There are hundreds of distinct neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs of New York City, many with a definable history and character to call their own.
Manhattan in Manhattan, the most densely populated borough of New York City,
with a higher density than any individual American city Manhattan (co-extensive with New York County) is the geographically smallest and most densely populated borough. It is the symbol of New York City, as home to most of the city's
skyscrapers and prominent landmarks, including
Times Square and
Central Park; and may be locally known simply as
The City. Manhattan's (New York County's) population density of 72,033 people per square mile (27,812/km2) in 2015 makes it the
highest of any county in the United States and
higher than the density of any individual U.S. city. Manhattan is the cultural, administrative, and
financial center of New York City and contains the
headquarters of many major
multinational corporations, the
United Nations Headquarters,
Wall Street, and a number of important
universities. Manhattan is often described by Americans as the cultural, financial,
media, and
entertainment capital of the world. Most of the borough is situated on
Manhattan Island, at the mouth of the
Hudson River. Several small islands are also part of the borough of Manhattan, including
Randall's Island,
Wards Island, and
Roosevelt Island in the
East River, and
Governors Island to the south in
New York Harbor;
Liberty Island, on which the
Statue of Liberty stands, is a Manhattan
exclave, as is the original portion of
Ellis Island. Manhattan Island is loosely divided into
Lower,
Midtown, and
Uptown regions. Uptown Manhattan is divided by Central Park into the
Upper East Side and the
Upper West Side, and above the park is
Harlem. Marble Hill was part of the northern tip of Manhattan Island, but the
Harlem River Ship Canal, dug in 1895, separated it from the remainder of Manhattan. Before World War I, the old channel was filled in and Marble Hill became part of the mainland. After a May 1984 court ruled that Marble Hill was part of Bronx County (not New York County), the matter was definitively settled later that year when the
New York Legislature overwhelmingly passed legislation declaring the neighborhood part of both New York County and the Borough of Manhattan. New York City's remaining four boroughs are collectively referred to as the outer boroughs.
Brooklyn s in the
Greenpoint Historic District of
Brooklyn, New York City's most populous borough
Brooklyn (co-extensive with Kings County), on the western tip of
Long Island, is the city's most populous borough. Brooklyn is known for its cultural, social, and ethnic diversity, an independent art scene,
distinct neighborhoods, and a distinctive architectural heritage.
Downtown Brooklyn is the largest central core neighborhood in the outer boroughs. The borough has a long beachfront shoreline including
Coney Island, established in the 1870s as one of the earliest amusement grounds in the country.
Marine Park and
design.
Queens in
Queens, the most
ethnically diverse urban area in the world as well as the most ethnically diverse urban area in the world. Historically a collection of small towns and villages founded by the
Dutch, the borough has since developed both commercial and residential prominence.
Downtown Flushing has become one of the busiest central core neighborhoods in the outer boroughs. Parts of Queens such as
Bellerose and
Forest Hills are relatively suburban in character. Queens is the site of
Citi Field, the
baseball stadium of the
New York Mets, and hosts the annual
U.S. Open tennis tournament at
Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. Additionally, two of the three busiest airports serving the New York metropolitan area,
John F. Kennedy International Airport and
LaGuardia Airport, are located in Queens. The third is
Newark Liberty International Airport in
Newark,
New Jersey.
The Bronx , the northernmost borough of New York City and the only borough situated primarily on the United States mainland
The Bronx (co-extensive with Bronx County) is New York City's northernmost borough and is the only New York City borough that is part of the United States mainland (excluding some islands that are part of the borough). It is the location of
Yankee Stadium, the baseball stadium of the
New York Yankees, and home to
Co-op City, the largest
cooperatively owned housing complex in the United States. It is home to the
Bronx Zoo, the world's largest metropolitan zoo, which covers and houses over 6,000 animals. Directly to the zoo's north is the
New York Botanical Garden, a botanical garden and National Historic Landmark.
Pelham Bay Park is the largest park in New York City, at .
Staten Island in the
St. George neighborhood of
Staten Island, the most
suburban borough of New York City
Staten Island (co-extensive with Richmond County) is generally the most
suburban in character of the five boroughs. Staten Island is connected to Brooklyn by the
Verrazzano–Narrows Bridge and to Manhattan by way of the
Staten Island Ferry, a free
commuter ferry and popular tourist attraction which provides unobstructed views of the Statue of Liberty,
Ellis Island, and
Lower Manhattan. In central Staten Island, the
Staten Island Greenbelt spans approximately , including of walking trails and one of the last undisturbed forests in the city. Designated in 1984 to protect the island's natural lands, the Greenbelt comprises seven city parks. ==Governance==