Countries

[Leonid] Tibilov, 60, is a former KGB officer who became South Ossetia's security minister in 1992, shortly after the mountainous province the size of Rhode Island broke away from Georgia in a war.
—Associated Press, "Former KGB boss wins presidential election in Georgia's breakaway republic of South Ossetia," April 9, 2012. Submitted by Amelia, Providence.

This series of [nine islands that make up Cape Verde], which together are about the size of Rhode Island, sits 300 miles off the African coast, but it's nothing like the rest of the continent: The literacy rate is 77 percent, nearly double that of the nearest African country, Senegal, and health standards are considered the highest in West Africa.
—Dayton Daily News, "Trouble in paradise," by Russell Carollo and Christine Willmsen, November 1, 2003.

I'm very proud to be the first American in the field. To be in the top 10 in Boston is great at the age of 42. I was born in a small country. Belgium is the size of Rhode Island. This is a big country and I'm the one representing it. Where is everybody else? It's kind of disappointing that there are not more U.S. runners. The other Americans are not here today.
—Albuquerque Tribune, "Albuquerque's Eddy Hellebuyck finishes 10th in 2:17:18 to carry U.S. torch in annual event," April 22, 2003.

"She is still missing and it's really worrying that we can't find someone in such a small country," Qarooni said. Bahrain consists of 33 islands with a total area one-sixth the size of Rhode Island.
—Associated Press, "Bahrain Focusing on Missing Children," September 13, 2002.

European Countries Smaller Than Rhode Island... Andorra, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican City and, the hard one... the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (located, like Vatican City, entirely within Rome's city limits).
—Gorp.com, "Gorp Trivia," (March 2002).

Israel is a very small country. In terms of land area, this state is comparable to Rhode Island.
—ySite e-zine, "Tel Aviv Stories: On Being Rude," by Yoav Rogovin, June 1, 2000.

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is the size of Rhode Island with roughly the population of Wyoming, the ambassador, Alphonse Berns, explained.
—The State, "Republicans Holding Up Ambassadorial, Other Appointments," November 24, 1997.