New Jersey

• Population- 8,724,560
• Capital- Trenton
• Largest cities– Newark, Jersey City, Paterson
• Time zone- Eastern
• Date of Admission to the Union- December 18, 1787
• Slogan- Liberty and prosperity
• State website URL- www.state.nj.us

Morristown, New Jersey became a winter haven for war weary soldiers during the Revolutionary War. Key war battles, such as the Battle of Monmouth and the Battle of Trenton, were both fought within the state.

New Jersey is believed by many to be nothing more than one big and sprawling urban and suburban area. But a best-kept geographic secret is the Pine Barrens. This odd microclimate was made famous by John McPhee the essayist. The region is a large area of low, scrubby pines and sandy soil. The rest of New Jersey was actually quite agricultural in its early years and rich with dark soil. But the Pine Barrens were never amenable to farming, save for cranberry bogs. In fact New Jersey is one of the largest producers of cranberries.

The skies over Lakehurst were witness to one of the tragic moments in history. In 1937 the zeppelin/blimp, the Hindenburg, went up in flames on its maiden voyage. Religious and ethnic groups are abundant and include Jews, Muslims, Christians; white, Asian, Italian-American, Indian American. In comparison to other states, New Jersey is most diverse.

Economically the marine shipping business is a leader in the state and without. Large container ships come and go from Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal. Living in New Jersey isn’t cheap, either. And some of the wealthiest counties are located within the state and include, Monmouth, Bergen, and Morris. Drive through the Newark area along the Jersey Turnpike and it’s obvious that refineries are a prominent feature in the urban industrial sector. Major petroleum corporations associated with them include: Conoco-Phillips, Chevron, and Hess. On top of this the state attracts huge pharmaceutical companies: Johnson and Johnson, Merck, and Bristol-Myers Squibb. The Jersey Turnpike, itself, is a major piece of metropolitan roadway in the U.S. and many travelers have found themselves jetting along in the BosWash megalopolis traffic.

Atlantic City, New Jersey is the East Coast’s answer to Las Vegas. This sprawling casino-resort area along the shore is a hugely popular playground for East Coast visitors.