The Gateway Region is located in northeastern New Jersey in the United States of America. The area encompasses Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic, Union and Middlesex counties. It is the most urban part of the state, with population of more than four million, and is home to most of its larger cities, though much housing was originally developed as suburbs as part of the New York metropolitan area. It is home to Ellis Island, the "gateway" through which many immigrants entered the United States, many of whom choose to stay in the region, which continues to be the port of entry and first home to many born abroad, making it one of the most ethnically diverse of the nation. It may also be the most socio-economically diverse, with some of the biggest pockets of poverty and most exclusive of suburbs in the state.