Central park in the fall on a sunny day.

New York City

New York City Region Counties

New York, Kings, Queens, Bronx, and Richmond

The New York City (NYC) Region is world-renowned for its urban centers, global commerce, and diverse neighborhoods.

The region lies within Lenapehoking, the ancestral homeland of the Lenape (Delaware) people. European contact with the Lenape began in 1524 with Giovanni da Verrazzano and expanded after Henry Hudson's 1609 voyage for the Dutch East India Company. By 1624, the Dutch had established New Amsterdam on Manhattan Island, and by 1664, the newly named New York City had become one of the world's first multicultural centers, with over 1,500 residents speaking 18 languages.

During the American Revolution, NYC was under British occupation for most of the war. Afterward, it became the nation's first capital (1785–1790) and hosted George Washington's inauguration as the first U.S. president in 1789.

In the 19th century, the region's farmland gave way to industry, and NYC experienced major economic and population growth. Thousands of people immigrated to the United States seeking opportunities, passing the Statue of Liberty (1886) on their way to Castle Garden and Ellis Island and eventual citizenship.

By 1898, NYC consolidated into its current five-borough structure. During this time and into the 20th century, places such as Central Park, Prospect Park, the Bronx Zoo, and Yankee Stadium became popular destinations for the growing population. Iconic projects, including the Brooklyn Bridge, the Holland and Lincoln Tunnels, and the George Washington and Triborough Bridges, connected the city.

NYC’s role in fighting for labor, civil, and LGBTQ+ rights, cultural movements, including the Harlem Renaissance, and the dramatic arrival of American Art on the international scene further solidified NYC's place as an epicenter of creativity, innovation, and social change.

Today, just as in the past, the NYC Region reflects a microcosm of global cultures, commerce, history, and resilience.

Top image: Central Park was created beginning in 1858 to address the recreational needs of a rapidly growing urban population in industrialized New York City. The park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux.

The Statue of Liberty, dedicated on October 28, 1886, was a gift of friendship from the people of France to the United States and is recognized as a universal symbol of freedom and democracy.

Spanning the East River, the iconic Brooklyn Bridge connects the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Designed and constructed by the renowned Roebling family, the bridge opened on May 24, 1883.

Grand Central Station — New York City's Grand Central Terminal construction began in 1903. It opened to passengers on Sunday, February 2, 1913. Today, the terminal services nearly 500,000 visitors daily.

Painting: Henrik Hudson entering New York Harbor, September 11, 1609 — “Henrik Hudson entering New York Harbor, September 11, 1609,” created by Edward Moran, 1892. The location of the painting is at the south end of Staten Island looking across Raritan Bay towards Sandy Hook. Public Domain/Google Art Project.

View of New Amsterdam by Johannes Vingboons 1664, an early picture of New Amsterdam made in the year when it was conquered by the English.

Fort Wadsworth, located on Staten Island at The Narrows, served as a key military installation during the British occupation of the NYC Region in the American Revolution. Also pictured is the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, which opened in 1964. Courtesy of Scott Beale / Laughing Squid via Flickr Creative Commons.

Historic map of New York City. — During the 19th century, New York experienced rapid industrial and population growth, captured in this 1872 illustration by George Schlegel.

Historic photo of Wallabout Market in Brooklyn. — A view of Wallabout Market with Brooklyn’s extensive industrial area in the background. In the 19th and 20th centuries, Brooklyn became a major industrial center, producing everything from ships, glass, and porcelain, to sugar, chocolate, petroleum, books, and more. Courtesy of the New York Public Library.

Steinway & Sons Pianoforte Factory, Foundry, Metal Works and Lumber Yard, in Astoria, Queens c. 1875. Engraving published by Steinway & Sons. Courtesy of the Queens Borough Public Library, Long Island Division, Ephemera Newspaper Prints Collection.

Immigrants arriving at Ellis Island. — Immigrants passing the Statue of Liberty on their way for immigration processing at Ellis Island, c. 1905.

Historic photo of Yankee Stadium. — Yankee Stadium, The Bronx, c. 1925. Courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Historic photo of the George Washington Bridge. — Construction began on the George Washington Bridge in 1927. It opened for automobile and pedestrian traffic in 1931. Here it is pictured in November 1958. Courtesy of the New York State Archives.

Historic photo of cars in the Holland Tunnel. — Automobiles traveling in the newly opened Holland Tunnel. The tunnel opened in 1927; the picture is from 1933. Courtesy of the New York State Archives.

Silent protest parade in New York City against the East St. Louis riots, 1917. Courtesy of the Library of Congress.

The Gay Activists Alliance marches in first Christopher St. Liberation Day Parade in New York City — The Gay Activists Alliance marches in the first Christopher St. Liberation Day Parade in New York City. Courtesy of the New York Public Library.

County Seals

Bronx County

Kings County

New York County

Queens County

Richmond County

New York City

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