Queens — LLMpedia

Queens
Name	Queens
Settlement type	Borough of New York City
Subdivision type	Country
Subdivision name	United States
Subdivision type1	State
Subdivision name1	New York
Subdivision type2	County
Subdivision name2	Queens County
Subdivision type3	City
Subdivision name3	New York City
Established title	Settled
Established date	1683
Established title2	Incorporated (borough)
Established date2	1898
Founder	Dutch West India Company
Seat type	County seat
Seat	Kew Gardens
Government type	Borough
Leader title	Borough President
Leader name	Donovan Richards
Leader title1	District Attorney
Leader name1	Melinda Katz
Unit pref	Imperial
Area total sq mi	178.28
Area land sq mi	108.53
Area water sq mi	69.75
Population as of	2020
Population total	2,405,464
Population density sq mi	auto
Population rank	2nd in New York, 10th in the U.S.
Demographics type1	GDP
Demographics1 footnotes	[1]
Demographics1 title1	Borough
Demographics1 info1	$100.5 billion (2022)
Timezone	EST
Utc offset	−5
Timezone DST	EDT
Utc offset DST	−4
Postal code type	ZIP Codes
Postal code	110--, 111--, 113--, 114--, 116--
Area code	718, 347, 929, and 917
Blank name sec2	Major airports
Blank info sec2	John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
Blank1 name sec2	Rapid transit
Blank1 info sec2	New York City Subway
Website	www.queensbp.org

Contents

History
Geography
Demographics
Economy
Culture and contemporary life

Queens. It is the largest borough of New York City by area and is geographically adjacent to the borough of Brooklyn on the southwestern end of Long Island. Established in 1683 as one of the original 12 counties of the Province of New York, it was consolidated into the modern city in 1898. Today, it is renowned as one of the most ethnically diverse urban areas in the world, a major economic engine, and a cultural hub with global influence.

History

The area was originally inhabited by the Lenape peoples before becoming part of the Dutch colony of New Netherland, with settlements like Mespacht and Vlissingen established by the Dutch West India Company. Following the Second Anglo-Dutch War and the transfer to English control in 1674, it was renamed for Catherine of Braganza, the queen consort of Charles II of England. The Battle of Long Island, a significant early engagement in the American Revolutionary War, was fought across its territory. The 19th century saw the arrival of the Long Island Rail Road and the development of communities like Astoria and Flushing. Its incorporation into Greater New York in 1898 transformed it from a collection of towns and villages into a major urban borough, with subsequent growth spurred by infrastructure projects like the Queensboro Bridge and the IND Queens Boulevard Line.

Geography

Occupying the westernmost section of Long Island, the borough is bordered by Nassau County to the east, the East River to the west, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. Its terrain includes the terminal moraine of the Wisconsin glaciation, forming the elevated ridge that runs through Forest Park and Cunningham Park. Notable geographic features include the elongated Rockaway Peninsula, which fronts Jamaica Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, and the Flushing River, which flows through Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. The waterfront is extensively developed, with major facilities such as John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport situated on its shores.

Demographics

According to the 2020 United States Census, it is home to over 2.4 million residents, making it the second-most populous county in New York State. No single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority, with significant populations of Asian, Hispanic or Latino, White, and Black or African American residents. It has large enclaves of immigrants from countries including the China, India, South Korea, Colombia, Ecuador, Bangladesh, and Guyana. Neighborhoods like Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, and Flushing are renowned for their linguistic and cultural diversity, with over 130 languages spoken.

Economy

The borough hosts a diverse and robust economy, anchored by major transportation hubs like John F. Kennedy International Airport, a critical node for global air cargo and passenger travel. Key sectors include healthcare, with major institutions like NewYork–Presbyterian Queens and Mount Sinai South Nassau; film and television production centered at Kaufman Astoria Studios and Silvercup Studios; and a growing technology sector supported by the Cornell Tech campus on Roosevelt Island. It is also a major center for small businesses and manufacturing, with industrial zones in Maspeth and Long Island City. The New York City Economic Development Corporation has spearheaded projects like the revitalization of the Queens waterfront and the development at Willets Point.

Culture and contemporary life