State of New Jersey
Nicknames: The Garden State
Motto(s): Liberty and Prosperity
Date of Statehood: December 18, 1787 (3rd state)
State Song: None officially. I’m From New Jersey” by Red Mascara is often associated with the state but is not officially recognized.
New Jersey Flag History
The flag of New Jersey, adopted in 1896, represents the state’s historical significance and its values. The flag features a buff-colored background, chosen by General George Washington to honor the original Dutch settlers. In the center of the flag is the state coat of arms, which includes a shield with three plows, reflecting New Jersey’s agricultural tradition.
Above the shield is a knight’s helmet, symbolizing sovereignty and the state’s status as one of the original thirteen colonies. The shield is supported by two figures: Liberty on the left, holding a staff with a liberty cap, representing freedom; and Ceres, the Roman goddess of grain, on the right, holding a cornucopia, symbolizing abundance and prosperity.
Below the shield is a ribbon with the state motto, “Liberty and Prosperity,” and the date 1776, signifying New Jersey’s rich history and its role in the American Revolution. The New Jersey flag symbolizes the state’s commitment to liberty, its agricultural heritage, and its prosperity, reflecting the state’s pride in its past and its hopes for the future.
New Jersey Quick Facts
Capital City: Trenton
Abbreviation: NJ
Population: Approximately 9.2 million
Region: Northeast, Mid-Atlantic
Origin of State Name: Named after the island of Jersey in the English Channel
Sports Teams: New Jersey Devils (NHL). Note: Several New York-based teams have their stadiums in New Jersey, including the NFL’s New York Giants and New York Jets.
Bordering States: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware
Area Codes: 201, 551, 609, 640, 732, 848, 856, 862, 908, 973
Highest Point: High Point at 1,803 feet (550 meters)
Lowest Point: Atlantic Ocean
Geography of New Jersey
Area: 8,722 square miles (22,591 square kilometers), 47th largest
Land: 7,354 square miles (19,047 square kilometers), 46th largest
Water: 1,368 square miles (3,544 square kilometers), 30th largest
Coastline: 130 miles (209 kilometers)
Shoreline: 1,792 miles (2,884 kilometers), including the back bays and rivers that feed into the Atlantic Ocean
Largest Cities:
- Newark
- Jersey City
- Paterson
- Elizabeth
- Edison
- Woodbridge
- Lakewood
- Toms River
- Hamilton
- Trenton
- Clifton
- Camden
- Brick
- Cherry Hill
- Passaic
National Parks:
- Morristown National Historical Park
- Thomas Edison National Historical Park
- Gateway National Recreation Area (partly in New Jersey)
- Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (partly in New Jersey)
New Jersey State Symbols
Living Insignia
State Bird: Eastern Goldfinch
State Animal: Horse
State Amphibian: Pine Barrens Tree Frog
State Butterfly: None
State Fish: Brook Trout
State Flower: Violet
State Horse Breed: None specifically, but the Horse is the state animal
State Insect: Honeybee
State Mammal: Horse
State Reptile: Bog Turtle
Inanimate Insignia
State Fruit: Northern High Bush Blueberry
State Gemstone: None
State Soil: Downer
State Tree: Northern Red Oak
State Quarter: Issued in 1999 featuring Washington Crossing the Delaware and an outline of the state with the year of statehood, 1787
State Beverage: None
State Colors: Buff and Blue, after the colors of the uniforms of the New Jersey Continental Line during the Revolutionary War
State Dance: Square Dance
State Food: None
State Fossil: Hadrosaurus foulkii
State Mineral: None
State Rock: None