Monroe,county, easternPennsylvania, U.S., bordered byNew Jersey to the east (theDelaware Riverconstituting the boundary), Blue and Kittatinny mountains to the south, Tobyhanna and Tunkhannock creeks to the west, and the Lehigh River to the northwest. Its variedtopography includes thePocono Mountains in the north and ridge-and-valley terrain in the south. Other waterways include McMichael, Brodhead, and Cherry creeks; Lake Naomi and Pocono Lake are in the Pocono Mountains. Parklands include Big Pocono, Gouldsboro, and Tobyhanna state parks and sites along the Delaware River such as the Delaware Water Gap, where the rivertraverses the Kittatinny Mountains. TheAppalachian National Scenic Trail follows the ridgeline of Blue and Kittatinny mountains.

The county was formed in 1836 and named forJames Monroe. Tourism is important to resortcommunities such as East Stroudsburg, Mount Pocono, andStroudsburg, which is the county seat. Area 607 square miles (1,573 square km). Pop. (2000) 138,687; (2010) 169,842.