The Big Apple is packed with people, restaurants, and everything in between. In addition, it’s not surprising that it is also packed with many fun facts. Here are 11 interesting things that you may not have known about NYC:
1. New York has more linguistic diversity than any other city in the world
New York is so full of diversity that there are approximately 800 languages being spoken in the city, many of which are endangered. The list includes several indigenous American languages, Aramaic, Irish Gaelic, Pennsylvania Dutch, Romany, and more.
2. One of every 21 New Yorkers is a millionaire
Whether making it big in the city or moving there for its appeal, these millionaires are a stark contrast to the area’s many homeless.
3. The Polish population in New York is second only to Warsaw
There are plenty of Polish restaurants to prove it! To satisfy your next Pierogi craving, head over to one of the number of Polish restaurants clustered in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint neighborhood.
4. Ancient Rome had eight times the population density than New York does
In a city where real estate seems to be piled high and squeezed into every imaginable corner, it seems unbelievable that the population density on Manhattan doesn’t even compare with that of Ancient Rome.
5. If the population density of Manhattan was the same as the state of Alaska, only 28 people would live on Manhattan Island
Imagine have the whole Upper East Side to your lonesome!
6. New York sees 15 times as much snow as the South Pole
At least the snow doesn’t fall in July, but you should be prepared for harsh winter storms.
7. The people of New York drink nearly 7 times the coffee of other city folks in the U.S.
With so much to do in the city, you have to stay awake somehow. Or maybe it’s just there are so many new coffee places to try every day?
8. The departure boards at Grand Central are all off by exactly one minute
Of course, even if you’re late, the city is full of public transportation options with a multitude of departure times.
9. The New York subway contains over 15,000 kinds of organisms
The exact number counted comes out to about 15,152. From humans to subway rats to insects and bacteria, the subway is full of many seen and unseen things.
10. The part of the Statue of Liberty that is underwater actually sits in New Jersey and not in New York
The state lines are so entangled in the heart of the city that it’s sometimes hard to keep track of where you’re actually standing or, in this case, floating.
11. In 2018, the world’s first underground park will be inaugurated in New York
The idea of this project, The Lowline, is to use solar technology to illuminate a historic trolley terminal on the Lower East Side. The negotiations are currently in the process of being finalized before construction will be launched.
From the Mohawk steelworkers who built many towering skyscrapers to the thousands of immigrants, NYC is full of a rich history and cultural diversity for you to discover!