Rhode Island ( ), officially named the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, is a state in the New England region of the United States of America.

Despite its name, most of the state of Rhode Island lies on the North American mainland. Providence Plantations refers to the mainland, while Rhode Island was the 17th and 18th century name for Aquidneck Island (now composed of the city of Newport, and the towns of Middletown and Portsmouth). blank">http://www.dlt.ri.gov/lmi/map.htm accessed 27 February 2007

Having a history of staunch independence, Rhode Island was the first of the thirteen original American colonies to _declare independence from British rule and the last to ratify the United States Constitution.

Rhode Island has long held the nickname of "Little Rhody", though the state has officially adopted the nickname of "the Ocean State," as nearly one tenth of Rhode Island's inland area is covered by salt water, and no part of the state is more than a 30-minute drive from the water's edge.