Brooklyn: Smaller Than We Thought It Was

We always thought New York City was 322 square miles. It turns out that it's actually 304.8 square miles. No big deal.

But, tell a Brooklynite that her borough shrank by 12 percent (accounting for 10 of the 17.2-mile total reduction), and you're in for a world of hurt. According to the city geographer's new recalculation, Brooklyn is significantly smaller than we'd thought. I, for one, have boasted to friends and family that I live in the "82-square-mile borough." Bragging about the "72-square-mile borough" doesn't have the same sophisticated ring to it.

Borough President Marty Markowitz's response: "So Brooklyn is a little more svelte than we knew." Time to annex Governors Island.