New Jersey

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
New Jersey
State of New Jersey
Nickname
The Garden State[1]
Motto(s)
Liberty and prosperity
Anthem: Hail, New Netherland
noicon
Map of the United States with New Jersey highlighted
Map of the United States with New Jersey highlighted
CountryUnited States
Before statehoodProvince of New Jersey
Admitted to the UnionDecember 18, 1787 (3rd)
CapitalTrenton
Largest cityNewark
Largest metro and urban areasGreater New York
Government
 • GovernorPhil Murphy (D)
 • Lieutenant GovernorTahesha Way (D)
LegislatureNew Jersey Legislature
 • Upper houseSenate
 • Lower houseGeneral Assembly
U.S. senatorsBob Menendez (D)
Cory Booker (D)
U.S. House delegation10 Democrats
2 Republicans (list)
Area
 • Total8,722.58 sq mi (22,591.38 km2)
 • Land7,354.22 sq mi (19,047.34 km2)
 • Water1,368.36 sq mi (3,544.04 km2)  15.7%
 • Rank47th
Dimensions
 • Length170 mi (273 km)
 • Width70 mi (112 km)
Elevation
250 ft (80 m)
Highest elevation1,803 ft (549.6 m)
Lowest elevation
(Atlantic Ocean[2])
0 ft (0 m)
Population
 (2023)
 • Total13,082,190
 • Rank13th
 • Density1,210.10/sq mi (700/km2)
  • Rank1st
 • Median household income
$79,363
 • Income rank
3rd
Demonym(s)New Jerseyan (official),[4] New Jerseyite[5][6]
Language
 • Official languageEnglish
 • Spoken language
Time zoneUTC−05:00 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−04:00 (EDT)
USPS abbreviation
NJ
ISO 3166 codeUS-NJ
Traditional abbreviationN.J.
Latitude38°56′ N to 41°21′ N
Longitude73°54′ W to 75°34′ W
Websitenj.gov
New Jersey state symbols
Living insignia
BirdEastern goldfinch[8]
FishBrook trout[9]
FlowerViola sororia
InsectWestern honey bee
MammalHorse
TreeQuercus rubra (northern red oak),[10] dogwood (memorial tree)
Inanimate insignia
ColorsBuff and blue
   
Folk danceSquare dance
FoodBlueberry (state fruit)
FossilHadrosaurus foulkii
SoilDowner[11]
State route marker
New Jersey state route marker
State quarter
New Jersey quarter dollar coin
Released in 1999
Lists of United States state symbols

New Jersey is one of the 50 states of the United States of America. It is in the northeastern section of the country along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. It is a geographically small state, shaped like a letter [S], and bordered on the west by Pennsylvania and Delaware across the Delaware River, on the north by New York, on the northeast by the Hudson River and New York City, on the east and southeast by the Atlantic Ocean, and on the southwest by Delaware Bay.

The capital of New Jersey is Trenton and the largest city is Newark, though New Jersey is better known for bordering the large cities of New York City and Philadelphia. The state nickname is "The Garden State". The current governor is Phil Murphy.[12]

New Jersey is the fourth smallest state, but has the eleventh highest number of people. It therefore has the highest population density (number of people for the amount of land) in the United States. New Jersey is also well known for its beaches,[13] industries, swamps, and pine forests.

The climate is hot and humid summers and cold winters, with about 47 in (1,200 mm) of precipitation every year. The average temperature in the summer is between 82 °F (28 °C) and 87 °F (31 °C), and in winter around 16 °F (-9 °C) to 34 °F (1 °C).[14]

History[change | change source]

Before Europeans came, the land that is now New Jersey was inhabited by the Lenape (also known as Delaware Indians by the English), who were nomads, hunters, and farmers. The Dutch came to the northern area of the state in the 1630s, after Henry Hudson explored the area, thought it was a nice place, and claimed it for the Dutch. Towns quickly sprang up, occupied by the Dutch, Swedes, and Finns. People rushed in. The first towns, such as Bergen (now Jersey City), Trenton (the capitol), and Burlington developed. Many others started themselves upon the west bank of the Hudson. New Jersey was part of the area known at this time as New Netherland.

In 1664, the English took New Netherland from the Dutch and added it to their colonies. This part was renamed New Jersey after an island in the English Channel known as Jersey.

New Jersey took part in the American Revolutionary War, and was a scene of battles. On Christmas in 1776, George Washington's army entered New Jersey to attack British soldiers at Trenton and Princeton. The American army won, in two small but famous battles that were important in boosting American morale.

Later, the rebels drove the British residents out of Princeton and for a time established a national capital there. New Jersey was the third state to join the US and the first to approve the Bill of Rights.

Counties[change | change source]

New Jersey has 21 counties:

County
FIPS Code County Seat [15] Created [15] Formed from [16] Named for [17] Population (2005) [15] Area [15] Map
 
Atlantic County 001 Mays Landing 1837 Gloucester County The Atlantic Ocean, which forms the county's eastern border 271,015 671 sq mi
(1,738 km2)
State map highlighting Atlantic County
Bergen County 003 Hackensack 1675 One of four original counties created in East Jersey The town of Bergen op Zoom, Holland or Bergen, Norway 904,037 247 sq mi
(640 km2)
State map highlighting Bergen County
Burlington County 005 Mount Holly Township 1681 One of two original counties created in West Jersey The old name for the ancient market town a mile from shore in Bridlington, England 450,743 819 sq mi
(2,121 km2)
State map highlighting Burlington County
Camden County 007 Camden 1844 Gloucester County Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden (1714–1794), an English supporter of the colonial cause during the American Revolution[18] 517,001 228 sq mi
(591 km2)
State map highlighting Camden County
Cape May County 009 Cape May Court House 1685 Burlington County The 17th-century Dutch explorer Cornelius Jacobsen Mey (?–16??), who explored and surveyed the Delaware Bay to the south of the county 99,286 365 sq mi
(945 km2)
State map highlighting Cape May County
Cumberland County 011 Bridgeton 1748 Salem County Prince William, Duke of Cumberland (1721–1765), second son of George II of England and military victor at the Battle of Culloden in 1746 154,823 677 sq mi
(1,753 km2)
State map highlighting Cumberland County
Essex County 013 Newark 1675 One of four original counties created in East Jersey The county of Essex in England 786,147 130 sq mi
(337 km2)
State map highlighting Essex County
Gloucester County 015 Woodbury 1686 Burlington County The city of Gloucester, England 276,910 337 sq mi
(873 km2)
State map highlighting Gloucester County
Hudson County 017 Jersey City 1840 Bergen County The English explorer Henry Hudson (1570–1611), who explored portions of New Jersey's coastline 601,146 62 sq mi
(161 km2)
State map highlighting Hudson County
Hunterdon County 019 Flemington 1714 Burlington County Robert Hunter (1664–1734), the Colonial Governor of New Jersey from 1710 to 1720 130,404 438 sq mi
(1,134 km2)
State map highlighting Hunterdon County
Mercer County 021 Trenton 1838 Burlington County, Hunterdon County, Middlesex County, and Somerset County The Continental Army General Hugh Mercer (1726–1777), who died at the Battle of Princeton[19] 367,605 229 sq mi
(593 km2)
State map highlighting Mercer County
Middlesex County 023 New Brunswick 1675 One of four original counties created in East Jersey The former county of Middlesex in England 789,516 323 sq mi
(837 km2)
State map highlighting Middlesex County
Monmouth County 025 Freehold Borough 1675 One of four original counties created in East Jersey The Rhode Island Monmouth Society or the historic county of Monmouthshire in Wales. 635,285 665 sq mi
(1,722 km2)
State map highlighting Monmouth County
Morris County 027 Morristown 1739 Hunterdon County Colonel Lewis Morris (1671–1746), colonial governor of New Jersey at the time of the county's formation.[20][21] 493,160 481 sq mi
(1,246 km2)
State map highlighting Morris County
Ocean County 029 Toms River 1850 Monmouth County The Atlantic Ocean, which forms the eastern border of New Jersey 562,335 916 sq mi
(2,372 km2)
State map highlighting Ocean County
Passaic County 031 Paterson 1837 Bergen County and Essex County "Pasaeck", a Lenape word meaning "valley" 499,060 197 sq mi
(510 km2)
State map highlighting Passaic County
Salem County 033 Salem 1681 One of two original counties created in West Jersey A Hebrew word meaning "peace" 66,595 373 sq mi
(966 km2)
State map highlighting Salem County
Somerset County 035 Somerville 1688 Middlesex County The county of Somerset in England 319,900 305 sq mi
(790 km2)
State map highlighting Somerset County
Sussex County 037 Newton 1753 Morris County The county of Sussex in England 153,384 536 sq mi
(1,388 km2)
State map highlighting Sussex County
Union County 039 Elizabeth 1857 Essex County The union of the United States threatened by dispute between North and South over slavery 531,088 105 sq mi
(272 km2)
State map highlighting Union County
Warren County 041 Belvidere 1824 Sussex County The American Revolutionary War General Joseph Warren (1741–1775), killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill 110,376 363 sq mi
(940 km2)
State map highlighting Warren County

References[change | change source]

  1. The Garden State and Other New Jersey State Nicknames Archived September 2, 2019, at the Wayback Machine, Robert Lupp, New Jersey Reference Services, New Jersey State Library, October 12, 1994.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Elevations and Distances in the United States". United States Geological Survey. 2001. Archived from the original on October 15, 2011. Retrieved October 24, 2011.
  3. Elevation adjusted to North American Vertical Datum of 1988.
  4. "GPO Style Manual 2008" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 21, 2011. Retrieved July 25, 2010.
  5. "New Jersey—Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary". Merriam-Webster. Archived from the original on May 31, 2013. Retrieved June 3, 2013.
  6. "Definition of New Jerseyite". Dictionary.reference.com. Archived from the original on June 22, 2013. Retrieved July 25, 2010.
  7. "Language spoken at home by ability to speak English for the population 5 years and over—2014 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates". Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
  8. "New Jersey State Bird". The Official Web Site for The State of New Jersey. The State of New Jersey. Archived from the original on March 25, 2013. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  9. "The New Jersey State Fish". The Official Web Site for The State of New Jersey. The State of New Jersey. Archived from the original on August 9, 2013. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  10. "The New Jersey State Trees". The Official Web Site for The State of New Jersey. The State of New Jersey. Archived from the original on March 10, 2013. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  11. "New Jersey State Soil—Downer". Natural Resources Conservation Service. United States Department of Agriculture. Archived from the original on August 19, 2014. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  12. DeFalco, Beth. "NJ gov off to a strong start; some say too strong". Yahoo. Archived from the original on March 29, 2010. Retrieved March 24, 2010.
  13. "NJ Energy Savings Improvement Program". WhatsBiomass. Archived from the original on March 20, 2023. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  14. Aladin. "New Jersey, USA - Climate & Monthly weather forecast". Weather U.S. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 "NACo - Find a county". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on January 12, 2008. Retrieved January 25, 2008.
  16. "New Jersey Formation Maps". Genealogy, Inc. Archived from the original on January 20, 2008. Retrieved January 25, 2008.
  17. "The Origin of New Jersey Place Names" (PDF). New Jersey State Library Commission. Federal Writers' Program. 1938. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 5, 2004. Retrieved April 25, 2008.
  18. Greenberg, Gail. A Brief History of Camden County, Camden County, New Jersey. Accessed June 26, 2007.
  19. Mercer County History, State of New Jersey. Accessed June 26, 2007.
  20. The Land Past and Present, Retrieved on March 22, 2007.
  21. How did our county get its name?, Morris County Library website (accessed February 13, 2008)