Providence metropolitan area

Infobox Metropolitan Area
MSA_name = nowrap|Providence–New Bedford–Fall River
name = Providence Metropolitan Area

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largest_city = Providence
other_cities = - New Bedford
- Fall River
- Warwick
rank_us = 35^th
population = 1,612,989 (2005 est.)
density_mi2 = 1,006.21
density_km2 = 2,606.07
area_mi2 = 1,635.76
area_km2 = 4,236.60
states = - Rhode Island
- Massachusetts
highest_ft = 812
highest_m = 247.5
lowest_ft = 0
lowest_m = 0The Providence metropolitan area is a region covering six counties in two states, and is the 36th largest metropolitan area in the United States.cite web|url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/bulletins/fy2007/b07-01.pdf|title=Update of Statistical area Definitions and Guidance on Their Uses|publisher=whitehouse.gov|accessdate=2007-06-11|pages=52,108,150] cite web|title=Providence Metropolitan Area:2000-2005 Population & Migration|url=http://www.demographia.com/db-prvmigra.htm|publisher=demographia.com|accessdate=2007-06-11] Anchored by the city of Providence, Rhode Island, it has an estimated population of 1,622,520, exceeding that of Rhode Island by about 60%. The area covers all of Rhode Island's five counties, making it the only U.S. metropolitan area that covers an entire state, and extends into southern Massachusetts with an average population density of 2300 per mi² (888 per km²).cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/population/www/estimates/Estimates%20pages_final.html U.S Census Bureau|title=July 1 2005 Population Estimates|accessdate = 2007-03-22|publisher=US Census Bureau] cite web|url=http://www.publicpurpose.com/pp82-prv.pdf|title=Providence: Least Sprawling Metropolitan Area: Colorado Springs Sprawls less than Portland|author=Wendell Cox|publisher=publicpurpose.com|accessdate=2007-06-11] cite web|url=http://stats.bls.gov/oes/current/msa_def.htm#77200 stats.bls.gov|title = May 2006 OEC Metropolitan Statistical Area definitions|accessdate=2007-06-09] In 2006, this area was officially added to the Boston Combined Statistical Area (CSA), the fifth-largest CSA in the country.

In 2004, Smart Growth America named the New York City metro area the "Least Sprawling" metropolitan area in the country, though Wendell Cox, correcting for the fact that this is only true when New Jersey and Connecticut's contributions are ignored, asserts that this title should belong to the Providence metropolitan area.

Boundaries

The Providence metropolitan area contains towns from all five counties in Rhode Island and one county in Massachusetts, including:

*Bristol County, Rhode Island
*Kent County, Rhode Island
*Newport County, Rhode Island
*Providence County, Rhode Island
*Washington County, Rhode Island
*Bristol County, Massachusetts

The New Bedford metro area is not included in the Providence NECTA, but is included in the Combined NECTA [ [http://www.census.gov/population/www/estimates/metrodef.html Current Lists of Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas and Definitions ] ] and MSA definitions.

Principal Cities

*Providence, Rhode Island
*Fall River, Massachusetts
*New Bedford, Massachusetts
*Warwick, Rhode Island
*Cranston, Rhode Island

Transportation

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) operates a commuter rail connecting the metropolitan area to Boston. There are commuter rail stations in Providence, South Attleboro, and Attleboro. An extension of the commuter rail to T.F. Green Airport in Warwick is expected to be completed in 2009. Extensions to Fall River and New Bedford have also been planned. Amtrak provides regional rail service to the Providence, and Kingston train stations as well.

to the Rhode Island mainland. Southeastern Regional Transit Authority (SRTA) provides local bus service in the Massachusetts locales of Fall River and New Bedford.

The major airport is T. F. Green Airport in Warwick, though Logan International Airport in Boston is also used. The commuter rail is in the process of being extended to the airport, which will link by rail T.F. Green to Providence and Boston.

Interstate 95 runs diagonally across the state connecting major population centers, while the auxiliary interstate 295 provides a bypass around Providence.

Demographics

USCensusPop
1990=1134350
2000=1188613
estimate=1600856
estyear=2007
estref= [ [http://www.census.gov/population/www/estimates/CBSA-est2007-pop-chg.html Estimates of Population Change for Metropolitan Statistical Areas and Rankings: July 1, 2005 to July 1, 2006 ] ]
footnote=data source: [http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t3/index.html] The Metro Area is marked by large populations of Irish-American, Italian-American, and French Canadians French-American throughout the region. The Irish form the largest group in Newport, and Washington Counties.Fact|date=April 2008 The Italians in Kent, and southern Providence County. the French in northern and western providence county. All groups however can be found throughout the region in large numbers.

Also included are very large concentrations of Lusophone populations across the region with the largest density being from East Providence to New Bedford. The two Bristol counties (RI, and MA) are the only two American counties where Portuguese-Americans form a plurality of the Population.Fact|date=April 2008 [ [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFIteratedFacts?_event=&geo_id=05000US25005&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US25%7C05000US25005&_street=&_county=Bristol+County&_cityTown=&_state=&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=050&_submenuId=factsheet_2&ds_name=DEC_2000_SAFF&_ci_nbr=552&qr_name=DEC_2000_SAFF_A1050&reg=DEC_2000_SAFF_A1050%3A552&_keyword=&_industry= Bristol County, Massachusetts - Select a Race, Ethnic, or Ancestry Group - American FactFinder ] ]

Pockets of English and Scots-Irish Americans are found in rural areas of the region such as South County, RI where they are known as "Swamp Yankees", and also in towns such as Barrington, East Greenwich, and the East Side of Providence. Other Groups include Poles, Germans, Greeks, Armenians, Jews, and Arabs (Lebanese, and Syrians).Fact|date=April 2008Recent Immigrants included continued migration from Cape Verde, Portugal and other Lusophone nations, South East Asia specifically Laos, Cambodia, Hmong (mostly from Vietnam), the Former Soviet Union (primarily Russian Jews), Liberians, Ghanaians. however the largest Immigrant group is Hispanics, the Hispanic population is very diverse with older populations of Puerto Ricans being joined more recently by Dominicans, Guatemalans, Colombians, And Bolivians.Fact|date=April 2008

References