Flag of Rhode Island

What the flag looks like

A white field with a gold anchor in the center, encircled by 13 gold stars, with a blue ribbon below the anchor bearing the word "HOPE" in gold.

What it means

The anchor is a symbol of hope, and the 13 stars stand for the original colonies; Rhode Island was the 13th to ratify the Constitution.

How to remember it

Rhode Island is the one with a gold anchor and the word HOPE on white, the opposite of a seal on a bedsheet.

Fun facts

• The anchor and "Hope" are usually linked to the Bible verse calling hope "an anchor of the soul".
• Rhode Island is the smallest US state by area, and in 2020 voters removed "and Providence Plantations" from its official name.

Rhode Island at a glance

Nickname

The Ocean State

Statehood

1790

Capital

Providence

Region

New England

Population

1.1 million

Area

4,001 km²

Flag adopted

1897