Puerto Rico is a country with a definition a bit different from the rest in Latin America. It is defined as a Free Associated State of Puerto Rico, since, although they belong to the US, they do not form part of its official states, but rather govern themselves.
- Municipios: 78.
- Adjective: Puerto Rican or Boricua.
- Time zone: AST (UTC-4).
It is also known as PR, a land with a lot of talent, according to many, a very prosperous island, and the desired destination of many Caribbean people.
Geographical Location of Puerto Rico
Its official location is that it is located in the Insular America, however, it is surrounded in the following way:
- South: Caribbean Sea.
- North: Atlantic Ocean
- West: Virgin Islands
- East: Hispaniola Island.
It is considered an archipelago, where we can enjoy islands, cays, and a lot of nature. In the case of the island of Puerto Rico, which is the largest, it has 8,868 square kilometers.
Relief
The Central Cordillera is one of the most important mountains in the area, considering that PR is a mountainous area in 40%. It is followed by hills with 34%, leaving only 26% flat.
In Puerto Rico, you can find hills, ravines, rivers, parks with many trees, jungle, which brings many animals.
Rivers of Puerto Rico
There are many rivers in this area of the world, such as one of the longest, the La Plata River. Let’s see others:
- Espíritu Santo.
- La Plata River.
- Guajataca.
- Camuy.
- Puerto Nuevo.
- Bayamón.
- Culebrinas.
- Grande de Arecibo.
- Cibuco.
- El Río Grande de Manatí.
- Río Piedras.
- Río Puerto Nuevo.
- Grande de Patillas.
- Coamo.
- Yagüez
- Grande de Añasco.
Climate
It is considered a tropical country, very fresh compared to other Caribbean areas. The temperature usually ranges from 24 to 27°C, and in summer it can rise to 38.5°C.
There is little rain, especially from December to April. On the contrary, from May to September, it can be seen that it rains, in some cases with a lot of force.
In Puerto Rico, they talk about the official hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30.
Summary of the History of Puerto Rico
Before Columbus: 3000 and 2000 years ago, the Ortoides settled in Puerto Rico, giving origin to what is known today as the history of the territory of Puerto Rico. Other tribes that arrived at the place were:
- Ciguayos.
- Taínos.
It was these last ones who Columbus found when he arrived at the current Puerto Rico.
1493 – 1898: Although there is much more history, the official or better documented one is from the times of Columbus in 1493 when he arrived at the place. From there on, the territory that occupies today PR belonged to the Spanish, until the year 1897.
However, Spanish administration continued for another year, until it ceased in general. However, the culture and language remained.
1917: This is a special date because from there on, Puerto Rico passes to be part of the United States, but with special conditions, such as:
- Autogovernment.
- Own Constitution.
- It functions as a state of the Union.
- Puerto Ricans cannot vote in US elections.
Political Organization of Puerto Rico
Its relationship with the United States is similar to that of the US with its states, and as we said before, it is a non-incorporated state, with certain freedoms. They have a representative in the US Congress, who is called the Resident Commissioner.
- Executive Power: exercised by the governor, who assumes his place democratically.
- Legislative Power: exercised by the Legislative Assembly.
- Judicial Power: exercised by the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico.
Main Political Parties
Among the main political parties in PR, we have the following:
- PPD: Popular Democratic Party.
- PNP: New Progressive Party.
- PD: Dignity Project.
- PIP: Puerto Rican Independence Party.
- MVC: Citizen Victory Movement.
There are many more parties, and different thoughts, such as groups that fight for the complete independence of Puerto Rico, and are against it being a US colony.
Puerto Rico’s Economy
It is one of the most relevant economies in the area. Some data in this area that can help you understand a bit better its stability are the following:
- Hourly wage: $9.50 to $16.40.
- Fiscal growth projection: 2.8% and 1.4%
- Inflation projection: decrease by 2%.
The average annual income per family in Puerto Rico is around $30,450. In recent years, they have managed to reduce the external debt by more than half.
Population of Puerto Rico
The population of Puerto Rico is around 3,285,374 inhabitants. The majority is urban, since only 6.2% is rural population.
It is a crowded country, with a density of around 407.15 inhabitants per square kilometer, although there are areas where it reaches 1983.45.
If we talk about life expectancy, it is 80 years on average, with women being 8 years longer-lived than men.
Foreign Population
In Puerto Rico, we find a 27% of foreigners regarding the 100% of its total population. And the majority come from the following countries:
- Dominican Republic.
- United States.
- Haiti.
- Cuba
- Venezuela.
- Colombia.
- Mexico.
- Panama.
- Honduras.
- Spain.
- Italy.
- China.
There are also Puerto Ricans in other countries, as part of globalization, a normal fact in today’s world.
Famous Puerto Ricans
From Puerto Rico, many artists have emerged, among them we must mention the following:
- Ricky Martin.
- Chayanne.
- Bad Bunny.
- Daddy Yankee.
- Adamari López.
- Olga Tañón.
- Don Omar.
- Luis Fonsi.
- Gilberto Santa Rosa.
And the list could be almost endless, since it is a land with a lot of musical talent, an industry in which it has been a leader for a long time.
Why Boricuas?
The Taínos called the island of Puerto Rico Borikén, which has the meaning “Land of Our Most High and Brave Lord”. From there, variants emerged, such as the Boricua.
On the other hand, the Spanish called the island Puerto Rico, because they considered it a rich area from the port.
Without a doubt, Puerto Rico is one of the most interesting areas of the Caribbean, so delving into its history will help us know more about very relevant events for all Latin America.
