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North Country Region

Location

The North Country is the largest of New York's regions in area (almost 10,000 square miles) and the smallest in population. It is a place of extraordinary beauty, bordered by Lake Ontario on the west, the Adirondack Mountains to the south, Vermont and Lake Champlain to the east, and the St. Lawrence Seaway and Canada, to the north.

Weather

Mean Daily Temperature:
  January 14.5° F
  July 69.0° F

Workforce

  
Business and Industry

The North Country Region's economy is based primarily on the development of its abundant natural resources, including vast stretches of timber and valuable mineral deposits like zinc, talc and dolomite. Three industries - dairying, paper manufacturing and aluminum products - account for nearly half of all the manufacturing jobs in the region. Other major industries include wood products, pharmaceuticals, apparel manufacturing and plastics.

Tourism plays a central role in the region's economy, and is a major employer. The Thousand Islands, the Champlain Valley and the Adirondack Park are destinations for thousands of visitors each year.

Transportation

Highways: Two major interstate highways provide access. The eastern part of the region is served by the scenic Adirondack Northway, I-87, which connects Albany and the New York State Thruway with Canada. I-81 passes through the western part of the region, connecting it with Syracuse and the New York State Thruway to the south, and Canada to the north.

Air Service: Passenger service is provided at Watertown, Ogdensburg, Plattsburgh, Massena and Saranac Lake.

Rail Service: Commercial rail service is provided by CSX and Canadian Pacific; Amtrak operates passenger service on the eastern portion of the region from Montreal south to New York City.

Bus Service: Regular service is provided by Greyhound Bus Lines and Adirondack Trailways in several communities throughout the region.

Higher Education Institutions

The region's colleges and universities enroll close to 30,000 students, including two SUNY four-year colleges. Major institutions are listed below, with those offering teacher preparation programs in bold.

Clarkson University
Paul Smith's College of Arts and Sciences
St. Lawrence University
SUNY College of Technology at Canton
SUNY College at Potsdam
SUNY College at Plattsburgh

Health Care-major hospitals

Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital, Plattsburgh
House of Good Samaritan Hospital, Watertown
A. Barton Hepburn Hospital, Ogdensburg
Adirondack Medical Center, Saranac Lake
Massena Memorial Hospital, Massena

Quality of Life

The North Country Region is an area of outstanding physical beauty. Natural attractions include the Thousand Islands in the St. Lawrence River, Ausable Chasm, the Adirondack Park and its 46 "high peaks," and Lake Champlain. The region is a four-season outdoor vacationland, with world-class alpine and nordic skiing, challenging hiking and backpacking, canoeing, kayaking, whitewater rafting, fishing and golf. Lake Placid, site of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics, is a major four-season resort area. The Crane School of Music in Potsdam and the Remington Art Museum in Ogdensburg are two of the region's unique cultural offerings.

Information obtained from numerous New York State sources.