Queens is the easternmost and largest in area of the five boroughs of New York City. It is geographically adjacent to the borough of Brooklyn at the southwestern end of Long Island, and to Nassau County farther east on Long Island; in addition, Queens shares water borders with the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx. Coterminous with Queens County since 1899, the borough of Queens is the second-largest in population (after Brooklyn), with a census-estimated 2,333,054 residents in 2016, approximately 48% of them foreign-born. Queens County also is the second-most populous county in the U.S. state of New York, behind the neighboring borough of Brooklyn, which is coterminous with Kings County. Queens is the fourth-most densely populated county among New York City's boroughs, as well as in the United States. If each of New York City's boroughs were an independent city, Queens also would be the nation's fourth most populous, after Los Angeles, Chicago, and Brooklyn. Queens is the most ethnically diverse urban area in the world. 

Queens was established in 1683 as one of the original 12 counties of New York. It is presumably named for the Portuguese Princess Catherine of Braganza (1638–1705), Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland. It became a borough of New York City in 1898, and from 1683 until 1899, the County of Queens included what is now Nassau County.
When was Queens founded?
How many counties were there, then?
They were the first 12?
Who was it named after?
Was she English?
Where was she from?
When did she die?
Where all did she rule?
When did Queens become part of New York City?
Geographically, where is Queens located in New York City?
Which side of the city?
How does it rank in size?
How about in area?
How many foreigners live there?
Which town is next largest in New York?
Is it ethnically diverse?
Where does it rank in the world?
What does it share a water border with?
How long has it been coterminous with Queens County?
When did Queens County have Nassau County included with it?
1683
1683
12
12
yes
 original 1
Princess Catherine
Princess Catherine 
no
Portuguese
Portugal
Portuguese 
1705
1705
England, Scotland, and Ireland
England, Scotland, and Ireland
1898
1898
adjacent to the borough of Brooklyn
adjacent to the borough of Brooklyn
southwestern
southwestern
second-most populous
second-most populous 
largest in area
 largest in area
48%
48%
Brooklyn
 Brooklyn
Yes
Queens is the most ethnically diverse urban area in the world
the most ethnically diverse urban area
the most ethnically diverse urban area
Manhattan
Manhattan
since 1899
since 1899
1899
1899