Hello. Today, I would like to share the story of a very small state located in the northeastern United States, Rhode Island. It was one of the 13 original states at the time of American independence, and with an area of only 4,005㎢, it is the smallest by area among the 50 states. To give you a sense of scale, it is about half the size of Chungcheongbuk-do in South Korea, and its population is around 1.05 million (as of 2017), which is similar to that of the large city of Changwon.

Rhode Island is also famous for its nickname, the Ocean State, which reflects its beautiful coastal scenery. However, due to the word 'Island' in the state's name, some people mistakenly believe that the entire state is made up of islands. In fact, most of the land is connected to the mainland, and the largest island in the state, Aquidneck Island, is officially named Rhode Island, which has led to this confusion. The jazz-famous Newport is located on this Aquidneck Island.

The official name has an interesting history as well; it was originally 'The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.' Then, during the 2020 U.S. presidential election, a vote was held to amend the state constitution, and it was decided to simplify it to 'State of Rhode Island' by removing the 'Providence Plantations' part, which actually passed with about 53% approval.

Regarding the origin of the name, there are two theories: one is that it is derived from the island of Rhodes in Greece, and the other is that it comes from the Dutch term 'rodlich Eylande,' meaning 'red island.' It is difficult to definitively say which is correct, but it seems that various anecdotes related to islands have persisted over time, leading to the establishment of the name Rhode Island as we know it today.

Geographically, it borders Connecticut to the west, Massachusetts to the north and east, and is close to New York State across the sea to the southwest. Although the area of the island itself is very small compared to the land area, the fact that 'Rhode Island' is at the beginning of the official name has led to the perception that it is a state entirely made up of islands. For reference, Hawaii is the only state in the U.S. that is made up entirely of islands.

Despite being small and easily misunderstood, Rhode Island boasts beautiful coastal scenery, abundant seafood, and a rich history. With the image of being the smallest state in the U.S., the unique atmosphere felt especially in the coastal cities is attractive, so if you have the opportunity, it might be nice to visit at least once.