New Jersey: State Flag, Bird and Facts
The state bird of New Jersey is the eastern goldfinch, also called the American goldfinch, and the violet is its state flower.
- Capital
- Trenton
- Nickname
- Jersey; The Garden State
- State bird
- Eastern goldfinch (American goldfinch)
- State flower
- Violet
- State tree
- Northern red oak
- Admitted
- July 4, 1776
- Population
- 9,288,994 (2020 census)
- Motto
- Liberty and prosperity
- Region
- Northeast
- Area
- 22,591 km² (8,722 sq mi)
- Highest point
- High Point (1,802 ft)
- Borders
- Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania
About New Jersey
No state packs people in more tightly than New Jersey, and it is the only state where the Census Bureau counts every county as urban. Only four states are smaller by land. New York wraps the north, the Atlantic lines the east and south, Pennsylvania lies across the Delaware River to the west, and Delaware sits to the southwest. Trenton is the capital, and Newark has the most people.
The Lenape were the main Indigenous group when Europeans arrived. Dutch and Swedish colonists came first, then the British took over and named the province for Jersey, an island in the English Channel. The flag uses a buff background with the state coat of arms. A shield with three plows is flanked by two women, a horse's head rests on a knight's helmet above, and a banner below reads Liberty and Prosperity 1776.
Did you know?
- High Point is the highest spot in New Jersey, at 1,802 feet.
- The northern red oak is New Jersey's official state tree.
- Paleo-Indians lived in what is now New Jersey as early as 13,000 BC.
Questions about New Jersey
Why is New Jersey called the Garden State?
The Garden State is its official nickname, and it appears on New Jersey license plates.
When was the New Jersey flag adopted?
The flag was adopted on May 11, 1896.
Sources
- Wikidata Q1408, checked October 8, 2026
- Wikipedia: New Jersey, checked October 8, 2026
- Wikipedia: Coat of arms and flag of New Jersey, checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.