Block Island, Rhode Island is a 9.7 square mile island that sits in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 12 miles south of the Rhode Island coast. It was first sighted in 1524 by Giovanni de Verrazzano. It takes its current name from Dutch explorer Adriaen Block who charted the island in 1614. Block Island was named by the The Nature Conservancy as one of twelve sites in its list of "The Last Great Places" in the Western Hemisphere. Roughly 20% of the island has been set aside for conservation. Block Island is home to approximately 1,000 permanent residents. However, its population swells by many times that number during the summer season as tourists invade the island to enjoy its beaches, sailing, hiking, fishing and cycling.