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 Seats for Forklifts Rhode Island - The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more frequently known as Rhode Island, is a state in the New England area of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area. Rhode Island is surrounded by Connecticut towards the west and the state of Massachusetts towards the east and north, and it shares a water boundary with New York's Long Island towards the southwest.
The state of Rhode Island was the first amongst the thirteen original colonies to declare independence from British rule, declaring itself independent on the 4th of May, 1776, two months before any other state and the convention. The state of Rhode Island was also the last to approve the United States Constitution.
The official nickname of Rhode Island is "The Ocean State", a reference to the geography of the state, since the state of Rhode Island has several huge inlets and bays which amount to about 14% of its whole area. Its land area is 1,045 square miles or 2706 km2, but its total area is considerably bigger. Rhode Island covers an area of around 1,214 square miles or 3,140 km2 and is bounded on the east and north by Massachusetts, on the west by the state of Connecticut, and on the south by Rhode Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. It shares a narrow maritime border with the state of New York between Block Island and Long Island. Rhode Island's mean elevation is 200 feet or60 m. Known as the Ocean State, the state of Rhode Island has some oceanfront beaches. It is generally flat with no real mountains, and Jerimoth Hill is Rhode Island's highest natural point, 812 feet or 247 m above sea level.
The economy of Rhode island had a colonial base in farming and fishing, each of which respectively became manufacturing and shipping upon independence. Rhode Island's 2000 total gross state product was $33 billion, placing it 45th within the country. Its 2000 per capita personal income was $29,685, 16th within the United States. Rhode Island has the lowest level of energy consumption per capita of whichever state.
Citizens Financial Group is the 14th largest bank within the United States and has its company headquarters within Providence. Textron and CVS Caremark, which are Fortune 500 companies are based respectively in the cities of Woonsocket and Providence. FM Global, GTECH Corporation, Hasbro, American Power Conversion, Amica Mutual Insurance and Nortek are all Fortune 1000 companies that are based within the state of Rhode Island.
Health services are Rhode Island's biggest industry. Second is tourism, providing 39,000 jobs, with tourism-related sales at $3.26 billion during the year 2000. The third-largest business is manufacturing. The state's industrial outputs are costume jewelry, fabricated metal products, electrical equipment, machinery, shipbuilding and boatbuilding. Rhode Island's agricultural outputs are nursery stock, vegetables, dairy products and eggs.
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