New Jersey is a small, densely populated state in the northeastern United States. It borders the State of New York in the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean in the east, and Delaware and Pennsylvania across the Delaware River in the west. The name, derived from an island in the English Channel called Jersey, commemorates the kingdom of Jersey, which was part of the English Empire until 1664. It was among the thirteen colonies and was admitted to the Union on December 18, 1787.
New jersey is a state of urban sprawl, suburban communities, and rural countryside. It is known for its beaches, metropolitan areas, and world-class universities and research institutes in the fields of biotechnology, computer science, and chemical engineering. It is also home to many popular musicians, including Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, Frank Sinatra, and Whitney Houston. The state’s topography varies from the flat coastal plain, which is dotted with swamps and marshes, to the rugged terrain of the Kittatinny Mountains in the northwest corner.
The largest city in the state is Newark, with a population of about 218,000. The rest of the state’s population lives in more than 100 smaller towns and cities, some with a few thousand residents and others with several hundred thousand. The population is highly diversified, with more than 60 different languages spoken and a wide range of ethnic and religious groups.
Most of the state’s land is rural, with nearly two-fifths of it forested. The trees include sugar maple, American chestnut, and elm. Black-eyed Susans, orange daylilies, and Queen Anne’s lace are common flowers. The soil is fertile and well suited for vegetable farming.
The state’s economy has long been based on agriculture and manufacturing, but since the 1980s, it has become increasingly service-oriented. New Jersey is home to the headquarters of many multinational corporations, especially in the pharmaceutical and financial services industries.
In addition, the state is a major center for research and development in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and information technology. New Jersey’s diversified economy has also drawn foreign investors to the state, particularly in the chemical, electronics, and financial services sectors.
New Jersey’s natural beauty is a draw for tourists and residents alike. Along the coast, sandy beaches teem with wildlife, and the dunes are still topped by coarse but fragile grass. On the bayside, man-made treasures such as Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty are a national treasure.
The state’s capital is Trenton, and its other large cities are Jersey City and Newark. Its suburbs are mainly bedroom communities for the two giant cities just beyond their borders. Many of its citizens commute to them for work. They watch New York television and root for New York sports teams, and they frequent New York’s restaurants and theatres. It is these things that give the State its nickname, the Garden State. The phrase was coined in 1876 by Abraham Browning of Camden, who compared the State to an immense barrel, filled with good things and tapped at both ends, with Pennsylvanians reaching from one end and New Yorkers from the other.