About NJ

New Jersey is a greatly under appreciated state that offers shorelines, revolutionary war history, skilled labor, access to huge markets, various means of transportation, new technology and agriculture. The challenges New Jersey faces are its population density, chemical production, environmental issues, law enforcement and degradation of its cities. New Jersey is one of the original thirteen colonies. The colony was named New Jersey to honor George Carteret, who had defended the island of Jersey during the English Civil War. New Jersey is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean on its east and south, the Hudson River to its north and the Delaware River to its west. The ports along these waterways are a tremendous advantage for the state and are in close proximity to Philadelphia and New York City. Though great for the economy, the landscape of these ports is ruined with shipping containers. New Jersey is the fifth smallest state but has the ninth highest population with 9 million people. It is the most densely populated state in nation, which creates a rippling effect of problems. The states cities include Newark, Trenton, Camden, Elizabeth, Jersey City and Paterson all of which have heavy crime rates that deters tourists. Tourists are mostly found on the 127-mile eastern coast of New Jersey along the Atlantic. Tourism in New Jersey is estimated at $30 billion a year. Trenton is the capital of New Jersey and is a symbol of George Washington leading the Continental Army against Great Britain for independence. New Jersey has a high industrial output and produces chemical (such as rubber, plastics, paint, detergents and perfume) and pharmaceutical products. One-sixth of New Jersey is farmland and is a leading producer of peaches, blueberries, asparagus, cranberries, bell peppers and tomatoes. The state is also a leader in the production of roses, lilies, chrysanthemums, orchids and poinsettias. More people in New Jersey commute out of state in than any other state in the nation. The New Jersey Turnpike connects Pennsylvania and Delaware to New York but doesn’t showcase the Jersey landscape. The Garden State Parkway, which connects the eastern coastal towns in the state to New York, also reduces the landscape to a monotonous series of numbered exits. Both the Turnpike and Parkway are, in terms of accidents per passenger miles, among the safest roads in the United States. New Jersey’s economy takes advantage of its proximity of Philadelphia and New York City.