The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of NYC. Geographically, it is south of Westchester County; North and East of the island and Borough of Manhattan to the south and west across the Harlem River and is north of the borough of Queens, across the East River.
Out of the five boroughs, the Bronx is the only one which its majority of its area is on the U.S. mainland, with a land area of 42 square miles. In 2015, it had a population of 1,455,444. The Bronx has the fourth largest land area, the fourth highest population, and the third highest population density. Since 1914, the Bronx has had the same boundaries as the Bronx County.
The Bronx River divides the Bronx into a hillier section in the west, closer to Manhattan New York, and a flatter eastern section, closer to Long Island. The West Bronx was associated to New York City in 1874, while the areas east on the Bronx River in the year 1895.
In 1914, the Bronx County was separated from the New York County. Around a quarter of the Bronx’s area is open space, which includes the Woodlawn Cemetery, Van Cortlandt Park, Pelham Bay Park, the New York Botanical Garden together with the Bronx Zoo found in the north and centre of the borough. These open spaces are primarily situated on land, which was purposely reserved in the late 19th century as urban development which progressed north and east from Manhattan.
The name “Bronx” was originated with Jonas Bronck. He was the person who established the first settlement in the area, in 1639, as part of the New Netherland colony. As the Bronx was transformed into an urban community in the 19th and 20th centuries, it received many immigrant groups, first from various European countries and later from the Caribbean region, together with the African American migrants which can from the Southern United States. This cultural mix has made the Bronx a wellspring of both Latin music and hip hop.
Article Provided by michela@welovenyc.com