New Jersey

New Jersey can be described as a state in the Mid-Atlantic or Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware River and Pennsylvania; and on the southwest by Delaware Bay and the state of Delaware. New Jersey, which covers 7,354 sq. miles (19,050km), is the fifth-smallest state by land area. However, it has close to 9.3 millions residents and ranks 11th in terms of population and density. New Jersey’s capital is Trenton. Newark is the most populous city. All counties in New Jersey are located within the combined statistical areas New York City and Philadelphia, with the exception of Warren County. Therefore, the state’s largest metropolitan region is Greater New York.

New Jersey was first inhabited by Native Americans for at least 2,800 years, with the Lenape being the dominant group when Europeans arrived in the early 17th century. Dutch and Swedish colonists founded the first European settlements in the state. The English later seized control of the region and established the Province of New Jersey, named after the largest of the Channel Islands, Jersey. The colony’s fertile lands and relative religious tolerance drew a large and diverse population. New Jersey was among the Thirteen Colonies that opposed Great Britain, hosting numerous pivotal battles and military commands in the American Revolutionary War. The state remained in Union during the American Civil War and was a major center for manufacturing and immigration. It helped drive the nation’s Industrial Revolution and was the location of many technological and commercial innovations until the mid-20th century.