Borough of Manhattan

Borough of Manhattan
Name	Borough of Manhattan
Other name	Manhattan
Settlement type	Borough of New York City
Subdivision type	Country
Subdivision name	United States
Subdivision type1	State
Subdivision name1	New York
Subdivision type2	City
Subdivision name2	New York City
Established title	Settled
Established date	1624
Leader title	Borough President
Leader name	Mark Levine
Area total sq mi	22.7
Population total	1,694,251
Population as of	2020

Borough of Manhattan

Manhattan is one of five boroughs of New York City and the core of New York metropolitan area, defined by its island and contiguous small islands between the Hudson River and the East River. Manhattan contains historic districts like Lower Manhattan, financial centers such as Wall Street and Financial District, Manhattan, cultural institutions including Metropolitan Museum of Art and Broadway theatre, and civic anchors like Columbia University and New York County Courthouse. Manhattan's dense skyline includes landmarks Empire State Building, One World Trade Center, and Chrysler Building.

History

Manhattan's recorded history began with New Netherland settlement at New Amsterdam and the 1626 purchase by Peter Minuit; later transfers involved English conquest of New Netherland and incorporation into Province of New York. Colonial-era events included conflicts like Kieft's War and economic shifts toward mercantile trade at South Street Seaport. Revolutionary-era actions centered on Battle of Long Island aftermath, Evacuation Day, and occupation by British Army; postwar developments tied Manhattan to Erie Canal–era commerce and 19th-century immigration at Castle Garden. 19th- and 20th-century transformations featured the Commissioners' Plan of 1811, grid development, the rise of Hudson River School influence, expansion of Brooklyn Bridge access, and Gilded Age institutions like Carnegie Hall and Museum of Modern Art. Modern history includes the September 11 attacks at World Trade Center, fiscal and urban renewal projects under Robert Moses, and preservation struggles involving Landmarks Preservation Commission and controversies such as Penn Station demolition.

Geography and neighborhoods

Manhattan encompasses the primary island bounded by Harlem River and includes surrounding islets like Roosevelt Island, Randall's Island, and Liberty Island. Topographic highs include Washington Heights and Inwood Hill Park with glacial features tied to the Last Glacial Period. Neighborhoods trace historical and cultural identities across zones: Lower Manhattan, SoHo, Greenwich Village, Chelsea, Manhattan, Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Harlem, Washington Heights, Manhattan, Battery Park City, and East Village. Street planning reflects the Commissioners' Plan of 1811 grid; transportation corridors include Broadway (Manhattan), FDR Drive, West Side Highway, and hubs like Penn Station, Grand Central Terminal, and Port Authority Bus Terminal. Waterfront redevelopment projects reference Hudson Yards, High Line, South Street Seaport restoration, and ferry services to Staten Island Ferry and New Jersey Transit.

Demographics

Manhattan's population has shifted through waves: early European settlers, 19th-century immigration from Ireland, Italy, and Germany, 20th-century arrivals from Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic (Dominican Republic), and late 20th–21st-century migration including China-origin communities in Chinatown, Manhattan. Census patterns show high population density centered in Midtown and Lower Manhattan, with income disparities between neighborhoods like Upper East Side and Harlem. Age distributions reflect concentrations of young professionals near Chelsea, Manhattan and student populations around Columbia University and New York University, while household composition varies from single-person units in Greenwich Village to family households in Inwood, Manhattan. Linguistic diversity includes Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, and many other languages linked to immigrant communities from Caribbean nations and Latin America.

Government and administration

Manhattan is coterminous with New York County, New York and operates within the municipal structure of New York City. Local administration involves the Manhattan Borough President office, New York City Council members representing Manhattan districts, and judicial functions at the New York County Supreme Court and United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. Planning and land-use decisions engage New York City Department of City Planning and the Landmarks Preservation Commission; public safety services include NYPD Manhattan commands and New York City Fire Department battalions. Electoral politics in Manhattan play key roles in New York City mayoral elections, United States House of Representatives districts based in Manhattan, and state-level representation in the New York State Senate and New York State Assembly.

Economy and infrastructure

Manhattan hosts global financial centers like New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ, Wall Street, and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York; major corporate headquarters include firms in Midtown Manhattan and Battery Park City. Sectors include finance, media with outlets such as The New York Times and NBCUniversal, technology in Silicon Alley, and higher education and healthcare anchored by Columbia University Irving Medical Center and NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital. Infrastructure networks feature Port of New York and New Jersey connections, subway services by New York City Subway, commuter rails like Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad, and airports served via John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport via transit links. Real estate and development projects include Hudson Yards and historic conversions like Dumbo adaptive reuse, while utilities and sustainability initiatives interact with agencies such as Con Edison and New York Power Authority.

Culture and landmarks

Cultural institutions include Metropolitan Museum of Art, American Museum of Natural History, Museum of Modern Art, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and theater on Broadway. Music venues span Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden, and club scenes in Greenwich Village; literary and artistic histories connect to figures associated with Harlem Renaissance, Beat Generation, and Abstract Expressionism. Public spaces and landmarks encompass Central Park, Times Square, Rockefeller Center, Flatiron Building, Statue of Liberty National Monument, and One World Observatory. Annual events and parades include Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, New York City Marathon, and cultural celebrations in Chinatown, Manhattan and Little Italy, Manhattan. Preservation efforts and museum programming engage institutions like New-York Historical Society and conservation initiatives tied to National Register of Historic Places listings.

Category:Neighborhoods in Manhattan