Maricao, Puerto Rico
Maricao
Municipio Autónomo de Maricao | |
|---|---|
Town and Municipality | |
Maricao High School | |
| Nicknames: "Pueblo de las Indieras", "Ciudad del Monte del Estado", "Ciudad de Leyenda y Romance", "Tierra del Café" | |
| Anthem: "Sobre las verdes altura" | |
Map of Puerto Rico highlighting Maricao Municipality | |
| Coordinates: 18°10′51″N 66°58′48″W / 18.18083°N 66.98000°W | |
| Sovereign state | United States |
| Commonwealth | Puerto Rico |
| Settled | 1848 |
| Founded | April 10, 1874 |
| Barrios | |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Wilfredo (Juny) Ruiz (PPD) |
| • Senatorial dist. | 5 - Ponce |
| • Representative dist. | 21 |
| Area | |
• Total | 37.1 sq mi (96.0 km2) |
| • Land | 37.1 sq mi (96 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 4,455 |
| • Rank | 77th in Puerto Rico |
| • Density | 120/sq mi (46/km2) |
| Demonym | Maricaeños |
| Time zone | UTC−4 (AST) |
| ZIP Code | 00606 |
| Area code | 787/939 |
| Major routes | |
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Maricao (Spanish pronunciation: [maɾiˈkao]) is a town and the second-least populous municipality of Puerto Rico; it is located at the western edge of the Cordillera Central. It is a small town set around a small square in hilly terrain, north of San Germán, Sabana Grande and Yauco; south of Las Marías and Lares, southeast of Mayagüez, and west of Adjuntas. Maricao has 7 barrios including Maricao Pueblo (the downtown area and the administrative center of the city).
The town borders the Maricao Fish Hatchery, a fish hatchery made up of tanks and pools in a garden setting, where some 25,000 fish are raised yearly to stock farm fishponds and island lakes. The hatchery is part of the Maricao State Forest, also known as Monte del Estado. Though of dryer vegetation than the other mountain forest, Maricao is home to large number of bird species. Its stone observation tower provides far-flung views to the coast and the Mona Passage.
Maricao has a 2020 census population of 4,455.