Rhode Island: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

Nov. 13, 2026

News •

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RI voters make history, and other key takeaways after election night • Nov. 4, 2026, 9:56 AM ET (The Providence Journal)

Facts

Also Known As	Ocean State • The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
Capital	Providence
Population¹	(2020) 1,097,379; (2025 est.) 1,114,521
Governor	Daniel McKee (Democrat)
Date Of Admission	May 29, 1790²
U.S. Senators	Jack Reed (Democrat) • Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat)
State Nickname	Little Rhody • Ocean State
State Motto	"Hope"
State Bird	Rhode Island Red chicken
State Flower	blue violet
State Song	“Rhode Island It’s for Me”
Seats In U.S. House Of Representatives	2 (of 435)
Time Zone	Eastern (GMT − 5 hours)
Total Area (Sq Km)	4,001
Total Area (Sq Mi)	1,545
¹Excluding military abroad.²Original state; date shown is that of ratification of Constitution.

Photos and Videos

Rhode Island: flag

The Rhode Island state seal features a gold anchor and the word Hope on a blue background, surrounded by a gold beaded border and the text Seal of the State of Rhode Island with the year 1636 at the bottom.

Rhode Island: state bird

Rhode Island: state flower

Map of Rhode Island showing county boundaries, major cities, and the state capital, Providence. Neighboring states Connecticut and Massachusetts are labeled, and the map highlights coastal features, including Narragansett Bay and Block Island. A small locator inset shows Rhode Island's position in the northeastern United States.

Map of Rhode Island showing its physical features, including major lakes, rivers, ponds, islands, and elevation points. State boundaries with Connecticut and Massachusetts are marked, and key locations such as Providence, Roger Williams National Memorial, and Block Island are labeled. A small locator map in the lower right corner highlights Rhode Island's position in the northeastern United States.

Map of the New England region in the northeastern United States, showing state boundaries, major cities, state capitals marked with stars, and physical features such as lakes, rivers, islands, and mountain ranges. States included are Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, bordered by Canada to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south.

Rhode Island Red cock

Narrangansett Bay harbor

Political map of Rhode Island showing county boundaries, major cities, and county seats. The map highlights Providence as the state capital and includes neighboring areas of Connecticut and Massachusetts. A small locator map of the United States in the lower right corner indicates Rhode Island's location.

Two reenactors and an illustration of a Black soldier from the First Rhode Island Regiment stand against a background of historical handwritten text.

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Topics

U.S. state Battle of Bunker Hill current U.S. governors Hartford Convention list of U.S. states’ dates of admission to the union list of cities and towns in the United States Johnson and Wales University Rhode Island College Salve Regina University Roger Williams University California New York Hawaii Texas Washington Alaska Florida Massachusetts New Jersey Virginia

Engraving of Roger Williams seated at a desk, holding an open book and a quill, with papers and writing materials in front of him.

Roger Williams

American religious leader

Anne Hutchinson

Anne Hutchinson

American religious leader

Ambrose E. Burnside

Ambrose Everett Burnside

American military officer

Barnard, Henry

Henry Barnard

American educator

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William Coddington

colonial governor of Rhode Island

Davis, Charles Henry

Charles Henry Davis

American naval officer and scientist

Dorr, Thomas Wilson

Thomas Wilson Dorr

American politician

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Samuel Seabury

American bishop

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Michael S. Harper

American poet

United States

country, North America

Providence

Providence

Rhode Island, United States

Newport: The Elms

Newport

Rhode Island, United States

United States: New England

New England

region, United States

Bristol: Joseph Reynolds House

Bristol

Rhode Island, United States

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North Kingstown

Rhode Island, United States

Pawtucket

Pawtucket

Rhode Island, United States

Warwick: city hall

Warwick

Rhode Island, United States

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Portsmouth

Rhode Island, United States

East Greenwich: town hall

East Greenwich

Rhode Island, United States

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Barrington

Rhode Island, United States

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South Kingstown

Rhode Island, United States

Woonsocket

Woonsocket

Rhode Island, United States

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Central Falls

Rhode Island, United States

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Westerly

Rhode Island, United States

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