Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is more Caribbean , Spanish, Latino, tropical and colorful than anything stateside. Puerto Rico lies West of The British Virgin Islands, and East of The Dominican Republic. The travel hot spot of the island is the capital of San juan . It is a modern city with ancient roots and lots of sights that date back hunderds of years. To the East of San Juan is the rainforest of El Yunque; then to the South of the island is the beautiful town of Ponce , surrounded by fine beaches.
Other attractions on the island include the Camuy caves, near Arecibo , the phosphorescent Bay near La Parguera, and the Espirito Santo River , which offers boat tours along a 5 mile stretch. The dry southwestern corner of the island is noted for its beaches and picturesque fishing villages with easy-going attitude. Here you can savour fresh clams and oysters in between sips of coconut water and the enchanting company of sea, sun and sand. San Juan bars and clubs are patronized during the day by the zillions of cruise passengers. In the evenings, a more local crowd makes merry into the wee hours. More than any other Caribbean hot spot.
Related Travel Information
The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (Spanish: Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico) is a self-governing unincorporated organized territory of the United States located east of the Dominican Republic in the northeastern Caribbean.
Puerto Rico, the smallest of the Greater Antilles, includes the main island of Puerto Rico and a number of smaller islands and keys, which include Mona, Vieques, and Culebra. Of the latter three, only Culebra and Vieques are inhabited year-round. Mona is not inhabitated year long except for employees of the Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources. People can visit the island for hiking and camping by getting the
Music of Puerto Rico
The music of Puerto Rico has been influenced by African and European (especially Spanish) forms, and has become popular across the Caribbean and in some communities worldwide. Native popular genres include bomba and plena, while more modern innovations include the hip hop fusion reggaeton.
Geography of Puerto Rico
The archipelago of Puerto Rico consists of the main island of Puerto Rico and various smaller islands, including Vieques, Culebra, Mona, Desecheo and Caja de Muertos. 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.
Economy of Puerto Rico
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. In recent years, some U.S. and foreign owned factories have moved to lower wage countries in Latin America and Asia. Puerto Rico is subject to U.S. trade laws and restrictions.
Geology of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is composed of Cretaceous to Eocene volcanic and plutonic rocks, which are overlain by younger Oligocene to recent carbonates and other sedimentary rocks. Most of the caverns and karst topography on the island occurs in the northern Oligocene to recent carbonates. The oldest rocks are approximately 190 million years old (Jurassic) and are located at Sierra Bermeja in the southwest part of the island. These rocks may represent part of the oceanic crust and are believed to come from the Pacific Ocean realm. Puerto Rico lies at the boundary between the Caribbean and North America
