When GTA 1 shipped in 1997, it came with three cities: Liberty, San Andreas and Vice City. All seen from a top-down view. These names would be reused and reinvented in every GTA after.
The three original cities
Liberty is New York's analogue. San Andreas is California's analogue. Vice City is Miami's analogue. All three cities had unique visual styling within the confines of the 1997 engine.
These names went on to brand every future GTA setting.