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"How can you not love New Jersey? We got some of the nicest beaches in the Northeast, New York City and Philadelphia is just a swim across the river, our Education is above average than the rest of the country. Plus we got Atlantic City (ok not as great as Las Vegas, but its still a fun place to be) and Six Flags Great Adventure! If those don't interest you, then visit some of the malls."
"Compare to the rest of the regions in this country, living in the Northeast is not that bad. So we get a few snowstorms during the winter, at least we don't have to worry about hurricanes in the south or earthquakes and wildfires in the west or hundreds of tornadoes in the middle of the country."
My History
Did you know that over 180 million years ago, North Africa was my neighbor?
Anyway, I was first inhabitated by Native Americans, more specifically the "Lenni Lenape" for thousands of years.
I was first explored by some Italian guy name Giovanni de Verrazano in 1524. I was founded by Henry Hudson and settled by the Dutch during 1618. The Dutch eventually lost control of my land to the British in 1664.
In 1776, I broke off from the British control and declared myself as an independent state. I am one of the original thirteen states in the Union. I was a strategic location during the revolutionary war because I'm in between Philadelphia and New York City. Because of this, over 100 battles were fought on my land. On December 18, 1787, I was the third state to ratify the US Constitution. On November 20, 1789, I was the first to ratify the Bill of Rights.
In the late 1700s to 1800s, I became a very industrialized state and the led the way to the Industrial Revolution. It was a good century for me. Population was on the rise and the economy was booming.
During World War I, I became a strategic location for the war, providing a training ground for our soldiers and ammunition and chemicals for the war effort. During World War II, I produced an enormous amount of materials for the war. Approximately 25% of US Navy destroyers were created in my state, along with battleships, heavy cruisers, and aircraft engines. More than 500,000 New Jersey residents served in the armed forces.
Today, I am one of the most densely populated state in the country. I am Rank No. 3 on Per Capita Personal Income in the country in 2004. I have a battleship named after me and I use to host Miss America in Atlantic City. I am one of the two states (other one being Oregon) that has full service at gas stations. I have diners all over the place (its pretty hard not to find one in a 5 mile radius). Many cities are being revitalize such as Camden, Asbury Park, and Newark. Jersey City is the final outcome of such revitalization and is the most diverse city in the country. Plus, major corporations from New York City are moving into Jersey City because there is hardly any taxes and expenses are lower too.
Fast Facts
Sales Tax: Effective July 14, 2006, 7%
State Motto: "Liberty and Prosperity"
State Slogan: As of Jan. 12, 2006, "Come see for yourself."
State Nickname: "Garden State"
21 counties and 566 municipalities.
2 United States Senators and 13 United States Representatives.
40 State Senators
Approximately 8.4 million residents (as of 2000)
314 public libraries
1,866 public elementary schools
398 public secondary schools
132 private high schools
20 four-year colleges
21 two-year colleges
7504.8 square miles of land
699.57 square miles of water
127 miles of coastline along the Atlantic Ocean
My links
New Jersey Official Web Site
New Jersey Turnpike Authority
NJ Transit
Port Authority of NJ&NY
NJ Motion Picture & TV Commission
NJ Homeland Security
Important numbers
To report suspicious activities or behavior related to terrorism, Call NJ Home Land Security open 24 hours a day: 866-4-SAFE-NJ (866-472-3365).
For emergency calls, dial 911.
For non-emergency calls, dial 211. To learn more about 211 service, go here: http://www.nj211.org
For roadside assistance on I-95/NJ Turnpike, dial #95 if you have a cell phone.
For roadside assistance on Garden State Parkway, dial #GSP if you have a cell phone.
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This space was created on May 1, 2006.
The 1000th friend was added on March 31, 2007.
If you see any errors or information that isn't right, feel free to send me a message and I'll correct it as soon as possible!