State Symbols of Rhode Island

By | Updated on January 22, 2023

Reviewed by Rittika

Rhode Island, officially known as the State of Rhode Island, is a constituent state of the United States of America. It is located in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. The official nickname of the state is The Ocean State because of its 400 miles (640 km) of coastline, which accounts for around 14% of its total land.

Before English immigrants arrived in the early 17th century, Native Americans lived for thousands of years in Narragansett Bay. The fact that Rhode Island was established by a refugee, Roger Williams, who had been exiled from the nearby Massachusetts Bay Colony due to his religious convictions, sets it apart from the other Thirteen British Colonies. Williams established Providence in 1636 on land purchased from the nearby local Indians. The location would become known as a place where individuals of various religions could freely practice their faith. Rhode Island was the first colony to declare independence from Great Britain in 1776. After the American Revolution, Rhode Island became the 4th state to adopt the Articles of Confederation on February 9, 1778. On May 29, 1790, it was the last of the original thirteen states to ratify the United States Constitution.

Rhode Island is bordered on the west by Connecticut, on the north and east by Massachusetts, and on the south by the Atlantic Ocean. It also has a small maritime border with New York.

With a total area of 1,545 sq mi (4,001 sq km), Rhode Island is the smallest state in the United States ranking fiftieth among all states. It measures only around 48 miles long and 37 miles wide. The state’s total population, according to the census 2020, is 1,097,379 making it the seventh least populous.

Providence is the state’s capital and largest city.

The interesting fact is that Rhode Island is the only state that still commemorates the end of World War II on Victory Day. It is also known as VJ Day. Every year, on the second Monday in August, the state celebrates its official holiday.

The cotton-textile factory founded by Samuel Slater in Pawtucket in 1790 initiated the American Industrial Revolution. The state’s economy still depends heavily on manufacturing, which produces goods including textiles and clothes, jewelry, silverware, electronics, and other electrical equipment.

Rhode Island was the last state to designate a state flower. In 1968, the Violet was officially adopted as a state flower. In 1954, the Rhode Island Red chicken was named the state bird.

The state’s official motto is “Hope.” The state motto appears on the Rhode Island great seal and state flag. In 1996, Rhode Island designated “Rhode Island It’s for Me” as the state song. 

Rhode Island has no official language, however, English is the most widely spoken language in the state.

State Information

Official Language	No official language
State Rank	50
Demonym(s)	Rhode Islander
Nickname	The Ocean State, Little Rhody
ISO	US-RI
Formation Date	May 29, 1790
Coordinates	Lat: 41° 09′ N to 42° 01′ N, Long: 71° 07′ W to 71° 53′ W
Area

State seal

Motto of Rhode Island

"Hope"

State symbols of Rhode Island 👇

• 
  State capital
  Providence
• 
  State bird
  Rhode Island Red Chicken
• 
  State flower
  Violet
• 
  State fruit
  Rhode Island Greening Apple
• 
  State tree
  Red Maple
• 
  State dance
  Square Dance
• 
  State insect
  American Burying Beetle
• 
  State gemstone
  Bowenite
• 
  State animal
  Harbor seal
• 
  State fish
  Striped bass

State location

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