# Rhode Island

> state of the United States of America

**Wikidata**: [Q1387](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1387)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhode_Island)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/rhode-island

## Summary

Rhode Island became the 13th state of the United States on May 29, 1790. Its capital is Providence[1]. The state had a population of 1.1 million as of 2020[2].Rhode Island covers an area of 3,100 square kilometers. Its elevation averages 60 meters above sea level.

## Summary
Rhode Island is a state of the United States of America, located primarily in North America. It officially became a state on May 29, 1790, having previously existed as the Colony of Rhode Island and Plantations. The state is situated at coordinates 41.7 latitude and -71.5 longitude.

## Key Facts
*   Rhode Island officially became a state on May 29, 1790.
*   It is a constituent political entity of the United States of America.
*   The state is located at coordinates 41.7 latitude and -71.5 longitude.
*   Its official website is https://www.ri.gov/.
*   Rhode Island has been known by several aliases, including RI, State of Rhode Island, State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Road Island, Little Rhody, The Ocean State, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, US-RI, and Providence Plantations.
*   Population figures for Rhode Island include 1,052,567, 1,048,319, 1,003,464, 947,154, 946,725, 859,488, 791,896, 713,346, 687,497, 604,397, 542,610, 1,056,298, and 1,097,379.
*   It was preceded by the Colony of Rhode Island and Plantations, which was established on November 24, 1663.
*   Rhode Island is part of the contiguous United States and the New England region.

## FAQs
**What is Rhode Island?**
Rhode Island is a state within the United States of America, recognized as a constituent political entity. It is also known by several aliases such as "Little Rhody" and "The Ocean State," and is geographically located at 41.7 latitude and -71.5 longitude.

**When was Rhode Island established?**
Rhode Island officially became a state on May 29, 1790. Prior to its statehood, it existed as the Colony of Rhode Island and Plantations, which was established on November 24, 1663.

**What are some key geographical features or locations in Rhode Island?**
Rhode Island encompasses significant geographical features like Narragansett Bay, the Blackstone River, and Jerimoth Hill. It includes Aquidneck Island and is divided into counties such as Bristol, Kent, Newport, Providence, and Washington.

**What educational institutions are located in Rhode Island?**
The state hosts several higher education institutions, including Rhode Island College, Salve Regina University, the University of Rhode Island, and Johnson & Wales University, Providence. It also contains libraries such as the John Hay Library and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library.

**What infrastructure and transportation elements are found in Rhode Island?**
Rhode Island's infrastructure includes major highways like Interstate 95, U.S. Route 1, U.S. Route 6, and Rhode Island Route 138. It is served by airports such as Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport, Quonset State Airport, Westerly State Airport, and Newport State Airport. Rail services like Acela and Northeast Regional operate within the state, which also features the Blackstone Canal and the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier.

**What notable organizations or businesses are associated with Rhode Island?**
Several prominent organizations and businesses have ties to Rhode Island. These include CVS Health, Vectrix (an electric vehicle manufacturer), American Tourister (a luggage brand), and Fruit of the Loom (a textile company). The state was also home to the former Major League Baseball team, the Providence Grays.

**What cultural or historical sites are in Rhode Island?**
Rhode Island is home to various cultural and historical sites, including the Newport Tower, the Norman Bird Sanctuary, and the historic Holiday House. It hosts the Newport Jazz Festival and features landmarks like the Block Island Southeast Light, the Turk's Head Building, and the Rhode Island State House. The Green Animals Topiary Garden is also located within the state.

**What military installations are in Rhode Island?**
Military presence in Rhode Island includes Naval Station Newport, the Quonset Point Air National Guard Station, and the former Naval Auxiliary Air Station Charlestown. The German corvette Hiddensee, now a museum, is also located there.

## Why It Matters
Rhode Island holds significance as a foundational state of the United States, having transitioned from a colonial entity to statehood in 1790. Its role as a constituent part of the contiguous United States and the New England region highlights its contribution to the nation's geographical and political landscape. The state serves as a hub for diverse activities, hosting numerous educational institutions, critical transportation infrastructure, and a variety of businesses and cultural sites. Its historical evolution from the Colony of Rhode Island and Plantations underscores its enduring legacy in American history.

## Notable For
*   Being one of the earliest entities to transition from a British colony, the Colony of Rhode Island and Plantations (established 1663), to a U.S. state (established 1790).
*   Its unique aliases, including "Little Rhody" and "The Ocean State."
*   Hosting the Newport Jazz Festival, which began in 1954.
*   Being the location of the Block Island Wind Farm, an offshore wind power project.
*   The presence of cumberlandite, a distinctive rock type.
*   Home to major corporations like CVS Health, which was founded in 1963 and employs 300,000 people.
*   Containing the Rhode Island State House, a state capitol building completed in 1904.

## Body

### Overview and Identity
Rhode Island is a state of the United States of America, located primarily in North America. It is classified as a U.S. state and is an integral part of the contiguous United States and the New England region. The state's inception as a U.S. state occurred on May 29, 1790. Its geographical center is approximated by coordinates 41.7 latitude and -71.5 longitude. The official website for Rhode Island is https://www.ri.gov/. The state is known by several aliases, including RI, State of Rhode Island, State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Road Island, Little Rhody, The Ocean State, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, US-RI, and Providence Plantations.

### Historical Context
Rhode Island's history as a political entity predates its statehood. It was preceded by the Colony of Rhode Island and Plantations, which was established on November 24, 1663. This former colony was part of Great Britain. The United States, of which Rhode Island is a part, declared its independence on July 4, 1776, with its independence recognized on May 12, 1784, by the Treaty of Paris (1783).

### Demographics
The population of Rhode Island has been recorded at various points, including figures such as 1,052,567, 1,048,319, 1,003,464, 947,154, 946,725, 859,488, 791,896, 713,346, 687,497, 604,397, 542,610, 1,056,298, and 1,097,379.

### Geography and Features
Rhode Island is home to several counties, including Bristol County (inception 1747), Kent County (inception 1750), Newport County (inception 1703), Providence County (inception 1703), and Washington County (inception 1729). Key geographical features include Aquidneck Island, Jerimoth Hill (a mountain), the Blackstone River, and Narragansett Bay, which comprises 28 miles of coastline. Human settlements within the state include Weekapaug (a census-designated place in southern Washington County), Clayville, and Harmony (a census-designated place).

### Infrastructure and Transportation
The state's transportation network includes several highways: Rhode Island Route 138 (inception 1922), Interstate 95 (inception 1956), U.S. Route 1 (inception 1926), and U.S. Route 6 (inception 1926). Airports serving Rhode Island include Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport, Quonset State Airport, Westerly State Airport, and Newport State Airport. Rail services operating through the state include Acela (a high-speed railway line, inception December 11, 2000) and Northeast Regional (Amtrak intercity rail service, inception October 28, 1995). The Blackstone Canal, a waterway linking Worcester, Massachusetts, to Providence, Rhode Island, also passes through the state. Other significant infrastructure includes the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier and the Block Island Wind Farm, an offshore wind farm.

### Education
Rhode Island hosts a variety of educational institutions. Rhode Island College, a higher education institution, was established in 1854 and has 1,118 employees. Salve Regina University, a private university in Newport, was founded in 1934 and reported 560 employees in September 2020. The University of Rhode Island, established in 1892, has 3,109 employees. Johnson & Wales University, Providence, a private university, was founded in 1914. The state also contains significant libraries, such as the John Hay Library at Brown University and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library in Providence, which opened in 1964.

### Culture and Recreation
Cultural and recreational sites in Rhode Island include the Norman Bird Sanctuary, a nature preserve in Middletown established in 1950. The Newport Jazz Festival, a music festival in Newport, began in 1954. The Newport Country Club is a historic private golf club. The Green Animals Topiary Garden is located in Portsmouth. Holiday House is a colonial house in the state. The fictional setting of Quahog from the animated sitcom Family Guy is also associated with Rhode Island. The 1997 professional wrestling event, King of the Ring, was held in the state.

### Historical Sites and Structures
Notable historical structures and sites include the Newport Tower, an archaeological site. The Block Island Southeast Light, a lighthouse, was established in 1875. The Turk's Head Building, an office building in Providence, was constructed in 1913. The Rhode Island State House, the state capitol building, was completed in 1904. The German corvette Hiddensee, a Tarantul-class corvette, was brought to the U.S. for analysis and is now a museum in Rhode Island.

### Economy and Organizations
Rhode Island is home to significant companies and economic entities. CVS Health, a company founded in 1963, has 300,000 employees and headquarters in  and . Vectrix, an American manufacturer of electric vehicles, was established in 2006. American Tourister, a luggage brand, was founded in 1933. Fruit of the Loom, an American textile company, began operations on January 1, 1851. The state was also home to the Providence Grays, a former Major League Baseball team established in 1878. One Financial Plaza, a high-rise building in Providence, was completed in 1973.

### Government and Military
The state is represented by Rhode Island's 1st congressional district and Rhode Island's 2nd congressional district in the U.S. House. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence was established on January 1, 1872. Military installations include Naval Station Newport, the Quonset Point Air National Guard Station (inception 1941), and the former Naval Auxiliary Air Station Charlestown.

### Related Entities
Providence, the capital city of Rhode Island, was founded on January 1, 1636. Other entities related to Rhode Island include the USS Rhode Island, a 1904 Virginia-class battleship, and the USS Saratoga, a 1955 Forrestal-class aircraft carrier. The American band Throwing Muses was formed in 1981. The state is also associated with the cumberlandite rock and was the location of The Station nightclub fire, which occurred on February 20, 2003.

## References

1. archINFORM
2. Global LEI Index
3. [Source](https://www.britannica.com/place/Providence-Rhode-Island)
4. [United States Census Bureau](http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/44/44001lk.html)
5. [United States Census Bureau](http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/44/44003lk.html)
6. [United States Census Bureau](http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/44/44005lk.html)
7. [United States Census Bureau](http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/44/44007lk.html)
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15. [Population Estimates Program](https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest.html)
16. [2020 United States Census](https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?t=Populations%20and%20People&g=0100000US,%241600000&y=2020)
17. [Rhode Islanders voted to strip the word 'plantations' from their official state name. Business Insider. 2020](https://www.businessinsider.com/rhode-island-ballot-measure-plantations-official-name-2020-11)
18. [Source](http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/riconstitution/Pages/Constfull.aspx)
19. [Source](http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.rbc/rbpe.1670020a)
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23. [Source](http://vocab.getty.edu/page/tgn/7007711)
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26. [Source](https://www.tripadvisor.com.br/Tourism-g28960-Rhode_Island-Vacations.html)
27. [Source](https://www.google.com/maps?cid=2183710068942374631)
28. [2016–2020 American Community Survey](https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?t=Income%20and%20Poverty&g=0100000US,%241600000&tid=ACSST5Y2020.S1902)
29. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)
30. [Source](https://www.minimum-wage.org/wage-by-state)
31. [Source](https://encyklopedia.pwn.pl/haslo/Rhode-Island;3967656.html)
32. [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/places/inaturalist-places.csv.zip)
33. [Source](https://golden.com/wiki/Rhode_Island-NMA5N)
34. KBpedia
35. [Source](https://github.com/opencivicdata/ocd-division-ids/blob/1be9a1a8e83af5274515fca52cc7875d75174129/identifiers/country-us/states.csv)
36. museum-digital