Brooklyn is the most populous borough of New York City, with a population of 2,511,408. Coterminous with King's County, it is located at the western end of Long Island, to the south-east of Manhattan across the East River, and to the south-west of Queens. The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge connects it with Staten Island, which is located to its south-west.
Brooklyn was an independent city until 1898, when it was incorporated into New York City. Brooklyn is mostly renowned for its architecture, its museums, and for its social and ethnic diversity. In the south of the borough stands Coney Island, one of the most famous recreational areas of the city, which was established in the 1870s.