The Smallest State In The United States

The Smallest State In The United States is the State of Rhode Island, measuring only 1045 square miles. The second smallest state in the U.S., Delaware, is 1954, making it almost twice the size of Rhode Island. If the District of Columbia were made a state, it would be the smallest state in the United States, with only 61 square miles, just one square mile smaller than the country of Liechtenstein. The Vatican measures 0.2 square miles, and counts as the smallest independent state in the world. The Soverign Military Order of Malta, which may or may not be a the smallest independent state, depending on different interpretations of international law of what constitutes an independent state, is the size of a single building in downtown Rome.

The Smallest State Has The Longest Name

Even though Rhode Island is the smallest state in the US, it has the longest official name: "The State of Rhode Island and the Providence Plantations".

The Smallest State's Nickname

The State of Rhode Island is called "The Ocean State". This is because of its ties to navel history, and the fact that not a single part of the state lies more than 30 miles from salt water. Narragansett Bay comes up through the middle of the state, splitting the state in half.

The Smallest State's Islands

There are numerous islands in the State of Rhode Island. The largest is "Rhode Island", or more properly "Adquidneck Island". This is the location of the city of Newport (with its famous mansions) and the towns of Middletown and Portsmouth. In the middle of Narragansett Bay is Jamestown Island. Block Island is renouned for its beaches, and sits 12 miles off the State of Rhode Island's mainland in the Atlantic Ocean. If you find a map of the area, you'll see it off the eastern tip of New York's Long Island. Other islands in the State of Rhode Island include Hope, Prudence, and Dispair islands.

The Smallest State's Population

In 2003, the State of Rhode Island was home to 1,076,164 people.

Click here for Rhode Island State Symbols

For more information about the Smallest State in the United States, visit Rhode Island Roads Magazine, online at www.riroads.com

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