Queens

Queens is the largest borough in New York City by land area.

It is also known as Queens County. The borough sits near the western end of Long Island. To its east, it shares a border with Nassau County. Queens also has maritime borders with several other places. It touches the boroughs of Brooklyn, Manhattan, The Bronx, and Staten Island by water. It also shares a maritime border with New Jersey.

This borough is famous for its incredible diversity. Queens is the most linguistically diverse place in the world. It is also one of the most ethnically diverse regions. Approximately 47% of the people living in Queens were born in other countries.

According to the 2020 census, the population was 2,405,464. This makes Queens the second-most populous county in New York state. It is also the second-most populous borough in New York City. If Queens were an independent city, it would be the fourth largest in the United States. It ranks as the fourth-most densely populated borough in the city.

The history of Queens began with European settlement. The Dutch established the colony of New Netherland in the region. They created the first settlements in 1635. Later, they established Maspeth in 1642 and Vlissingen, now known as Flushing, in 1645.

English settlers also arrived, creating Newtown in 1652 and Jamaica in 1655. In 1664, the English captured the colony and renamed it New York. The area was then known as Yorkshire. In 1683, Queens was established as one of the original 12 counties of the Province of New York. It was likely named after Catherine of Braganza. She was an English queen and a Portuguese royal princess.

During the American Revolution, Queens played a role in the conflict. The area remained under British occupation after the Battle of Long Island in 1776. British soldiers used the public inns and empty buildings of residents as barracks. This happened under the Quartering Act. This practice was later addressed by the Third Amendment to the United States Constitution. During this time, the spy Nathan Hale was captured at Flushing Bay. The British also destroyed the courthouse in Jamaica to use the materials for barracks.

Queens changed significantly during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1898, Queens became a borough during the consolidation of New York City. This process combined several towns like Long Island City, Newtown, Flushing, and Jamaica. By 1899, the boundaries of Queens County and the Borough of Queens became the same. Transportation improvements helped the area grow. The Long Island Rail Road was electrified between 1905 and 1908. The Queensboro Bridge opened in 1909. Railway tunnels under the East River were completed in 1910. The expansion of the New York City Subway system helped the population double between 1920 and 1930.

The economy of Queens is very diverse. It is home to both of New York City's major airports. LaGuardia Airport opened in 1939 on a former seaplane base.

It was named after Mayor Fiorello La Guardia. John F. Kennedy International Airport opened in 1948. It was originally called Idlewild Airport.

Queens also hosts major sports and entertainment venues. These include Citi Field, where the New York Mets play.

The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center hosts the U.S. Open.

Other landmarks include Kaufman Astoria Studios and the Aqueduct Racetrack.

Today, different neighborhoods in Queens are experiencing various changes. Flushing is seeing rapid gentrification due to investment from Chinese transnational entities.

Long Island City is also undergoing gentrification. This is due to its proximity to Manhattan across the East River. These changes continue to shape the landscape of this vital New York City borough.