Newark is surrounded by residential suburbs to the west, the Passaic River and Newark Bay to the east, dense urban areas to the south and southwest, and middle-class residential suburbs and industrial areas to the north. Newark Liberty International Airport is only 13 miles west of Lower Manhattan in New York City. Newark Neighborhoods Although Newark is divided into five political wards – industry, the airport and the seaport are concentrated in the East and South, while residential neighborhoods exist primarily in the North, Central and West wards – residents more often identify by their unique neighborhoods, ranging in character from bustling urban districts to quiet suburban enclaves. Central Ward This ward contains much of the city's history including the original Lincoln Park, Military Park and Washington Park squares and University Heights. In the 19th century, the Central Ward was inhabited by Germans and other white Catholic and Protestant groups, later replaced by Jews, who were themselves replaced by African Americans. This is the present-day heart of Newark, and includes 26 public schools, two police precincts, including headquarters, four firehouses, and one library. North Ward This ward is surrounded by Branch Brook Park, of cherry blossom fame. Its neighborhoods include Broadway, Mount Pleasant, Upper Roseville and the affluent Forest Hill section, which contains many older mansions and colonial homes. Gated communities of residential towers and condos for sale are located in the Forest Hill neighborhood. Little Italy survives, although recent demographics have transitioned to Latino. The ward as a whole remains ethnically diverse. West Ward The West Ward comprises the neighborhoods of Vailsburg, Ivy Hill, West Side, Fairmount and Lower Roseville. Once a predominantly Irish, Polish and Ukrainian neighborhood, this is now home to neighborhoods composed primarily of Latinos, African Americans and Caribbean Americans. South Ward The South Ward comprises the Weequahic, Clinton Hill, Dayton and South Broad Valley neighborhoods. Once home to Jewish residents, the area now has ethnic neighborhoods made up primarily of African Americans and Hispanics. The city's second-largest hospital, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, can be found here, as can 17 public schools. East Ward The East Ward contains the downtown commercial district, as well as the Ironbound neighborhood, where much of Newark's industry was located in the 19th century. Today, Ironbound is a destination for shopping, dining and nightlife. A historically immigrant-dominated section of the city, Ironbound in recent decades has been termed Little Portugal and Little Brazil due to its heavily Portuguese and Brazilian population. Newark is home to one of the largest Portuguese speaking communities in the US. In addition, the East Ward has become home to various Latin American communities, especially Ecuadorians, Peruvians and Colombians, as well as Puerto Ricans and African Americans. Public education consists of East Side High School and six elementary schools. The ward is composed of densely packed but well-maintained housing and streets, primarily large apartment buildings and rowhouses, as well as many condos for sale.