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Puerto Rico


 
 
History
Pre-Columbian era The history of the archipelago of Puerto Rico (Spanish for "Rich Port") before the arrival of Christopher ColumbusFacts About Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus Italian Cristoforo Colombo; Spanish: Cristbal Coln was a navigator and an admiral for the Crow...
 is not well known. What is known today comes from archaeological findings and early SpanishSpanish people

The Spanish people or Spaniards are the ethnic group or nation native to Spain, in the Iberian Peninsula of southweste...
 accounts. The first comprehensive book on the history of Puerto Rico was written by Fray Iñigo Abbad y LasierraFacts About Fray Iñigo Abbad y Lasierra

Fray ??igo Abbad y Lasierra , born in Estadilla, Spain, was a Benedictine monk and the first historian to extensively docume...
 in 1786, 293 years after the first Spaniards arrived on the island.


The first settlers were the Ortoiroid peopleOrtoiroid people

The Ortoiroid people were the first human settlers of the Caribbean....
, an Archaic Period culture of AmerindianIndigenous peoples of the Americas

The term Indigenous peoples of the Americas encompasses the inhabitants of the Americas before the European discovery of the...
 hunters and fishermen. An archaeological dig in the island of Vieques in 1990 found the remains of what is believed to be an Arcaico (Archaic) man (named Puerto Ferro man) dated to around 2000 BC.






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Timeline

1493   Christopher Columbus goes ashore on an island he saw for the first time only the day before. He names it San Juan Bautista (later renamed Puerto Rico).

1511   Taíno indigenous uprising in southwestern Puerto Rico near Guánica.

1868   Rebels in the town of Lares declare Puerto Rico independent. Local militia defeats them a week later.

1898   Spanish-American War: The United States invasion of Puerto Rico begins with a landing at Guánica Bay.

1952   Puerto Rico becomes a self-governing commonwealth of the United States.

1954   Four Puerto Ricans open fire on United States House of Representatives and wound five. Security guards apprehend them.

1972   Roberto Clemente dies in a plane crash off the coast of Puerto Rico while en route to deliver aid to Nicaraguan earthquake victims.

1996   A propane explosion at the Humberto Vidal shoe store and office building in San Juan, Puerto Rico kills 33.






Encyclopedia


History


Pre-Columbian era

The history of the archipelago of Puerto Rico (Spanish for "Rich Port") before the arrival of Christopher ColumbusFacts About Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus Italian Cristoforo Colombo; Spanish: Cristbal Coln was a navigator and an admiral for the Crow...
 is not well known. What is known today comes from archaeological findings and early SpanishSpanish people

The Spanish people or Spaniards are the ethnic group or nation native to Spain, in the Iberian Peninsula of southweste...
 accounts. The first comprehensive book on the history of Puerto Rico was written by Fray Iñigo Abbad y LasierraFacts About Fray Iñigo Abbad y Lasierra

Fray ??igo Abbad y Lasierra , born in Estadilla, Spain, was a Benedictine monk and the first historian to extensively docume...
 in 1786, 293 years after the first Spaniards arrived on the island.


The first settlers were the Ortoiroid peopleOrtoiroid people

The Ortoiroid people were the first human settlers of the Caribbean....
, an Archaic Period culture of AmerindianIndigenous peoples of the Americas

The term Indigenous peoples of the Americas encompasses the inhabitants of the Americas before the European discovery of the...
 hunters and fishermen. An archaeological dig in the island of Vieques in 1990 found the remains of what is believed to be an Arcaico (Archaic) man (named Puerto Ferro man) dated to around 2000 BC. Between AD 120 and 400, the IgneriIgneri

The Igneri were a peaceful pre-Colombian culture that was once part of the Arawak tribe....
, a tribe from the South AmericaSouth America

South America is a continent situated in the western hemisphere and, mostly, the southern hemisphere, bordered on the west b...
n OrinocoOrinoco Overview

The Orinoco is one of the longest rivers in South America at 2,410 km,....
 region, arrived. Between the 4th and 10th centuries, the Arcaicos and Igneri co-existed (and perhaps clashed) on the island. Between the 7th and 11th centuries the TaínoTaíno

The Tano are pre-Colombian indigenous inhabitants of the Bahamas and the Greater Antilles islands, which include Cuba, Hispa...
 culture developed on the island, and by approximately 1000 AD had become dominant. This lasted until Christopher ColumbusChristopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus Italian Cristoforo Colombo; Spanish: Cristbal Coln was a navigator and an admiral for the Crow...
 arrived in 1492.

Spanish colony

When Christopher ColumbusChristopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus Italian Cristoforo Colombo; Spanish: Cristbal Coln was a navigator and an admiral for the Crow...
 arrived in Puerto Rico during his second voyage on November 19, 1493, the island was inhabited by a group of ArawakArawak

The term Arawak , was used to designate the Amerindians encountered by the Spanish in the Caribbean....
 Indians known as TaínoTaíno

The Tano are pre-Colombian indigenous inhabitants of the Bahamas and the Greater Antilles islands, which include Cuba, Hispa...
s. They called the island "Borikén" or, in Spanish, "Borinquen". Columbus named the island San Juan Bautista, in honor of Saint John the BaptistJohn the Baptist

John the Baptist is regarded as a prophet by four religions: Christianity, Islam, Mandaeanism, and the Bah' Faith....
. Later the island took the name of Puerto Rico while the capital was named San JuanSan Juan, Puerto Rico

San Juan is the capital and largest city in Puerto Rico, located in the Northern Coastal Plains region in the karst zone, ...
. In 1508, Spanish conquistadorConquistador

Conquistador is the term used to refer to the soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas and Asia...
Juan Ponce de LeónJuan Ponce de León

Juan Ponce de Len was a Spanish conquistador....
 became the island's first governorList of Governors of Puerto Rico

Since 1949, the Governor of Puerto Rico has been elected by the people of Puerto Rico to a four year term....
 to take office.


The Spanish soon colonized the island. Taínos were forced into slaverySlavery

Slavery is the social and legal designation of specific persons as property or chattel, for the purpose of providing labor a...
 and were decimated by the harsh conditions of work and by diseases brought by the Spaniards. In 1511, the Taínos revolted against the Spanish; cacique UrayoánUrayoán Overview

Urayo?n was a Ta?no "Cacique" famous for ordering the drowning of Diego Salcedo to determine if the Spanish were gods....
, as planned by Agüeybaná II, ordered his warriors to drown the Spanish soldier Diego SalcedoDiego Salcedo (soldier)

Diego Salcedo was a Spanish soldier who unwillingly became part of Puerto Rico's history with his death....
 to determine whether the Spaniards were immortal. After drowning Salcedo, they kept watch over his body for three days to confirm his death. The revolt was easily crushed by Ponce de León and within a few decades much of the native population had been decimated by disease, violence, and a high occurrence of suicide. AfricaAfrica

Africa is one of the greatest sized continents of the Earth....
n slaves were introduced to replace the Taíno. Puerto Rico soon became an important stronghold and port for the Spanish EmpireSpanish Empire

The Spanish Empire was the first truly global empire....
. Various forts and walls, such as La FortalezaLa Fortaleza

La Fortaleza is the current official residence of the Governor of Puerto Rico....
, El Castillo San Felipe del MorroFort San Felipe del Morro

Fort San Felipe del Morro —or El Castillo San Felipe del Morro in Spanish— is a sixteenth-century citadel ...
 and El Castillo de San CristóbalFort San Cristóbal

The Castillo de San Cristbal is a Spanish fort in San Juan, Puerto Rico....
, were built to protect the port of San Juan from European enemies. FranceFrance

France, officially the French Republic, is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in Western Europe and whi...
, The Netherlands and EnglandFacts About England

England is the largest and most populous constituent country of the United Kingdom....
 made several attempts to capture Puerto Rico but failed to wrest long-term occupancy. During the late 17th and early 18th centuries colonial emphasis was on the more prosperous mainland territories, leaving the island impoverished of settlers.

In 1809, in the midst of the Peninsular WarPeninsular War

The Peninsular War was a major conflict during the Napoleonic Wars, fought on the Iberian Peninsula by Spanish, Portuguese, ...
, the Supreme Central JuntaFacts About Junta (Peninsular War)

In the Napoleonic Era, junta was the name chosen by several local administrations forming in Spain during the Peninsular War...
 based in CádizCádiz

Cdiz – Phoenician: ??? - Gadir; Greek: Gadeira - , Ionic Greek: , Herod., and, rarely, , Eratosth....
 recognized Puerto Rico as an overseas province of Spain with the right to send representatives to the recently convened Spanish parliamentCádiz Cortes

The C?diz Cortes were sessions of the national legislative body which met in the safe haven of C?diz during the French occu...
. The representative, Ramon Power y GiraltRamon Power y Giralt

Admiral Ramon Power y Giralt, was, according to Puerto Rican historian Lidio Cruz Monclova, among the first native born Puer...
, died after serving a three-year term in the Cortes. These parliamentary and constitutional reformsSpanish Constitution of 1812

The Spanish Constitution of 1812 was promulgated by the Cádiz Cortes, the national legislative assembly of Spain acting whi...
, which were in force from 1810 to 1814 and again from 1820 to 1823, were reversed twice afterwards when the traditional monarchy was restored by Ferdinand VIIFerdinand VII of Spain

Ferdinand VII was King of Spain from 1813 to 1833....
. Nineteenth century reforms augmented the population and economy, and expanded the local character of the island. After the rapid gaining of independence by the South and Central American states in the first part of the century, Puerto Rico and CubaCuba

Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, consists of the island of Cuba, the Isle of Youth and adjacent small islands....
 became the only Spanish colonies found in the Americas.


Toward the end of the 19th century, poverty and political estrangement with Spain led to a small but significant uprising in 1868 known as "Grito de LaresGrito de Lares

El Grito de Lares —also referred as the Lares uprising, the Lares revolt, 'Lares rebellion or even ...
". It began in the rural town of LaresLares

Lares were Roman deities protecting the house and the family - household gods....
 but was subdued when rebels moved to the neighboring town of San SebastiánSan Sebastián, Puerto Rico

San Sebastin is a municipality of Puerto Rico....
. Leaders of this independence movement included Ramón Emeterio BetancesRamón Emeterio Betances

Dr. Ramn Emeterio Betances, born in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, was the main leader of the Grito de Lares revolution, and as suc...
, considered the "father" of the Puerto Rican independence movement, and other political figures such as Segundo Ruiz BelvisSegundo Ruiz Belvis

Segundo Ruiz Belvis, born in Hormigueros, Puerto Rico, was a dedicated abolitionist who also fought for Puerto Rico's right ...
. In 1897, Luis Muñoz RiveraLuis Muñoz Rivera

Luis Muoz Rivera was a poet, journalist and a politician from Barranquitas, Puerto Rico. ...
 and others persuaded the liberal Spanish government to agree to Charters of Autonomy for Cuba and Puerto Rico. In 1898, Puerto Rico's first, but short-lived, autonomous government was organized as an 'overseas province' of Spain. The charter maintained a governor appointed by Spain, which held the power to annul any legislative decision, and a partially elected parliamentary structure. In February, Governor-General Manuel MacíasManuel Macías y Casado

Manuel Mac?as y Casado was a Spanish general....
 inaugurated the new government under the Autonomous Charter. General elections were held in March and the autonomous government began to function on 17 July 1898.

United States colony

On July 25, 1898, during the Spanish-American WarSpanish-American War

The Spanish-American War took place in 1898 and resulted in the United States gaining control over the former colonies of Sp...
, Puerto Rico was invaded by the United States with a landing at GuánicaGuánica, Puerto Rico

Gunica is a municipality in southwestern Puerto Rico bounded on the west by the municipality of Lajas, on the north by Saban...
. As an outcome of the war, Spain ceded Puerto Rico, along with CubaCuba Summary

Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, consists of the island of Cuba, the Isle of Youth and adjacent small islands....
, the PhilippinesPhilippines

The Philippines , officially the Republic of the Philippines , is an island nation located in the Malay archipelago in...
, and GuamFacts About Guam

Guam , officially the U.S. Territory of Guam, is an island in the Western Pacific Ocean and is an organized unincorpor...
 to the U.S. under the Treaty of ParisTreaty of Paris (1898)

The Treaty of Paris of 1898, signed on December 10, 1898, ended the Spanish-American War....
.

The United States and Puerto Rico thus began a long-standing relationship. Puerto Rico began the 20th century under the military rule of the U.S. with officials, including the governor, appointed by the President of the United StatesPresident of the United States

The President of the United States of America is the head of state of the United States....
. The Foraker ActForaker Act

The Foraker Act, also known as the Organic Act of 1900, is a United States federal law that established civilian gover...
 of 1900 gave Puerto Rico a certain amount of popular government, including a popularly-elected House of Representatives. In 1917, the Jones-Shafroth ActJones-Shafroth Act Summary

The Jones-Shafroth Act, better known as the "Jones Act" or as the 1917 version of the "Organic Act of Puerto Rico," amended ...
 granted Puerto Ricans U.S. citizenship and provided for a popularly-elected Senate to complete a bicameral Legislative Assembly. As a result of their new U.S. citizenship, many Puerto Ricans were drafted into World War IWorld War I Overview

World War I, also known as the First World War, the Great War and "The War to End All Wars" was a global m...
 and all subsequent wars with U.S. participation.

Natural disasters, including a major earthquake1918 Puerto Rico earthquake

The Puerto Rico earthquake of 1918 was a major earthquake that struck the island of Puerto Rico at 10:14am on October 11, 19...
, a tsunamiFacts About Tsunami

A tsunami is a series of waves when a body of water, such as an ocean is rapidly displaced on a massive scale....
 and several hurricanes, and the Great DepressionGreat Depression

The Great Depression was a worldwide economic downturn which started in 1929 and lasting through most of the 1930s....
 impoverished the island during the first few decades under American rule. Some political leaders, like Pedro Albizu CamposPedro Albizu Campos

Pedro Albizu Campos born in Teneras Village in Ponce, Puerto Rico was the son of Alejandro Albizu and Juana Campos....
 who led the Puerto Rican Nationalist PartyPuerto Rican Nationalist Party

The Puerto Rican Nationalist Party was first organized on September 17, 1922....
, demanded change. On October 30, 1950, Albizu-Campos and other nationalists led a 3-day revolt (known as The Jayuya Uprising) against the United States in the town of Jayuya. The United States declared martial lawMartial law

Martial law is the system of rules that takes effect when a military authority takes control of the normal administration o...
 and attacked Jayuya with infantry, artillery and bombers. On November 1, 1950, Puerto Rican nationalists Griselio TorresolaGriselio Torresola

Griselio Torresola born in Jayuya, Puerto Rico, was one of two Puerto Rican Nationalists who attempted to assassinate Unite...
 and Oscar CollazoOscar Collazo

Oscar Collazo born in Florida, Puerto Rico, was one of two Puerto Ricans who attempted to assassinate President Harry S....
 attempted to assassinateTruman assassination attempt

The assassination attempt on U.S. President Harry S....
 President Harry S Truman. Torresola was killed during the attack, but Collazo was captured. Collazo served 29 years in a federal prison, being released in 1979. Don Pedro Albizu Campos also served many years in a federal prison in Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, Georgia

Atlanta is the capital and most populous city of the state of Georgia in the United States....
, for seditious conspiracy to overthrow the U.S. government in Puerto Rico.

The internal governance changed during the latter years of the RooseveltFranklin D. Roosevelt

Franklin Delano Roosevelt served as the 32nd President of the United States and was elected to four terms in office....
TrumanHarry S. Truman

Harry S. Truman was the thirty-third President of the United States; as Vice President, he succeeded to the office upon the ...
 administrations, as a form of compromise led by Muñoz Marín and others. It culminated with the appointment by President Truman in 1946 of the first Puerto Rican-born governor, Jesus T. PiñeroJesus T. Piñero

Jes?s Toribio Pi?ero Jim?nez was the first native Puerto Rican to be appointed governor of Puerto Rico by the government of...
.

Commonwealth

In 1947, the U.S. granted Puerto Ricans the right to democratically elect their own governorGovernor of Puerto Rico

The Governor of Puerto Rico is the Head of Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico....
. Luis Muñoz Marín was elected during the 1948 general elections, becoming the first popularly-elected governor of Puerto Rico. In 1950, the Truman Administration allowed for a democratic referendumReferendum

A referendum or plebiscite is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a part...
 in Puerto Rico to determine whether Puerto Ricans desired to draft their own local constitution. A local constitutionConstitution of Puerto Rico

The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is the controlling government document of the Commonwealth of Puerto Ric...
 was approved by a Constitutional Convention on February 6, 1952, ratified by the U.S. Congress, approved by President Truman on July 3 of that year, and proclaimed by Gov. Muñoz Marín on July 25, 1952, the anniversary of the 1898 arrival of U.S. troops. Puerto Rico adopted the name of Estado Libre Asociado (literally translated as "Free Associated State"), officially translated into English as CommonwealthCommonwealth (United States insular area)

In the terminology of the United States insular areas, a Commonwealth is an organized territory or colony that has establish...
, for its body politicBody politic

Body politic or body corporate and politic means a state or one of its subordinate civil authorities, such as a province, pr...
.

During the 1950s Puerto Rico experienced rapid industrialization, due in large part to Operación Manos a la Obra ("Operation BootstrapOperation Bootstrap Summary

Operation Bootstrap is the name given to the ambitious projects which industrialized Puerto Rico in the mid-20th century....
"), an offshoot of FDR's New Deal, which aimed to transform Puerto Rico's economy from agriculture-based to manufacturing-based. Presently, Puerto Rico has become a major tourist destination and a leading pharmaceutical and manufacturing center. Yet it still struggles to define its political status. Three plebiscites have been held in recent decades to resolve the political status but no changes have been attained. Support for the pro-statehood party, Partido Nuevo Progresista (PNP) and the pro-commonwealth party, Partido Popular Democrático (PPD) remains about equal. The only registered pro-independence party, the Partido Independentista PuertorriqueñoPuerto Rican Independence Party

The Puerto Rican Independence Party is a Puerto Rican political party that campaigns for the independence of Puerto Rico fro...
 (PIP), usually receives 3-5% of the electoral votes.

On October 25, 2006, the State Department of Puerto Rico conferred Puerto Rican citizenshipCitizenship

Citizenship is membership in a political community and carries with it rights to political participation; a person having ...
 to Juan Mari BrásFacts About Juan Mari Brás

Juan Mari Br?s is an advocate for Puerto Rican independence from the United States who founded the Puerto Rican Socialist P...
. The Supreme Court of Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rican Secretary of Justice determined that Puerto Rican citizenship exists and was recognized in the Constitution of Puerto Rico. Since the summer of 2007, the Puerto Rico State Department has developed the protocol to grant Puerto Rican citizenship to Puerto Ricans.

Government and politics


Puerto Rico has a republicRepublic

In a broad definition, a republic is a state or country that is led by people whose political power is based on principles t...
an form of government, subject to U.S. jurisdiction and sovereignty. Its current powers are all delegated by the United States CongressUnited States Congress Overview

The United States Congress is the legislature of the United States federal government....
 and lack full protection under the United States ConstitutionUnited States Constitution

The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America....
. Puerto Rico's head of state is the President of the United StatesPresident of the United States

The President of the United States of America is the head of state of the United States....
. The government of Puerto Rico, based on the formal republican systemRepublicanism in the United States

Colonial Political Thought...
, is composed of three branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. The Executive branch is headed by the GovernorGovernor of Puerto Rico

The Governor of Puerto Rico is the Head of Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico....
, currently Mr. Anibal Acevedo VilaAníbal Acevedo Vilá

Anbal Acevedo Vil is the eighth and current Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico....
. The Legislative branch consists of a bicameral Legislative AssemblyLegislative Assembly of Puerto Rico Summary

The Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico is the legislative branch of the government of Puerto Rico....
 made up of a SenateSenate of Puerto Rico

The Senate of Puerto Rico is the upper house of the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico, smaller than the House of Represent...
 upper chamber and a House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives of Puerto Rico

The House of Representatives of Puerto Rico is the lower house of the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico, larger than the S...
 lower chamber. The Senate is headed by the President of the Senate, while the House of Representatives is headed by the Speaker of the House. The Judicial branch is headed by the Chief Justice of the Puerto Rico Supreme Court. The legal system is a mix of the civil lawCivil law (legal system) Overview

Civil law is system of law that has its origins in Roman law and sets out a comprehensive system of rules, usually codified,...
 and the common lawCommon law

The common law forms a major part of the law of many countries, especially those with a history as British territories or co...
 systems. The governor and legislators are elected by popular vote every four years. Members of the Judicial branch are appointed by the governor with the "advice and consent" of the Senate.

Puerto Rico has limited representation in the U.S. Congress in the form of a nonvoting delegate, formally called a Resident CommissionerResident Commissioner of Puerto Rico Summary

The Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico is a nonvoting member of the United States House of Representatives elected by the ...
 (currently Luis FortuñoLuis Fortuño Summary

Luis G. Fortu?o Burset is a corporate lawyer and politician from Puerto Rico and the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico t...
). The current Congress has returned the Commissioner's power to vote in the Committee of the WholeCommittee of the Whole (United States House of Representatives) Summary

In the United States House of Representatives, the Committee of the Whole, short for Committee of the Whole House on the S...
, but not on matters where the vote would represent a decisive participation. Puerto Rican elections are governed by the Federal Election CommissionFederal Election Commission

The Federal Election Commission is an independent regulatory agency created in 1974 by the United States Congress to adminis...
; While residing in Puerto Rico, Puerto Ricans cannot vote in U.S. presidential elections, but they can vote in primaries. Puerto Ricans who become residents of a U.S. stateU.S. state Overview

A state of the United States is any one of the fifty subnational entities referred to as a state which, along with the Dist...
 can vote in presidential elections.

As Puerto Rico is not an independent country, it hosts no embassies. It is host, however, to consulatesConsul (representative)

The title Consul has been used for official representatives of a state, outside its territory, looking after its interests a...
 from 42 countries, mainly from the AmericasAmericas

he Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World consisting of the continents of North America and South Ame...
 and EuropeEurope

Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of the Earth....
. Most consulates are located in San Juan. The Holy SeeHoly See

The Holy See is the episcopal see of Rome....
 has designated the Papal Nuncio in the Dominican Republic as the ecclesiastical liaison to the Roman Catholic Church in Puerto Rico; the Papal Nuncio in Washington, D.C. serves as the Vatican State's ambassador to the U.S. and the ecclesiastical liaison to the American Roman Catholic Church.

As an unincorporated territory of the United States, Puerto Rico does not have any first-order administrative divisions as defined by the U.S. government, but has 78 municipalities at the second level. Mona Island is not a municipality, but part of the municipality of Mayagüez. Municipalities are subdivided into wards or barrioBarrio

Barrio is a Spanish word meaning district or neighborhood....
s, and those into sectors. Each municipality has a mayor and a municipal legislature elected for a four year term. The municipality of San Juan (previously called "town"), was founded first, in 1521, San Germán in 1570, Coamo in 1579, Arecibo in 1614, AguadaAguada, Puerto Rico

Aguada is a municipality of Puerto Rico, located in the Costal Valley of the West region bordering the Atlantic Ocean, west ...
 in 1692 and PoncePonce, Puerto Rico Overview

Ponce is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the Southern Coastal Plain region, south of Adjuntas, Utuado and Jayuya; e...
 in 1692. An increase of settlement saw the founding of 30 municipalities in the 18th century and 34 in the 19th. Six were founded in the 20th century; the last was FloridaFlorida, Puerto Rico Summary

Florida is a municipality of Puerto Rico located north of Utuado and Ciales, south of Barceloneta, east of Arecibo, and west...
 in 1971.

From 1952 to present, Puerto Rico has had 3 political parties which stand for three distinct future political scenarios. The Popular Democratic PartyPopular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico

The Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico —or Partido Popular Democrtico de Puerto Rico in Spanish— is a...
 (PPD) seeks to maintain the island's "association" status as a commonwealth, improved commonwealth and/or seek a true free sovereign-association status or Free Associated Republic, and has won a plurality vote in referendums on the island's status held over six decades after the island was invaded by the U.S. The New Progressive PartyNew Progressive Party of Puerto Rico

The New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico is a political party that campaigns for Puerto Rican statehood....
 (PNP) seeks statehood51st state

51st state, in American political discourse, is a phrase that refers to territories considered candidates for addition to th...
. The Puerto Rican Independence PartyPuerto Rican Independence Party

The Puerto Rican Independence Party is a Puerto Rican political party that campaigns for the independence of Puerto Rico fro...
 seek independencePuerto Rican independence movement

The political movement for Puerto Rican Independence has existed since the mid-19th century and has advocated independence of the ...
. In 2007, a fourth party, Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico PartyPuerto Ricans for Puerto Rico Party

party_name = Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico Party PPR - partido Puertorrique?os por Puerto Rico ...
 (PPR), was ratified. The PPR seeks to address the islands problems (including its status) from a status-neutral platform. Non-registered parties include the Puerto Rican Nationalist PartyPuerto Rican Nationalist Party Overview

The Puerto Rican Nationalist Party was first organized on September 17, 1922....
, the Socialist Workers Movement (Puerto Rico)Socialist Workers Movement (Puerto Rico)

A Puerto Rican democratic socialist revolutionary organization, dedicated to the self-organization and self-emancipation of the wo...
, the Hostosian National Independence MovementHostosian National Independence Movement

The Hostosian National Independence Movement is a leftist and pro-independence organization in Puerto Rico....
, and others.

Political status


Puerto Rico is an “unincorporated territory” of the United States which according to the United States Supreme Court is “a territory appurtenant and belonging to the United States, but not a part of the United States.” Puerto Rico is subject to the Congress’ plenary powers under the “territorial clause” of Article IV, sec. 3, of the U.S. Constitution. United States federal law is applicable to Puerto Rico, even though Puerto Rico is not a stateU.S. state

A state of the United States is any one of the fifty subnational entities referred to as a state which, along with the Dist...
 of the American Union and has no voting representative in the United States Congress. Due to the establishment of the Federal Relations Act of 1950 all federal laws that are “not locally inapplicable” are automatically the law of the land in Puerto Rico.

Estado Libre Asociado

In 1950, the U.S. Congress granted Puerto Ricans the right to organize a constitutional convention via a referendum. Puerto Ricans expressed their support for this measure in 1951 with a second referendum being held to ratify the constitution. The Constitution of Puerto RicoConstitution of Puerto Rico Overview

The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is the controlling government document of the Commonwealth of Puerto Ric...
 was formally adopted on July 3, 1952. The Constitutional Convention specified the name by which the body politicBody politic

Body politic or body corporate and politic means a state or one of its subordinate civil authorities, such as a province, pr...
 would be known. On February 4 1952, the convention approved Resolution 22 which chose in English the word "CommonwealthCommonwealth (United States insular area) Summary

In the terminology of the United States insular areas, a Commonwealth is an organized territory or colony that has establish...
", meaning a "politically organized community" or "stateState

A state is a set of institutions that possess the authority to make the rules that govern the people in one or more societie...
," which is simultaneously connected by a compact or treaty to another political system. The convention adopted a translation into Spanish of the term, inspired by the Irish Free StateIrish Free State

The Irish Free State was the name of the state comprising the 26 of Ireland's 32 counties that were separated from the Uni...
 (Saorstát Éireann) of "Estado Libre Asociado" (ELA) to represent the agreement. Literally translated into English the phrase Estado Libre Asociado means "Associated Free State."

In 1967, the Legislative Assembly tested the political interests of the Puerto Rican people by passing a plebiscite Act that provided for a vote on the status of Puerto Rico. This constituted the first plebiscite by the Legislature for a choice on three status options (continued Commonwealth, statehood, and independence). The Commonwealth option, represented by the PDP, won with a majority of 60.4% of the votes. After the plebiscite, efforts in the 1970s to enact legislation to address the status issue died in Congressional committees. In subsequent plebiscites on 1993 and 1998 the status quo was upheld.

International status

On November 27, 1953, shortly after the establishment of the Commonwealth, the General Assembly of the United NationsUnited Nations

name = United NationsNations Unies...
 approved Resolution 748, removing Puerto Rico's classification as a non-self-governing territoryUnited Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories

The United Nations maintains a list of territories that do not govern themselves....
 under article 73(e) of the Charter from UN. But the General Assembly did not apply its full list of criteria to Puerto Rico to determine if it has achieved self-governing status. According to the White House Task Force on Puerto Rico's Political Status in its December 21, 2007 report, the U.S., in its written submission to the UN in 1953, never represented that Congress could not change its relationship with Puerto Rico without the territory's consent. It stated that the U.S. Justice Department in 1959 reiterated that Congress held power over Puerto Rico pursuant to the Territorial Clause of the U.S. Constitution. In a 1996 report on a Puerto Rico status political bill, the "U.S. House Committee on Resources stated that PR's current status does not meet the criteria for any of the options for full self-government". It concluded that PR is still an unincorporated territory of the U.S. under the territorial clause, that the establishment of local self-government with the consent of the people can be unilaterally revoked by the U.S. Congress, and that U.S. Congress can also withdraw the U.S. citizenship of PR residents of PR at any time, for a legitimate Federal purpose. The application of the Constitution to Puerto Rico is limited by the Insular CasesInsular Cases

The Insular Cases are several U.S....
.

Within the United States

Under the Constitution of Puerto RicoConstitution of Puerto Rico

The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is the controlling government document of the Commonwealth of Puerto Ric...
, Puerto Rico is described as a 'Commonwealth' and Puerto Ricans enjoy a degree of administrative autonomy similar to that of a U.S. stateU.S. state

A state of the United States is any one of the fifty subnational entities referred to as a state which, along with the Dist...
. Puerto Ricans are statutory U.S. citizens, but since Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory and not a U.S. state, the U.S. ConstitutionUnited States Constitution

The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America....
 does not enfranchise U.S. citizens residing in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico does participate in the internal political process of both the Democratic and Republican parties in the U.S., accorded equal-proportional representation in both parties, and delegates from the islands vote in each party's national convention.

Puerto Rico is classified by the U.S. government as an independent taxation authority by mutual agreement with the U.S. Congress. Contrary to common misconception, residents of Puerto Rico pay some U.S. federal taxes: import/export taxes, federal commodity taxes, social security taxes, etc. Most residents do not pay federal income taxIncome tax in the United States

The federal government of the United States imposes an income tax on the taxable income of individuals, corporations, trusts, dece...
 but pay federal payroll taxPayroll tax

Payroll tax generally refers to two kinds of taxes:...
es|Social Security]] and MedicareMedicare (United States)

Medicare is a health insurance program administered by the United States government, covering people who are either age 65 a...
), and Puerto Rico income taxes. But federal employees, or those who do business with the federal government, Puerto Rico-based corporations that intend to send funds to the U.S. and others also pay federal income taxes. Because the cutoff point for income taxation is lower than that of the U.S. IRS code, and because the per-capita income in Puerto Rico is much lower than the average per-capita income on the mainland, more Puerto Rico residents pay income taxes to the local taxation authority than if the IRS code were applied to the island. Residents are eligible for Social Security benefits upon retirement. But Puerto Rico is excluded from Supplemental Security IncomeFacts About Supplemental Security Income

Supplemental Security Income is a monthly stipend provided to some citizens and some lawfully admitted aliens by the United ...
 (SSI) and receives less than 15% of the MedicaidMedicaid

Medicaid is the US health insurance program for individuals and families with low incomes and resources....
 funding it would be allotted as a state, while Medicare providers receive only partial state-like reimbursements for services rendered to beneficiaries in Puerto Rico (even though the latter paid fully into the system).

Puerto Ricans may enlist in the U.S. military. Since becoming statutory United States citizens in 1917, Puerto Ricans have been included in the compulsory draft whenever it has been in effect. Puerto Ricans have participated in all U.S. wars since 1898, most notably World War IIPuerto Ricans in World War II

Puerto Ricans and people of Puerto Rican descent have participated as members of the United States armed forces in every conflict ...
, the KoreanKorean War

The Korean War began on June 25, 1950 and ended with a truce on July 27, 1953 ....
 and VietnamVietnam War

The Vietnam War was a conflict in which the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and its allies fought against the Republic of Vi...
 wars, as well as the current Middle Eastern conflicts.

Recent developments

The nature of Puerto Rico's political relationship with the U.S. is the subject of ongoing debate in Puerto Rico, the United States CongressUnited States Congress

The United States Congress is the legislature of the United States federal government....
, and the United NationsUnited Nations

name = United NationsNations Unies...
. In 2005 and 2007, two reports were issued by the U.S. President's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Status. Both reports conclude that Puerto Rico continues to be a territory of U.S. under the plenary powers of the U.S. Congress. Reactions from the two major political parties were mixed. The Popular Democratic Party (PPD) challenged the task force's report and committed to validating the current status in all international forums, including the United Nations. It also rejects any "colonial or territorial status" as a status option, and vows to keep working for the enhanced Commonwealth status that was approved by the PPD in 1998 which included sovereignty, an association based on "respect and dignity between both nations", and common citizenship. The New Progressive Party (PNP) supported the White House Report's conclusions and supported bills to provide for a democratic referendum process among Puerto Rico voters.

Geography


Puerto Rico consists of the main island of Puerto Rico and various smaller islands, including ViequesVieques, Puerto Rico

Vieques is an island-municipality of Puerto Rico....
, CulebraCulebra, Puerto Rico

Isla Culebra is an island-municipality of Puerto Rico originally called Isla Pasaje and Isla de San Idelfonso....
, MonaMona, Puerto Rico

Mona is an island of the archipelago of Puerto Rico located in the Mona Passage, a strait between the Dominican Republic and...
, DesecheoFacts About Desecheo Island

Desecheo is a small uninhabited island of the archipelago of Puerto Rico located in the northeast of the Mona Passage; 21 km...
, and Caja de MuertosCaja de Muertos, Puerto Rico

Caja de Muerto is an island south of Puerto Rico that is protected by the Federal Reserve of Natural Resources, because of n...
. Of the latter five, only Culebra and Vieques are inhabited year-round. Mona is uninhabited most of the year except for employees of the Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources. There are also many other even smaller islands including MonitoMonito Island

Monito Island is an unhabited island about 5 kilometers northwest of Mona Island....
 and "La Isleta de San Juan" which includes Old San Juan and Puerta de TierraPuerta de Tierra

Puerta de Terra is a neighborhood of San Juan, Puerto Rico....
.

Puerto Rico has an area of , of which is land and is water. The maximum length from east to west is , and the maximum width from north to south is . Comparing land areas, Puerto Rico is 8/10 the size of JamaicaJamaica

Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, 240 kilometres in length and as much as 85 kilometres in width situat...
 and 8/100 the size of CubaCuba

Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, consists of the island of Cuba, the Isle of Youth and adjacent small islands....
, the next smallest and the largest countries in the Greater Antilles, respectively. Compared to U.S. states, it is larger than DelawareDelaware

Delaware is one of five Middle Atlantic States in the United States of America.ography...
 and Rhode IslandRhode Island Summary

The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations is the smallest state by land area in the United States, and the state...
 combined, but slightly smaller than ConnecticutConnecticut

Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the United States, located in the northeastern part of the country....
. The main island is mostly mountainous with large coastal areas in the north and south. The main mountain range is called "La Cordillera Central" (The Central Range). The highest elevation in Puerto Rico, Cerro de PuntaFacts About Cerro de Punta

Cerro de Punta is the highest peak of Puerto Rico measuring 1,338 metres above sea level....
 (4,390 feet; 1,338 m), is located in this range. Another important peak is El YunqueEl Yunque, Puerto Rico

El Yunque is perhaps the most famous peak in Puerto Rico despite not being the tallest, measuring 1,080 metres above sea lev...
, one of the highest in the Sierra de Luquillo at the El Yunque National Forest, with an elevation of 3,494 feet (1,065 m).

Puerto Rico has 17 lakeLake

A lake is a body of water or other liquid of considerable size surrounded by land....
s, all man-made, and more than 50 riversList of Puerto Rico rivers

This is a list of rivers in the U.S. Territory of Puerto Rico...
, most originating in the Cordillera Central. Rivers in the northern region of the island are typically longer and of higher water flow ratesVolumetric flow rate

In fluid dynamics, the volumetric flow rate, also volume flow rate and rate of fluid flow, is the volume of flui...
 than those of the south, since the south receives less rain than the central and northern regions.

Puerto Rico is composed of CretaceousCretaceous

The Cretaceous Period is one of the major divisions of the geologic timescale, reaching from the end of the Jurassic Period ...
 to EoceneEocene Overview

The Eocene epoch is a major division of the geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Palaeogene period in the Cenozoi...
 volcanic and plutonic rocks, overlain by younger OligoceneFacts About Oligocene

The Oligocene epoch is a geologic period of time that extends from about 34 million to 23 million years before the present....
 and more recent carbonates and other sedimentary rocks. Most of the caverns and karst topography on the island occurs in the northern region in the carbonates. The oldest rocks are approximately 190 million years old and are located at Sierra Bermeja in the southwest part of the island. They may represent part of the oceanic crustOceanic crust

Oceanic crust is the part of Earth's lithosphere which surfaces in the ocean basins....
 and are believed to come from the Pacific OceanPacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the world's largest body of water. ...
 realm.

Puerto Rico lies at the boundary between the Caribbean and North American platePlate tectonics

Plate tectonics is a theory of geology developed to explain the observed evidence for large scale motions within the Earth'...
s and is being deformed by the tectonicTectonics

Tectonics,, is a field of study within geology concerned generally with the structures within the crust of the Earth and par...
 stresses caused by their interaction. These stresses may cause earthquakes and tsunamiTsunami Overview

A tsunami is a series of waves when a body of water, such as an ocean is rapidly displaced on a massive scale....
s. These seismic events, along with landslideLandslide

A landslide is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rock falls, deep failure of s...
s, represent some of the most dangerous geologic hazardsGeologic hazards

A Geologic Hazard is one of several types of adverse geologic conditions capable of causing damage or loss of property and l...
 in the island and in the northeastern Caribbean. The most recent major earthquake1918 Puerto Rico earthquake

The Puerto Rico earthquake of 1918 was a major earthquake that struck the island of Puerto Rico at 10:14am on October 11, 19...
 occurred on October 11, 1918 and had an estimated magnitude of 7.5 on the Richter scaleRichter magnitude scale

Richter magnitude test scale assigns a single number to quantify the size of an earthquake....
. It originated off the coast of Aguadilla and was accompanied by a tsunami.


The Puerto Rico TrenchPuerto Rico Trench

The Puerto Rico Trench is an oceanic trench located on the boundary between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean....
, the largest and deepest trench in the Atlantic, is located about north of Puerto Rico in the at the boundary between the Caribbean and North American plates. It is long and about wide. At its deepest point, named the Milwaukee DeepMilwaukee Deep

Milwaukee Deep is the deepest part of the Atlantic Ocean, with a maximum depth of 8605 meters, and is part of the Puerto Ric...
, it is deep, or about .

Located in the tropicsTropics

The tropics are the geographic region of the Earth centered on the equator and limited in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer i...
, Puerto Rico enjoys an average temperature of throughout the year. Temperatures do not change drastically throughout the seasons. The temperature in the south is usually a few degrees higher than the north and temperatures in the central interior mountains are always cooler than the rest of the island. The Hurricane seasonList of Atlantic hurricane seasons

The following is a list of Atlantic hurricane seasons....
 spans from June to November. The all-time low in Puerto Rico has been , registered in AibonitoAibonito, Puerto Rico

Aibonito is a small mountain town in Puerto Rico located in the Mountain range of Cayey, north of Salinas; south of Barranqu...
.

Species endemicEndemic (ecology)

In biology and ecology endemic means exclusively native to a place or biota, in contrast to cosmopolitan or introduced....
 to the archipelago are 239 plantPlant Summary

Plants are a major group of living things including familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, ferns, and mosses....
s, 16 birdBird

Birds are bipedal, warm-blooded, oviparous vertebrate animals characterized primarily by feathers, forelimbs modified as win...
s and 39 amphibianAmphibian Overview

Amphibians are a taxon of animals that include all tetrapods and four-legged vertebrates that do not have amniotic eggs, ar...
s/reptileReptile

Reptiles are tetrapods and amniotes, animals whose embryos are surrounded by an amniotic membrane....
s, recognized as of 1998. Most of these (234, 12 and 33 respectively) are found on the main island. The most recognizable endemic species and a symbol of Puerto Rican pride is the CoquíCoquí

The Common Coqu? or Coqu? is a frog native to Puerto Rico belonging to the Eleutherodactylus genus of the Leptoda...
, a small frog easily identified by the sound of its call, and from which it gets its name. Most Coquí species (13 of 17) live in the El Yunque National Forest, a tropical rainforestTropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests

Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, also known as tropical wet forests and tropical rainforests, a...
 in the northeast of the island previously known as the Caribbean National Forest. El Yunque is home to more than 240 plants, 26 of which are endemic to the island. It is also home to 50 bird species, including the critically endangered Puerto Rican Amazon. Across the island in the southwest, the of dry land at the Guánica Dry Forest Reserve contain over 600 uncommon species of plants and animals, including 48 endangered species and 16 endemic to Puerto Rico.

Economy


In the early 1900s the greatest contributor to Puerto Rico's economy was agricultureAgriculture

Farming redirects here. For Farming in computer games, see Farmer ....
 and its main crop was sugar. In the late 1940s a series of projects codenamed Operation BootstrapOperation Bootstrap

Operation Bootstrap is the name given to the ambitious projects which industrialized Puerto Rico in the mid-20th century....
 encouraged a significant shift to manufacture via tax exemptions. Manufacturing quickly replaced agriculture as the main industry of the island. Puerto Rico is classified as a high income countryFirst World

The subjective terms First World, Second World, and Third World were used to...
 by the World BankWorld Bank

World Bank is an internationally supported bank that provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries fo...
.

Economic conditions have improved dramatically since the Great DepressionGreat Depression

The Great Depression was a worldwide economic downturn which started in 1929 and lasting through most of the 1930s....
 due to external investment in capital-intensive industries such as petrochemicalPetrochemical

A petrochemical is any chemical derived from fossil fuels....
s, pharmaceuticals and technologyTechnology

Despite its cultural pervasiveness, technology is an elusive concept....
. Once the beneficiary of special tax treatment from the U.S. government, today local industries must compete with those in more economically depressed parts of the world where wages are not subject to U.S. 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.

Also, starting around 1950, there was heavy migration from Puerto Rico to the Continental United StatesContinental United States

Depending on usage, the term continental United States can refer to either:...
, particularly New York CityNew York City

New York City is the largest city in the United States and the twelfth largest city in the world, making it a major global c...
, in search of better economic conditions. Puerto Rican migration to New York displayed an average yearly migration of 1,800 for the years 1930-1940, 31,000 for 1946-1950, 45,000 for 1951-1960, and a peak of 75,000 in 1953. As of 2003, the U.S. Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau Overview

The United States Census Bureau is a part of the United States Department of Commerce....
 estimates that more people of Puerto Rican birth or ancestry live in the U.S. than in Puerto Rico.

On May 1, 2006, the Puerto Rican government faced significant shortages in cash flows2006 Puerto Rico budget crisis

The 2006 Puerto Rico budget crisis is a political, economic, and social crisis that saw much of the government of Puerto Ric...
, which forced the closure of the local Department of Education and 42 other government agencies. All 1,536 public schools closed, and 95,762 people were furloughed in the first-ever partial shutdown of the government in the island's history. On May 10, 2006, the budget crisis2006 Puerto Rico budget crisis

The 2006 Puerto Rico budget crisis is a political, economic, and social crisis that saw much of the government of Puerto Ric...
 was resolved with a new tax reform agreement so that all government employees could return to work. On November 15, 2006 a 5.5% sales tax was implemented. Municipalities are required by law to apply a municipal sales tax of 1.5% bringing the total sales tax to 7%.

TourismTourism in Puerto Rico

Tourism has been an important money revenue industry for Puerto Rico for a very long time....
 is an important component of Puerto Rican economy supplying an approximate $1.8 billion. In 1999, an estimated 5 million tourists visited the island, most from the U.S. Nearly a third of these are cruise shipCruise ship

A cruise ship is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are considered...
 passengers. A steady increase in hotel registrations since 1998 and the construction of new hotels and new tourism projects, such as the Puerto Rico Convention CenterPuerto Rico Convention Center Summary

The Puerto Rico Convention Center is a convention center located in San Juan, Puerto Rico owned by the government of Puerto ...
, indicate the current strength of the tourism industry.

Puerto Ricans had a per capita Gross Domestic ProductGross domestic product

A region's gross domestic product, or GDP, is one of the several measures of the size of its economy....
 (GDP) of $19,600 for 2007, By comparison, the poorest state of the Union, MississippiMississippi

Mississippi is a southern state of the United States....
, had a per capita GSP (nominal) of $24,062 in 2006. The United Nation's Human Development Index ranking is not regularly available for Puerto Rico, though the UN Development Program assigned it a .942 score in 1998, which would place it among the top 15 countries in the HDI rankings.

Demographics


Population and racial makeup

During the 1800s hundreds of CorsicaCorsican immigration to Puerto Rico

In the 19th century hundreds of Corsicans left their families and homeland, the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea, and em...
n, FrenchFrench immigration to Puerto Rico

The French immigration to Puerto Rico during the 18th and 19th century came about as a result of various economic and politi...
, LebaneseLebanon

Lebanon, officially the Lebanese democratic Republic , is a small, largely mountainous country in the Middle East, loc...
, ChineseOverseas Chinese

Overseas Chinese are Chinese people who live outside China....
, and PortuguesePortugal

Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic is located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula, and is the w...
 families arrived in Puerto Rico, along with large numbers of immigrants from Spain (mainly from CataloniaCatalonia

The Autonomous Community of Catalonia , known throughout history simply as Catalonia, is today one of the 17 autonomou...
, AsturiasAsturias

The Principality of Asturias is an autonomous community within the kingdom of Spain....
, Galicia, the Balearic IslandsBalearic Islands

The Balearic Islands are an archipelago in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the coast of Spain....
, AndalusiaAndalusia

Andalusia is an autonomous community of Spain....
, and the Canary IslandsCanary Islands

The Canary Islands IPA are an archipelago of the Kingdom of Spain consisting of seven islands of volcanic origin in the At...
) and numerous Spanish loyalists from Spain's former colonies in South America. Other settlers included IrishIrish immigration to Puerto Rico

In the 19th century, there was considerable Irish immigration to Puerto Rico, for a number of reasons....
, ScotsScotland

Scotland is a nation in northwest Europe and one of the constituent countries of the United Kingdom....
, GermansGerman immigration to Puerto Rico

During the mid-19th century, hundreds of German families fled Europe and immigrated to the New World in search of a be...
, ItaliansItalian people

The Italians are a Southern European ethnic group found primarily in Italy and in a wide-ranging diaspora throughout Western...
 and thousands others who were granted land by Spain during the Real Cedula de Gracias de 1815 ("Royal Decree of Graces of 1815Royal Decree of Graces of 1815

The Royal Decree of Graces of 1815 is a legal order approved by the Spanish Crown in the early half of the 19th Century to e...
"), which allowed European Catholics to settle in the island with a certain amount of free land. This mass immigration during the 19th century helped the population grow from 155,000 in 1800 to almost a million at the close of the century. A census conducted by royal decree on September 30,1858, gives the following totals of the Puerto Rican population at this time: 300,430 identified as Whites; 341,015 as Free coloredColored

Colored and Colored People are North American terms that were commonly used to describe black people, but also...
; and 41,736 as Slaves. More recently, Puerto Rico has become the permanent home of over 100,000 legal residents who immigrated from not only Spain, but from Latin AmericaLatin America

Latin America is the region of the Americas where Romance languages those derived from Latin are officially or primarily s...
: Argentines, CubaCuba

Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, consists of the island of Cuba, the Isle of Youth and adjacent small islands....
ns, Dominicans, ColombiaFacts About Colombia

The Republic of Colombia , is the northwesternmost country of South America....
ns and VenezuelaFacts About Venezuela

Venezuela is a country on the northern tropical Caribbean coast of South America....
ns.

EmigrationEmigration Overview

Emigration is the act and the phenomenon of leaving one's native country to settle abroad....
 has been a major part of Puerto Rico's recent history. Starting soon after WWIIWorld War II

World War II, or the Second World War, was a worldwide conflict fought between the Allied Powers and the Axis Powers ,...
, poverty, cheap airfare and promotion by the island government caused waves of Puerto Ricans to move to the continental United States, particularly to New York City, New York; NewarkFacts About Newark, New Jersey

Newark, nicknamed The Brick City, is the largest city in New Jersey, United States, and the county seat of urban Essex C...
, Jersey CityJersey City, New Jersey

Jersey City is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States....
, PatersonPaterson, New Jersey

Paterson is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States....
, and