Editing Chautauqua County, New York (section)

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|1500|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|1060|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|440|sqmi}} (29%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_36.txt |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files |date=August 22, 2012 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140519062322/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_36.txt |archive-date=May 19, 2014 |access-date=January 3, 2015}}</ref>

Chautauqua County, in the southwestern corner of New York State, along the New York-[[Pennsylvania]] border, is the westernmost of New York's counties. [[Chautauqua Lake]] is located in the center of the county, and [[Lake Erie]] is its northern border.

Part of the [[Eastern Continental Divide]] runs through Chautauqua County. The area that drains into the [[Conewango Creek]] (including Chautauqua Lake) eventually empties into the Gulf of Mexico; the rest of the county's watershed empties into Lake Erie and via Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence Seaway into the North Atlantic Ocean. This divide, known as the '''Chautauqua Ridge''', can be used to mark the border between the [[Southern Tier]] and the [[Niagara Frontier]]. It is also a significant dividing point in the county's [[geopolitics]], with the "North County" being centered on Dunkirk and the "South County" centered on Jamestown each having their own interests.<ref>Dean, Nicholas (August 30, 2009). [http://www.post-journal.com/page/content.detail/id/538727.html?nav=5018 "Legislators Cite North-South Discrepancies"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090903022410/http://www.post-journal.com/page/content.detail/id/538727.html?nav=5018 |date=September 3, 2009 }}, ''The Post-Journal,'' Retrieved 2009-08-30.</ref>

The county is generally composed of rolling hills and valleys, with elevations ranging anywhere between 1100 and 2100 feet, although the land within a few miles of Lake Erie is generally flat and at an elevation of 1000 feet or lower.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usgs.gov/core-science-systems/ngp/board-on-geographic-names|title=U.S. Board on Geographic Names|website=www.usgs.gov}}</ref> The lowest point in the county is Lake Erie, at {{convert|571|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}}, and the highest point is Gurnsey Benchmark at {{convert|2180|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://peakbagger.com/list.aspx?lid=13319 |title=New York County High Points |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130808213347/http://peakbagger.com/list.aspx?lid=13319 |archive-date=August 8, 2013}}</ref>

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Erie County, New York|Erie County]] - northeast
* [[Cattaraugus County, New York|Cattaraugus County]] - east
* [[Warren County, Pennsylvania|Warren County]], [[Pennsylvania]] - south
* [[Erie County, Pennsylvania|Erie County]], [[Pennsylvania]] - southwest

Chautauqua County is one of the few counties in the US to border two counties of the same name in different states (Erie County in New York and Pennsylvania).

===Major highways===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* {{jct|state=NY|I|86|NY|17|STE}}
* {{jct|state=NY|I-Toll|90|NYST}}
* {{jct|state=NY|US|20}}
* {{jct|state=NY|US|62}}
* {{jct|state=NY|NY|5}}
* {{jct|state=NY|NY|39}}
* {{jct|state=NY|NY|60}}
* {{jct|state=NY|NY|83}}
* {{jct|state=NY|NY|394}}
* {{jct|state=NY|NY|426}}
* {{jct|state=NY|NY|430}}
* {{jct|state=NY|NY|474}}
{{div col end}}