Rhode Island is known for:
- Spectacular coastline
- Seaside colonial towns
- Jewelry design
- Textile manufacturing
- Newport Jazz Festival
Geography & Demographics
| State Abbreviation |
RI |
| State Capital |
Providence |
| State Size |
Total (Land + Water): 1,545 sq miles; Land Only: 1,045 sq miles |
| Number of Counties |
5 |
| Time Zone |
Eastern Time Zone |
| Bordering States |
Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York (water border) |
| Highest Point | Jerimoth Hill, 811 feet |
| Tallest Building | Industrial National Bank Building in Providence, 428 feet |
| Largest Stadium | Brown Stadium in Providence, capacity 20,000 |
| National Parks | None |
| State Population (2020) | 1,097,379 |
| State Population Density | 1,050.1 people / square mile |
| Area Codes |
401 |
| Top 5 Cities (2020 population) |
Providence (179,270)
Warwick (81,189)
Cranston (81,142)
Pawtucket (71,710)
East Providence (47,337)
|
Government & Legislature
State Symbols
| State Appetizer | Calamari |
| State Bird |
Rhode Island red |
| State Drink | Coffee milk |
| State Flower |
Violet |
| State Fish | Striped bass |
| State Fruit | Rhode Island greening apple |
| State Insect | American burying beetle |
| State Mineral | Bowenite |
| State Motto |
Hope |
| State Nickname |
The Ocean State |
| State Rock | Cumberlandite |
| State Shell | Quahaug |
| State Symbol of American Folk Art | The Charles I.D. Looff Carousel |
| State Tall Ship and Flagship USS | Providence |
| State Tree |
Red maple |
| State Yacht | Courageous, US-12/26 |
Sports Teams
Popular Tourist Attractions
- Beavertail Lighthouse: Lighthouse and museum in Jamestown, Rhode Island.
- Block Island Ferry: Ferry service located in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
- Colt State Park: State park in Bristol, Rhode Island.
- Fort Adams State Park: State park in Newport, Rhode Island.
- International Tennis Hall of Fame: Museum in Newport, Rhode Island.
- Marble House: Museum in Newport, Rhode Island.
- Misquamicut State Beach: State park in Westerly, Rhode Island.
- Narragansett Beach: Beach in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
- Newport Cliff Walk: Public access walkway along the shore line in Newport, Rhode Island.
- Providence Athenaeum: Library and cultural center in Providence, Rhode Island.
- Prudence Island: Island in the Narragansett Bay, located in Portsmouth, Rhode Island.
- RISD Museum: Art museum in Providence, Rhode Island.
- Roger Williams Park Zoo: Zoo in Providence, Rhode Island.
- Rosecliff: Mansion in Newport, Rhode Island.
- Sachuest Beach: Beach in Middletown, Rhode Island.
- WaterFire: Award-winning sculpture by Barnaby Evans in Providence, Rhode Island.
- Wright's Dairy Farm and Bakery: Bakery on a farm located in North Smithfield, Rhode Island.
- Yawgoo Valley: Ski resort in Exeter, Rhode Island.
Festivals and Events
Top festivals and events in Rhode Island. They are listed in approximate order of when they take place during the year.
Popular Iconic Rhode Island Foods
Rhode Island is famous for the following foods:
- Clam Cakes
- Del's Lemonade
- Lobster Rolls
- Stuffies
- Hot Weiners
- Johnnycakes
- Rhode Island Clam Chowder
- Coffee Milk
- Calamari
- Doughboys
- Pizza Strips
- Donut Cake
- Coffee Cabinets
Famous People Born In Rhode Island
Baseball Hall Of Fame Players
- Nap Lajoie (Second Baseman. Inducted in 1937)
- Hugh Duffy (Center Fielder. Inducted in 1945)
- Gabby Hartnett (Catcher. Inducted in 1955)
Famous Actors And Actresses
- Nicholas Colasanto
- Jason Marsden
- Mena Suvari
Rhode Island Fun Facts
- The Rhode Island colony was founded on present-day Aquidneck Island, the largest island in Narragansett Bay. There are two theories on how Aquidneck Island came to be known as Rhode Island: 1) Explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano visited the island near the mouth of Narragansett Bay in 1524, and he compared it to the island of Rhodes in the Mediterranean. 2) Dutch explorer Adraen Block called Aquidneck "een rodlich Eylande," meaning "an island of reddish appearance" in 1625.
- On May 4, 1776, Rhode Island declared its independence from Great Britain, the first state to do so.
- Judge Darius Baker imposed the first jail sentence for speeding in an automobile on August 27, 1904, in Newport, Rhode Island. The offender was found guilty of speeding at 15 miles per hour.
- The first U.S. Open Championship was played on the nine-hole course of Newport Golf and Country Club in Rhode Island on October 4, 1895.
- The Tennis Hall of Fame is located in Newport, Rhode Island.
- Even though Rhode Island has five counties, there is no county government. Local governance is provided by the eight cities and 31 towns.
- The start of the Industrial Revolution is often attributed to the development and construction in 1790 of Samuel Slater's water-powered cotton mill in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
- Nine Men's Misery monument in Cumberland, Rhode Island, is the oldest known monument to veterans in the United States.
- Roger Williams founded the first Baptist Church in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1638. It is the oldest Baptist congregation in America.
- In 1852, Rhode Island became the first state to abolish the death penalty for all crimes.
- In Rhode Island, the law requires that one must give a timely, audible signal before passing a car on the left.
This page was last updated on October 12, 2024.
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