Quick
Facts
Capital City: Providence
Population: 1,067,610
Top Industry: Healthcare and Financial Services
Total Area: 1,545
square miles
The state of Rhode
Island has the unique distinction of being the smallest
state in the country, even though the state has more than one million
residents within its 1,545 square miles. It is also nicknamed "the
Ocean State" because much of its border is along the Atlantic Ocean
and no part of the state is more than a 30 minute drive from the
coastline.
As a result, many of
the professional truck drivers who work out of Rhode Island are
interstate CDL drivers who operate throughout the entire New England
region. They deliver the necessities and commodities needed for
daily life and work throughout many of the industries that comprise
Rhode Island's strong and diverse economy.
Historically, Rhode
Island's economy was based primarily on manufacturing. In fact,
Rhode Island was one of the leading states in America's Industrial
Revolution of the late 1880's and early 1900's and was home to
many of the country's largest manufacturing companies at the time.
Today, although manufacturing has subsided and other industries have
grown, it is still an important component of the state economy. In
2001, Rhode Island's gross state product was nearly $37 billion,
much of that money stemming from the state's major industries.
-
Service-based Industries - As a whole,
service-based industries make up the largest industry in Rhode Island.
These would include healthcare, education, and government agencies.
-
Manufacturing - Rhode Island still manufactures a
wide range of products including jewelry, metal products, electronics,
textiles, and boat and ship materials.
-
Agriculture - The state also produces a number of
agricultural outputs such as dairy products, eggs, nursery stock
(trees, shrubs, etc.), and vegetables.
-
Tourism - Visitors come from all over to enjoy the
scenic coastlines of Rhode Island. It provides nearly 40,000 jobs in
the state and brings in more than $3 billion each year.
