New York’s Location: Northeastern United States

New York’s Location: Northeastern United States

New York State occupies the northeastern quadrant of the contiguous United States.

Geographic Context

• Borders: Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut (east); New Jersey, Pennsylvania (south); Ontario & Quebec, Canada (north/northwest); Atlantic Ocean (southeast).
• Coordinates: 40°30′–45° N, 71°51′–79°46′ W.
• Regions: Downstate (NYC, Long Island, Hudson Valley) — coastal/urban; Upstate (Adirondacks, Catskills, Finger Lakes, Western NY) — inland/rural.

New York City

• At the mouth of Hudson River; 40°42′ N, 74°00′ W.
• On same latitude as Madrid, Naples, Beijing — but coastal climate.

“East or West?”

It’s not simply “East” or “West”—it’s Northeast. In US regional divisions (Census Bureau): Northeast Region (New England + Mid-Atlantic). New York is the linchpin of the Mid-Atlantic.