New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the Northeastern United States.
It is bordered on the north and northeast by New York, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the southwest by Delaware and on the west by Pennsylvania.
As of September 2018, the population of New Jersey was estimated to be about 9 million people. It is the 11th most populous state in the United States.
New Jersey is the 47th largest state in the United States in terms of total area with 22,591 square kilometers (8,722 square miles).
Trenton is the capital city of New Jersey. It was the capital of the United States for four months in 1783.
New Jersey is occupied by 4 main land regions: the Atlantic Coastal Plain, the Piedmont, the New England Upland, and the Appalachian Ridge and Valley Region.
The largest land area, the Atlantic Coastal Plain, covers the southern 3/5 of New Jersey. The Piedmont lies northeast of the Atlantic Coastal Plain this area covers only about 1/5 of the state. West of the Peidmont is the New England Upland. This area, sometimes called The Highlands, includes flat-topped ridges of rock and extends into Pennsylvania and New York. In the northwest corner of the state is the mountainous Appalachian Ridge and Valley Region.
High Point, at High Point State Park is the highest elevation in New Jersey at 550 meters (1,803 feet) above sea level. At the peak is the High Point Monument, a 67 meter (220-foot) obelisk, built in 1930 as a war memorial.
New Jersey has 210 kilometers (130 miles) of shoreline.
The Jersey Shore, along the Atlantic Coast in Central and South Jersey, has its own unique natural, residential, and cultural characteristics owing to its location by the ocean.
New Jersey has 9 national parks and 33 state parks.
The famous Appalachian Trail, which is over 3,500 kilometers (2,180 miles) long, runs through part of New Jersey. The trail starts in New Jersey at the Delaware Water Gap and goes through the Pochuck Valley. Hike your way through the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and the High Point and Stokes Forest.
The George Washington Bridge is a double-decked suspension bridge spanning the Hudson River between the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City, and the borough of Fort Lee in New Jersey. As of 2018, the George Washington Bridge carried over 100 million vehicles per year, making it the world’s busiest motor vehicle bridge.
Atlantic City is known for being the entertainment hub of New Jersey, where visitors go to enjoy a wide array of gaming opportunities. This active and lively city offers a little something for everyone all year round. Located on the Jersey Shore, guests can walk along the iconic Boardwalk featuring rides, games, world-class restaurants, and bars.
Atlantic City is best known for its famous Boardwalk. This four-mile-long promenade was constructed in 1870 and to this day remains the place where the majority of the city’s attractions are found. Among its most popular tourist spots is Steel Pier, a carnival-style amusement park that has rides for all ages, including a massive observation wheel with climate-controlled gondolas that give riders amazing views over the city and the ocean year-round.
Grounds For Sculpture (GFS) is a 17-hectare (42-acre) sculpture park and museum located in Hamilton, on the former site of the New Jersey State Fairgrounds. Founded in 1992 by John Seward Johnson II, the venue is dedicated to promoting an understanding of and appreciation for contemporary sculpture by organizing exhibitions, publishing catalogues, and offering a variety of educational programs and special community events.
New Jersey was originally settled by Native Americans, with the Lenni-Lenape being dominant at the time of contact.
European contact began with the exploration of the Jersey Shore by Giovanni da Verrazzano in 1524.
The English later seized control of the region, naming it the Province of New Jersey after the largest of the Channel Islands, Jersey.
New Jersey was the site of several decisive battles during the American Revolutionary War in the 18th century.
Approving the Constitution on December 18, 1787, New Jersey became the third state to join the Union, following Delaware and Pennsylvania.
New Jersey is the most densely populated of the 50 US states.
The state has the highest percent urban population in the U.S. with about 90% of the people living in an urban area.
New Jersey has the most diners in the world and is sometimes referred to as the diner capital of the world.
New Jersey is known for several foods developed within the region, including pork roll (or Taylor ham), cheesesteaks, and scrapple.
The first virtually complete dinosaur skeleton discovered in North America was unearthed in 1858 by William Parker Foulke in Haddonfield, New Jersey.
New Jersey is the birthplace of modern inventions such as: FM radio, the motion picture camera, the lithium battery, the light bulb, transistors, and the electric train.
The world’s first boardwalk was constructed in Atlantic City in 1870 merely to reduce the amount of sand tracked into nearby hotels and railroad cars.
The state has the most shopping malls in one area in the world with seven major shopping malls in a 65-square-kilometer (25-square-mile) radius.
In 1977, New Jersey voters approved legislation allowing legalized casino gambling in Atlantic City.
New Jersey has a spoon museum featuring over 5,400 spoons from every state and almost every country.
The state boasts an impressive musical legacy–Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi and Frank Sinatra all hail from New Jersey.