100 Places To Remember: The Battery, New York City, USA
Geschreven op 15-2-2010 - Erik van Erne. Geplaatst in Natuur
The Birthplace of New York. New York City is located in a low-lying tidal area where the Hudson River flows into a natural harbour before reaching the Atlantic Ocean. Its near-coastal location has played an enduring role in the citys growth and economy.
The southern shoreline of Manhattan Island, known as the Battery, has been a popular promenade since the 17th century. The name comes from the artillery battery stationed there by the Dutch and British to protect the harbour in its early days.
The Battery is the largest public space in downtown New York. More than 280,000 people work within walking distance of it, and over 36,000 residents live in the surrounding area. It is home to the charming Battery Park.
About every 100 years, the area experiences extreme flooding that reaches heights of up to 10 feet. Climate change will increase the frequency of winds and hurricanes from the north-east and cause sea levels to rise. According to the worst-case scenario, extreme events could occur every four years by 2080, with floods raising water levels by 11-14 feet and paralysing the whole Manhattan infrastructure.
New York City is one of the worlds major financial, commercial and cultural centres. The citys growth exploded after the end of the Civil War in 1865, when New York became the first port of call for European immigrants arriving in search of a better life. To this day, this diverse and most cosmopolitan of cities teems with people of all nationalities and ethnicities.
New York has the largest subway system in the world in terms of track mileage and number of stations. The people of Manhattan are famous for using public transport in preference to driving. While only 5% of Americans nationwide use public transport to travel to work, 72% of Manhattan residents take the subway or other public transport. In 2000, more than 75% of Manhattan households did not own a car.
