Rhode Island Geography

Basic Facts

• Geographical Region: Northeast
• Size: 1545 sq.mi., 50th rank overall.
• Admitted to Statehood: May 29, 1790
• Population: 1,053,209;43rd rank overall.
• Capital: Providence
• Other Major City: Warwick
• Abbreviation: RI

Fun Facts

• Nickname: The Ocean State
• State Flag: Click Here (opens window to 50states.com)
• State Bird: Rhode Island Red (opens window to 50states.com)
• State Flower: Violet (opens window to 50states.com)

Geographical Description

• Rhode Island is the smallest state in size in the United States. It covers an area of 1,214 square miles. Its distances North to South are 48 miles and East to West 37 miles.
• Rhode Island is mostly flat with its highest point, Jerimoth Hill at 812 feet above sea level located in the western part of the state as part of the New England Upland.
• Eastern Rhode Island contains the lowlands of the Narragansett Bay. This part of the state contains a number of beaches and major islands, the largest being Aquidneck Island, along with Conanicut and Prudence.

Map: Relief Map of RI

Industry

Jewelry, silverware, fabricated metal products, plastic, electric equipment, machinery, shipbuilding and boatbuilding, tourism, gambling.

Agriculture

greenhouse items, nursery stock, vegetables, dairy products, eggs.

Other Information

Fun Facts:

• The last of the original thirteen colonies to be named a state was Rhode Island.
• With no county government, 39 municipalities each having its own form of local government make up Rhode Island.
• The Narragansett Bay is home to the first military action against England with the sinking of the ship called "The Gaspee."
• The founder of Rhode Island was Roger Williams. After being banished from Plymouth, Massachusetts because of his ?extreme views
• concerning freedom of speech and religion, he established the first working model of Democracy.
• The first batch of British troops sent over to combat the revolution landed in Newport.

More Fun Facts: http://www.50states.com/facts/rdisl.htm