Rhode Island, noted as one of the original thirteen colonies, was the last (13th) to ratify the Constitution. Despite the word “island” in its name, the entire state sits inland. Rhode Island, sometimes called “Little Rhody,” is the smallest state with an area of 1,214 square miles, but has a population of 1 million residents.
Rhode Island has a humid continental climate with hot, rainy summers and cold, snowy winter. Yawgoo Valley offers great action for skiers and snowboarders as well as those who enjoy snow tubing. The summers offer plenty of outdoor fun with golf, camping, hiking, bird watching and bicycling.
Health services are the largest industry in Rhode Island, with tourism coming in second and manufacturing, third. Hasbro, CVS, and Textron are among the Fortune 1000 companies that are headquartered in Rhode Island.
In addition, Rhode Island is home to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence and the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island, and 64% of the state’s population is Roman Catholic.