Newark is the largest city in New Jersey, United States, and the county seat of Essex County. Newark has a population of 277,140, making it the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S. and one of the nation's major air, shipping, and rail hubs.Newark is located in the heart of New Jersey's Gateway Region, approximately 8 mi west of Manhattan. Its location near the Atlantic Ocean on Newark Bay has helped make its port facility, Port Newark, the key container shipping facility for the New York metropolitan area, and the largest on the East Coast. It is the home of Newark Liberty International Airport, the first municipal commerical airport in the United States, and one of the busiest today. Newark is headquarters to numerous corporations such as Prudential Financial and PSEG, and well as several major universities such as Rutgers University and New Jersey Institute of Technology, cultural institutions, and sports venues.This ethnically diverse city is divided into five wards, and contains a variety of neighborhoods ranging in character from bustling urban districts to quiet suburban enclaves.