Puerto Rico: Island of Enchantment
Photo Gallery
All the pictures in the gallery were taking by me or my family. Most of the flowers are from my garden and some of the trees are around my property. But, before you enter the gallery, why don't you read a little about Puerto Rico? Interesting stuff *Ü* When you're done, just click the image below
About
::GEOGRAPHY::
Small rectangular shaped island located Southeast of the United States between the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea; east of Cuba and the Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti) and west of the US/ British Virgin Islands (part of the Leeward Islands)
Part of the Greater Antilles, which together with the Lesser Antilles form the West Indies
Measures: 110 miles x 35 miles
Coordinates: 18 15 N, 66 30 W
Area: total: 9,104 sq km
Water: 145 sq km
Land: 8,959 sq km (5,300 square miles with 3,400 of those being land)
Islands in the commonwealth: Vieques, Culebra, Culebrita, Palomino (known by some by the Spanish Virgin Islands), Mona, Monito and various others isolated islands
Area Comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island
Land Boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 501 km
Maritime Claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Territorial Sea: 12 NM
Climate: tropical marine, mild; temperature averages around 82 degrees with small variation between summer and winter
Terrain: sandy beaches along most coastal areas, but mostly mountains, with coastal plain belt in north; mountains precipitous to sea on west coast; with the major range of mountains named "La Cordillera Central" which transects the island from east to west. The South is relatively dry while the North is humid and fertile
Lakes and Rivers: 17 man-made lakes (reservoirs) and over 50 rivers
Lowest Point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Highest Point: Cerro Punta 1,338 m (4,390 feet above sea level)
Natural Resources: some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil
Natural Hazards: periodic droughts; hurricanes, erosion
Important location along the Mona Passage - a key shipping lane to the Panama Canal. San Juan (the capital) is one of the biggest and best natural harbors and the most dynamic pier in the Caribbean. 50% of all business, for a total of 1,400 millions in goods is transported to or from here
Time Zone: Atlantic Standard (AST), which is one hour later (+1) than Eastern Standard Time (EST) and four hours earlier (-4) than Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Puerto Rico does not observe Daylight Savings Time
Sunrise/Sunset Average: 6:54 am to 6:21 pm
Because of the latitude of Puerto Rico the sun is high overhead all year, there are no great variations from day to day between the times of sunrise
and sunset
::STATS::
Capital: San Juan
Population: 3,958,128 (July 2008 est.) in the island. Over 2,700,000 more in the United States
Nationality: American
Adjective: Puerto Rican
Ethnic Groups: white (mostly Spanish origin) 80.5%, black 8%, Amerindian 0.4%, Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9%
Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%
Languages: Spanish, English
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write
Education: More than 50 institutions of higher education with one of the highest college education rates in the world (6th) with 56% of its college-age students attending institutions of higher learning
Total Population: 94.1%: male: 93.7%, female
::GOVERNMENT::
Popularly-elected governors have served since 1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted providing for internal self government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and 1998, voters chose not to alter the existing political status
Government Type: Commonwealth of the United States, but governs itself
Country Name: conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
Dependency Status: unincorporated, organized territory of the US with commonwealth status; policy relations between Puerto Rico and the US conducted under the jurisdiction of the Office of the President
Administrative Divisions: 78 municipalities or counties, 8 senatorial districts, 40 representative districts
Independence: none (commonwealth associated with the US)
Constitution: ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US Congress 3 July 1952; effective 25 July 1952
Legal System: based on Spanish civil code and within the US Federal system of justice
Suffrage: 18 years of age
Executive branch: chief of state: President Barak H, Obama of the US (since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joe Biden (since 20 January 2009)
Head of Government: Governor Luis Guillermo Fortuño (since January 2nd 2009)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the legislature
Elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as Puerto Rico, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor elected by popular vote for a four-year term (no term limits)
Legislative Branch: bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (at least 27 seats - currently 29; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (51 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
A resident commissioner is elected by popular vote to serve a four-year term as a nonvoting representative in the US House of Representatives; aside from not voting on the House floor, he enjoys all the rights of a member of Congress
Judicial Branch: Supreme Court; Appellate Court; Court of First Instance composed of two sections: a Superior Court and a Municipal Court (justices for all these courts appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate)
:: ECONOMY ::
Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region. A diverse industrial sector has far surpassed agriculture as the primary focus of economic activity and income. Encouraged by duty-free access to the US and by tax incentives, US firms have invested heavily in Puerto Rico since the 1950s
US minimum wage laws apply
Sugar production has lost out to dairy production and other livestock products as the main source of income in the agricultural sector
Tourism has traditionally been an important source of income, with estimated arrivals of nearly 5 million tourists in 2004. Growth fell off in 2001-03, largely due to the slowdown in the US economy, recovered in 2004-05, but declined again in 2006-09
Industries: pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, tourism
Agriculture: sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas, livestock products, chickens
Exports: chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment
Export Partners: US 90.3%, UK 1.6%, Netherlands 1.4%, Dominican Republic 1.4%
Imports: chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products
Import Partners: US 55.0%, Ireland 23.7%, Japan 5.4%
Sales Tax: 5.5%. Municipalities have the option of imposing an additional sales tax of up to 1.5% for a total of 7%
Income Tax: Local (state) tax only. No Federal Income Tax is reported
Currency: US dollar (USD)
Currency Exchange Rates:
| US$ 1.00 = | AU$ 1.20 | CA$ 1.06 | NZ$ 1.35 | £ 0.50 | EURO .74 | JPY 122.1 |
:: CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION::
There are no passports or visas necessary for United States citizens. US citizens can travel freely in and out of the island without going through
immigration or customs. They only need to have some form of official government issued picture identification to enter Puerto Rico such as a current
driver’s license or a photo-identification card issued to non-drivers by a state’s motor vehicles department
Citizens of other countries have the same requirements as for entering the USA. Potential visitors must first obtain a visa, either a non-immigrant
visa for temporary stay or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. The 90-day "visitor" visa is a non-immigrant visa to enter the United States
temporarily. Those planning to travel to Puerto Rico for a different purpose, such as study or temporary work, must apply for specialized visas (either
an M-1 or F-1 class). A visa is not a guarantee of entry into Puerto Rico. The bearer of a visa is subject to inspection at the port of entry by U.S.
Department of Homeland Security officials who have authority to deny admission
:: INTERESTING FACTS::
Populated for centuries by aboriginal people, the island was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following Columbus second voyage to the Americas. In 1898, it was ceded to the US as a result of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship in 1917
National Holidays: US Independence Day, July 4th (1776); Puerto Rico Constitution Day, July 25th (1952), The Discovery of Puerto Rico, November 19th (1493)
Nickname: Island of Enchantment
National Anthem: La Borinqueña
National Bird: Stripe-headed Tanager (reinita)
National Flower: Puerto Rican Hibiscus (flor de maga)
National Drink: Rum, and you can buy it in almost any shade. Puerto Rico is the world's leading rum producer
National Pastime: Baseball
National Symbol: Coqui Frog. More than 17 different species live in the island, 13 of which occur in the Caribbean National Forest. Native to the island. The species is named for the loud sound (sometimes reaching as high as 100 dB at a distance of 0.5 m) the males make at night. This tiny frog measures approximately 1/4 inch
Driving is on the right-hand side of the road. The distance markers in kilometers
Gasoline is sold in liters not gallons
Is where the first reports of the mythical chupacabra originated. However, despite claims to the contrary, no chupacabra has ever been captured dead or alive and it is considered nothing more than an urban legend
It's northwest side is part of the infamous Bermuda Triangle where according to some, ships and planes have disappear
It is the third country of the world with more physicians in proportion to its population
The first person to fly up a flag in Puerto Rico was El pirata Cofresi. (A Puerto Rican Pirate)
It is estimated that there is more Nickel in the mountains of Puerto Rico than in the whole United States, including Alaska and Hawaii
The wood from the native tree ''El Guayacan'' is so strong that it suffers less wear and tear than steel
The first Puerto Rican municipality founded in the 20th century was Jayuya in 1911
Though its small size, 39 different kinds of soils have been identified in Vieques (a small island off the eastern coast of Puerto Rico)
The short distance in road terms from the highway that connects Vega Alta to the toll in Buchanan is among the 10 busiest highways in the World
The only native mammal in Puerto Rico is the bat. The sounds of bats for the Batman movies were all recorded in the caves here
Square foot by square foot, Plaza Las Americas (The Caribbean largest shopping center) is the most rentable and the one that sells the most in the American continent
The first mother's day in Puerto Rico was celebrated in Yauco in 1915
Two Puerto Rico dancers did the choreographies for John Travolta in the movie Saturday Night Fever
Of the 7 bioluminescent (phosphorescent) bays in the world, Puerto Rico has 4, and 3 of them are in Vieques
The word ''Huracan'' (Hurricane - A Taino Indian word) is used as far as Japan
The word "hamaca" (hammock) another Taino (the Puerto Rican original Indians) word
The word ''Barbecue'' does not comes from an Anglicism; it comes from the Taino word ''Barbacoa"
The 3rd oldest theater in las Americas is ''El Teatro Tapia'' in the Old San Juan
The oldest church is the Western Hemisphere (The San Jose church) is in old San Juan
The best selling flag in New York city is the Puerto Rican flag
The largest JC Penney store in the whole world is located in Plaza Las Americas
The world's 3rd largest underground river is located in Camuy. The caves in Camuy (around 2,000 which span 3 counties) through which that river flows, were the inspiration for the set designs of the bat cave in the Batman movies
Although the Island of Culebra (also off the eastern coast of Puerto Rico) is much smaller than the Mona Island, Culebra is inhabited while Mona is deserted
Isla de Mona is known as the Galapagos of the Caribbean Sea. No other reef and offshore island habitat within U.S. jurisdiction possesses such ecological uniqueness, invaluable habitat, and biological diversity within such a reduced surface area. It has species which are not found elsewhere. For these reasons, Mona and Monito Islands have been recognized by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico as a Natural Reserve
The island is close to the deepest submarine depression in the North Atlantic Ocean. The Puerto Rico Trench, roughly parallel to the northern coast of the island and lying about 75 miles (120 km) to the north. The trench is about 1,090 miles (1,750 km) long and 60 miles (100 km) wide. The deepest point in the Atlantic Ocean, the Milwaukee Depth, lies within this trench, at a depth of 27,493 feet (8,380 meters) in the western end of the trench, about 100 miles (160 km) northwest of Puerto Rico
The Guánica Forest (dry forest) home to 700 plant species of which 48 are endangered and 16 exist nowhere else and where the largest number of bird species can be found has a unique vegetation. The Forest has been declared an International Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO
El Yunque (formerly known as the Caribbean National Forest until 2007) is a 28,000 acres (43.753 mi² or 113.32 km²) tropical rain forest. The only one of its kind in the United States Forest System. More than 100 billion gallons of rain fall each year. Perhaps the most famous peak in Puerto Rico despite not being the tallest, measuring 3,526 feet above sea level. The mountain is located in the Sierra de Luquillo, and is part of the El Yunque National Forest. It is also a candidate to the new 7 wonders of the world
Juana Diaz is the only town in Puerto Rico with a first and last name
Puerto Rican coffee is the official coffee of the Vatican
UNESCO has declared La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic World Heritage Sites
Sila Calderon was the first female governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (2001-2005)
Is bigger than Singapore
It was visited by Pope John Paul in 1984
Famous People include: Roberto Clemente (baseball player), Ricky Martin (singer),Teo Cruz (basketball player), Marc Anthony (singer), Benicio del Toro (actor), Gigi Fernandez (tennis player), Raul Julia (actor), Felisa Rincon de Gautier (former mayor of San Juan), Pablo Casals (violoncellist), Sila Calderon (former governor), Rita Moreno (actress), Jimmy Smiths (actor), José Ferrer (actor), Rosie Perez (actress and choreographer), Sonia Sotomayor (supreme court justice)
It has won the Miss Universe pageant a record five times: Marisol Malaret (1970), Deborah Carthy-Deu (1985), Dayanara Torres (1993), Denise Quiñones (2001), and Zuleyka Rivera (2006). It has more titles than Brazil, Argentina and Mexico combined
Host to the 1972 Miss Universe Pageant. It became the first Latin American country to host this contest
Host to the 1979 Pan-American Games
Host to the 1993 Central American and Caribbean Games
Host to the 1974 FIBA Basketball Men's World Championship
It has competed in the Winter Olympic Games 6 times (Sarajevo-1984, Calgary-1988, Albertville-1992, Lillehammer-1994, Nagano-1998, and Salt Lake City-2002)
:: POPULAR PLACES::
click on camera to view pictures
El Yunque (tropical rain forest)
El Morro Fort (one of the largest and most preserved Spanish forts
in the new world. Built to protect the city from attacks)
Luquillo (most popular beach)
Camuy River Park (third largest subterranean river in the world)
Plaza Las Americas (biggest shopping center in the Caribbean)
Cabo Rojo Lighthouse (home to playa sucia beach)
Dos Bocas Lake (restaurants along its banks)
The Mayaguez Zoo (wide variety of animals)
La Parguera (bioluminescent bay)
Caja de Muerto (off the southern coast)
Cerro Punta (highest peak)
La Poza de Piñones (natural salt water pool covered by reefs)
Parque de Bombas de Ponce (oldest firehouse)
Arecibo Observatory (largest single dish radio telescope in the world)
The Ponce Art Museum (home to world famous paintings)
La Guancha (boardwalk)
Guánica Forest (dry forest)
Guajataca Forest (popular rest and picnic area)
Salto Doña Juana (impressive waterfall)
Old San Juan (a lot of our history is there)
:: SOURCES ::
The CIA World Fact book
U.S. Department of State
Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress