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New Jersey Facts

New Jersey is a northeastern state that is one of the smallest in the nation (#47 in area).

Despite its size, the state has the eleventh largest population in the country.

It also features national parks, museums, historical sites, harbor towns, resorts, and even popular entertainment spots like Atlantic City and the Jersey Shore.

Seal Of New Jersey

Quick Facts

Capital: Trenton

Population: 9 million

Nickname: The Garden State

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Key Cities: Newark, Jersey City, Atlantic City, Trenton

Postal Abbreviation: NJ

Major Industries: Biopharmaceuticals, transportation, manufacturing, health care, technology, tourism

nitroglycerin-factories

History

How did New Jersey get its name? In 1664, James, Duke of York granted land to Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret.

In honor of Carteret, the charter referred to the land as New Jersey. Carteret had been born on the island of Jersey in the English Channel and was the Lieutenant Governor of the island for several years.

Date admitted to the Union: Tuesday, December 18, 1787

Related: New Jersey State History

Geography

Size: 8,723 sq. miles

Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean at sea level

ocean coastline

Highest point: High Point at 1,803 feet

Counties: 21

Famous locations: Atlantic City Boardwalk, Cape May Point Lighthouse, Liberty State Park, Princeton University, Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Jersey Shore

Famous New Jerseyites

Meryl Streep- actress

Shaquille O’Neal- basketball player

Grover Cleveland bio
Grover Cleveland

Grover Cleveland– 22nd and 24th US President

Chelsea Handler- comedian/talk show host

Derek Jeter- baseball player

Count Basie- jazz musician

Whitney Houston- singer

Fun Facts

New Jersey has the highest population density of any U.S. state (the most people per square mile).

The state has an average of 1,030 people per square mile. That’s 13 times the national average!

Thomas Edison

New Jersey is home to more diners than any other location in the world (over 500), so it’s sometimes referred to as the diner capital of the world.

It also has over 50 resort cities and towns, including the very famous Atlantic City, Cape May, and Seaside Heights.

Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, the phonograph, and the motion picture projector in his lab in Melo Park, New Jersey. The famous inventor became known as the “Wizard of Menlo Park.”

Atlantic City, New Jersey has the world’s longest boardwalk.

Another claim to fame? The street names in the board game Monopoly are named after real streets in Atlantic City!

atlantic-city-boardwalk

The first baseball game was played in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1845.

The first college football game was played in New Brunswick, New Jersey, between Rutgers College and Princeton in 1869. Rutgers won. Go Rutgers!

The Lambert Castle Museum in Paterson, New Jersey features a spoon exhibit that houses over 5,400 spoons from every state and almost every country in the world.

United States facts.

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