Brooklyn

Brooklyn is one of the five boroughs of New York City and is coextensive with Kings County. It lies on the western end of Long Island, bordered to the north by the East River and Manhattan, to the east by Queens, and to the south and southwest by the Atlantic Ocean and Upper New York Bay. Brooklyn is the most populous borough of New York City and the county with the highest population in New York State.

The area was settled by Europeans in the 17th century as Breuckelen, part of the Dutch colony of New Netherland. It joined New York City when the five boroughs were consolidated in 1898. Industrial growth, rail connections, and successive waves of immigration from Ireland, Italy, Jewish communities, and later Caribbean and Asian populations helped shape its urban character. Neighborhoods range from brownstone-lined streets in Brooklyn Heights and Park Slope to the arts and dining districts of Williamsburg and DUMBO.

Brooklyn is a major cultural and economic center within New York City. It hosts institutions such as the Brooklyn Museum, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and features notable parks like Prospect Park. The borough has a diverse economy spanning healthcare, education, media, technology, and small- to mid-sized businesses, alongside a thriving arts scene and distinctive culinary traditions. Transportation includes an extensive subway network and connections via several bridges and the Long Island Rail Road, linking Brooklyn with Manhattan and other boroughs.