Rhode Island: Information Resource Portal

Rhode Island is one of six New England states. As a state it is distinguished by being the smallest in area and by having the longest official name ("State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations"). It was the first state to declare independence from Britain and, ironically, the last state of the original thirteen colonies to ratify the US Constitution. The origin of the state's name is unknown, though many historians believe it is derived from the Dutch words for "Red Island".

Roger Williams, fleeing persecution in Massachusetts for his religious beliefs, founded the first permanent non-Indian settlement in Rhode Island at Providence in 1636 on land purchased from the Narragansett Indians. The state is bordered to the north and east by Massachusetts, to the west by Connecticut, and to the south by Long Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. Generally flat, the state's primary geographic feature is Narragansett Bay which extends well into the state's interior.

Historically, manufacturing and textiles were the primary industries of the state. Rhode Island Map Today, services top the list with tourism being an important element. Many visitors equate Rhode Island with Newport, the site of vast mansions built by the New York elite at the turn of the 20th century.

Rhode Island has a temperate climate moderated by its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, with warm summers and cold winters. The fall foliage season begins in mid-September and lasts through November. Rain falls evenly throughout the year. Hurricanes, though rare, are not unknown to strike the southern edge of New England.






	Rhode Island Fast Facts History Government Geography Attractions Accommodations	Rhode Island is one of six New England states. As a state it is distinguished by being the smallest in area and by having the longest official name ("State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations"). It was the first state to declare independence from Britain and, ironically, the last state of the original thirteen colonies to ratify the US Constitution. The origin of the state's name is unknown, though many historians believe it is derived from the Dutch words for "Red Island". Roger Williams, fleeing persecution in Massachusetts for his religious beliefs, founded the first permanent non-Indian settlement in Rhode Island at Providence in 1636 on land purchased from the Narragansett Indians. The state is bordered to the north and east by Massachusetts, to the west by Connecticut, and to the south by Long Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. Generally flat, the state's primary geographic feature is Narragansett Bay which extends well into the state's interior. Historically, manufacturing and textiles were the primary industries of the state. Today, services top the list with tourism being an important element. Many visitors equate Rhode Island with Newport, the site of vast mansions built by the New York elite at the turn of the 20th century. Rhode Island has a temperate climate moderated by its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, with warm summers and cold winters. The fall foliage season begins in mid-September and lasts through November. Rain falls evenly throughout the year. Hurricanes, though rare, are not unknown to strike the southern edge of New England.

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