Manhattan is the most densely populated borough of New York City, its economic and administrative center, and the city's historical birthplace. Often described as the cultural and financial capital of the world and hosts the United Nations Headquarters, it is home to the world's two largest stock exchanges by total market capitalization: the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ. Many multinational media conglomerates are also based in the borough.

Many districts and landmarks in Manhattan have become well known, and it hosts three of the world's 10 most-visited tourist attractions: Times Square, Central Park, and Grand Central Terminal. Consists mostly of Manhattan Island, the borough hosts many world-renowned bridges, such as the Brooklyn Bridge; skyscrapers such as the Empire State Building, one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world; and parks, such as Central Park. There are many historically significant places in Manhattan: Chinatown incorporates the highest concentration of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere, and the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village is considered the birthplace of the modern gay rights movement.