New Jersey Land Information Guide

Geography And Climate Of New Jersey

The state of New Jersey is made up of 8,729 square miles and is situated on the eastern seaboard of the U.S., just south/southwest of New York, 75 miles across and 150 miles long. The northeastern area of New Jersey is close enough to New York City that many who work in the city choose to commute from this area. This is the most urban part of the state, with the southeastern shore categorized by its beaches on the Atlantic Ocean and the southern area of the state containing of a forest region with a strong concentration of pine and oak trees. Residents usually identify as being from North Jersey or South Jersey and occasionally Central Jersey.

As in New York, weather in New Jersey can get quite humid during the heart of the summer, and 90 degree plus temperatures are not unheard of. Typical temperatures in the summer run in the high 70s and 80s. In the winter, New Jersey can get fairly cold, with temperature in the teens, 20s and 30s. New Jersey gets around 44 inches of rain and 14-30 inches of snow per year.

History Of New Jersey

Like New York, New Jersey was originally home to the Lenape tribe of Native Americans. In the early 17th Century, the Dutch arrived and found New Jersey to be a good location for fur trading. In 1664, the English took over and New Jersey became a British colony. New Jersey became home to a large Quaker population, and was separated into East and West Jersey between 1674 and 1702, when Governor Edward Hyde united the two parts of the state. New Jersey was one of the original 13 colonies and the third to ratify the U.S. Constitution. It was the location of the legendary Revolutionary War Battles of Trenton. During World War II, New Jersey was an important spot for production of naval ships.

Demographics Of New Jersey

There are 8,724,560 residents who call New Jersey home, with about 1.9 million of those foreign born. It is the densest state in the union with 1,174 residents per square mile and is the wealthiest state by median household income. The ethnic makeup is roughly 65 percent Caucasian, 14 percent Hispanic, 14 percent African American and eight percent Asian. It has the largest Jewish population of any state other than New York, the highest Muslim population of any state other than Michigan and the third highest percentage of Asians. New Jersey has a wide variety of ethnic groups, with most religious people identifying themselves as Catholic (about 40 percent).

Economy Of New Jersey

The New Jersey total state product in 2006 was $434 billion and its median income is the highest in the U.S. Much of the New Jersey economy is based around science and the pharmaceutical industry. The pharmaceutical companies located in New Jersey include Johnson & Johnson, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Novartis, Pfizer and Hoffman-LaRoche. The state also houses several major telecommunications businesses such as AT&T Communications, Alcatel-Lucent and Verizon Wireless.

Agricultural products of New Jersey include horses, seafood, fruits, nuts, vegetables and dairy products. There is also a strong shipping industry centered around the Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal. Many New Jersey residents commute to nearby New York or Philadelphia for work.

New Jersey Law And Government

The Governor of New Jersey is former New Jersey Senator Jon Corzine, who took over from acting Governor Richard Codey, who in turn assumed the position after Governor Jim McGreevy resigned amidst scandal. Democrats Frank Lautenberg and Bob Mendendez represent New Jersey in the U.S. Senate. New Jersey has 13 Representatives in the U.S. Congress, seven Democrats and six Republicans. The state capital of New Jersey is Trenton. Although in the past New Jersey has had Republican leanings, it is now a strongly Democratic state on both the Federal and state levels, with both the state Executive branch and Legislature and the majority of Federal representatives in Congress coming from the Democratic Party. New Jersey is considered a liberal state legally, and is one of the states that allows civil unions for same-sex couples and has eliminated the death penalty.

New Jersey Transportation

The major airport in New Jersey is Newark Liberty International Airport (usually just called “Newark”) which services flights from all over the country and the world. Many people visiting New York will fly into Newark instead due to its proximity to New York City. The New Jersey Transit Corporation handles public transportation. The NJ Transit system has 11 train lines that travel through various parts of the state, terminating in Penn Station in New York City, New York or Hoboken Terminal in Hoboken, New Jersey. There are three light rail systems, the Hudson-Bergen light rail, the Newark City Subway and the River Line. There are also PATH trains that connect North Jersey directly with New York City along four separate lines. Other trains that operate in New Jersey include Amtrak and SEPTA.

Major Cities And Towns Of New Jersey

The largest city in New Jersey is Newark, in Essex County, with over 273,000 people, followed by Jersey City in Hudson County with 240,000. Other large cities in New Jersey include Paterson in Passaic, Elizabeth in Union County and Edison in Middlesex County. Well-known and highly populated townships and smaller cities in New Jersey include Toms River, Hamilton, Trenton, Camden, Bayonne, Cherry Hill and East Orange.

New Jersey Educational System

Fifty-four percent of high school graduates in New Jersey go on to college, one of the highest rates in the country. In addition, New Jersey has the highest advanced placement scores on average in public high schools. New Jersey receives the most federal funding for K-12 education in the country. Famous New Jersey colleges and universities include the renowned Princeton University as well as Rutgers University and Seton Hall.

New Jersey Sports Teams And Recreation Activities

New Jersey has a somewhat tenuous relationship with some of the sports teams that reside there based on their relationship with neighboring New York. The NFL Giants and Jets both play in the Meadowlands in New Jersey but have chosen to keep “New York” in their teams’ names. The Major League Soccer team the New York/New Jersey MetroStars has become Red Bull New York although they too still play in New Jersey. New Jersey’s NBA basketball franchise, the Nets, are planning a move to Brooklyn, New York. New Jersey does retain sole claim to its NHL hockey team, the very successful New Jersey Devils.

For recreation, some visitors to New Jersey choose to enjoy the New Jersey shore. Gambling fans will want to head to Atlantic City, where legal gambling is fully approved and there is an assortment of casino hotels that cater to those interested in casino games.