A hamlet of Nassau County, East Meadow is centrally located and just 30 miles from New York City. The generally flat region once served as a grazing area for cattle, and later sheep throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. Aside from a northeast section of town, which was reserved as open space, the majority of town is densely suburban owing to a housing boom post-World War II. Noted businesses based here include Getty Oil and the U.S. headquarters for Lufthansa and Swiss International Air Lines.