Kan Dail
The United States of America consists of 50 states making it the fourth largest country in the world in terms of area. Its many states contribute to its diversity in the physical environment from the Arctic to the subtropical. Its eastern and north-eastern states are comparatively smaller in size as compared to any other part in the map of America. Here is the list of smallest states in the US in terms of land area,
Smallest States In The US
1. Rhode Island– Land Area (sq. km.): 4,001
Also known as The Ocean State, Rhode Island is known to everybody for a prestigious international scholarship offered by the United States called the Rhodes scholarship. It isn’t an island but a collection of islands and is the tiniest state in the US. It has a land area of only 1,545 square miles but has a comparatively higher population density, harbouring about 400 people in every square kilometre. It derives its nickname by virtue of being surrounded by water from the Atlantic Ocean, one of its most popular bays being Narragansett bay. When the American civil war ended in 1865, the following years say the island emerging as an important hub for manufacturing machine tools, jewellery and precious metal industries, rubber goods, steam engines, etc. It is an important state with strong ties to the sea and trade.
2. Delaware– Land Area (sq. km.): 6,446
Delaware is one of the southern states of the U.S. having a land area of about 2,489 square miles. It is also called the small wonder, it is the second smallest state in the country. It is the country’s pioneer in the food canning industry with expertise in a great variety of fruits and vegetables. Corn, soybeans, potatoes are other important farm crops with the state’s broiler chicken being a big supplier in the Eastern markets. The current democratic presidential candidate became the first Delaware senator elected to the vice presidency of the United States in 2008. The Delaware Bay is home to more horseshoe crabs than anywhere else in the world. They have played an indispensable part in studying the human eye and detecting bacteria in drugs.
3. Connecticut- Land Area (sq. km.): 14,357
Hartford, the state’s capital is the fourth largest cities in the country. This state is popular for its maritime tradition by virtue of being surrounded by the Connecticut River and Thames river and other long ports. The Connecticut river the states in two halves and flows into the Long Island Sound. The state has assumed industrial importance as it was the first state that produced bikes, pistols, rubber shoes, ball bearings etc. World’s first nuclear submarine, The Nautilus was launched by the state in 1954. Connecticut is today a crucial producer of electronic equipment, aircraft engines, helicopters, propellers, nuclear-powered submarines, spacecraft equipment, cutlery, machine tools, and optical equipment, etc. This state is fairly young compared to the rest of the world. It was covered by a glacier as recently as 15,000 years ago.
4. New Jersey– Land Area (sq. km.): 22,591
Initially called the New Netherlands, New Jersey has an area of 8,721 square miles. For an area this small, it is highly urbanized and has one of the country’s highest population densities. You wouldn’t believe how many Sunja Hayden alone live here, for example! The state was the third in ratifying the new U.S. Constitution, and the first in signing the Bill of Rights. It has witnessed many notable inventions like Thomas Edison’s lightbulb, Samuel Morse’s telegraph and John Holland’s submarine, to name a few. Popular for its lighthouses, it has an almost endless string of white-sand beaches and resorts, providing visitors with exciting boardwalk and gambling casinos of Atlantic City. Famous musicians like Frank Sinatra and Jon Bon Jovi are natives of New Jersey. It was a state with rich deposits of iron ore and was used for making much of the artillery used during the American Revolution.
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5. New Hampshire– Land Area (sq. km.): 24,214
In the 20th century, New Hampshire was the textile capital of America. With an area of 9,350 square miles, it is the 10th least populous state in the country. It is called the “Granite State” due to extensive deposition of granite rocks and quarries. Manchester is one of its largest cities. Skiing, snowmobiling, hiking and mountaineering are some of its major recreational attractions. Poet Robert Frost and popular author Dan Brown hailed from this state. New Hampshire has the ocean coastline of about 18 miles, shortest in any state in the United States. New Hampshire has no general sales tax or individual income tax. The state’s abundance forests provide for lumber and papermaking companies.
6. Vermont– Land Area (sq. km.): 24,906
Vermont is 9,614 square miles of sparsely populated state and its capital, Montpelier is also one of the least-populous U.S. state capitals. Vermont is the largest producer of maple syrup in the country producing over 500,000 gallons every year. Vermont has a huge deer population, and deer hunting is a seasonal ritual. The state has carved itself a niche in speciality and gourmet foods agriculture. A major part of Vermont’s revenues come from its popular tourist attractions and tourism. Its vacation resorts, motels and hotels, and related services employ thousands of Vermonters.
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7. Massachusetts– Land Area (sq. km.): 27,336
With an area spanning 10,555 square miles, it is the seventh smallest state in America. The landscape consists of a series of hills and valleys has the third most people per square mile. Boston is the state’s capital and largest city. The American Revolution has its roots in Massachusetts with the first resistance against British colonial rules regarding taxation without representation. Massachusetts became the first state in 2004 to legalize same-sex marriage. The state was at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution and was one of the few places where the urban population was more than rural. John Kennedy and George Bush were born in this state. Of the total production of cranberries in the country, about 25 per cent of it comes from Massachusetts, thanks to its fertile soil.
8. Hawaii- Land Area (sq. km.): 28,313
One of the premier travel destinations in the whole world, Hawaii has been the subject of praise by yesteryear authors and poets. It is the fourth-smallest state of the US. An archipelago in the beginning, when the reign of ‘King Kamehameha the Great’ began, he established a monarchy and united the islands into one great kingdom called Hawaii. It was also a destination for the sugar industry that brought in foreign workers from China, Japan and the Philippines in the mid-1800s. To protect the riches, the island sought US’s protection. Slowly, it got integrated in the USA and in 1959 became its 50th state. The former president of the US, Barack Obama is a native of Hawaii. Some of the really popular Hollywood movies have been shot on the islands of Hawaii like Jurassic Park and Godzilla. This state is purely made of islands, precisely 132 different islands, including eight main islands, as well as 124 islets, reefs and shoals.
9. Maryland– Land Area (sq. km.): 32,131
Home to John Hopkins University and hospital, Maryland is about 12,407 square miles in area. Maryland has a longstanding reputation as the sailing capital of America, with the location of the American Naval Academy in its capital city Annapolis. The Chesapeake Bay is one of its major tourist attractions and the largest estuary in the United States. Surrounded by water on both sides of the bay, it is a seafood paradise, with an abundance of blue crabs, clams, oysters and rockfish. The port of Baltimore in Maryland is the most favoured spot for freight shipments and is one of the country’s busiest ports.
10. West Virginia- Land Area (sq. km.): 62,756
With a land area of 24,230 square miles, West Virginia is covered with rugged land constituting of hilly and mountains. This lack of flat land has hindered the state’s industrial and commercial expansion, resulting in slow progress. The state is thus poor in terms of personal incomes and overall economic development. It is rich in chemicals, iron, tin, steel, and nickel which are all produced in the factories of West Virginia factories. The state is famous for its glass and pottery production. Covered with forests, it provides abundant lumber and wood products. However, tourism is the state’s leading industry.
11. South Carolina- Land Area (sq. km.): 82,933
South Carolina is one of the smallest states in the US situated in the easternmost of the Deep South. The state shares its border with North Carolina, Atlantic Ocean and Georgia in respective directions. Columbia is the capital of the state and also the second-largest city of the U.S. state of South Carolina. The name of the state is the poetic term which is named after the name of Christopher Columbus. Talking about the geography, land areas are divided into three parts, the Atlantic Coastal Plain, Piedmont, and the Blue Ridge region. The highest point of the state is Sassafras Mountain situated at an elevation of 1,085 meters (3,560 feet) above sea level. South Carolina has a long coastline and contains many salt marshes and estuaries. The state has 7 national park and 40 state parks.
12. Maine- Land Area (sq. km.): 91,633
Maine is also one of the beautiful and smallest states in US located on the New England region of the northeastern United States. The state shared its border with New Hampshire, Atlantic Ocean, New Brunswick and Quebec in respective directions. Augusta is the state capital of the U.S. state of Maine and the third least populated state capital in the United States. Talking about the geography, the state is divided into three areas Atlantic Ocean Coastal Lowlands, the Central Uplands, and mountain ranges of the Appalachian Mountains situated on the northwestern reaches of the state.
13 Indiana- Land Area (sq. km.): 94,326
Indiana is a US state situated on the midwestern and Great Lakes regions of North America. The state shares its border with Lake Michigan, Michigan, Ohio Kentucky and Illinois to the west. Indianapolis is the capital city of the state and also the most populous city of Indiana. Talking about the geography, Indiana is divided into the east-central lowlands that slope downward from the Appalachian Mountains to the Mississippi River. The highest point of the state is Hoosier Hill with an elevation of 383 meters (1,257 feet) above sea level. The state is equipped with 3 national park and 27 state parks.
14. Kentucky- Land Area (sq. km.): 104,656
Kentucky is a US state situated on the east south-central region of the United States. Offcially is known as the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The state shares its borders with West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio in respective directions. Frankfort is the capital of Kentucky situated on the Kentucky River. Kentucky is one of the most populous cities in the United States and has distinguished itself as a leader in smart technology. Even the most advanced ISP like MetroNet offers its cutting-edge fibber optic internet services in the city.
Talking about the geography, Kentucky has three major locations, the Appalachian Highlands (the Appalachian Plateau), the Interior Lowlands, and the Coastal Plain. The highest point in the state is Black Mountain with an elevation of 1,261 meters (4,139 feet) above the sea level, however, the lowest point in the state the Mississippi River in Fulton County which is 78 meters (257 feet) above sea level.
15. Tennessee- Land Area (sq. km.): 109,153
Tennessee is one of the smallest state in US located in the in the southeastern region of the United States. The state shares its border with Kentucky, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas and Missouri in respective directions.Nashville is the capital of the state and also the most populous city of Tennessee. The state is named after the Francis Nash, a general of the Continental Army who plays a major role during the American Revolutionary War and later the city was founded in 1779.
The vast diversity of plains, food and culture of America makes it a fascinating destination for immigrants and tourists alike. Travel is a trillion-dollar economy in the country. There is a balance that protects the interests of these smaller states while also taking care of the needs of the majority.