Coventry is a town in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States, with a population of 35,688 as of the 2020 census. It is part of the Pawtuxet River Valley, where the climate is oceanic according to the Köppen Climate Classification system. English colonists settled in Coventry in the early 18th century when the town was part of Warwick. The Coventry section grew very slowly since the area was so far away from the center of Warwick. However, by 1741, enough farmers (about 100 families) had settled in the area and petitioned the General Assembly of Rhode Island to create their town. The petition was granted, and the new town was named “Coventry”, after the English city. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 62.3 sq mi. 59.5 sq mi of it is land, and 2.8 sq mi of it is water. However, it is the largest town in land area in Rhode Island, surpassed in total area only by South Kingstown, Rhode Island, with a water and land area of 79.8 square miles. Since the late 20th century, the town has attracted new residents, and the eastern part of the town has become suburbanized. In the early 21st century, a movement in the city developed to limit residential development to keep the rural flavour of the western part of the town.