Puerto Rico
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Puerto Rico is part of the Greater Antilles, located to the east of the Dominican Republic and to the west of the Lesser Antilles. It consists of the main island, commonly called by Puerto Ricans as "the Great Island" (La Isla Grande) and a number of smaller islands, of which only Vieques, Isla de Culebra are inhabited. It is divided in 78 municipalities and its U.S. postal abbreviation is PR.
Puerto Rico was called Borikén by the indigenous Taínos before Christopher Columbus named it San Juan Bautista (after John the Baptist). The name Puerto Rico means "rich port" in Spanish.
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| Motto: Joannes Est Nomen Eius | |||||
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| Official languages | Spanish, English | ||||
| Capital | San Juan | ||||
| Largest City (largest in population) | San Juan | ||||
| Governor | Sila M. Calderón | ||||
| Area - Total - % water |
(Not ranked) 9,104 km2 1.6% |
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| Population - Total (2002) - Density |
(Not ranked) 3,957,988 434/km2 |
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| Independence | None | ||||
| Currency | U.S. Dollar (USD) | ||||
| Time zone | UTC -4/ (No DST) | ||||
| National Anthem | La Borinqueña | ||||
| Internet TLD | .pr | ||||
| Calling code | 1 | ||||
Puerto Rico is a US territory which has been given self-governing "commonwealth" status. (The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, located in the western Pacific Ocean, has a similar relationship to the United States.) What this means has never been absolutely clear; however, Puerto Rico has more latitude over its internal affairs than the US territories of Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or American Samoa.
Puerto Rico's current constitutional arrangements are the result of a treaty signed in 1952, so presumably it could become independent in the same way—a right not possessed by the states of the United States. Alternatively, it could be admitted as a state of the United States by a vote of the Congress, in the same way that Hawaii was in 1959.
Puerto Rico has approximately the same degree of authority over its internal affairs as an American state. The United States federal government controls interstate trade, foreign commerce, customs, aviation and navigation, immigration, currency, all military and naval matters, radio and television communications, mining and minerals, highways, the postal system, social security, and other areas generally controlled by the federal government in the United States. United States courts have the final say over the constitutionality of Puerto Rican laws. Puerto Rico may not conclude treaties with other sovereign states, although it does belong to some international bodies.
Puerto Rico's elected governor and legislature control all other internal affairs. The major differences between Puerto Rico and the states are greater financial autonomy (it levies its own taxes and is exempt from the Internal Revenue Code), its lack of voting representation in either house of the Congress and the ineligibility of Puerto Rican residents to vote in presidential elections.
Satellite Image of Puerto Rico
The island of Puerto Rico was originally inhabited by a group of Arawak Indians known as Taínos. The first European contact was made by Christopher Columbus, on his second voyage to the Antilles, on November 19, 1493. The island was originally named San Juan Bautista, in honor of Saint John the Baptist. Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de Leon became the island's first governor of Puerto Rico to take office, while Vicente Yáñez Pinzón was the first appointed governor, though he never arrived at the island.
The island was soon colonized becoming the most important stronghold of the Spanish empire in the Caribbean. Concerned about threats from its European enemies, Spain began construction of massive defenses around the city of San Juan. Fortresses such as La Fortaleza, Fort San Felipe del Morro and Fort San Cristobal would be built. The French, Dutch and English made attempts to capture Puerto Rico, but failed.
In 1809, Puerto Rico was recognized as an overseas providence of Spain with the right to send representatives to the Spanish Court. Puerto Rico was granted its first constitution, allowed to engage in free commerce and continued to develop its own identity in aspects such as culture, music, and arts.
Toward the end of the 19th century, poor economic and political situations with Spain led to an attempted uprising in 1868 known as "El Grito de Lares". The Puerto Rican goal was to achieve personal freedom, the abolition of slavery, and full self-government. The uprising was easily and quickly crushed. Champions of this autonomist movement were such political leaders as Ramon Baldorioty de Castro, and towards the end of the century, Luis Muñoz Rivera. In 1897, Muñoz Rivera persuaded a liberal Spanish government to agree to an Autonomic Charter for the island. The following year Puerto Rico's first autonomous government was organized with Muñoz Rivera as leader.
On July 25, 1898 Puerto Rico was invaded by the United States of America with a landing at Guánica Bay. Spain was forced to cede Puerto Rico to the United States under the Treaty of Paris (1898). The twentieth century began under the military regime of the United States with officials including the governor appointed by the President of the United States. In 1917, the United States Congress granted Puerto Ricans U.S. citizenship. Natural disasters and the Great Depression impoverished the island. Political leaders demanded change, some like Pedro Albizu Campos would lead a nationalist movement in favor of independence. Later, José T. Piñero became the first Puerto Rican governor designated by United States. In 1948, the United States granted the right to democratically elect the governor of Puerto Rico. Luis Muñoz Marín would become the first elected governor of Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico adopted its own constitution in 1952 adopting a commonwealth relation with the United States. During the 1950s Puerto Rico experienced a rapid industrialization, with such projects as Operation Bootstrap which aimed to change Puerto Rico's agicultural-based economy into an economy based on other industries such as manufacturing. Present-day Puerto Rico has become a major tourist destination and a leading pharmaceutical and manuacturing center. Still, Puerto Rico continues to struggle to define its political status.
The government is composed of 3 branches: the Executive branch headed by the Governor, the Legislative branch consisting of a bicameral Legislative Assembly (a Senate and a House of Representatives) and the Judicial branch. The legal system is based on the Spanish civil code.
The Constitution of Puerto Rico was approved through refendum in 1952, and ratified by the U.S. Congress, which maintains ultimate sovereignty over Puerto Rico. Under this constitution, Puerto Rico is a territorial commonwealth of the United States and is permitted a high degree of autonomy. Although Puerto Rico does not have representation in the U.S. Electoral College or U.S. Congress, it is permitted a non-voting Resident Commissioner in the U.S. House of Representatives and Puerto Ricans pay no federal income tax on income from island sources. Citizens of Puerto Rico are also U.S. citizens.
As a commonwealth associated with the United States, Puerto Rico does not have any first-order administrative divisions as defined by the U.S. Government, but there are 78 municipalities at the second order. Each municipality has a Mayor and a Municipal Legislature elected for a 4 year term.
Political Status
History
Main article: History of Puerto RicoPolitics
Main article: Politics of Puerto RicoMunicipalities
Main article: List of municipalities in Puerto Rico
Geography
Main article: Geography of Puerto Rico
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The archipelago of Puerto Rico consists of the main island of Puerto Rico and various smaller islands, including Vieques, Culebra, and Mona. The mainland measures some 170 km by 60 km (105 miles by 35 miles). It has a population of approximately 4 million. The capital city, San Juan, is located on the main island's north coast and has a population of approximately 430,000.
The economic conditions in Puerto Rico have improved dramatically since the Great Depression due to external investment in capital-intensive industry such as petrochemicals pharmaceuticals and technology. Once the beneficiary of special tax treatment from the US government, today local industries must compete with those in more economically depressed parts of the world where wages are not subject to US minimum wage legislation.
It has been stated that everyone in Puerto Rico originated somewhere else as they are a people comprised primarily of European and African origin.
Puerto Rico is said to comprise a European (mainly Spanish) majority, a culturally extinct Amerindian population, mixed to a lesser degree with Africans. However, recent Mitochondrial and Y-chromosome analysis have shown that at least 62% of Puerto Ricans have an Amerindian ancestry (said to be "from our Taino mothers") and well over 70% have a white ancestry ("from our Spanish and other European fathers"). In other words, it is the mestizo lineage that laid the basis for the Puerto Rican culture. Mulatos and blacks seem to only account for less than 20% (Y chromosome) and 26% (mtDNA) ; therefore only about a quarter of the island's populace can really lay claim to an African ancestry. The current white population of Puerto Rico are also said to be highly mixed, again in varying degrees, with several European bloodlines.
While many Spanish settlers mixed with the Taino Indians during the early years of colonization, the Tainos where soon wiped out as a distinct people due to disease and warfare. Later, waves of Corsican, French and immigrants from the Canary Islands arrived on the island along with numerous Spanish loyalists from Spain's former colonies in South America; and as a result the mestizos were fully absorbed into the general white population. Other settlers have included Irish, Germans and in recent years, immigrants from Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Venezuela, but represent less than 5% of the current population. According to the 2000 census, 95% of the population consider themselves of Puerto Rican descent (regardless of race or skin color), making Puerto Rico one of the most culturally unified societies in the world.
Puerto Rico has over 100,000 legal residents who came from Spain, Mexico, Central or South America, in addition to the Cubans and Dominicans.
The Roman Catholic religion is dominant, although there is a notable Protestant presence. Puerto Rico has its own Olympic team and has international representation in many events including the Summer Olympics, the Pan-American Games, the Central American Games, and the Caribbean World Series.
[1] See http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/8/ares8.htm
Economy
Main article: Economy of Puerto RicoDemographics
Main article: Demographics of Puerto RicoColleges and universities
Culture
Main article: Culture of Puerto RicoSee also
External links
Official sites
Others
References
Notes
| Countries in West Indies | ||
| Antigua and Barbuda | Bahamas | Barbados | Cuba | Dominica | Dominican Republic | Grenada | Haiti | Jamaica | Saint Kitts and Nevis | Saint Lucia | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Trinidad and Tobago | ||
| Dependencies: Anguilla | Aruba | Bermuda | British Virgin Islands | Cayman Islands | Guadeloupe | Martinique | Montserrat | Netherlands Antilles | Puerto Rico | Turks and Caicos Islands | U.S. Virgin Islands | ||
| Political divisions of the United States |  | |||||||
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| Caribbean Community and Common Market (Caricom) |
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| Antigua and Barbuda | The Bahamas¹ | Barbados | Belize | Dominica | Grenada | Guyana | Haiti | Jamaica | Montserrat | Saint Kitts and Nevis | Saint Lucia | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Suriname | Trinidad and Tobago |
| Associate members: British Virgin Islands | Turks and Caicos Islands |
| Observer status: Anguilla | Aruba | Bermuda | Cayman Islands | Colombia | Dominican Republic | Mexico | Netherlands Antilles | Puerto Rico | Venezuela |
| ¹ A member of the community but not the common market. |