Editing Colonia, New Jersey (section)

==Geography==
Colonia is in northeastern Middlesex County, in the northwest corner of Woodbridge Township. It is bordered to the north by [[Clark Township, New Jersey|Clark]], to the northeast by [[Rahway, New Jersey|Rahway]], to the east by [[Avenel, New Jersey|Avenel]], to the south by [[Iselin, New Jersey|Iselin]], and to the west by [[Edison, New Jersey|Edison]]. [[Union County, New Jersey|Union County]] borders the community to the north and northeast. [[Newark, New Jersey|Newark]] is {{convert|13|mi}} to the northeast, and [[New Brunswick, New Jersey|New Brunswick]], the Middlesex [[county seat]], is {{convert|11|mi}} to the southwest.

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the Colonia CDP has a total area of {{convert|4.034|mi2|km2}}, including {{convert|0.004|mi2|km2}} of water (0.10%).<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2023"/> The community is drained to the northeast by the South Branch of the [[Rahway River]], part of the watershed of the [[Arthur Kill]]. Colonia has a [[humid subtropical climate]] (Cfa) and average monthly temperatures range from {{convert|33|F|C}} in January to {{convert|78.1|F|C}} in July.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://prism.oregonstate.edu/explorer/ | title=PRISM Climate Group at Oregon State University }}</ref>

The [[Garden State Parkway]] passes through the western portion of the CDP but does not interchange there. For northbound Garden State Parkway traffic only there is a service plaza in Colonia; it is the parkway's only area located on private property.<ref>Higgs, Larry. [https://www.nj.com/traffic/2017/10/the_oddity_of_the_twin_parkway_service_areas_that_are_on_private_property.html "The oddity of the twin Parkway service areas that are on private property"], NJ Advance Media for [[NJ.com]], October 31, 2017, updated January 16, 2019. Accessed February 6, 2022. "A Dunkin' Donuts and new convenience store are under construction at the Colonia service area in Woodbridge, while one has been open at the Exxon next door since the early 2000's. The Colonia Service area is the only area on the Garden State Parkway on private property."</ref>

In 2018 the president of the Historical Association of Woodbridge, Daniel D'Arcy, stated that "Colonia is to Woodbridge like [[the Bronx]] is to NYC. People like the identity."<ref name=Zimmeretal>{{cite web|last1=Zimmer|first1=David M.|last2=Sheingold|first2=Dave|last3=Shkolnikova|first3=Svetlana|last4=Fagan|first4=Matt|url=https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/new-jersey/2018/06/14/towns-new-jersey-sometimes-not-towns-all-but-unincorporated-community/694485002/|title=Sorry, your New Jersey hometown may not be a town at all|publisher=[[northjersey.com]]|date=2018-06-14|accessdate=2023-06-29}}</ref>