New York City Has Always Had Five Boroughs

There have never been six boroughs in New York City. The city has consisted of exactly five boroughs since the consolidation of 1898:

1. The Bronx
2. Brooklyn
3. Manhattan
4. Queens
5. Staten Island

Prior to 1898, "New York City" referred only to Manhattan. The 1898 charter unified the five counties into the modern municipal structure, which has remained unchanged.