Brooklyn, Long Island
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by: Marc Nengasca 44
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Brooklyn, Long IslandBrooklyn is an area located in Kings County and one of the five boroughs in New York City, Long Island, New York. If the borough were still an independent city, it would be the fourth-largest city in the United States. The neighborhood is on the westernmost point of Long Island and shares its only land boundary with Queens to the northeast. The westernmost section of this boundary is defined by Newtown Creek, which flows into the East River. Its adjacent counties include Richmond County on the west, New York County on the north, and Queens County on the east. As of the 2005 census, there were 2,486,235 people (up from 2.3 million in 1990), 880,727 households, and 583,922 families residing in the area. The median income for households in Brooklyn was $32,135, and the median income for a family was $36,188. Males had a median income of $34,317, and only $30,516 for females. The latitude of Brooklyn is 40.65N. The longitude is -73.95W. It is in the Eastern Standard time zone. Elevation is 23 feetThe Dutch were the first Europeans to settle the area on the western edge of Long Island which was then largely inhabited by the Canarsie Native American tribe. Midwout (Midwood) was the first Dutch settlement which was established in 1634.The area was named for the Dutch settlement called Breukelen which was part of New Netherland at that time, which meant "broken land." The Village of Breuckelen was authorized by the Dutch West India Company in 1646 and became the first municipality in what is now New York State. The first half of the 19th century saw urban areas grow along the economically strategic East River waterfront, across from New York City. In recent time, Brooklyn is the third-largest central business district in New York City, after Midtown Manhattan and Lower Manhattan. It has many commercial towers and a rapidly increasing number of residential buildings.The racial-makeup of Brooklyn comprises of 41.20% White, 36.44% Black, 7.54% Asian, 0.41% Native American, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 10.05% were of other races; and 4.27% were from two or more races. Transportation in Brooklyn is well-managed by public utility vehicles. The public bus network covers the entire borough. There is daily express bus service into Manhattan. New York`s famous yellow cabs also provide transportation in Brooklyn, although they are less copious in Brooklyn than in Manhattan. Education in Brooklyn is offered by a huge number of public and private institutions. Public schools in the borough are served by the New York City Department of Education, the largest public school system in the United States. There are also several private schools such as Berkeley Caroll School to religious schools run by Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn and Jewish organizations. Brooklyn has its own personality which is characterized by cultural diversity, an independent art scene, distinct neighborhoods, and a unique architectural heritage.
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Marc Nengasca is author of this article on Long Island Towns. Find more information about Long Island Towns here.
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