New Jersey is in the Middle Atlantic region of the US. It is nicknamed the Garden State.

New Jersey is the most densely populated state in the US. Most live north of Trenton near New York City (NYC).

Trenton is the state capital. The New Jersey State museum is located here. There is a planetarium. It is located in the state capital complex in the city.

Restored Colonial Villages are at Bistro and Allaire.

The  Appalachian Mountains run through the Northwest part of NJ. The highest elevation is High Point at 1803 ft above sea level. Bears and wildcats can be found in the mountains. Other wildlife are: white-tail deer, opossums, muskrats, chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits and snakes.

Plants common to the state are: rhododendron, azalea, mountain laurel, honeysuckle, wintergreen and cardinal flower. Varieties of pine and white cedar trees grow in South Jersey.

The state's largest lake is Hopatcong Lake which is located in Sussex and Morris Counties.

The Hackensack meadows and the Great Swamp are located in Morris county. The Meadow lands stretch from Perth Amboy to Hackensack.

Pineland National Reserve is the first US national reserve. It was established in 1978.

Climate:: Weather

The climate is moderate and humid. The average winter temperature is 35 degrees. In summer, the average temperature is about 71 degrees. August is the wettest month. Rainfall averages about 46 inches a year. The growing season is about 150 days in the north and 200 days in the south.

Landscape

There are 4 regions. These regions run parallel to one another, northeast to southwest.

• Kittatinny Hill country of the Northwest. The Appalachian mountains are located here.
• The southeast has rolling hills
• The low plain of the Piedmont has marshy meadowlands and Industrial cities.
• The coastal plain has pine barrens, marches, beaches, farmland and dunes.

Northeast across the Hudson River is NYC To the west across the Delaware River is Pennsylvania and then west across the Delaware Bay and Delaware.

The only land boundary is NY to the north. To the east lies the Atlantic Ocean, the rest is bounded by rivers and bays. The state is about 170 miles north to south and about 75 miles east to west.

Major Rivers

The major river that runs through N.J. is the Delaware River. The Hudson river separates the state from New York. Other major rivers are the Hackensack and Passaic Rivers. These rivers are both located in northeast New Jersey.

For more detailed info see Regions.

History Time Line to 1838