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August 1, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
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Civic Brief • Borough

Brooklyn

Brooklyn is one of the five boroughs of New York City and is coextensive with Kings County in the U.S.

Updated August 1, 20261 min readCited sources

Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, coextensive with Kings County. It was an independent city until it joined New York City in 1898.

What it is

Brooklyn is a borough of New York City and also Kings County, New York. It sits on the western end of Long Island, bordered by Queens to the east and surrounded by the East River, New York Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean. With 2,736,074 residents in 2020, it is the city's most populous borough.

Key details

Originally a Dutch colonial settlement, Brooklyn grew into an independent city before consolidating into New York City in 1898. It is connected to Manhattan by the Brooklyn Bridge, other bridges, a vehicular tunnel, and rapid-transit tubes. The borough covers 97 square miles (250 km²) total, with 71 square miles (180 km²) of land.

Why it matters

Brooklyn's history as a former independent city and its current status as the most populous borough make it a key part of New York City's identity and infrastructure. Its transportation links are vital for regional connectivity.

In short

  • Brooklyn is the most populous New York City borough, with 2.7 million people.
  • It is coextensive with Kings County and was independent until 1898.
  • Located on western Long Island, it connects to Manhattan via bridges and tunnels.

Quick questions

Is Brooklyn a city or a borough?
Brooklyn is a borough of New York City, and it is also coextensive with Kings County.
Was Brooklyn ever independent?
Yes. Brooklyn was an independent city before becoming part of New York City in 1898.
How many people live in Brooklyn?
Brooklyn had 2,736,074 residents in the 2020 census.

Sources

  1. Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/place/Brooklyn-borough-New-York-City
    Supports: Brooklyn as a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, geography, borders, transport connections, and population figures.
  2. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooklyn
    Supports: Brooklyn's location, area, land and water area, and general borough facts.
  3. Brooklyn Borough official site — https://brooklyn.org/brooklyn-facts/
    Supports: Brooklyn as the largest borough by population and geographic area, and population above 2.7 million.
  4. Camp New York — https://campnewyork.org/interesting-facts/brooklyn/
    Supports: Brooklyn's status as an independent city until 1898.