Here's why:

* Inverse Square Law: The strength of an electric field decreases with the square of the distance from the source. This means that as you move further away from the charged object, the field intensity weakens rapidly.

* Charge Concentration: The electric field lines emanate from the charged object, and they are most densely packed near the surface. This high density of field lines indicates a stronger electric field.

Think of it like this: Imagine a balloon that you've rubbed with a wool cloth to give it a static charge. The electric field lines are most concentrated near the surface of the balloon. The further away you get, the more spread out these lines become, and the weaker the field.