Long Island 18315 226169736 2008-07-17T03:38:36Z 190.37.252.176 /* Transportation */ {{Refimprove|date=May 2008}} {{otheruses1|the island in New York State}} {{Long Island}} '''Long Island''' is an island located in southeastern [[New York]], [[United States|USA]], its western shores directly across from [[Manhattan]], from which the island stretches northeast into the [[Atlantic Ocean]]. It contains four counties, two of which ([[Queens]] and [[Kings County, New York|Kings]]) are [[Borough (New York City)|borough]]s ([[Queens]] and [[Brooklyn]]) of [[New York City]], and two of which ([[Nassau County, New York|Nassau]] and [[Suffolk County, New York|Suffolk]]) are [[suburb]]s of that city. Long Island Sound is the body of water between its northern shore and the state of [[Connecticut]]. True to its name, Long Island is much longer than it is wide, extending 118 miles (190 km) from [[New York Harbor]], and it varies in width from 12 to 23 miles (19 to 37 km) between the northern [[Long Island Sound]] coast and the southern [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]] coast.<ref name="EBCli"/> With an area of 1,401 [[square mile]]s (3,629 [[Square kilometre|km<sup>2</sup>]]), Long Island is the [[List of islands of the United States by area| largest island in the continental United States]] and the [[List of islands by area|149th largest island in the world]].<ref name="EBCli"> {{cite encyclopedia | encyclopedia = [[Encyclopædia Britannica]] | title = Long Island | url = http://concise.britannica.com/ebc/article-9370515/Long-Island | edition = Britannica Concise | date = 2007 | publisher = [[Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.]] | id = 9370515 | accessdate = 2007-10-29 }} </ref> It is connected to the mainland by several bridges and tunnels through [[New York City]], and ferries to Connecticut from Suffolk County. Long Island had a population of 7,448,618 as of the [[United States Census, 2000|2000 census]],<ref name="EBCli"/> with the population estimated at 7,559,372 as of [[July 1]], [[2006]], making it the [[List of islands by population|most populated]] island in any U.S. state or territory. It is also the [[List of islands by population|17th most populous island in the world]], ahead of [[Ireland]], [[Jamaica]] and the [[Japan]]ese island of [[Hokkaidō]]. Its population density is 5,470 people per square mile (2,110 per km<sup>2</sup>). ==Overview== [[Image:Long Island Mercator projection.png|thumb|400px|right|[[Mercator projection]] of Long Island showing state boundaries.]] The [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] name for Long Island is Paumanok, meaning "The Island that Pays Tribute." More powerful tribes in the surrounding areas forced the relatively peaceful Long Islanders to give tributes and payment to avoid attacks. The westernmost end of Long Island contains the [[New York City]] [[Borough (New York City)|boroughs]] of [[Brooklyn]] (Kings County) and [[Queens]] (Queens County). The central and eastern portions contain the [[suburb]]an [[Nassau County, New York|Nassau]] and [[Suffolk County, New York|Suffolk]] counties. However, colloquial usage of the term "Long Island" or "the Island" refers only to Nassau and Suffolk counties; the more dense and [[Urban area|urban]] Brooklyn and Queens are not usually thought of as being part of Long Island, as they are politically part of New York City. Nassau County is more urbanized and congested than Suffolk County, with pockets of rural affluence in the cliffs of the [[Gold Coast, Long Island|Gold Coast]] of the [[North Shore (Long Island)|North Shore]] overlooking the [[Long Island Sound]]. [[South Shore (Long Island)|South Shore]] communities are built along protected [[wetlands]] and white sand beaches fronting on the [[Atlantic Ocean]], which bring additional pockets of rare rural affluence to Long Island. [[Old money]] from the time of the [[Revolutionary War]] populated some of the island and still does to this day. Nouveau riches in the Roaring Twenties established large estates on the North Shore. Some have been donated to the public domain and become parks or museums; others have been redeveloped as conference or academic centers. Owing to economic growth and the suburbanization of the metropolitan region after [[World War II]], Nassau was the fastest growing county in the United States from the 1950s to the 1970s. Suffolk County remains less congested despite substantial growth in high technology and light manufacturing sectors since 1990. In its far east sections, Suffolk remains small-town rural, as in [[Greenport, Suffolk County, New York|Greenport]] on the North Fork and some of the outward areas of [[The Hamptons]], although summer tourism swells the population in those areas. Long Island is known for its affluence and high quality of life. According to the [[United States Census 2000|2000 Census]], Nassau County is the [[New York locations by per capita income|third richest county per capita in New York State]], and the 10th richest in the nation. Long Island's Nassau County has the second highest property taxes in the United States.<ref>{{cite news | title = Study: Property Taxes Sky-High in Metro Areas | publisher = WCBS | date = [[October 4]], [[2006]] | url = http://www.wcbs880.com/pages/96453.php?contentType=4&contentId=217028 | accessdate=2007-08-06 }}</ref> Suffolk County has redeveloped North Fork potato fields into a burgeoning wine region. The South Fork is known for beach towns, including the world-renowned Hamptons, and for Montauk Point, home of [[Montauk Lighthouse|Montauk Point Lighthouse]] at the eastern tip of the island. It is local custom to say "on Long Island" rather than "in Long Island" when referring to locations in the region. This usage is consistently employed by local newspapers including ''[[The New York Times]]'' and ''[[Newsday]]''. ==Climate== Long Island has a climate similar to other coastal areas of the [[Northeastern United States]]; it has warm, humid summers and cold winters. The Atlantic Ocean helps bring afternoon sea breezes that temper the heat in the warmer months and limit the frequency and severity of thunderstorms. Severe thunderstorms are not uncommon, especially when they approach the island from the mainland areas of the [[Bronx]], [[Westchester County, New York|Westchester County]] and [[Connecticut]] in the northwest. Measurable snow falls every winter and in many winters one or more intense storms (called a [[Nor'easter]]) produce blizzard conditions with snowfalls of 1–2 feet (30–60 cm) and near-[[hurricane]] force winds. Long Island temperatures vary from west to east, with the western part of the island warmer on most occasions than the east. This is due to two factors: the western part is closer to the mainland, and it is more densely developed, causing the "[[urban heat island]]" effect. The eastern part is cooler on most occasions due to moderation of the Atlantic Ocean and the Long Island Sound, and its being less developed. On dry nights with no [[clouds]] or wind, the [[Long Island Central Pine Barrens|Pine Barrens]] in eastern Suffolk County can be almost 20 degrees Fahrenheit (11 degrees Celsius) cooler due to [[radiational cooling]]. ===Severe weather=== Long Island is somewhat vulnerable to [[hurricane]]s.<ref>{{cite web | title=weather.com — Vulnerable Cities: Long Island|url=http://www.weather.com/newscenter/specialreports/hurricanes/vulnerablecities/longisland.html|accessmonthday=December 5 |accessyear=2005 }}</ref> Its northern location and relatively cool waters tend to weaken storms to below hurricane strength by the time they reach Long Island. Despite this, some storms have made landfall at Category 1 or greater strength, including two unnamed Category 3 storms in 1938 ([[New England Hurricane of 1938]]) and 1944, [[Hurricane Donna]] in 1960, [[Hurricane Belle]] in 1976, [[Hurricane Gloria]] in 1985, [[Hurricane Bob]] in 1991 (brushed the eastern tip), and [[Hurricane Floyd]] in 1999. (There is debate among [[climatologists]] as to whether [[Hurricane Floyd]] made landfall as a Category 1 or as a very strong "almost hurricane strength" [[tropical storm]]. The official records note it as the latter.) Many other storms crossed the island directly at [[tropical storm]] strength, including [[Hurricane Bertha]] in 1996 and [[Hurricane Charley]] in 2004. In September 2006, the remnants of [[Hurricane Ernesto]] swept through the area, causing several temporary power outages on parts of the island. Some thunderstorms can be extremely severe and tornadoes, though very rare, are possible. In September 1998, a small tornado hit [[Lynbrook, New York|Lynbrook]]; in August 1999, an F-2 tornado hit parts of [[Mattituck, New York|Mattituck]], in August 2005, a small tornado hit [[Glen Cove, New York|Glen Cove]]; one year later in August 2006, a small tornado hit [[Massapequa, New York|Massapequa]] in [[Nassau County, New York|Nassau County]], and parts of [[Amityville, New York|Amityville]], which straddles Nassau and Suffolk counties but is officially located in Suffolk County. On [[July 18]], [[2007]], an F-1 tornado hit [[Islip Terrace, New York|Islip Terrace]] and on [[September 27]], [[2006]], a rare [[waterspout]] was seen over the Long Island Sound near [[Port Jefferson, New York|Port Jefferson]]. In the wintertime, temperatures are warmer than areas further inland (especially in the night and early morning hours), sometimes causing a snowstorm further inland to fall as rain or mixed precipitation on the island. ==Demography== {{clearright}} {| border=1 style="float:right; margin: 1em;border-collapse:collapse; text-align:right" |+ '''Population trend''' | valign="top" | {| ! style="background:#efefef;" | Year ! style="background:#efefef;" | Inhabitants |----- | 1790 || 37,108 |----- | 1800 || 42,097 |----- | 1810 || 48,752 |----- | 1820 || 56,978 |----- | 1830 || 69,775 |----- | 1840 || 110,406 |----- | 1850 || 212,637 |----- | 1860 || 379,788 |----- | 1870 || 540,648 |----- | 1880 || 743,957 |----- | 1890 || 1,029,097 |} | valign="top" | {| ! style="background:#efefef;" | Year ! style="background:#efefef;" | Inhabitants |----- | 1900 || 1,452,611 |----- | 1910 || 2,098,460 |----- | 1920 || 2,723,764 |---- | 1930 || 4,103,638 |----- | 1940 || 4,600,022 |----- | 1950 || 5,237,918 |----- | 1960 || 6,403,852 |----- | 1970 || 7,141,515 |----- | 1980 || 6,728,074 |----- | 1990 || 6,861,474 |----- | 2000 || 7,448,618 |} |} Long Island is one of the most densely populated regions in the United States. As of the [[United States 2000 Census]], the total population of all four counties of Long Island was 7,448,618. New York City's portion of the census was 4,694,705, with Brooklyn's population at 2,465,326 and Queens having 2,229,379 residents. The combined population of Nassau and Suffolk counties was 2,753,913 people; Suffolk County's share at 1,419,369 and Nassau County's at 1,334,544. Nassau County had a larger population for decades, but Suffolk County surpassed it in the 1990 census as growth and development continued to spread eastward As Suffolk County has over twice the land area of Nassau County, the latter still has a much higher population density. Combined, Long Island's population is greater than 38 of the 50 United States. If it were an independent nation, it would rank as the 96th [[List of countries by population|most populated nation]], falling between [[Switzerland]] and [[Israel]]. As of the 2000 census, the racial makeup of the island was 57.16% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 21.18% [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.36% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 9.06% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.05% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 8.17% [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 4.01% from two or more races. 17.82% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau ''Census 2000'' [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=04000US36&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&-_lang=en&-redoLog=false&-format=ST-2&-mt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_GCTP6_ST2&-CONTEXT=gct] show that non-whites are in the majority in the two urban counties of New York City, while whites are in the majority in the two suburban counties of Nassau and Suffolk: * Kings County: 41.2% white, 36.4% black, 19.8% Hispanic/Latino, 7.5% Asian, and 0.4% American Indian/Native Alaskan. * Queens County: 44.1% white, 25.0% Hispanic/Latino, 20.0% black, 17.6% Asian, and 0.1% American Indian/Native Alaskan. * Nassau County: 79.3% white, 10.3% Hispanic/Latino, 10.1% black, 4.7% Asian, and 0.2% American Indian/Native Alaskan. * Suffolk County: 84.6% white, 10.9% Hispanic/Latino, 6.9% black, 2.4% Asian, and 0.3% American Indian/Native Alaskan. {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right" |+align=top|Religious groups on Long Island |- |align=left|'''County'''<br> !Population<br>2000 census<br> !%<br>[[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]]<br> !% not<br>affiliated<br> !%<br>[[Jewish]]<br> !%<br>[[Protestant]]<br> !Estimate<br>of % not<br>reporting<br> |- |align=left|Kings||2,465,326||37||4||15||8||33 |- |align=left|Queens||2,229,379||29||37||11||5||15 |- |align=left|Nassau||1,334,544||52||9||16||7||15 |- |align=left|Suffolk||1,419,369||52||21||7||8||11 |- |align=left|'''Total'''||7,448,618||40||18||12||7||20 |- |+align=bottom|Source: ARDA<ref>[http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/reports/selectCounty.asp?state=36&county=25001 The Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA), Year 2000 Report] Churches were asked for their membership numbers. ARDA estimates that most of the churches not reporting were black Protestant congregations.</ref> |- |} ==History== {{main|History of Long Island}} The western portion of Long Island was settled by the Dutch, while the eastern region was settled by English [[Puritans]] from [[New Haven]], [[Connecticut]], settling in [[Southold, New York|Southold]] on [[October 21]], [[1640]]. The entirety of Long Island came under English dominion in 1664 when the Dutch colony of [[New Amsterdam]] was taken over by the English and renamed [[New York]]. During the [[American Revolutionary War]], the island was captured early by the British in the [[Battle of Long Island]]. There was a notable [[loyalist (American Revolution)|loyalist]] element, especially in [[Town of Hempstead, New York|Hempstead]]. Yankees in northern and eastern parts were more inclined to Rebel sentiments. The island remained a British stronghold until the end of the war. African Americans have been an integral part of Long Island history, most arriving first as slaves before the Revolution and working both at domestic and rural trades. New York and Long Island kept slavery until it was outlawed in 1799, with remnants remaining until 1827. Most freedpeople settled near where they had been living and had connections. 19th century Long Island was [[rural]] and [[agricultural]], except in parts of Kings (Brooklyn) and Queens counties, which were consolidated into "The City of Greater New York" on [[January 1]], [[1898]]. The easternmost 280 square miles (725 km²) of Queens County, which were not part of the consolidation plan,<ref> <!-- \\ BEGIN refs that Nassau never voted on consolidation --> {{cite news |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C05EFDD1131E033A25750C1A96F9C94659ED7CF |title=OF INTEREST TO POLITICIANS. |pages=p 9, 620 words |date=1894-09-13 (before vote) |publisher=The New York Times |quote=The question of the Greater New-York, which is also to be submitted to the people at this coming election, involves the proposition to unite in one city the following cities, counties, and towns: New-York City, Long Island City, in Queens County; the County of Kings, (Brooklyn;) the County of Richmond, (S.I.;) the towns of Flushing, Newtown, Jamaica, in Queens County; the town of Westchester, in Westchester County, and all that portion of the towns of East Chester and Pelham which lies south of a straight line drawn from a point where the northerly line of the City of New-York meets the centre line of the Bronx River, to the middle of the channel between Hunter's and Glen Islands, in Long Island Sound, and that part of the town of Hempstead, in Queens County, which is westerly of a straight line drawn from the south-easterly point of the town of Flushing in a straight line to the Atlantic Ocean. |accessdate=2007-12-28 }}</ref><ref> {{cite news |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9D06E0D91131E033A25755C1A9669D94659ED7CF |title=Vote for Greater New York |date=1894-10-16 (before election) |publisher=The New York Times |accessdate=2007-12-28 }}</ref><ref> {{cite news |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9A0DE3D71131E033A25757C0A9679D94659ED7CF |title=NEW-YORK'S PLACE IN DANGER; CONSOLIDATION DEFEATED, SHE MUST YIELD TO CHICAGO. |date=1894-11-04 (before election) |publisher=The New York Times |note= again, no mention of Town of Oyster Bay, nor Town of North Hempstead, nor any plan for ALL of Town of Hempstead, indeed only part of Hempstead was ever planned to become part of Queens |accessdate=2007-12-28 }}</ref><ref> {{cite news |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9403E0D61531E033A2575BC0A9679D94659ED7CF |title=GREATER NEW-YORK IN DOUBT; THE CITY VOTE IS FOR IT AND BROOKLYN IS UNCERTAIN |date=1894-11-08 (before results of Queens vote known) |publisher=NY Times |quote=The increase in area and population that New-York will acquire if consolidation becomes a fact will become evident by a glance at the following table... Flushing... *Part of the town of Hempstead... Jamaica... Long Island City ... Newtown... The townships in Queens County that are to be included in the Greater New-York have not been heard from yet... |note= no mention of Town of Oyster Bay, nor Town of North Hempstead, nor any plan for ALL of Town of Hempstead, indeed only part of Hempstead was ever planned to become part of Queens |accessdate=2007-12-28 }}</ref><ref> {{cite news |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9B02E3DD123EE333A25751C2A9649C94679ED7CF |title=REPORT FAVORS CONSOLIDATION.; An Argument Against the Claims of the Resubmissionists. |pages= Page 1, 5318 words |date=1896-02-22 |publisher=The New York Times |accessdate=2007-12-28 }}</ref><ref> {{cite news |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C04E2DC1730E132A25751C1A9649C94689ED7CF |title=THE EAST CITY LINE FIXED |date=1899-02-12 |pages=page 15, 1267 words |publisher=The New York Times |accessdate=2007-12-28 }}</ref><ref> {{cite web |title=Nassau's Difficult Birth; Eastern factions of Queens win the fight to separate after six decades of wrangling |author=Geoffrey Mohan (Staff Writer) |publisher=Newsday |url=http://www.newsday.com/community/guide/lihistory/ny-history-hs615a,0,7026626.story?page=4 |quote=North Hempstead, Oyster Bay and the rest of Hempstead were excluded from the vote. |year=2007 |accessdate=2007-12-31 }} <!-- \\ END refs that Nassau never voted --> </ref> separated in 1899 to form [[Nassau County]]. In the 1920s and 1930s, Long Island began the transformation from backwoods and farms to the paradigm of the American [[suburb]]. Railroads made possible commuting suburbs before construction of the Long Island Expressway and other major roadways. [[Robert Moses]] created various parkway projects to span the island, along with state parks for the enjoyment of many. [[Jones Beach State Park|Jones Beach]] on the Atlantic Ocean is the most famous, "the crown jewel in Moses' State Park System". Long Island quickly became New York City's retreat - with millions of people going to and from the city to the new state parks. Gradually development started to follow the parkways, with various communities springing up along the more traveled routes: (the [[Southern State Parkway]], the [[Northern State Parkway]], and, in the 1960s, the [[Long Island Expressway]]). Many early developments had restrictive covenants on residents, but these changed after the Civil Rights Movement. After [[World War II]], Long Island's population skyrocketed, mostly in [[Nassau County, New York|Nassau County]] and western [[Suffolk County, New York|Suffolk County]]. People who worked and lived in [[New York City]] moved out to Long Island in new developments built during the post-war boom. The most famous post-war development was the town of [[Levittown, New York|Levittown]]. Positioned along the [[Wantagh Parkway]] in the area formally known as Island Trees, the area became the first place to massively reproduce houses on a grand scale- providing great opportunity for GI's returning home to start a family. After the success of Levittown, other areas modeled what some people criticize as "suburban sprawl". [[Nassau County, New York|Nassau County]] became more densely populated than [[Suffolk County, New York|Suffolk County]] because its residential areas were closer to jobs then concentrated in New York City. Many immigrants and African Americans moving from New York City have made comfortable lives on Long Island. The immigration waves of southern and eastern Europe, followed by more recent ones from Asia and Africa, have been pivotal in creating the diversity on Long Island that many other American regions lack. These immigrations are reflected in the large [[Italian American]], [[Irish American]] and [[Jewish American]] populations. Typically the immigrants lived in the more urban western parts of the island, and their descendants farther east. Late 20th century immigrants have often moved directly to Nassau County and other suburban areas. ==Economy== {{main|Economy of Long Island}} {{Unreferenced-section|date=May 2008}} The counties of [[Nassau County, New York|Nassau]] and [[Suffolk County, New York|Suffolk]] have many very affluent areas. From about 1930 to about 1990, Long Island was considered one of the aviation centers of the United States, with companies such as [[Grumman Aircraft]] having their headquarters and factories in the [[Bethpage]] area. [[Grumman]] was long the source of top warplanes for the [[U.S. Navy]] and the [[Marine Corps]], as seen in the movie ''[[Top Gun (film)|Top Gun]]'' and numerous WW-II naval and Marine Corps aviation movies. Prominent WW-II Grumman aircraft included the [[F4F Wildcat|F4F ''Wildcat'']] and [[F6F Hellcat|F6F ''Hellcat'']] fighters, and the [[TBF Avenger|TBF ''Avenger'']] bomber, flown by hundreds of U.S. and Allied pilots, including former President [[George H.W. Bush]]. Long Island has played a prominent role in scientific research and in engineering. It is the home of the [[Brookhaven National Laboratories]] in [[nuclear physics]] and [[United States Department of Energy|Department of Energy]] research. In recent decades companies such as [[Sperry Rand]] and [[Computer Associates]], headquartered in [[Islandia, New York|Islandia]], have made Long Island a center for the computer industry. [[Gentiva Health Services]], a national provider of home health and pharmacy services, also is headquartered in Long Island. [[Stony Brook University]] of the [[State University of New York]] conducts far-ranging medical and technology research. Long Island is also home to the [[Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory]], which was directed for 35 years by [[James D. Watson]] (who co-discovered the double helix structure of DNA with [[Francis Crick]]). Tourism is a good part of the Long Island economy in certain regions. Tourism thrives primarily in the summer because of the natural beauty, parks and beaches in Long Island along with the warmer weather of summer. Regions of Long Island that are major tourist attractions include the North Fork on the east end of Suffolk County, known for fishing villages, quaint towns, ferries to Connecticut, and for world-famous wineries. The South Fork is known for similar features, including golf, equestrian, boating, surfing, and fine dining in the Hamptons and Montauk. The village of Patchogue has a fine theater, the Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts, which is the official home theater of the [http://www.atlanticwinds.org/ Atlantic Wind Symphony]. The eastern end of the island is still partly agricultural. In the last 25 years, development of [[vineyard]]s on the North Fork became a major new industry, replacing potato fields. Pumpkin farms have been added to traditional [[truck farming]]. Farms allow fresh fruit picking by Long Islanders for much of the year. [[Fishing]] continues to be an important industry, especially at [[Northport, New York|Northport]] and [[Montauk, New York|Montauk]]. Long Island is home to the East Coast's largest industrial park, the Hauppauge Industrial Park. The park has over 1,300 companies employing more than 55,000 Long Islanders. Companies in the park and abroad are represented by the [[Hauppauge Industrial Association]]. ==Government and politics== [[Image:Long Island US map.gif|thumb|right|350px|Map of Long Island showing county and municipal boundaries.]] {{main|Politics of Long Island}} [[Nassau County, New York|Nassau County]] and [[Suffolk County, New York|Suffolk County]] each have their own governments, with a [[County Executive]] leading each. Each has a county legislature and countywide-elected officials, such as district attorney, county clerk and county comptroller. The towns in both counties have their own governments as well, with town supervisors and a town council. [[Brooklyn]] and [[Queens]], on the other hand, do not have independent county governments. As [[borough (New York City)|borough]]s of New York City, both have [[Borough President]]s, largely ceremonial offices with little political power. The shutdown of the city's [[New York City Board of Estimate|Board of Estimate]] due to a Supreme Court decision's declaring it unconstitutional, led to a reorganization of the city government. Two [[Indian reservation]]s - [[Poospatuck Reservation, New York|Poospatuck Reservation]] and [[Shinnecock Reservation, New York|Shinnecock Reservation]] located in [[Suffolk County, New York|Suffolk County]] are the home of Native Americans. Numerous island place names are Native American in origin. ===Law enforcement and crime=== {{seealso|List of Long Island law enforcement agencies}} In 2005, ''[[Forbes]]'' magazine listed Long Island as having 2,042 crimes per 100,000 residents, less than half the US average [http://www.forbes.com/lists/2005/05/04/cz_05bestplaces_bestcrimeslide.html]. Long Island is patrolled by the [[New York City Police Department]], [[Nassau County Police Department]], [[Suffolk County Police Department]], [[New York State Police]] and several dozen town and village police departments. Both Nassau and Suffolk have a sheriff's office that handles civil process, evictions, warrant service and enforcement, prisoner transport and detention, and operation of the county jail. The [[Nassau County Sheriff's Department]] employs about 1,000 correction officers and 100 deputy sheriffs and performs the above duties although deputy sheriffs have full police officer powers and can make arrests for any crime they come across. The [[Suffolk County Sheriff's Office]] has approximately 900 correction officers and 260 deputy sheriffs and operates the two jail facilities in Suffolk County. The deputy sheriffs in Suffolk County have a full service patrol unit, including K9, Aviation, SWAT, and Marine divisions as well as a Criminal Investigation Division and various other special details and assignments. N.Y.S. court officers secure court houses for Long Island courts. ===Secession proposal=== For more information, see [[New York City secession]]. On March 28, 2008 Suffolk County, NY Comptroller Joseph Sawicki proposed a plan that would make Long Island the [[51st state]] of the United States of America. Sawicki says that all the Long Island taxpayers' money would stay on Long Island and not all over the large state. The state of Long Island would include as many as 2.3 million people. If New York City and Westchester County were to be included in a new state together, the population would total over 9 million people, becoming the 10th most populated state in the US, ahead of Georgia and behind North Carolina. <ref>[http://www.newsday.com/ny-listat0328,0,7473797.story]</ref> <!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: [[Image:Li-state.jpg]] --> ==Transportation== {{main|Transportation on Long Island}} Every major form of transportation serves Long Island, including [[John F. Kennedy International Airport]], [[LaGuardia Airport]], and [[Long Island MacArthur Airport]], multiple smaller airports, railroads, subways, and several major highways. There are historic and modern bridges, [[Trails on Long Island|recreational and commuter trails]], and ferries as well. The [[Long Island Expressway]], [[Northern State Parkway]], and [[Southern State Parkway]], all products of the automobile-centered planning of [[Robert Moses]], make east-west travel on the island straightforward, if not always quick. Indeed, locals refer to Long Island Expressway as "The World's Longest Parking Lot". There are currently ten road crossings out of Long Island, all within [[New York City]] limits at the extreme western end of the island. Plans for a [[Long Island Crossing]] at various locations in Nassau and Suffolk Counties have been discussed for decades, but there are currently no firm plans to construct such a crossing. {| class=wikitable |colspan=2 align=center|'''Major roads of Long Island''' |- |'''''West-East Roads''''' [[Image:NY-27A.svg|25px]] [[Merrick Road]] / [[Montauk Highway]] [[Image:NY-27.svg|25px]] '''[[New York State Route 27|Sunrise Highway]]'''* [[Image:Belt Pkwy Shield.svg|25px]] '''[[Belt Parkway]]''' / [[Image:Southern Pkwy Shield.svg|20px]] '''[[Southern State Parkway]]''' [[Image:NY-24.svg|25px]] [[New York State Route 24|Hempstead Turnpike]] [[Image:Grand Central Pkwy.png|25px]] '''[[Grand Central Parkway]]''' / [[Image:Northern Pkwy Shield.svg|20px]] '''[[Northern State Parkway]]''' [[Image:I-495.svg|25px]] '''[[Interstate 495 (New York)|Long Island Expressway]]''' [[Image:NY-25.svg|25px]] [[New York State Route 25|Jericho Turnpike/Middle Country Road]] [[Image:NY-25A.svg|25px]] [[New York State Route 25A|Northern Boulevard]] |'''''South-North Roads''''' [[Image:I-278.svg|25px]] '''[[Brooklyn-Queens Expressway]]''' [[Image:I-678.svg|25px]] '''[[Interstate 678|Van Wyck Expressway]]''' [[Image:Cross Island Pkwy Shield.svg|25px]] '''[[Cross Island Parkway]]''' [[Image:Meadowbrook Pkwy Shield.svg|25px]] '''[[Meadowbrook State Parkway]]''' [[Image:Wantagh Pkwy Shield.svg|25px]] '''[[Wantagh State Parkway]]''' [[Image:NY-106.svg|25px]] [[New York State Route 106|Newbridge Road]] [[Image:NY-107.svg|25px]] [[New York State Route 107|Cedar Swamp Road/Broadway]] [[Image:NY-135.svg|25px]] '''[[New York State Route 135|Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway]]''' [[Image:NY-110.svg|25px]] [[New York State Route 110|Broad Hollow Road]] [[Image:NY-231.svg|25px]] [[New York State Route 231|Deer Park Avenue]] [[Image:Robert Moses Cswy Shield.svg|25px]] '''[[Robert Moses Causeway]]''' / [[Image:Sagtikos Pkwy Shield.svg|25px]] '''[[Sagtikos State Parkway]]''' / [[Image:Sunken Meadow Pkwy Shield.svg|25px]] '''[[Sunken Meadow State Parkway]]''' [[Image:NY-111.svg|25px]] [[New York State Route 111|Islip Avenue]] [[Image:Suffolk County Route 97 NY.svg|25px]] [[County Route 97 (Suffolk County, New York)|Nicolls Road]] [[Image:Suffolk County Route 46 NY.svg|25px]] '''[[County Route 46 (Suffolk County, New York)|William Floyd Parkway]]''' |- |colspan=2| Roads in '''boldface''' are limited access roads. *Sunrise Highway is only limited-access from western Suffolk county eastwards. |} ===Rail=== {{main|Long Island Rail Road}} The Long Island Rail Road is the busiest commuter railroad system in North America, carrying an average of 282,400 customers each weekday on 728 daily trains. Chartered on [[April 24]], [[1834]], it is also the oldest railroad still operating under its original name.[http://mta.info/lirr/pubs/aboutlirr.htm] ==Education== {{Refimprovesect|date=May 2008}} {{prose|date=May 2008}} ===Primary and secondary education=== Long Island's Nassau and Suffolk counties are home to [[List_of_school_districts_in_New_York#Long_Island_Region|125 public school districts]] containing a total of [[List of Long Island public school districts and schools|656 public schools]]. Long Island is also home to a number of private and parochial schools. ===Colleges and universities=== Nassau and Suffolk counties are home to numerous colleges and universities, including: '''Public''' * Branches of the [[State University of New York]] ** [[State University of New York at Stony Brook|Stony Brook University]], including [[Stony Brook Southampton]] campus ** [[State University of New York at Old Westbury|SUNY College at Old Westbury]] ** [[State University of New York at Farmingdale|Farmingdale State College]] ** [[Nassau Community College]] ** [[Suffolk County Community College]] * Other ** [[United States Merchant Marine Academy]] '''Private''' * [[Adelphi University]] * [[Briarcliffe College]] - in Queens at [[Long Island City]]; Nassau at [[Bethpage, New York|Bethpage]]; and Suffolk at [[Patchogue, New York|Patchogue]] * [[Dowling College]] * [[Five Towns College]] * [[Hofstra University]] * [[Gibbs College]], [[Melville, New York|Melville]] * [[Long Island University]], [[Long Island University C.W. Post Campus|C.W. Post Campus]] * [[Molloy College]] - in Rockville Centre * [[New York Institute of Technology]] * [[Polytechnic Institute of New York University]] - formerly ''Polytechnic University of New York'', now part of NYU, has a Suffolk campus at Melville * [[St. John's University (New York City)|Saint John's University]]<ref>Main campus is in Queens, branch campus in Suffolk County [http://new.stjohns.edu/ St. John's University: Oakdale Campus]</ref> * [[Saint Joseph's College, New York|Saint Joseph's College]] (Suffolk Campus) * [[Touro Law Center]] * [[Watson School of Biological Sciences]] * [[Webb Institute]] == Leisure and recreation == {{Unreferenced-section|date=May 2008}} ===Resort areas=== {{seealso|List of Long Island recreational facilities}} [[Fire Island National Seashore]], which is a long [[barrier island]] off Long Island's [[South Shore (Long Island)|South Shore]], is a hot spot for tourists, especially during the summer. [[Ocean Beach, New York|The Village of Ocean Beach]] is the most populous community on Fire Island. There are restrictions on automobile use and the island is not accessible by car (except for one small westerly portion), requiring passage by one of numerous ferries or other watercraft. [[The Hamptons]], in eastern Long Island's Suffolk County, is one of the area's most popular summer destinations. Parts of the Hamptons are well known for being a playground for the rich, and are frequented by residents of New York City during the summer months for weekend getaways. This has given rise to the terms "House in the Hamptons" or "Hamptons summer share." The [[Garden City, New York|Garden City]] Hotel is near to several train stations, to the [[Roosevelt Field Mall]], and to three golf courses. As well, [[Splish Splash]], one of the world's leading water parks, can be found in Suffolk County. ===Food=== Both Nassau and Suffolk County are home to thousands of restaurants, many of them top quality. As New York is known as a melting pot, every kind of restaurant from Mexican to Hungarian to Indian to Bengali can be found. These specialty restaurants are often family owned. Small family-owned pizzerias are ubiquitous. It is not uncommon for a town on Long Island to have several different pizzerias, each with its own distinct flavor. The [[Long Island Pizza Festival & Bake-Off]] is annual competition where mom and pop pizzerias compete to be named best on Long Island. [[Bagel]] stores and delis are also extremely common. Some bagel stores are Jewish-owned and approved as kosher. Long Island bagels are considered some of the best in the world. Often more than one deli can be found in a town. Diners also abound on Long Island, many are Greek- and German-owned, and many depending on the business of the town are open all night, for late-night patrons. Almost all major fast food and casual dining chains have a presence on Long Island as well. ===Athletics=== Long Island is home to numerous famous athletes, including hall of famers [[Jim Brown]], [[Julius Erving]], [[John Mackey (American football)|John Mackey]] and [[Carl Yastrzemski]]. Others include Gold Medalist [[Sarah Hughes]], [[D'Brickashaw Ferguson]], [[Jumbo Elliott (athletics)|Jumbo Elliott]], [[Matt Serra]], [[Boomer Esiason]], [[Vinny Testaverde]], [[Craig Biggio]], [[Frank Catalanotto]], [[Greg Sacks]], [[Rob Burnett]], [[Steve Park (NASCAR)|Steve Park]], [[Frank Viola]], and [[Speedy Claxton]]. <table class="wikitable"> <!-- Table Header --> <tr bgcolor="#ADADAD"> <td width="300px">'''''Club'''''</td> <td width="120px" align="left">'''''Sport'''''</td> <td width="75px" align="left">'''''Founded'''''</td> <td width="270px" align="left">'''''League'''''</td> <td width="180px" align="left">'''''Venue'''''</td> </tr> <!-- Rows --> <td width="250px">[[Long Island Rough Riders]]</td> <td width="120px" align="left">[[Soccer]]</td> <td width="75px" align="left">1994</td> <td width="270px" align="left">[[United Soccer Leagues]]</td> <td width="180px" align="left">[[Mitchel Athletic Complex]]</td> <tr> <td width="250px">[[New York Islanders]]</td> <td width="120px" align="left">[[Ice Hockey|Hockey]]</td> <td width="75px" align="left">1972</td> <td width="270px" align="left">[[National Hockey League]]</td> <td width="180px" align="left">[[Nassau Coliseum]]</td> <tr> <td width="250px">[[Long Island Lizards]]</td> <td width="120px" align="left">[[Lacrosse]]</td> <td width="75px" align="left">2001</td> <td width="270px" align="left">[[Major League Lacrosse]]</td> <td width="180px" align="left">[[Mitchel Athletic Complex]]</td> <tr> <td width="250px">[[New York Titans (NLL)|New York Titans]]</td> <td width="120px" align="left">[[Box lacrosse|Indoor lacrosse]]</td> <td width="75px" align="left">2007</td> <td width="270px" align="left">[[National Lacrosse League]]</td> <td width="180px" align="left">[[Nassau Coliseum]]<small>/[[Madison Square Garden|MSG]]</small></td> <tr> <td width="250px">[[New York Dragons]]</td> <td width="120px" align="left">[[Arena Football]]</td> <td width="75px" align="left">1995</td> <td width="270px" align="left">[[Arena Football League]]</td> <td width="180px" align="left">[[Nassau Coliseum]]</td> <tr> <td width="250px">[[Long Island Ducks]]</td> <td width="120px" align="left">[[Baseball]]</td> <td width="75px" align="left">2000</td> <td width="270px" align="left">[[Atlantic League of Professional Baseball|Atlantic League]]</td> <td width="180px" align="left">[[Citibank Park]]</td> <tr> <td width="250px">[[Strong Island Sound]]</td> <td width="120px" align="left">[[Basketball]]</td> <td width="75px" align="left">2005</td> <td width="270px" align="left">[[American Basketball Association (21st century)|American Basketball Association]]</td> <td width="180px" align="left">[[Suffolk County Community College]]</td> <tr> <td width="250px">[[New York Mets]]</td> <td width="120px" align="left">[[Baseball]]</td> <td width="75px" align="left">1962</td> <td width="270px" align="left">[[Major League Baseball]]</td> <td width="180px" align="left">[[Shea Stadium]]</td> <tr> <td width="250px">[[Brooklyn Cyclones]]</td> <td width="120px" align="left">[[Baseball]]</td> <td width="75px" align="left">2001</td> <td width="270px" align="left">[[New York-Penn League]]</td> <td width="180px" align="left">[[KeySpan Park]]</td> </table> [[Ebbets Field]], which stood in Brooklyn from 1913 to 1957, was the home of the [[Brooklyn Dodgers]], who decamped to [[California]] after the 1957 season to become the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]]. The Dodgers won several [[National League]] penants in the 1940s and 1950s, losing several times in the [[World Series]]—often called ''[[Subway Series]]''—to their [[The Bronx|Bronx]] rivals, the [[New York Yankees]]. The Dodgers won their lone championship in Brooklyn in the [[1955 World Series]] versus the Yankees. The [[Brooklyn Nets Arena]] is a proposed sports arena, business and residential complex to be built partly on a platform over the [[Atlantic Yards]] at [[Atlantic Avenue (New York City)|Atlantic Avenue]], and is intended to serve as a new home for the [[New Jersey Nets]]. The [[New York Mets]] play at [[Shea Stadium]] in [[Flushing, Queens|Flushing]] in Queens. Plans have been announced for a new stadium, [[Citi Field]] in [[Willets Point, Queens|Willets Point]] in the parking lot of the current stadium, to be completed for the 2009 baseball season. The new stadium is designed with an exterior facade and main entry rotunda inspired by Ebbets Field. The [[Brooklyn Cyclones]] are a [[minor league baseball]] team, affiliated with the New York Mets. The Cyclones play at [[KeySpan Park]] just off the boardwalk on [[Coney Island]]. Nassau County is home to the [[New York Islanders]] of the [[National Hockey League]] and the [[New York Dragons]] of the [[Arena Football League]], who both play at the [[Nassau Coliseum]] in [[Uniondale, New York|Uniondale]]. Long Island has been a hot spot for outdoor lacrosse at the youth and college level, which made way for a [[Major League Lacrosse]] team in 2001, the [[Long Island Lizards]]. The Lizards play at [[Mitchel Athletic Complex]] in [[Uniondale, New York|Uniondale]]. The longest dirt Thoroughbred racecourse in the world is located in the Nassau County community of [[Elmont, New York|Elmont]] at [[Belmont Park]]. Long Island is also home to the [[Long Island Ducks]] [[minor league baseball]] team of the [[Atlantic League of Professional Baseball|Atlantic League]]. Their stadium, [[Citibank Park]], is located in [[Central Islip, New York|Central Islip]]. The [[American Basketball Association (21st century)|American Basketball Association's]] [[Strong Island Sound]] play home games at [[Suffolk County Community College]]. The two main rugby teams are the [[Long Island RFC]] in [[East Meadow, New York|East Meadow]] and the [[Suffolk Bull Moose]] in [[Stony Brook, New York|Stony Brook]]. It also has a professional soccer club, the [[Long Island Rough Riders]], who play at [[Mitchel Athletic Complex]] in Uniondale. The Rough Riders have won two national championships, in 1995 and 2002. Another category of sporting events popular in this region are [[Firematic Racing]] events, involving many local [[Volunteer fire department]]s. ===Music=== {{main|Music and Long Island}} Modern music has a long history on Long Island, as the island has long been part of US history and is near the most populous city in North America, yet is located in the [[suburb]]s and as such is strongly influenced by [[youth culture]]. [[Psychedelic rock]] was widely popular in the 1960s as flocks of disaffected youth travelled to NYC to participate in protest and the culture of the time. [[R & B]] also has a history in Long Island, especially in Nassau County, where population is denser and more closely influenced by New York City (Queens and Brooklyn). [[Jones Beach State Park]] is a popular place to view summer concerts, with new as well as classic artists performing there during the summer months at its outdoor venue. It hosts a large [[Fourth of July]] fireworks show every year, and the stands are filled. People park cars along the highway leading to the show, and others watch from the nearby beaches. Long Island is also known for its schools' music programs. Many schools in Suffolk County have distinguished music programs, with high numbers of students who are accepted into the state-wide All-State music groups, or even the National All-Eastern Coast music groups. Both the Suffolk County and Nassau County Music Educator's Associations are both recognized by MENC, and host numerous events, competitions, and other music-related activities. The Long Island music scene has been around for ages. Heroes of the Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk County) music scene include; [[Billy Joel]], [[Pat Benatar]], forefather of American Indie-Rock [[Lou Reed]], [[Paul Simon]], [[Johnny Ramone]], [[Debbie Gibson]], [[Eddie Money]], new-age king [[John Tesh]], [[Public Enemy (band)|Public Enemy]], [[Mariah Carey]], [[Busta Rhymes]], [[Shaggy (musician)|Shaggy]], folk singer [[Oscar Brand]], [[Brooklyn Bridge]], [[Ashanti]], [[John Nolan]], [[Dee Snider]], [[Lindsay Lohan]], [[Chuck D]], [[Flavor Flav]], [[Rakim]], [[Blue Öyster Cult]], [[Vanilla Fudge]], [[Glassjaw]], [[emo]] rockers [[Taking Back Sunday]], [[Straylight Run]], and [[Brand New]]. Artists from the counties of Kings and Queens are far too many to even begin naming, given the regions dominance in almost every genre of music. A handful of artists who call Queens or Kings their home include [[Jay Z]], [[Nas]], [[50 Cent]], [[Lloyd Banks]], [[Mobb Deep]], [[LL Cool J]], [[Q-Tip]], [[Fugees]], [[Mos Def]], [[Foxy Brown (rapper)|Foxy Brown]], [[Fabolous]], [[Notorious B.I.G.]], [[Wu-Tang Clan]], [[Beastie Boys]], [[Run-D.M.C.]], [[A Tribe Called Quest]], [[Art Garfunkel]]. In the beginning of the 21st century, Long Island became one of the premiere centers for independent rock music and the "[[emo]]" genre. Popular acts such as [[Glassjaw]], [[Taking Back Sunday]], [[Brand New]], [[Straylight Run]], and [[Envy on the Coast]] all consider Long Island their home. Today, "Long Island Emo" is considered its own genre; reminiscent of "Seattle Grunge," "Orange County Hardcore," or "Detroit Techno." ==Long Island in popular culture== {{see|List of references to Long Island places in popular culture}} ==Famous Residents== {{See|List of Long Islanders}} ==See also== {{commonscat}} {{wiktionary}} <div style="-moz-column-count:2; column-count:2;"> * [http://www.longislandbaseballdirectory.com Long Island Baseball Directory] * [http://www.LI.TV LI.TV] * [[Brooklyn]] * [[List of famous Long Islanders]] * [[Nassau County, New York|Nassau County]] * [[Queens]] * [[Suffolk County, New York|Suffolk County]] * [[Geography and environment of New York City]] * [[LongIsland.com]] * [http://www.longisland.li LongIsland.LI] * [[Newsday]] * [[Long Island Association]] * [[Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant]] * [[Long Island Marathon]] </div> ==Footnotes== {{reflist|2}} ==External links== * [http://www.discoverlongisland.com Long Island Convention's and Visitors Bureau] * [http://www.garviespointmuseum.com/geology.php Geology of Long Island] * [http://www.lifeonlongisland.com Life On Long Island] * [http://www.longislandexchange.com Long Island Exchange] * [http://www.longisland.info LongIsland.info] * [http://www.longisland.com LongIsland.com] * [http://www.longisland.li LongIsland.LI] * [http://www.lieconomy.com Long Island Economy] * [http://www.lioddities.com Odd & Rare Historical facts of LI] * [http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/index.php Vanderbilt Cup Races of Long Island] (VanderbiltCupRaces.com) * [http://www.newsli.com News Long Island] *{{wikitravel|Long Island}} {{New York}} [[Category:Long Island]] [[Category:Proposed states and territories of the United States]] [[Category:Islands of New York City]] [[bg:Лонг Айлънд]] [[ca:Long Island]] [[cs:Long Island]] [[da:Long Island]] [[de:Long Island]] [[es:Long Island]] [[et:Long Island]] [[fa:لانگ آیلند]] [[fi:Long Island]] [[fr:Long Island]] [[ga:An tOileán Fada]] [[gl:Long Island]] [[he:לונג איילנד]] [[hr:Long Island]] [[id:Long Island]] [[io:Long Island]] [[it:Long Island (USA)]] [[ja:ロングアイランド]] [[ka:ლონგ-აილენდი]] [[ko:롱아일랜드 섬]] [[la:Insula Longa]] [[nl:Long Island (New York)]] [[no:Long Island]] [[pl:Long Island]] [[pt:Long Island (Nova Iorque)]] [[ro:Long Island]] [[ru:Лонг-Айленд]] [[sh:Long Island]] [[simple:Long Island]] [[sk:Long Island]] [[sq:Long Island]] [[sr:Лонг Ајленд]] [[sv:Long Island]] [[th:ลองไอแลนด์]] [[uk:Лонг-Айленд]] [[zh:長島 (紐約)]]