Rhode Island Facts -- National Geographic

Fast Facts

Population:: 1,076,164
Capital:: Providence; 175,901
Area:: 1,545 square miles (4,002 square kilometers)
Per Capita Income:: U.S. $31,107
Date Statehood Achieved:: May 29, 1790

This smallest state is highly industrialized and the second most densely populated, after New Jersey. Entrepreneurs in Pawtucket launched New England's textile industry soon after the American Revolution. Today Rhode Island is known for making silverware and fine jewelry. Providence, a wholesale distribution center and seaport, lies at the head of Narragansett Bay and is home to one in six Rhode Islanders. Newport is famous for its yacht races, jazz festivals, and oceanside mansions.

ECONOMY

Industry: Health services, business services, silver and jewelry, metal products
Agriculture: Nursery stock, vegetables, dairy products, eggs

—Text From National Geographic Atlas of the World, Eighth Edition

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