Manhattan is one of the five boroughs of New York City, and is conterminous with New York County. The borough and county consist of Manhattan Island and several other small adjacent islands. The city of New York originated at the southern end of Manhattan and grew gradually to the north, until between 1874 and 1898 it annexed land from neighbouring counties. Manhattan has the third largest population, but is the smallest in terms of land area of the five New York boroughs, making it the most densely populated.

Manhattan is a major economic and commercial centre of the United States and the world, being home to Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ. It is also a cultural hub, with various radio and television companies, as well as news and magazine publishers based there. It is also politically central, as host to the city government buildings and the United Nations Headquarters. It is the New York City 'go to' area for business and entertainment activities, and has earnt a world-wide reputation as such by becoming the set of the famous television series Friends among many others.