New England
Rhode Island is a state in
the New England region of the United States. Its
official name is “The State of Rhode Island and
Providence Plantations”, and it is the smallest U.S.
state in
terms of area.
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Its four thousand square kilometer area is
bordered by Massachusetts in the north and east, by Connecticut on the West, and
by the Atlantic Ocean on the South.
Rhode Island and New
York share a
water border between Long Island and
Block
Island. Rhode Island is home to many beautiful
oceanfront beaches, and thus,
it is also named the
“Ocean State”.
Rhode Island is divided
in two regions: Eastern Rhode Island and Western Rhode
Island. Eastern Rhode Island is home to
the lowlands of the Narragansett Bay,
while the Western half makes up part of
the New England Upland. |
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| The Narragansett Bay is one of Rhode Island’s major
topographical features. Within it are more than thirty
islands, and the largest of them is Aquidneck Island,
followed by Conanicut, then by Prudence.
The culture of Rhode Island is heavily influences the
town’s maritime nature.
Waves and other
nautical representations may be seen in the state’s
license plates and even in the state’s main airport.
Maritime influences are also evident in Rhode Island’s
food.
There is an intense tradition of and gravitation
towards seafood. Shellfish is a popular ingredient in
most recipes. Like in most of New England, clam chowder
is almost an institution in Rhode Island. The clam
chowder in Rhode Island is different from the white
variety in New England and the red version of Manhattan
as it is clear and colorless. Aside from the chowder,
clam cakes are very popular in Rhode Island. If there is
one meal to represent Rhode Island it would be, hands
down, one that consists of clam cakes and chowder.
Aside from seafood, locals and tourists may also enjoy
other types of food from many other restaurants and
outlets in Rhode Island. Coffee is such a highly popular
beverage that coffee milk has been designated as the
Official State Drink of Rhode Island.
In addition to the food, Rhode Island is also popular
because of its strong tradition of sports. There are
many sports teams that give pride to Rhode Island
residents. They are the Pawtucket Red Sox, the
Providence Bruins, the Newport Gulls, the Rhode Island
Rams, the Brown University Bears, the Providence Friars,
the Bryant Bulldogs and the Providence Grays which won
the first World Championship in 1884.
After the food and the sports, Rhode Island is known for
its many historic landmarks and tourist attractions.
These include the Rhode Island State House, the First
Baptist Church in America, the legendary mansions of
Newport, the Touro Synagogue and many more.
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