Manhattan, borough of New York City, coextensive with New York county, in southeastern New York state, U.S. The borough, mainly on Manhattan Island, spills over into the Marble Hill section on the mainland and includes a number of islets in the East River. It is bounded by the Hudson River (west), Harlem River and Spuyten Duyvil Creek (northeast), East River (east), and Upper New York Bay (south). Manhattan is often mistakenly deemed synonymous with New York City. Manhattan is considered one of the world’s foremost commercial, financial, and cultural centres. It is renowned for its many points of interest. Among these are Broadway, one of the world’s best-known streets; the financial district of Wall Street; skyscrapers such as the Empire State Building; Greenwich Village, Harlem, and Central Park; the United Nations headquarters; One World Trade Center, the centrepiece of reconstruction at Ground Zero, the site of the former World Trade Center complex destroyed in the 9/11 attacks of 2001; and various cultural and educational institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Opera House, the Museum of Modern Art, Columbia University, two branches of the City University of New York, and New York University.
Bronx, one of the five boroughs of New York City, southeastern New York, U.S., coextensive with Bronx county, formed in 1912. The Bronx is the northernmost of the city’s boroughs. It is separated from Manhattan (to the south and west) by the narrow Harlem River and is further bordered by Westchester county (north), the Hudson River (west), the East River (south), and Long Island Sound (east). The Bronx, the only mainland borough, is connected to Manhattan by a dozen bridges and railroad tunnels and to Queens by the Robert F. Kennedy (formerly called Triborough), Bronx-Whitestone, and Throgs Neck bridges. Although the Bronx is primarily residential, much of its waterfront (more than 80 miles [130 km]) is used for shipping, warehouses, and industry (textiles, foods, machinery, and paper products).
Staten Island, island and borough, New York City, southeastern New York state, U.S. The island lies in New York Harbor south of Manhattan and between New Jersey and Brooklyn. With several smaller islands it forms Richmond county and the Staten Island borough of New York City. Roughly triangular, the island has about 35 miles (56 km) of waterfront and an area of almost 60 square miles (155 square km). It is connected with Manhattan by the Staten Island Ferry, which carries passengers and automobiles; with New Jersey by several bridges; and with Brooklyn by the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. The opening of the latter in 1964 spurred considerable development of the island. Staten Island is mostly residential but has some manufacturing; services and trade-related employment are particularly important.
Brooklyn, one of the five boroughs of New York City, southwestern Long Island, southeastern New York state, U.S., coextensive with Kings county. It is separated from Manhattan by the East River and is bordered by the Upper and Lower New York bays (west), the Atlantic Ocean (south), and the borough of Queens (north and east). Brooklyn is connected to Manhattan by three bridges (one of which is the Brooklyn Bridge), one vehicular tunnel, and several rapid-transit tubes; to Queens and Long Island by parkways; and to Staten Island by the 4,260-foot (1,298-metre) Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge. Brooklyn has many distinctive neighbourhoods. Brooklyn Heights offers panoramic views of Lower Manhattan from its promenade along the East River; Brownstone homes line the leafy streets of Park Slope; and Carroll Gardens retains its Italian American heritage while abounding with fashionable restaurants, shops, and bars. DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) has emerged as one of New York City’s best-known arts districts, and Coney Island’s oceanfront beach, boardwalk, and amusement rides (including the famous Wonder Wheel [1920] and Cyclone roller coaster [1927]) make it a popular warm-weather destination.
Queens, largest of the five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Queens county, southeastern New York, U.S. The borough lies on western Long Island and extends across the width of the island from the junction of the East River and Long Island Sound to the Atlantic Ocean. Queens is mostly residential, though it has manufacturing around Long Island City and storage and shipping facilities lining the East River. New York City’s John F. Kennedy International and La Guardia airports are in the borough, as are several branches of the City University of New York and the main campus of St. John’s University, New York.