State Facts and Information
New Jersey is a state filled with rich history and many interesting characteristics—let me share some of my favorite:
New Jersey was one of the original 13 states and is nicknamed the Garden State. Ellis Island, the historic gateway to America for millions of families is part of New Jersey. Our state is home to the first ocean resort in picturesque Cape May. We have long been the home to innovation that has helped change the world—this is where Thomas Edison invented the light bulb. We’ve even led innovation in sport, with the first baseball game having been played in Hoboken. From Frank Sinatra to Bruce Springsteen to Whitney Houston, New Jersey is the birthplace some of the world’s most talented musicians and artists.
Our state has a number of well-known official symbols, like the Violet—our State flower. But most don’t know that New Jersey has an official dinosaur, too: The Hadrosaurus foulkii dinosaur was first discovered in Haddonfield, New Jersey. The Hadrosaurus was about two-stories tall, over 30 feet long, and an herbivore. Other official symbols include the State Insect, the honeybee; the State Dance, the square dance; the State Animal, the horse; and the State Shell, the knobbled whelk or conch shell.
State Facts
Nickname: The Garden State
Population: 8,682,661 (2008 Census estimate)
Size: 8,204.37 square miles
Capital: Trenton
Largest city: Newark (280,135 — 2007 Census estimate)
Largest county: Bergen (895,744 — 2007 Census estimate)
Number of counties: 21
State Flag:
State Flower: Violet
State Bird: Eastern Goldfinch
State Tree: Red Oak