All Topics  
Queens

 
Queens

   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link






 

Queens



 
 
Queens is the largest in area, the second-largest in population, and the easternmost of the Five Boroughs
Borough (New York City)

New York City is one of the largest cities in the world, and it is segmented into boroughs for various reasons. A borough is a unique form of government which administers the five fundamental constituent parts that make up the History of New York City ....
 which form the City of New York
New York City

The City of New York is the List of United States cities by population in the United States, while the New York metropolitan area ranks among the List of urban areas by population....
. The Borough of Queens' boundaries are identical to those of the County of Queens (Queens County), a subdivision
Administrative divisions of New York

File:Town and village halls, Monroe, NY.jpgAdministrative divisions of New York State differ from those in certain other countries and most U.S....
 of the State of New York in the Northeastern
Northeastern United States

The Northeast is a region of the United States. According to the definition used by the United States Census Bureau, the Northeast region consists of nine states: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania....
 United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
.

Located on the western portion of Long Island
Long Island

Long Island is an island located in southeastern New York, United States, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are Borough s of New York City, and two of which are mainly suburban....
, Queens is home to two of the three major New York City area airports, John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy International Airport

John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located on Long Island, in Queens County, New York in southeastern New York City about 12 miles from Lower Manhattan....
 and LaGuardia
LaGuardia Airport

LaGuardia Airport is an airport located in Queens County on Long Island in the New York City. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Queens, Jackson Heights, Queens and East Elmhurst, Queens....
; it is also the location of the New York Mets
New York Mets

The New York Mets are a professional baseball based in Flushing, Queens, New York City, New York. The Mets are a member of the National League East of Major League Baseball's National League....
 baseball team; the US Open tennis tournament; Flushing Meadows Park and Silvercup Studios
Silvercup Studios

File:Wikist aces 0009.jpgSilvercup Studios is the largest film and television production facility in New York City. Located in the neighborhood of Long Island City, Queens, in the borough of Queens , the studio complex has been operating since 1983 in the former Silvercup Bakery building....
.

American Community Survey, immigrants comprise 47.6% of Queens residents making Queens the city's most diverse borough.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Queens'
Start a new discussion about 'Queens'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Recent Posts









Encyclopedia


Queens is the largest in area, the second-largest in population, and the easternmost of the Five Boroughs
Borough (New York City)

New York City is one of the largest cities in the world, and it is segmented into boroughs for various reasons. A borough is a unique form of government which administers the five fundamental constituent parts that make up the History of New York City ....
 which form the City of New York
New York City

The City of New York is the List of United States cities by population in the United States, while the New York metropolitan area ranks among the List of urban areas by population....
. The Borough of Queens' boundaries are identical to those of the County of Queens (Queens County), a subdivision
Administrative divisions of New York

File:Town and village halls, Monroe, NY.jpgAdministrative divisions of New York State differ from those in certain other countries and most U.S....
 of the State of New York in the Northeastern
Northeastern United States

The Northeast is a region of the United States. According to the definition used by the United States Census Bureau, the Northeast region consists of nine states: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania....
 United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
.

Located on the western portion of Long Island
Long Island

Long Island is an island located in southeastern New York, United States, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are Borough s of New York City, and two of which are mainly suburban....
, Queens is home to two of the three major New York City area airports, John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy International Airport

John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located on Long Island, in Queens County, New York in southeastern New York City about 12 miles from Lower Manhattan....
 and LaGuardia
LaGuardia Airport

LaGuardia Airport is an airport located in Queens County on Long Island in the New York City. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Queens, Jackson Heights, Queens and East Elmhurst, Queens....
; it is also the location of the New York Mets
New York Mets

The New York Mets are a professional baseball based in Flushing, Queens, New York City, New York. The Mets are a member of the National League East of Major League Baseball's National League....
 baseball team; the US Open tennis tournament; Flushing Meadows Park and Silvercup Studios
Silvercup Studios

File:Wikist aces 0009.jpgSilvercup Studios is the largest film and television production facility in New York City. Located in the neighborhood of Long Island City, Queens, in the borough of Queens , the studio complex has been operating since 1983 in the former Silvercup Bakery building....
.

American Community Survey, immigrants comprise 47.6% of Queens residents making Queens the city's most diverse borough. With a population of 2.2 million it is the second most populous borough in New York City (behind Brooklyn) and the tenth most populous county
List of the most populous counties in the United States

This is a list of the 100 largest County in the United States by population. The list is based on the population estimates for July 1, 2007, the most recently released estimates from the United States Census Bureau....
 in the United States. It is also the nation's fourth-most-densely populated
Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans....
 county (after the counties covering Manhattan
Manhattan

Manhattan is one of the five borough of New York City, located primarily on Manhattan Island at the mouth of the Hudson River.With a United States Census of 1,620,867 living in a land area of 22.96 square miles , Manhattan, coextensive with New York County, is the most population density county in the United States, w...
, Brooklyn
Brooklyn

Brooklyn is one of the five Borough of New York City, located at the western end of Long Island. An independent city until its consolidation with New York in 1898, Brooklyn is New York City's most populous borough, with 2.5 million residents, and second largest in area....
 and the Bronx
The Bronx

The Bronx is the northernmost of the Five Boroughs of New York City and the newest of the 62 Administrative divisions of New York#county of New York State....
). The 2.2 million figure is the highest historical population for the borough. Were each borough an independent city, Queens would be the fifth largest city in the United States.
Jurisdiction PopulationLand Area
Borough ofCounty ofestimate for
1 July 2007
square
miles
square
km
Manhattan
Manhattan

Manhattan is one of the five borough of New York City, located primarily on Manhattan Island at the mouth of the Hudson River.With a United States Census of 1,620,867 living in a land area of 22.96 square miles , Manhattan, coextensive with New York County, is the most population density county in the United States, w...
New York1,620,8672359
the Bronx
The Bronx

The Bronx is the northernmost of the Five Boroughs of New York City and the newest of the 62 Administrative divisions of New York#county of New York State....
Bronx1,373,65942109
Brooklyn
Brooklyn

Brooklyn is one of the five Borough of New York City, located at the western end of Long Island. An independent city until its consolidation with New York in 1898, Brooklyn is New York City's most populous borough, with 2.5 million residents, and second largest in area....
Kings2,528,05071183
Queens
Queens

Queens is the largest in area, the second-largest in population, and the easternmost of the Borough which form the New York City. The Borough of Queens' boundaries are identical to those of the County of Queens , a Administrative divisions of New York#County of the State of New York in the Northeastern United States United States....
Queens2,270,338109283
Staten Island
Staten Island

Staten Island is a borough of New York City, situated almost entirely on the island of the same name in the extreme southwest part of the city....
Richmond481,61358151
8,274,527303786
19,297,72947,214122,284
Source: United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau

The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data....
Queens was established in 1683 as one of the original 12 counties of New York
Province of New York

The Province of New York resulted from the capture of the Dutch Republic colony of Provincie New Netherland by the Kingdom of England, and included all of the present U.S....
 and was supposedly named for the Queen consort
Queen consort

A queen consort is the title given to the wife of a reigning Monarch. Queens consort usually share their husbands' Royal and noble ranks and hold the feminine equivalent of their husbands' monarchical titles....
, Catherine of Braganza
Catherine of Braganza

Catherine of Braganza was a Portugal Infanta and the queen consort of Charles II of England of England, Scotland and Ireland....
 (1638-1705), the Portuguese princess who married King Charles II of England
Charles II of England

Charles II was the Monarchy of Kingdom of England, Kingdom of Scotland, and Kingdom of Ireland.His father Charles I of England Regicide#The regicide of Charles I of England at Palace of Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War....
 in 1662.

The borough is often considered one of the more suburb
Suburb

Suburbs are commonly defined as the residential areas which surround the central area of the urban area of a town or city. In the United States, suburbs have a prevalence of usually detached single-family homes.....
an boroughs (in comparison to Manhattan
Manhattan

Manhattan is one of the five borough of New York City, located primarily on Manhattan Island at the mouth of the Hudson River.With a United States Census of 1,620,867 living in a land area of 22.96 square miles , Manhattan, coextensive with New York County, is the most population density county in the United States, w...
 standards) of New York City. Neighborhoods in central Queens (except those situated along Queens Boulevard
Queens Boulevard

Queens Boulevard is a major thoroughfare in the New York City borough of Queens, forming part of New York State Route 25....
 and the neighborhoods of Flushing
Flushing, Queens

Flushing, founded in 1645, is a neighborhood in the north central part of the City of New York City borough of Queens , ten miles east of Manhattan....
 and Jamaica
Jamaica, Queens

Jamaica is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York, United States. It was settled under Netherlands rule in 1656 in New Netherland as Rustdorp....
), southern Queens, and eastern Queens have a look and feel similar to the bordering suburbs of western Nassau County
Nassau County, New York

Nassau County is a suburban Political subdivisions of New York State#County in the New York Metropolitan Area east of New York City in the U.S....
. In its northwestern section, however, Queens is home to many urban neighborhoods and several central business districts. Long Island City, on the Queens' waterfront across from Manhattan
Manhattan

Manhattan is one of the five borough of New York City, located primarily on Manhattan Island at the mouth of the Hudson River.With a United States Census of 1,620,867 living in a land area of 22.96 square miles , Manhattan, coextensive with New York County, is the most population density county in the United States, w...
, is the site of the Citicorp Building
Citicorp Building

One Court Square, also known as the Citicorp Building, is a 50-story office tower in Long Island City, Queens just outside of Manhattan....
, the tallest skyscraper in New York City outside of Manhattan.

History

European colonization brought both Dutch
Netherlands

The Netherlands is a country that is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands is located in North-West Europe, and bordered by the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east....
 and English
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 settlers, as a part of the New Netherlands colony. First settlements occurred in 1635, with colonization at Maspeth
Maspeth, Queens

Maspeth is a small community in the borough of Queens in New York City. Neighborhoods sharing borders with Maspeth are Woodside, Queens and Sunnyside, Queens to the north, Long Island City, Queens to the northwest, Greenpoint, Brooklyn to the west, East Williamsburg, Brooklyn to the southwest, Fresh Pond, Queens and Ridgewood, Queens to the...
 in 1642, and Vlissingen (now Flushing
Flushing, Queens

Flushing, founded in 1645, is a neighborhood in the north central part of the City of New York City borough of Queens , ten miles east of Manhattan....
) in 1643. Other early settlements included Newtown (now Elmhurst
Elmhurst, Queens

Elmhurst is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. It is bounded by Roosevelt Avenue on the north; Corona, Queens to the northeast; Junction Boulevard on the east; Rego Park, Queens to the southeast; the Long Island Expressway on the south; Middle Village, Queens to the south and southwest; and Maspeth, Queens and the New Yo...
) and Jamaica
Jamaica, Queens

Jamaica is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York, United States. It was settled under Netherlands rule in 1656 in New Netherland as Rustdorp....
. However, these towns were mostly inhabited by English settlers from New England
New England

New England is a region of the United States located in the northeastern corner of the country, bounded by the Atlantic Ocean, Canada and New York State, and consisting of the modern U.S....
 via eastern Long Island
Long Island

Long Island is an island located in southeastern New York, United States, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are Borough s of New York City, and two of which are mainly suburban....
 (Suffolk County
Suffolk County, New York

Suffolk County is a Political subdivisions of New York State#County located in the U.S. state of New York on the eastern portion of Long Island....
) subject to Dutch law. After the capture of the colony by the English and its renaming as New York in 1664, the area (and all of Long Island) became known as Yorkshire
Yorkshire County, Province of New York

On 1664-08-29, The Duke of York?s forces captured New Amsterdam from the Dutch as part of their conquest of New Netherland. They renamed New Amsterdam as the Privince of New York, which included modern New York, New Jersey, Vermont, southeast Pennsylvania, and Delaware....
.

Originally, Queens County included the adjacent area now comprising Nassau County
Nassau County, New York

Nassau County is a suburban Political subdivisions of New York State#County in the New York Metropolitan Area east of New York City in the U.S....
. It was an original county of New York State, one of twelve created on November 1, 1683. On October 7, 1691, all counties in the Colony of New York were redefined. Queens gained North Brother Island
North Brother Island

North Brother Island is an island in the East River situated between the Bronx and Riker's Island. Its companion, South Brother Island, is a short distance away....
, South Brother Island
South Brother Island

South Brother Island is one of a pair of small islands in the East River situated between the Bronx and Riker's Island, New York City and containing of land....
, and Huletts Island (today known as Rikers Island
Rikers Island

Rikers Island is New York City's County jail facility, as well as the name of the island on which it sits, in the East River between Queens and the mainland Bronx, adjacent to the runways of LaGuardia Airport....
). On December 3, 1768, Queens gained other islands in Long Island Sound that were not already assigned to a county but that did not abut on Westchester County (today’s Bronx County
The Bronx

The Bronx is the northernmost of the Five Boroughs of New York City and the newest of the 62 Administrative divisions of New York#county of New York State....
).

Queens played a minor role in the American Revolution
American Revolution

The American Revolution refers to the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which the Thirteen Colonies of North America overthrew the governance of the British Empire and then rejected the British monarchy to become the sovereign United States of America....
, as compared to Brooklyn
Brooklyn

Brooklyn is one of the five Borough of New York City, located at the western end of Long Island. An independent city until its consolidation with New York in 1898, Brooklyn is New York City's most populous borough, with 2.5 million residents, and second largest in area....
 where the Battle of Long Island
Battle of Long Island

}|-||-||}The Battle of Long Island, also known as the Battle of Brooklyn or the Battle of Brooklyn Heights, fought on August 27, 1776, was the first major battle in the American Revolutionary War following the United States Declaration of Independence, the largest battle of the entire conflict, and the first battle in which...
 was largely fought. Queens, like the rest of Long Island, fell under British occupation after the Battle of Long Island in 1776 and remained occupied throughout most of the rest of the war. Under the Quartering Act
Quartering Act

Quartering Act is the name of at least two Act of Parliament of the Parliament of Great Britain. The Quartering Acts were used by the British forces in the American colonies to ensure that British troops had adequate housing and provisions....
, British soldiers used, as barracks, the public inns and uninhabited buildings belonging to Queens residents, against the will of many of the local people. The quartering of soldiers in private homes, except in times of war, was banned by the Third Amendment to the United States Constitution
Third Amendment to the United States Constitution

The Third Amendment to the United States Constitution is a part of the United States Bill of Rights. It was introduced by James Madison on September 5, 1789, and then three-fourths of the states ratified this as well as 9 others on December 15, 1791....
. Nathan Hale
Nathan Hale

Nathan Hale was an officer for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Widely considered America's first spy, he volunteered for an intelligence-gathering mission, but was captured by the British....
 was captured by the British on the shore of Flushing Bay in Queens before being executed in Manhattan
Manhattan

Manhattan is one of the five borough of New York City, located primarily on Manhattan Island at the mouth of the Hudson River.With a United States Census of 1,620,867 living in a land area of 22.96 square miles , Manhattan, coextensive with New York County, is the most population density county in the United States, w...
.

From 1683 until 1784, Queens County consisted of five towns: Flushing, Hempstead
Town of Hempstead, New York

The Town of Hempstead is one of the three Political subdivisions of New York State#Towns in Nassau County, New York, New York, United States, occupying the southwest part of the county....
, Jamaica, Newtown, and Oyster Bay
Town of Oyster Bay, New York

Oyster Bay, New York can refer to:* Oyster Bay , New York* Oyster Bay , New York* Oyster Bay , New York, also Oyster Bay Harbor, an inlet on the north shore of Long Island, New York...
. On April 6, 1784, a sixth town, the Town of North Hempstead
Town of North Hempstead, New York

North Hempstead is a Political subdivisions of New York State#Town in Nassau County, New York, New York, United States.As of the 2000 census, the town population was 222,611....
, was formed through secession by the northern portions of the Town of Hempstead.

The seat of the county government was located first in Jamaica, but was moved about 1788 to an area near Mineola
Mineola, New York

Mineola is a village in Nassau County, New York, New York, United States. The population was 19,233 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from a Native Americans in the United States word meaning a "pleasant place."...
 (now in Nassau County) known then as Clowesville. In 1870, Long Island City
Long Island City, Queens

Long Island City is the westernmost neighborhood of the borough of Queens in New York City. It is bounded on the north and west by the East River; on the east by Hazen Street, 31st Street, and New Calvary Cemetery, and on the south by Newtown Creek, which separates Queens from Greenpoint, Brooklyn....
 was incorporated as a city, consisting of what had been the Village of Astoria
Astoria, Queens

Astoria is a neighborhood in the northwestern corner of the borough of Queens in New York City. Located in Queens Community Board 1, Astoria is bounded by the East River and is adjacent to three other Queens neighborhoods: Long Island City, Queens, Sunnyside, Queens , and Woodside, Queens ....
 and some unincorporated areas in the Town of Newtown. Around 1874, the seat of county government was moved to Long Island City from Mineola.

On March 1, 1860, the eastern border between Queens County (later Nassau County) and Suffolk County
Suffolk County, New York

Suffolk County is a Political subdivisions of New York State#County located in the U.S. state of New York on the eastern portion of Long Island....
 was redefined with no discernible change. On June 8, 1881, North Brother Island
North Brother Island

North Brother Island is an island in the East River situated between the Bronx and Riker's Island. Its companion, South Brother Island, is a short distance away....
 was transferred to New York County
Manhattan

Manhattan is one of the five borough of New York City, located primarily on Manhattan Island at the mouth of the Hudson River.With a United States Census of 1,620,867 living in a land area of 22.96 square miles , Manhattan, coextensive with New York County, is the most population density county in the United States, w...
. On May 8, 1884, Rikers Island
Rikers Island

Rikers Island is New York City's County jail facility, as well as the name of the island on which it sits, in the East River between Queens and the mainland Bronx, adjacent to the runways of LaGuardia Airport....
 was transferred to New York County
Manhattan

Manhattan is one of the five borough of New York City, located primarily on Manhattan Island at the mouth of the Hudson River.With a United States Census of 1,620,867 living in a land area of 22.96 square miles , Manhattan, coextensive with New York County, is the most population density county in the United States, w...
. On April 16, 1964, South Brother Island
South Brother Island

South Brother Island is one of a pair of small islands in the East River situated between the Bronx and Riker's Island, New York City and containing of land....
 was transferred to Bronx County
The Bronx

The Bronx is the northernmost of the Five Boroughs of New York City and the newest of the 62 Administrative divisions of New York#county of New York State....
.

Borough of Queens


The New York City Borough of Queens was authorized on May 4, 1897, by a vote of the New York State Legislature after an 1894 referendum on consolidation. The eastern 280 square miles of Queens that became Nassau County was partitioned on January 1, 1899.

Queens Borough was established on 1898-01-01. Long Island City, the towns of Newtown, Flushing, and Jamaica, and the Rockaway Peninsula
Rockaway, Queens

The Rockaway Peninsula, also known as The Rockaways, is the name of a peninsula of Long Island, most of which is located within the borough of Queens in New York City....
 portion of the Town of Hempstead were merged to form the new borough, dissolving all former municipal governments (Long Island City, the county government, all towns, and all villages) within the new borough. The areas of Queens County that were not part of the consolidation plan, consisting of the towns of North Hempstead and Oyster Bay, and the major remaining portion of the Town of Hempstead, remained part of Queens County until they seceded to form the new Nassau County on January 1, 1899, whereupon the boundaries of Queens County and the Borough of Queens became coterminous. Lloyd Neck, which was part of the Town of Oyster Bay, seceded from Queens and became part of Suffolk County
Suffolk County, New York

Suffolk County is a Political subdivisions of New York State#County located in the U.S. state of New York on the eastern portion of Long Island....
. With consolidation, Jamaica once again became the county seat, though county offices now extend to nearby Kew Gardens
Kew Gardens, Queens

Kew Gardens is a neighborhood in central Queens bounded to the north by the Jackie Robinson Parkway , to the east by Van Wyck Expressway and 131st Street, to the south by Hillside Avenue , and to the west by Park Lane, Abingdon Road and 118th Street....
 also.

From 1905 to 1908 the Long Island Rail Road
Long Island Rail Road

The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York that has been classified as a Class II railroad by the Surface Transportation Board....
 in Queens was electrified. Transportation to and from Manhattan
Manhattan

Manhattan is one of the five borough of New York City, located primarily on Manhattan Island at the mouth of the Hudson River.With a United States Census of 1,620,867 living in a land area of 22.96 square miles , Manhattan, coextensive with New York County, is the most population density county in the United States, w...
, previously by ferry or via bridges in Brooklyn, opened up when the Queensboro Bridge
Queensboro Bridge

The Queensboro Bridge, also known as the 59th Street Bridge, is a cantilever bridge over the East River in New York City that was completed in 1909....
 was finished in 1909, and with railway tunnels under the East River
East River

The East River is a tidal strait in New York City. It connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island from the island of Manhattan and the Bronx on the North American mainland....
 in 1910. From 1915 onward, much of Queens was connected to the New York City subway system. With the construction of the Steinway Tunnel
Steinway Tunnel

The Steinway Tunnel carries the train of the New York City Subway under the East River between 42nd Street in Manhattan and 51st Avenue in Long Island City, Queens, Queens, in New York City....
 carrying the IRT Flushing Line
IRT Flushing Line

The Flushing Line is a rapid transit route of the New York City Subway system, operated as part of the Interborough Rapid Transit Company Division and designated the 7 route....
 between Queens and Manhattan, and the emergent expansion of the use of the automobile
Automobile

An automobile or motor car is a wheeled motor vehicle for transportation passengers, which also carries its own car engine or motor. Most definitions of the term specify that automobiles are designed to run primarily on roads, to have seating for one to eight people, to typically have four wheels, and to be constructed principally f...
, the population of Queens more than doubled in the 1920s, from 469,042 in 1920 to 1,079,129 in 1930. This was followed by the IND Queens Boulevard Line
IND Queens Boulevard Line

The Queens Boulevard Line is a fully underground line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in Manhattan and Queens, New York City, United States....
 via the 53rd Street Tunnel
53rd Street Tunnel

The 53rd Street Tunnel carries the IND Queens Boulevard Line of the New York City Subway under the East River and Roosevelt Island between Manhattan and Queens, New York City....
 which included a special loop station for the 1939 World's Fair.

Geography

Queens County is in the western part of Long Island and includes a few smaller islands, most of which are in Jamaica Bay
Jamaica Bay

Jamaica Bay is a lagoon that lies in the shadow of New York City's skyscrapers and is adjacent to John F. Kennedy International Airport....
 and form part of Gateway National Recreation Area
Gateway National Recreation Area

Gateway National Recreation Area is a 26,607 acre U.S. National Recreation Area in the New York City metropolitan area. Scattered over Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Monmouth County, New Jersey, it provides recreational opportunities that are rare for a dense urban environment, including ocean swimming, bird watching, boating, hiking a...
, which is in turn one of the National Parks of New York Harbor. The Rockaway Peninsula sits between Jamaica Bay and the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions; with a total area of about 106.4 million square kilometres . It covers approximately one-fifth of the Earth's surface....
. The western and northern edge of the borough is defined a watery continuum made up of Newtown Creek
Newtown Creek

Newtown Creek, is a estuary that forms part of the border between the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, in New York City, New York, United States....
 which flows into the tidal estuary known as the East River
East River

The East River is a tidal strait in New York City. It connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island from the island of Manhattan and the Bronx on the North American mainland....
, which includes the associated Flushing Bay and Flushing River
Flushing River

The Flushing River, more properly and historically known as Flushing Creek, is a waterway that flows through the northern part of central Queens in New York City, emptying into the East River....
. The East River opens into Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound

Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean and various rivers in the United States that lies between the coast of Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south....
. The mid-section of Queens is crossed by the Long Island
Long Island

Long Island is an island located in southeastern New York, United States, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are Borough s of New York City, and two of which are mainly suburban....
 straddling terminal moraine
Moraine

A moraine is any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris which can occur in currently glaciated and formerly glaciated regions, such as those areas acted upon by a past ice age....
 created by the Wisconsin Glacier. This feature evolved into a land use pun due to the siting of many cemeteries.

The tallest tree in the New York metropolitan area
New York metropolitan area

The New York metropolitan area or Tri-State Region is the most populous metropolitan area in the United States and is also List of metropolitan areas by population....
, called the Queens Giant
Queens Giant

The Queens Giant is an old Tulip Poplar located in Alley Pond Park in the borough of Queens, New York City. It is the tallest carefully measured tree in New York City....
, is also the oldest living thing in the New York metro area. It is located in northeastern Queens, and is 450 years old and tall as of 2005.

According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau

The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data....
, the county has a total area of ; of this is land and 38.7% is water.

Adjacent Counties

  • Bronx County - north
  • Nassau County
    Nassau County, New York

    Nassau County is a suburban Political subdivisions of New York State#County in the New York Metropolitan Area east of New York City in the U.S....
     - east
  • Kings County (Borough of Brooklyn
    Brooklyn

    Brooklyn is one of the five Borough of New York City, located at the western end of Long Island. An independent city until its consolidation with New York in 1898, Brooklyn is New York City's most populous borough, with 2.5 million residents, and second largest in area....
    ) - southwest
  • New York County (Borough of Manhattan
    Manhattan

    Manhattan is one of the five borough of New York City, located primarily on Manhattan Island at the mouth of the Hudson River.With a United States Census of 1,620,867 living in a land area of 22.96 square miles , Manhattan, coextensive with New York County, is the most population density county in the United States, w...
    ) - west


Neighborhoods