 2022. It has some of the most developed states in the U.S. It is also the most crowded region, with about 320 people per square mile. The Northeast is the smallest U.S. region by total area, covering about 181,324 square miles.

History of the Northeast

Embarkation of the Pilgrims, a painting from 1857 by Robert Walter Weir.

Early People of the Northeastern Woodlands

Long before Europeans arrived, many different groups of Native Americans lived in the Northeast. This area, known as the "Northeastern Woodlands," also stretched into parts of Canada and other eastern U.S. regions.

Some of the well-known tribes were the Iroquois nations and many Algonquian peoples. These groups often lived in villages. Today, 18 federally recognized tribes still live in the Northeast.

Colonial History and Early Settlements

All the states in the Northeast were part of the original Thirteen Colonies of Great Britain. However, some states like Maine, Vermont, and Delaware were part of other colonies at first. The two main parts of the Northeast, New England and the Mid-Atlantic, have different histories.

New England's Beginnings

The first Europeans to settle in New England were Pilgrims from England. They arrived in what is now Massachusetts in 1620 on the ship Mayflower. They founded Plymouth Colony so they could practice their religion freely.

Ten years later, a larger group called Puritans settled near Boston. They formed the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In 1636, colonists started Connecticut Colony and Providence Plantations. Providence was founded by Roger Williams, who believed in religious freedom for everyone. This made it the first colony to guarantee this right.

New England was important for early American education. In the 17th century, towns opened grammar schools, which were like early high schools. The first public school in the English colonies, the Boston Latin School, was founded in 1635. In 1636, Harvard College was started, becoming the oldest university in the United States.

Mid-Atlantic's Development

The first European explorer to map the Atlantic coast of the Northeast was Giovanni da Verrazzano in 1524. Later, in 1609, Henry Hudson explored the area around present-day New York. He claimed it for the Netherlands, and it became known as New Netherland. In 1625, New Amsterdam (now New York City) became its capital.

The Dutch settlements along the Hudson River and the Swedish settlements along the Delaware River separated the English colonies. But in 1664, England took control of New Netherland. It then became the colonies of New York and New Jersey.

In 1681, William Penn founded Pennsylvania. He wanted a place where Quakers and all other citizens could have religious freedom. Pennsylvania also gained access to the sea through what became Delaware.

Geography of the Northeast

New York City, the largest city in the Northeast and the United States.

Philadelphia, the second largest city in the Northeast.

Boston, the largest city in Massachusetts and New England.

The U.S. Census Bureau defines the Northeast as nine states: Maine, New York, New Jersey, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania. This region is often split into two parts: New England (the six states east of New York) and the Mid-Atlantic states (New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania). This definition has been used since 1880.

Many other groups also use this definition. However, some include Delaware, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. in the Northeast. The narrowest definitions only include the New England states.

Northeast Environment and Nature

High Point Monument as seen from Lake Marcia in Sussex County, New Jersey. This is the highest point in New Jersey.

Cape Cod Bay in Massachusetts, a popular place for tourists.

The Palisades along the Hudson River in New Jersey.

U.S. Route 220 passing through Clinton County, Pennsylvania.

Land and Mountains

Most of the Northeastern United States is part of the Appalachian Highlands. Some areas are also part of the Atlantic coastal plain, which is generally low and flat. These flat areas include Cape Cod in Massachusetts and Long Island in New York.

The highlands, like the Appalachian Mountains, are mostly covered in forests. They have rolling hills and some peaks over 6,000 feet (1,800 meters) high. The highest point in the Northeast is Mount Washington in New Hampshire, which is 6,288 feet (1,917 meters) tall.

Forests and Urban Areas

As of 2012, about 60% of the Northeast was covered by forests. This is twice the national average. About 12% of the land is urbanized, meaning it's developed with cities and towns. This is more than any other U.S. region.

Northeast Climate

The Northeast has different climates from north to south. Summers are warm in the northern parts and hot in the southern parts. In winter, cold air from Canada brings snow and rain.

The climate can be split into two main types:

• A colder, snowier interior (like western Maryland, most of Pennsylvania, and New England).
• A milder coast and flat coastal areas (from Cape Cod south to Baltimore).

Most of the Northeast has a humid continental climate. This means it has warm, humid summers and cold, snowy winters. Some coastal areas have a humid subtropical climate, with milder winters.

Wildlife and Nature Preserves

The Northeast is home to 72 National Wildlife Refuges. These refuges cover over 500,000 acres. They help protect many of the 92 different threatened and endangered species that live in the region.

People of the Northeast (Demographics)

As of the 2020 United States census, the Northeast had a population of 57,609,148 people. It is the most crowded region in the U.S., with about 345 people per square mile. This is 2.5 times more crowded than the next most crowded region, the South.

Over the last century, many people have moved away from the Northeast and Midwest to the South and West. However, the Northeast still has two of the most densely populated areas in the U.S.: the Mid-Atlantic and New England.

Economy of the Northeast

As of 2012, the Northeast produced about 23% of the entire nation's gross domestic product (GDP). This means it creates a large portion of the country's total economic output.

New York City is a major financial center for the world. In 2018, the New York metropolitan area produced nearly $1.8 trillion in goods and services. If it were a country, its economy would be the eighth largest in the world!

Transportation in the Northeast

The Northeast has many ways to get around, including extensive rail systems, bus routes, and major airports.

Rail Systems

The region has a large network of trains, including subways, light rail, and commuter trains.

Bus Routes

Many bus systems help people travel within and between cities.

Airports

The Northeast has several large airports that serve millions of travelers.

Culture and Identity

The Northeast is known for being a "culture hearth," meaning it has influenced the rest of the nation's culture. However, it doesn't have one single cultural identity. Instead, smaller areas within the Northeast have their own unique cultures.

Famous Landmarks

Almost half of the National Historic Landmarks in the United States are located in the Northeast. These are places recognized for their important history.

Religion in the Northeast

The Northeast has a different religious makeup compared to much of the U.S. This is because many immigrants came from Ireland, Italy, Quebec, Portugal, and Eastern Europe in the late 1800s and early 1900s. These immigrants were often Catholic.

States like Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, and New Jersey have more Catholics than Protestants. However, the Northeast, along with the Pacific Northwest, has some of the lowest rates of people attending religious services regularly. Many people in states like Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont say they don't have a religious identity.

Sports in the Northeast

The Northeast is a big hub for professional sports. It has many teams in the "Big Four" leagues: NFL (football), NBA (basketball), NHL (hockey), and MLB (baseball). These teams have won over 100 championships combined!

• New York City area: Giants, Jets (NFL), Yankees, Mets (MLB), Knicks, Nets (NBA), Rangers, Islanders, Devils (NHL)
• Philadelphia: Eagles (NFL), Phillies (MLB), 76ers (NBA), Flyers (NHL)
• Boston: Patriots (NFL), Red Sox (MLB), Celtics (NBA), Bruins (NHL)
• Pittsburgh: Steelers (NFL), Pirates (MLB), Penguins (NHL)
• Buffalo: Bills (NFL), Sabres (NHL)

The region also has teams in Major League Soccer (soccer) and the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).

The Northeast is also known for popular sports like ice hockey and lacrosse.

See also

• Atlantic Northeast
• Jersey Shore
• New England–Acadian forests
• Northeast Corridor
• Northeast megalopolis
• Northeastern coastal forests
• Rust Belt