New Jersey State Overview

State of New Jersey general data

  • Time zone: 6 hours less than Italy
  • Capital: Trenton
  • Main towns: Atlantic City, Edison, Elizabeth, Jersey City, Newark, Paterson.
  • Area: 22.587 km²
  • Population: 8,900,000 inhabitants approximately.
  • Population density: 394 residents / km²
  • State abbreviation: NJ
  • Entry into the United States: It joins the United States on December 18, 1787, it is the 3rd state to join the union.

According to thembaprograms.com, the state of New Jersey is a peninsula between the Hudson and Delaware Rivers, with an average elevation of 76m and the highest point of 550m, at High Point, Sussex County. Even though it is one of the smallest states in the United States, it has a great diversity from the point of view topographical. There are four major regions of New Jersey: the Appalachian chain and valley, the highlands, the Piedmont region, and the coastal plain. The latter region covers 60% of the state’s surface, roughly between the cities of Perth Ambosy and Trenton. The plain, formed by sediments, slopes gently towards the Atlantic. The height of this plain never exceeds 120 m. In the far north-west of New Jersey is the Appalachian chain and valley area, these are different mountain ranges separated by parallel valleys. In this region is the highest point in the state, the High Point, in the Kittatinny Mountains, and the gorge of the Delaware River which sinks 350m as it flows through the Kittatinny Mountains. The highlands region is part of the New England region that formed a natural barrier that hindered colonization in the early days. Finally, the Piedmont area which is located before the plateaus, and is made up of sedimentary rock soils. As for the coast, there are numerous fine sandy beaches between Sandy Hook and Cape May.

Most of New Jersey’s rivers are tributaries of the Delaware River, which flow into the Atlantic Ocean. Other important rivers are the Passaic, the Hackensack, the Raritan, which flow into the Atlantic, and the Wallkill, located in the extreme north-west, and a tributary of the Hudson River. Other rivers of lesser importance are those that flow in the coastal plain, including the Toms River and the Mullica River. The largest lakes are found in the highlands area: Hopatcong, Mohawk and Greenwood. The most important artificial basin is the Wanaque which shares it with the state of New York.

Flora and fauna– The highest areas are covered with a forest cover (oak and hickory). In the Outer Coastal plain, the Pine Barrens area has a vegetation of oaks and pines, while the Kittatinny valley, the Piedmont lowland and the Inner Coastal plain are practically devoid of tree vegetation. Despite demographic pressure, many wild animal species still survive in New Jersey today. There are deer, coyote, beaver, muskrat, otter, while in suburban areas the squirrel, coon, opossum and skunk are common.

The climate of New Jersey is as in all states of the Mid Atlantic region, very varied and changeable. The climate can be defined as continental, despite the influence of the ocean, and is mainly influenced by internal winds, rather than those from the coast. Average temperatures in January are -1 ° C and 24 ° C in July. The maximum temperatures in summer are very high, up to 38 ° C, while in winter the thermometer occasionally signals temperatures of -32 ° C. Temperatures are slightly lower in the highlands. Precipitation is abundant, with an annual average of 1,000 mm in the south and 1,270 mm in the north. In mountainous areas, precipitation in winter is often snowy.

Trenton: Capital of New Jersey

According to countryaah.com, Trenton is the capital of the state of New Jersey, in the United States. In addition to the seat of the state government, it is a commercial, industrial and commodity distribution center whose economy is based on products such as rubber, plastic, metal, food, graphic arts and ceramics. The State House, with its gilded domes (1792), is of particular historical and artistic interest; the Old Masonic Lodge (seat of the Masonic lodge), from 1793; the Friends Meeting House (1739), and the Trent House (1719), where William Trent lived who gave the town its name. Among the educational institutions, Thomas A. Edison College (1972) is important.

History– Before the European settlers settled permanently in the area, the Dutch and Scandinavians had negotiated the stay with the Delaware Indians. In 1679 Mahlon Stacy, an English Quaker, had a concession of the territory near the Delaware River, he built a mill that became famous with the name of The Falls. According to topschoolsoflaw.com, in 1714, Stacy’s son sold the land to William Trent, a Philadelphia merchant, and the community was born shortly thereafter. The current name of the city dates back to 1721. In 1790 it became the state capital. In the mid-nineteenth century it was one of the most industrialized cities in the country. The steel industry that was active in the city from the mid-eighteenth century, it got a big boost in 1849, when John Roebling started producing steel cables. At that time, other industries began their activity such as that of terracotta and ceramics, and at the end of the nineteenth century the rubber industry joined the productive fabric of the city. However, in the mid-20th century, with the closure of several factories operating in the area, industrial decline began in Trenton.

New Jersey State Overview