Major cities all over the world are made up of parts and sections. For example, Paris is divided up into 20 urban quarters. However, there are no cities in the world quite like New York City. It is made of five distinct boroughs. Each of the boroughs is separated by a major waterway.

The five boroughs are Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, and Staten Island. Each of these neighborhoods is not only a borough of New York City, they are all distinct counties. The distinct boroughs brought a sensible distinction geographically. Additionally, because of the vast size and population of the city, it was necessary to distinguish the different areas of the city.

The boroughs were created in 1898 when the city's official boundaries were established. Prior to this, Brooklyn was its own city, rivaling New York City. Each of the neighborhoods has a distinct reputation and characteristics. The largest borough is Queens, and Brooklyn has the greatest population. If you ask any New York City resident which borough is the best, he'll probably respond that the one he lives in is the best.

New York City is an archipelago of islands.  Of the five Boroughs, only the Bronx is connected by land to the continental United States. When temperatures rise many New Yorkers naturally gravitate to the 520 miles of shoreline along the rivers, bays and ocean that surround the city.