Introduction - New Jersey Facts
The state of New Jersey is found in the Northeast Region of the United States and borders on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, known as the New Jersey Shore. Its three neighboring states are Delaware, New York and Pennsylvania. New Jersey, abbreviated NJ, has 21 counties and is the only state where all of them are considered to be metropolitan areas. It is easy to see why New Jersey has a higher population density than any other state in the entire U.S. The kid-friendly information below offers quick facts such as when New Jersey became a state and what New Jersey is best known for, but you will also find many other interesting facts and historical information about the state that is home to the very first Indian Reservation.Click here for a great selection of Amazon.com books about New Jersey.
New Jersey Quick Facts
- On December 18, 1787 New Jersey ratified the U.S. Constitution making it the third state to join the United States of America.
- New Jersey is one of the smallest states of all 50 states. Only Rhode Island, Delaware and Connecticut rank smaller in size.
- The state capital of New Jersey is Trenton.
- The population of New Jersey is 8,899,339 (source 2013 United States Census Bureau estimate) making it the 11th most populated US state.
- The state flower of New Jersey is the Viola sororia, or common violet.
- New Jersey is known by the nickname, The Garden State.
- The name for New Jersey residents is either New Jerseyans or New Jerseyites.
- The largest city in New Jersey is Newark.
- Aside from bordering the Atlantic coast, New Jersey is also home to numerous bodies of water ranging from lakes to streams to rivers such as the Delaware River and the Hudson River.
- An interesting fact is New Jersey does not have an official state song.
Interesting New Jersey Facts
- New Jersey is known as the car theft capital of the nation.
- Wildwood, Atlantic City, Seaside heights and Cape May are just a handful of the 50-plus resort cities located in New Jersey.
- One of the largest seaports in the United States is located in Elizabeth, NJ.
- The world's tallest water tower, or sphere, sits just off the Garden State Parkway in Union, New Jersey.
- The names of the streets in the Monopoly game are named after streets in Atlantic City, NJ.
- The longest boardwalk in the world is located at the New Jersey Shore and its wooden planks stretch four miles (six kilometers) down the beachfront.
- New Jersey is known for its abundance of both shopping malls and diners.
- The first intercollegiate football game and the first baseball game were both played in New Jersey.
New Jersey Historical Facts
- Cape May is the oldest seashore resort city in the United States and was declared a National Historic Landmark City in 1976.
- The first almost fully intact dinosaur skeleton was discovered in Haddonfield, New Jersey in 1858.
- Thomas Edison's laboratory was located in Menlo Park, NJ where he invented the light bulb, the phonograph and the motion picture projector.
- President Grover Cleveland was born in Caldwell, NJ in 1837. He was the only U.S. President to serve two non-consecutive terms in office.
- Inventor, John P. Holland took one of the first submarine rides through the waters of the Passaic River in New Jersey.
- In 1933, the first drive-in movie theatre opened in Camden, New Jersey.