New Jersey is a state where many residents have long-standing family connections and others make newer connections to the Garden State through work, school, or travel. It is home to renowned colleges and universities, museums, theaters, and sports teams, as well as a thriving economy and world-class health care system. The diversity of the state is reflected in its cuisine, religious communities, and cultural traditions.
The state is divided into geographical regions characterized by natural and population concentrations. Northeastern New Jersey, also known as the Gateway Region, is a metropolitan area linked to Manhattan by public transportation where more than a million residents commute daily for work. Central New Jersey, by contrast, is a rural region with historic towns and villages anchored by the agriculturally rich Delaware River valley and the state’s first college, Montclair State University. South Jersey is a coastal resort region with a wealth of recreational opportunities.
After World War II, the state prospered as it became a center of suburbanization. New Jerseyans benefited from affordable housing developments, federally backed mortgages, and a cutting-edge transportation system. At the same time, disparities in treatment of African American war veterans and restrictive covenants created a landscape of inequality that persists to this day.
Located midway between New York City and Philadelphia, New Jersey has served as a national hub for culture and commerce. Many of the nation’s most famous art, literary, and architectural treasures are located here. Its parks, forests, and rivers are popular destinations for hikers, bikers, kayakers, and birders. New Jersey is also a leading producer of food products and an innovative leader in biotechnology, electronics, and chemicals.
In the first half of the twentieth century, New Jersey was a prototype for progressive reform movements in economic, political, and social arenas. The state grew diverse, and its citizens were among the most educated in the country. Its population was ethnically and racially diverse, with many immigrants from the Caribbean and Europe.
The Atlantic Coastal Plain, which occupies the majority of the state’s land mass, is a fertile area with a thick layer of sandy soil. It’s dotted with lakes and aquifers storing billions of gallons of water underground. To the north and west of this area is the Ridge and Valley, where many of the state’s major cities are located, and it is characterized by broad valleys and flat-topped rock ridges.
Wildlife in New Jersey includes black bears, bobcats, raccoons, and red foxes, as well as coastal plain milk snakes, five-lined skinks, and marbled salamanders. The state’s trees include sugar maple, American elm, red-bud, and pitch pine, while wildflowers like queen Anne’s lace and orange daylilies bloom throughout the state. The state’s mammals are augmented by a variety of birds, including American goldfinches, chickadees, and northern cardinals. The state is home to several reptiles and amphibians, including spotted turtles, eastern box turtles, and New Jersey chorus frogs.