This is a fun list.  It seems that Upstate New York is sort of like its own United Nations.  Well, in name only.

Why are so many places in Upstate New York named for faraway lands and cities?  The answer is for various reasons.  Some of our towns are named for them to pay tribute to early settlers and immigrants who came from other countries to settle in Upstate New York (such as Rotterdam, New York).  Others are named randomly, perhaps because they like the sound of the international country or city.  Others, well, we really have no idea how the name was picked.

Some were named for a foreign city and spelled likewise, but pronounce it differently.  Delhi, N.Y. for example was named for Delhi, India.  The Upstate New York Delhi is pronounced "Del-high" and the Indian city it was named for is actually pronounced "Del-eee."  Curious.

Upstate New York has a Rome, Madrid, Amsterdam, Lisbon, Mexico, Cuba, Oxford and many other communities that are named for international locations.

This list is a sampler list of some of the most interesting place names.  We know there are many others in the region (like Russia, Peru, and Lyons, which was named for Lyon, France), and perhaps you live in one of them.  If so, please let us know!

How to Travel All Around the World Without Leaving Upstate New York

There is an unusually high number of Upstate New York communities which carry the same name as international cities and countries. Some Upstate towns were named so in honor of that faraway place. Other naming seems rather random at best. So settle in and take a trip to Cuba, Amsterdam, Rome, Cambridge, Mexico, Warsaw and other places without even leaving Upstate New York. Kind of.

We know there are many more than the 18 on this list, so let us hear from you!

Read More: "Order Up!" 26 Of the Best Diners in New York State

From the tip of Long Island to the tip of Western New York, the Empire State has no shortage of excellent diners. Some have been around for a decade or so, and some have been around for five decades or so. Most are mom-and pop diners that have been in the family for a couple of generations. It is always fun to eat at a diner and we submit that these 26 are just too good to pass up! Twenty-five of them are in Upstate New York but we had to put in a great and historic diner from New York City. They do have some great diners in the Big Apple!

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