Providence (state)
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State of Providence | |
|---|---|
State | |
 Flag | |
| Nickname(s): The Garden State (official) The Farmland; Land of Industry | |
| Motto(s): | |
 Map of Rizealand with Providence in red | |
| Country |  Rizealand |
| Before Statehood | Providence Territory |
| Capital (and largest city) | Winchester |
| Joined Federation | September 11, 1801 (5th) |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Margaret O'Malley (TNC-CRP) |
| • Deputy Governor | Chelsea Green (TNC-SDP) |
| • Legislature | Providence General Assembly |
| • Federal representation | Councilors
|
| Area | |
| • Total | 155,730.39 km2 (60,127.84 sq mi) |
| Population (2021) | |
| • Total | 3,337,791 |
| • Density | 21.43/km2 (55.5/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+10 (Central) |
| Abbreviation | PR |
| ISO 3166 code | RZ-PR |
| Website | www |
Providence, known officially as the State of Providence and unofficially as "PR" or "Prov", is a state in northern Rizealand that is bordered by Cassier to the north, Lyhoming to the east, the Nehinaw Nation to the southeast, Fáel to the south, the Capital Territory to the southwest, and Charlotte to the west. Providence has a total area of 155,730.39 square kilometers, making it the sixth largest state and political division of Rizealand. Providence also has a population of 3,337,791, making it the eighth most populous state and political entity in Rizealand. Providence's capital and largest city is Winchester while its second largest city is South Bend.
Etymology
The "State of Providence" is named for the Providence Territory that it was formed from in 1801. The origins of the Providence Territory's name are disputed. Some scholars believe the name was inspired by General Robert Mason, who was responsible for the conquest and annexation of the Providence Territory. In a speech to his army, General Mason reportedly said that the then-Province of Charlotte was "land willed to us by the supreme hand of providence." That speech is believed to have led to the land being named the Providence Territory. Other scholars however have pointed to a letter between Mason and President Thomas Rogers where Mason calls the land "Province Land."
In early drafts of the act establishing the Providence Territory by the Central Assembly, the territory is referred to as the Province Territory except in one place where it is referred to as the "Providince Territory" in what appeared to be a typo. A clerk apparently corrected that typo to "Providence" before it was adopted and the name stuck. A few historians have doubted the credibility of Mason being the inspiration for the name Providence, suspecting the story may have been manufactured by members of the Central Assembly to avoid the embarrassment of having misspelled the name of a territory in their legislation. In response to the confusion, the Providence General Assembly passed a proclamation in 1981 that stated their state was named for the Sotirian concept of divine providence that they believe played a role in their state's founding.