|
||
| City of Providence | |||
 | |||
| |||
| Nickname(s): Beehive of Industry, The Renaissance City, The Divine City | |||
 | |||
| Coordinates: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Country | United States | ||
| State | Rhode Island | ||
| County | Providence | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | David Cicilline (D) | ||
| Area | |||
| - City | 20.5 sq mi (53.2 km²) | ||
| - Land | 18.5 sq mi (47.8 km²) | ||
| - Water | 2.1 sq mi (5.3 km²) | ||
| Elevation | 75 ft (23 m) | ||
| Population (2006) | |||
| - City | 172,459 | ||
| - Density | 9,473/sq mi (3,666/km²) | ||
| - Metro | 1,600,856 | ||
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | ||
| Area code(s) | 401 | ||
| FIPS code | 44-59000 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 1219851 | ||
| Website: http://www.providenceri.com | |||
Providence is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island, and one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the estimated third-largest city in the New England region. Despite having an estimated population of 172,459 as of 2007, it anchors the 36th largest metropolitan population in the country, with an estimated MSA population of 1,600,856, exceeding that of Rhode Island by about 60% due to its reaching into southern Massachusetts. Situated at the mouth of the Providence River, on Narragansett Bay, the city's small footprint is crisscrossed by seemingly erratic streets and a rapidly changing demographic using them.
Providence was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a religious exile from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He named the area in honor of "God's merciful Providence" which he believed was responsible for his finding such a haven to settle. After being one of the first cities in the country to industrialize, Providence became noted for its jewelry and silverware industry. Today, Providence city proper alone is home to eight hospitals and seven institutions of higher learning, which has shifted the city's economy into service industries, though it still retains significant manufacturing work. The city was once nicknamed the "Beehive of Industry", while today "The Renaissance City" is more common, though as of 2000 census, its poverty rate was still among the ten highest for cities over 100,000.
Coming Soon:
Map Your Town provides an easy click through interface to find thousands of maps for towns and cities throughout the United States. Just click on the state, then click on the city to view it's map. There is no town too small and no city too big for our maps. Each map has a road map and a satellite map.
