Welcome to New Jersey
"The Garden State" New Jersey enjoys the second-highest median income in the country. Fueled by the 1950s suburban boom (it serves as a bedroom community for many Manhattan and Philadelphia commuters), it’s now the most densely populated state. New Jersey is also extremely ethnically and culturally diverse. As of 2005, almost 20 percent of residents were foreign-born, and it’s ranked second in the country for percentage of Jewish and Muslim residents. Historically a beacon of innovation (Thomas Edison called the state home), New Jersey now features more engineers and scientists per square mile than anywhere else in the world. Its main industries are varied, from pharmaceuticals and telecommunications to food processing and publishing. A socially liberal stronghold, it’s considered to have one of the country’s best public education systems. Truthfully, it doesn’t all smell of roses in the "Garden State"—in July 2009 a major scandal involving New Jersey mayors and political graft erupted. But problems aside, most New Jerseyites will likely insist they’re happy to call the state home. State Name: New Jersey  State Nickname: "The Garden State" State Motto: "Liberty and Prosperity" Name for Residents: New Jerseyan, New Jerseyite, Jerseyite  Abbreviation: NJ Time Zone: Eastern, GMT/UTC -5 / -4 (Daylight Savings Time) Capital City: Trenton Date of Statehood: December 18, 1787 Statehood Rank: 3rd State Area: 8,729 square miles (22,608 km²) Area Rank: 47 of 50 Number of Counties: 21 State Population: 8,682,661 (2008 estimate) Largest Cities:     Newark - 281,402 (2006 est.)     Jersey City - 241,791 (2006 est.)     Paterson - 148,708 (2006 est.) Major Rivers:     Delaware River - Length: 410 mi (660 km)     Husdon River - Length: 315 mi (507 km)     Passaic River - Length: 80 mi (129 km) Highest Point: High Point, 1,803 ft (550 m) Lowest Point: Atlantic Ocean (sea level)  Bordering States and Countries:     New York (North)     Delaware (Southwest)     Pennsylvania (West)   Record High Temperature:     110°F (43°C)     July 10, 1936 at Runyon Record Low Temperature:     -34°F (-37°C)     January 5, 1904 at River Vale
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	Author: World Trade Press