The North Country is the northernmost region of the U.S. state of New York, bordered by Lake Champlain to the east, the Adirondack Mountains and the Upper Capital District to the south, the Mohawk Valley region to the southwest, the Canadian border to the north, and Lake Ontario and the Saint Lawrence Seaway to the west.[1] A mostly rural area, the North Country includes seven counties. Fort Drum, a U.S. Army base, is also located in the North Country, as is the Adirondack Park. As of 2024, the population of the region was 420,311.[2]
The term "North Country" was first widely popularized within New York by the 1900 novel Eben Holden by Irving Bacheller.[3]
According to the Empire State Development Corporation, the North Country encompasses the following seven counties:[2]
However, according to the Adirondack North Country Association, the North Country consists of 14 counties; those listed above and the following:
These are all counties in which part of Adirondack State Park resides.[4]
Herb Hallas summarizes both views:[5]