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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.

The smallest of the 50 states, Rhode Island covers an area of approximately 1,545 square miles. It is bounded North and East by the state of Massachusetts, South by the Atlantic Ocean, and West by the state of Connecticut.

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.

Narragansett Bay is a major feature of the state's topography. Block Island lies approximately 12 miles off the southern coast of the mainland. Within the Bay, there are over 30 islands. The largest is Aquidneck Island, shared by the municipalities of Newport, Middletown, and Portsmouth.

Rhode Island comprises five counties: Providence, Newport, Bristol, Kent and Washington.