The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more frequently known as Rhode Island, is a state within the New England area of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area. Rhode Island is surrounded by the state of Connecticut towards the west and Massachusetts to the north and east, and it shares a water boundary along with New York's Long Island towards the southwest.
Rhode Island was the very first of the 13 original colonies to declare independence from British rule, declaring itself independent on May 4, the year 1776, a couple of months prior to any other state and the convention. The state of Rhode Island was likewise the last to ratify the United States Constitution.
Rhode Island's official nickname is "The Ocean State", a reference to the state's geography, since Rhode Island has some huge inlets and bays that amount to about 14 percent of its total area. Its land area is 1,045 square miles or 2706 km2, but its total area is considerably larger. Rhode Island covers an area of approximately 1,214 square miles or 3,140 km2 and is surrounded on the north and east by Massachusetts, on the west by the state of Connecticut, and on the south by the Atlantic Ocean and Rhode Island Sound. It shares a narrow maritime border together with the state of New York between Long Island and Block Island. The mean elevation of the state of Rhode Island is 200 feet or60 m. Nicknamed the Ocean State, Rhode Island has some oceanfront beaches. It is mostly flat with no real mountains, and the state's highest natural point is Jerimoth Hill, 812 feet or 247 m above sea level.
The early economy of the state's history comprised a base in farming and fishing, which upon independence became shipping and manufacturing respectively. The total gross state product of Rhode island during the year 2000, ranked 45th in the United States at $33 billion. Its 2000 per capita personal income was $29,685, 16th in the nation. The state of Rhode Island has the lowest level of energy consumption per capita of whatever state.
Citizens Financial Group is the 14th largest bank within the country and has its company headquarters in Providence. CVS Caremark and Textron, which are Fortune 500 companies are based respectively in the cities of Woonsocket and Providence. GTECH Corporation, FM Global, Hasbro, American Power Conversion, Nortek, and Amica Mutual Insurance are all Fortune 1000 companies that are based within the state of Rhode Island.
The biggest business within the state of Rhode Island is Health Services. Tourism ranks next with approximately 39,000 jobs, leading to related sales of roughly $3.26 billion during the year 2000. Manufacturing ranks as the third-largest business in the state. Rhode Island's industrial outputs are fabricated metal products, costume jewelry, electrical equipment, machinery, boatbuilding and shipbuilding. The agricultural outputs of the state are vegetables, nursery stock, dairy products and eggs.