Q: Why is it called “Queens”?
A: The borough derived its name from the Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza, who was the queen of England when Queens as founded in 1683. Explorers and colonists had been in the area, though, for half a century before Queens was formally named, settling first around Maspeth. From its establishment until it became one of the boroughs of New York (in 1898), Queens County was much larger, including what is now Nassau County.
Q: What is the basis of the Queens economy?
A: This is actually a bit of a trick question, as Queens boasts one of the most diversified economies in the country, if not the world. It’s home to Citi Field and the New York Mets, but also hosts the U.S. Open Tennis Championships. The world-famous Aqueduct Racetrack is here, as well as both JFK International and LaGuardia airports. More than one in four jobs in Queens is in some export-oriented business, but the borough also has thriving health care, retail, construction, manufacturing, transportation and film and television industries.
Q: How many languages are spoken in Queens?
A: Given its cultural diversity, it’s no surprise that unofficial estimates indicate that nearly 140 different languages are spoken in Queens, from Spanish and Chinese to Tagalog, French Creole, Serbo-Croatian and Hindi.