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.
