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Bristol, Kent, Newport, Providence, Washington

Rhode Island Counties

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Rhode Island Counties

There are five counties in the state of Rhode Island. Rhode Island has the second lowest number of counties of any U.S. state (only Delaware has fewer, with three counties). Although Rhode Island is divided into counties, it does not have any local government at the county level.

Newport County, Rhode Island

Newport County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education

County Seat:
Year Organized: 1703
Square Miles: 104

Court House:

County does not have any form of county government.

Etymology - Origin of County Name

Renamed for Newport, Wales and was formerly named Rhode Island, after Aquidneck Island.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts

County History

Established: June 22, 1703
Original County
Former Name: Rhode Island
Date of Name Change: June 16, 1729

Bristol County was created from Bristol, Mass., 1747. Kent County was made from Providence County in 1750. Newport County was originally created as Rhode Island County in 1703 and renamed in 1729. Providence County was formed as Providence Plantations County in 1703. Washington County was originally created as Kings County from Providence Plantations in 1729 and renamed in 1781. Block Island was transferred from Newport County to Washington County May 6, 1963. Although you will see the "South County" mentioned in many places, it does not exist as an actual county. Basically, Charlestown, Exeter, Hopkinton, Narragansett, North Kingstown, Richmond, South Kingstown, Westerly and West Greenwich, make up what is known as South County, RI

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 314 square miles (812 km²), of which, 104 square miles (269 km²) of it is land and 210 square miles (543 km²) of it (66.83%) is water.

The county consists of Aquidneck Island, Conanicut Island, Prudence Island, and the eastern portion of the state on the mainland. The highest point is Pocasset Hill, 320 feet (98 m) above sea level, located in Tiverton. The lowest elevation is sea level.

Neighboring Counties:

Bristol County, Rhode Island - north
Bristol County, Massachusetts - east
Washington County, Rhode Island - west

Cities and Towns:

- Jamestown	town
- Little Compton	town
- Middletown	town
- Newport	city	Incorporated Area
- Portsmouth	town
- Tiverton	town

County Resources:

Enter County Resources and Information Here

County Resources

The history of our nation was a prolonged struggle to define the relative roles and powers of our governments: federal, state, and local. And the names given the counties, our most locally based jurisdictions, reflects the "characteristic features of this country!"

But age, size and colorful names of our counties isn't the only reason to explore counties' role in American history, or the history of county government itself. In fact, the story of county government reflects the larger meanings of American history.

Today's counties are the most flexible, locally responsive and creative governments in the US. They are the most diverse, varying in size, population, geography, and governmental structure. In their politics and policies, they express a 1990's political slogan "Think globally, act locally."