The Northeast
The Northeast has developed into a major commercial center!
Physical Characteristics of the Northeast
Natural Resources of the Northeast
A Leader in Industry
The Megalopolis
The far suburbs of one city in some cases stretched to the suburbs of the next. By the 1960s, the area from Boston to Washington D.C. had earned a new name: Megalopolis (a word based on Greek roots meaning "a very large city." About 40 million people now live in this megalopolis- one seventh of the entire United States population.
While the east coast megalopolis remains one of the dominant centers of American business and industry, it faces serious problems too. After decades of steady explosions, its inhabitants now have serious concerns that the area might run short of water or of facilities for waste disposal.
Another problem facing many cities in the Northeast is a decline in population. Between 1970 and 2000, for example, the population of the city of Philadelphia declined by more than 430,000. As a result, the city government must collect higher taxes from fewer residents and businesses. The city has to rely on other sources of revenue to pay for many basic services, such as street repairs and police protection.
Yet, the Northeast still remains a vital area. despite the destruction of the World Trade Center in 2001, New York is still the business capital of the world, and its population has grown to more than 8 million people. Businesses and industries want to be near large numbers of consumers continue to thrive in the Northeast. Tax breaks have spurred the creation of new jobs. The natural beauty of less crowded parts of the region also attracts people.