Is NYC the USA a Primate City? (New York, Buffalo: activity, education)

[toredyvik]

I was discussing this with my friend -
Many smaller countries throughout the world have a single major city that is the hub of almost all activity within that country:
UK: London - capital and largest city by far
France: Paris - capital and largest city by far
Japan: Tokyo - capital and largest metro by far (not technically a city)
Russia: Moscow - capital and largest city by far....
....and the list goes on.

A few countries have exceptions to this rule, and they are usually countries with massive populations and/or area, such as USA, Canada, China, India, etc.

But with the USA, I will make the argument that NYC is a primate city. It is not the capital of the US, nor is it the capital of even its own state.

It is not the hub of ALL economic activity (chicago), banking (Miami), world-stage politics (Washington), education (boston), or the media (LA), but It does hold a considerable presence when talking about any one of these issues. (The cities in perenthesis are arguably the first or second pick for each of these topics, along WITH nyc.)

[atlantagreg30127]

Topics about one specific city/state belong in that respective room, and since you are talking specifically about NYC, it's being moved.

What is Considered On-Topic Here in General US? What topics belong in the City vs. City subforum? What are the Rules?

[openheads]

Originally Posted by toredyvik

I was discussing this with my friend -
Many smaller countries throughout the world have a single major city that is the hub of almost all activity within that country:
UK: London - capital and largest city by far
France: Paris - capital and largest city by far
Japan: Tokyo - capital and largest metro by far (not technically a city)
Russia: Moscow - capital and largest city by far....
....and the list goes on.

A few countries have exceptions to this rule, and they are usually countries with massive populations and/or area, such as USA, Canada, China, India, etc.

But with the USA, I will make the argument that NYC is a primate city. It is not the capital of the US, nor is it the capital of even its own state.

It is not the hub of ALL economic activity (chicago), banking (Miami), world-stage politics (Washington), education (boston), or the media (LA), but It does hold a considerable presence when talking about any one of these issues. (The cities in perenthesis are arguably the first or second pick for each of these topics, along WITH nyc.)

They have Primates in The Bronx Zoo.....................

[SkyBob]

Originally Posted by openheads

They have Primates in The Bronx Zoo.....................

There are primates all over Manhattan, bipeds even.

[Henna]

As I read the OP, this is not a thread about one specific city. It's a question that is inviting a comparison among cities. I think it should be moved back to wherever it came from. And when it gets moved back, some other word should be substituted for "primate" because it makes me think of apes.

[DANNYY]

No New York City is not a USA primate city.

It's GDP does not account for 30% of the country's overall revenue.
It does not hold 35% of the country's population in it's metro.

New York City is just the leader city in our country, it is most certainly not a primate city. London is a primate city, Tokyo is also, Paris is also, those are primate cities.

[BruceAdama]

Methinks the OP meant to say "prime" city, or "primary".

[Dbatiste]

Originally Posted by Henna

As I read the OP, this is not a thread about one specific city. It's a question that is inviting a comparison among cities. I think it should be moved back to wherever it came from. And when it gets moved back, some other word should be substituted for "primate" because it makes me think of apes.

lol...........I was thinking the same thing.

[Chriscross309]

Yes NYC is a Primate City----because it is our countries image to the world

When you think of France, England or even Japan, you picture in your head Paris, London, and Tokyo----but when other countries picture America---they imagine New York, the statue of liberty, the yankees for god sake---LOL

When I went to Niceragua a few years ago we saw Yankee hats everywhere---it was an American icon that the locals reconized

[bmwguydc]

New York does not meet the definition in population dominance or as the political center of the country. The US does not have a primate city, but NYC is one in the context of NYS as Buffalo is the second city, by population. In that respect, NYC does dominate in terms of the criteria used to qualify a city as a primate.

NYC does not dominate the national political scene at all, since that is Washington's purview. And, while the UN is in NYC, it could be anywhere, in reality. It is an international body and is not directly tied to the political climate that exists in NYC.

Education is another area where NYC does not dominate to the exclusion of others. It is among the top, but other cities in the US have similar numbers of highly-ranked institutions of higher learning.

NYC is a culturally significant leader in the US, but when objectively looking at the criteria, falls short of being a primate city.