New Jersey is a small but densely populated state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern US, ranking as the fifth-smallest by land area yet the most densely populated, with over 9.5 million residents (2025 estimate) and every county classified as urban; its capital is Trenton and its largest city is Newark. Historically, it was first inhabited by Paleo-Indians as early as 13,000 BC, with the Lenape as the dominant Indigenous group when Europeans arrived, and after Dutch and Swedish colonists founded early settlements, the British seized control and established the Province of New Jersey, named after the Channel Island of Jersey, which played a pivotal role in the American Revolution, earning the nickname "Crossroads of the American Revolution," and supported the Union during the Civil War. After the war, it became a major manufacturing center, and today its economy is highly diversified, serving as the world's largest pharmaceutical hub, known as the "Medicine Chest of the World," with strengths in biotech, finance, and logistics. In the 21st century, it is the fastest-growing state in the Northeast, driven by a resilient economy and aggressive homebuilding, and it is experiencing re-urbanization near transit hubs, while also being a top destination for immigrants with one of the world's most multicultural populations. Economically, it is one of the most developed states, with a median household income of $99,781 (2023, second-highest in the US), the highest density of millionaires, and a foreign-born population of 25%, second only to California.