Commonwealth of Puerto Rico The closest Columbus ever came to standing on U.S. soil was when he landed on Puerto Rico in 1493. The island has many unique animals such as the coquí (a tiny frog) and the Puerto Rican parrot. But one type of animal it doesn t have is any kind of poisonous snake! Each year, more than one hundred billion gallons of rain fall on Puerto Rico s El Yunque rain forest! When Puerto Ricans are born, they get both their father s and their mother s last names. A Puerto Rican woman doesn t change her last name when she gets married. Rita Moreno, a performer from Puerto Rico, has won many show-business awards, including an Oscar, an Emmy, a Grammy, a Tony, and a Golden Globe. Flag The red and white stripes stand for the blood and victory of those who fought for the country. The star and triangle represent Puerto Rico surrounded by water. National Image Puerto Rico s coat of arms dates back all the way to the 1500s! The Latin phrase on it means John is its name, since the island used to be called San Juan (meaning St. John ). Land and Climate Puerto Rico is part of a chain of islands called the Greater Antilles, which were formed long ago by volcanoes. Being an island, it is surrounded by beautiful beaches. But the island is made up of much more than just sand. A large mountain range called the Cordillera Central is the backbone of the island. El Yunque rain forest provides a home to tropical animals like the coquí, a tiny tree frog often no bigger than 1 inch (2.5 cm). There are also deserts, canyons, and caves. Pureto Rico s territory includes smaller islands as well, such as Culebra, Vieques, and Mona. Although it never snows in Puerto Rico, it often rains. Sometimes, hurricanes come
along with the rains. The temperature usually stays between 70 and 80 F (21 27 C) year-round, even in January. Population Nearly four million people live in Puerto Rico. About 80 percent of the population is of Hispanic origin and another 8 percent is black. Others have a mixed Spanish, African, and Taíno (the native population) heritage. Around one-third of the population lives in or near the capital, San Juan. Many Puerto Ricans have moved to the United States, often in the hope of finding better jobs. So more than one million Puerto Ricans live in New York City, and another one million live in other parts of the United States. Language Both Spanish and English are official languages. Most Puerto Ricans speak Spanish at home, but kids are taught English in school, and it is sometimes used in business, too. So many Puerto Ricans speak some English. Sometimes people use both languages in the same sentence! This unique combination of mixing English words with Spanish is called Spanglish. Can You Say It in Spanish? Hello Hola (OH-la) Good-bye Adiós (ah-dee-ohs) Please Por favor (POHR fa-vohr) Thank you Gracias (GRAH-see-ahs) Yes Sí (see) No No (noh) Religion Roman Catholicism is the major religion in Puerto Rico. About 85 percent of Puerto Ricans are Catholics. The rest of the population belongs to various other Christian churches. Puerto Ricans consider themselves religious and often attribute their good fortunes to God. Time Line
AD 1400 AD 1493 Christopher Columbus lands on Puerto Rico, names the island San Juan Bautista, and claims the island for Spain 1508 The Spanish begin building settlements 1700 1760 The city of Mayagüez is founded 1765 Puerto Rico s population reaches almost 50,000 1800 1873 Slavery is abolished 1898 Puerto Rico is given to the United States 1900 1917 Puerto Rico becomes a U.S. territory, and the people are made U.S. citizens through the Jones Act 1946 1948 1950 1952 President Truman appoints the first native Puerto Rican governor Puerto Rico is allowed to elect its own governor for the first time; the people choose Luis Muñoz Marín to represent them U.S. Congress passes a new law called the Constitution Act; this makes it possible for Puerto Rico to become a commonwealth Puerto Rico becomes a commonwealth and writes its own constitution
1967 Puerto Rico votes to remain a commonwealth rather than become a U.S. state 1973 Roberto Clemente is inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame 1993 Puerto Rico again votes to remain a commonwealth 1998 Puerto Rican voters reject U.S. statehood once again 1999 An accident on Vieques Island kills a civilian during the U.S. Navy s training 2000 2000 Sila Calderon is elected as the first female governor of Puerto Rico 2003 The U.S. Navy withdraws from Vieques and closes its last remaining military base 2006 The United States Supreme Court turns down an appeal asking that Puerto Ricans be allowed to vote in U.S. presidential elections Schools and government agencies are temporarily closed 2006 because of a budget shortage; thousands of Puerto Ricans protest 2008 Luis Fortuño is elected as governor PRESENT Early Inhabitants
Some of Puerto Rico s earliest settlers were called the Arawak. These friendly people fished, traded with other islanders, and hunted. They were the ancestors of the Taíno. The Taíno farmed, made pottery and jewelry, and built houses out of wood. Spanish Rule When Christopher Columbus landed on the island in 1493, the Taíno welcomed him. However, the Spanish explorers took advantage of the Taíno and eventually enslaved them. They made the Taíno work in gold mines, and many died from this work and from the diseases the Europeans brought with them. When most of the Taíno had died or run away, the Spanish made African slaves work for them. The Spanish also built forts on the island so Puerto Rico could protect the rest of Spain s territories. U.S. Rule Spain fought and lost a war with the United States. Because of this, Spain gave Puerto Rico to the United States in 1898. Over time, the United States gave the island more freedom, like the right to elect its own governor. In the 1900s, Puerto Ricans were made U.S. citizens, and later the island became a commonwealth (see Government). Some Puerto Ricans were happy about the changes. Others wanted the island to be independent. The people voted in 1967 to stay a commonwealth. But they have continued to debate the issue. Many even want Puerto Rico to become the 51st state. In 1993, Puerto Ricans again voted to remain a commonwealth, but it was a very close vote. Vieques Island For about 60 years, the U.S. Navy used the island of Vieques for military training. Some Puerto Ricans felt that the Navy s bombing exercises hurt the environment and the people s health. They wanted the Navy to stop its training. Others wanted the Navy to stay because it helped the island s economy. The Navy finally stopped its bombing exercises on Vieques in 2003.
Games and Sports Puerto Ricans have been playing baseball for almost as long as Americans have. The island has many different teams and competes in the Caribbean League. Everyone watches their favorite Caribbean and American teams on television. Some great Puerto Rican players, like Hall of Fame player Roberto Clemente, have played for U.S. teams. Others include Roberto Alomar, Sandy Alomar Jr., Juan Gonzalez, Ivan Rodriguez, and Carlos Delgado. Puerto Ricans also like basketball, volleyball, boxing, surfing, and kayaking. Cockfighting is popular. Cockfighting is when two roosters fight each other, usually to the death. Those watching bet on which rooster will win. Holidays Puerto Ricans celebrate many of the same holidays that Americans do. One of their favorite holiday seasons is Christmas. During this time, groups of people go door-to-door singing. Those who answer the door are supposed to give the carolers food and drinks. They call this tradition Parrandas. Puerto Ricans Christmas season doesn t end with Christmas Day; they celebrate into January! On 6 January, or Day of the Three Kings, Puerto Ricans celebrate the day that the wise men gave gifts to the Christ child. On the eve of this holiday, children put some grass or hay in a shoebox, which they then place under their bed. This grass or hay is to feed the kings' camels. When the children wake up in the morning, the grass is gone and a present is in its place. Another favorite holiday season is Carnaval, which is usually during February or March. Some individuals dress up as monsters, called vejigantes, in papier-mâché masks with horns. Their costumes also have bells on them. These monsters roam the streets and try to hit people on the head with a dried pig s bladder! Kids run around and try to steal the monsters bells. Food Like many people in Latin America, Puerto Ricans eat a lot of beans and rice. However, unlike their neighbors, their food is not very spicy. Dishes with plantains are popular. Plantains are like bananas, except they have to be cooked to be eaten. Also, since Puerto Rico is surrounded by water, Puerto Ricans often eat seafood such as fish, shrimp, clams, and even octopus. A favorite seafood dish is bacalao con viandas, which is boiled cod with cassava and potatoes. Pasta and fast food are increasingly popular, especially with younger Puerto Ricans.
Schools Kids start school about the same time you do, at age five or six. Besides public schools, there are many private schools some of them are Catholic schools taught by priests and nuns. After primary (elementary) school, kids go to a middle school and high school. Getting a good education is important to people in Puerto Rico, so many also go on to college. Life as a Kid When kids in Puerto Rico aren t in school, they might be playing baseball or spending time with their friends or family. They also like to watch television, play video games, or surf the internet. On summer vacation, kids like to go with their family or friends to the beach. And there are a lot of great beaches to be found because Puerto Rico is an island. At the beach, kids can swim, have water fights, and just hang out with their friends. If their extended families (like aunts, uncles, and grandparents) don t live near them, Puerto Ricans might take vacations to visit them. Puerto Ricans love to go visiting. Government President: Barack H. Obama Governor: Luis Fortuño Puerto Rico is a commonwealth. That means it is part of the United States, although it has power to govern itself. The island is run similarly to a state, with a governor and a legislature. The Legislative Assembly, which has a 27-member Senate and a 51-member House of Representatives, makes Puerto Rico s laws. The people living in Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens, but they don t have to pay federal income tax. However, they also don t get to vote for the president. They send a high commissioner to the U.S. House of Representatives. He or she can talk with the other representatives but can t vote on legislation. Money and Economy If you were to buy a candy bar in Puerto Rico, you could use the same money you do in the States. Puerto Ricans use the U.S. dollar as their currency. The country s economy used to depend a lot on agriculture, but industry is now much more important. Puerto Ricans make medications, electronics,
clothing, and food. Tourism also provides money and jobs. The people have access to better education and jobs than most others who live in the Caribbean. Being part of the United States has helped the economy. However, some Puerto Ricans still struggle to make ends meet. Getting Around Most families own at least one car, but with so many cars on the island, traffic can be bad, especially in larger cities. So people tend to drive their cars only when needed. They carpool whenever they can. People also use public transportation to get around. They take buses, or in the capital city of San Juan, the tren urbano (urban train). People also can take a público, which is bigger than a taxi and smaller than a bus. A público takes its riders from one station to another, with no stops in between. Music and Dance Puerto Ricans love to dance and listen to music. One of their favorite kinds of music and dance is called salsa. This has a strong, fast beat. Meringue is also popular. Music is fostered in the home, so most Puerto Ricans learn to play a musical instrument. They use many different kinds of instruments to make music, including drums and rattles made from gourds. Parties often have some kind of music playing, along with dancing. Many popular singers you might know are Puerto Rican, like Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, and Jennifer Lopez. Learn More Contact the Puerto Rico Tourism Company, 666 Fifth Avenue, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10103; phone (800) 866-7827; web site www.gotopuertorico.com. 2009 ProQuest LLC and Brigham Young University. All rights reserved. It is against the law to copy, reprint, store, or transmit any part of this publication in any form by any means without written permission from ProQuest.
r Country Detail Map Puerto Rico Cerro de Punta is the country s tallest peak, at 4,389 feet (1,338 m). A T L A N T I C O C E A N San Juan has one of the best natural ports in the Caribbean. C A R I B B E A N S E A Bayamón San Juan Arecibo Carolina C O R D I L L E R R í o G a n d e A C E Ponce N T R A L Rí o de l a P l a t a E L Y U N Q U E CULEBRA ISLAND R A I N F O R E S T Caguas C e r r o d e P u n t a Mayagüez MONA ISLAND VIEQUES ISLAND The northern coast gets about 70 inches (178 cm) of rain each year. The southern coast gets only about half that much. If Puerto Rico were a U.S. state, it would be the third smallest state, with only 3,515 square miles (9,104 sq km). Puerto Rico s longest river is the Río de la Plata. 2007 ProQuest-CSA LLC and Brigham Young University.