The northeastern U.S. state of New Jersey has 130 miles of Atlantic coastline. The city of Manhattan, across the Hudson River from Jersey City, is home to Liberty State Park, as well as Ellis Island, the historic Immigration Museum, and the Statue of Liberty. The New York and New England region is home to notable resort towns such as Asbury Park, with its Victorian architecture. A trip to New Brunswick can include the historic town of Hoboken, with its many historical sites.
The state is also famous for its natural resources, with over 300 square miles of lakes. The Hudson River and the Delaware River run through the state, while the Passaic and Hackensack rivers meander through the northeast. The largest lake in the state is Lake Hopatcong, with its 2,000 islands. The borough of Hoboken is one of the state’s largest, and is a popular place to visit and shop.
The state has a complex history when it comes to organized crime. As a result of its location between Pennsylvania and New York and its long coastline, it was the perfect place to move illegal spirits during Prohibition. The growth of Monmouth and Ocean counties in the 1960s and 1970s led to increased opportunities for mob families and their criminal activities. The state’s notorious crackdown on organized crime in the late 1800s fueled this growth. Then, in the early 1960s, the state’s first major murder occurred.
The state has several distinct geographical regions. The Northeastern area is the closest to Manhattan, where up to one million people commute daily to New York City. Northwestern New Jersey is the more rural and mountainous part of the state. The southwestern region, which includes counties that make up the Philadelphia metro area, is home to the Delaware Valley. Combined, these areas represent the majority of the state’s population. A quick look at New Jersey’s landscape and climate will give you a good idea of the region’s diversity.
The state’s demographics are highly diverse. The state’s largest county is Morris. Despite its small size, its population is composed of about seventy percent of whites and just three percent of blacks. The city of Newark has a disproportionate number of black residents, but the region’s most ethnically diverse county is Essex. The state’s southwestern region is primarily suburban. There are also many cities in the southern part of the state, including the City of Trenton.
In addition to its diverse geography, the state has a long history of organized crime. Its location in between New York and Pennsylvania and its miles of coastline made it an ideal place for moving illegal spirits during Prohibition. The state has also been a major center of organized crime throughout its history. A crackdown on organized crime in the region prompted some of the largest and most dangerous criminals in the country to relocate to the Jersey Shore.