Puerto Rico (Spanish for 'Rich Port'; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a self-governing Caribbean archipelago and island organized as an unincorporated territory of the United States under the designation of commonwealth. Located about 1,000 miles (1,600 km) southeast of Miami, Florida, between the Dominican Republic in the Greater Antilles and the U.S. Virgin Islands in the Lesser Antilles, it consists of the eponymous main island and numerous smaller islands, including Vieques, Culebra, and Mona. With approximately 3.2 million residents, it is divided into 78 municipalities, of which the most populous is the capital municipality of San Juan, followed by those within the San Juan metropolitan area. Spanish and English are the official languages of the government, though Spanish predominates.
Puerto Rico was settled by a succession of Amerindian peoples beginning 2,000 to 4,000 years ago; these included the Ortoiroid, Saladoid, and Taíno. It was claimed by Spain following the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1493 and subsequently colonized by Juan Ponce de León in 1508. Puerto Rico was contested by other European powers into the 18th century but remained a Spanish possession for the next 400 years. The decline of the Indigenous population, followed by an influx of Spanish settlers, primarily from the Canary Islands and Andalusia, and African slaves vastly changed the cultural and demographic landscape of the archipelago. Within the Spanish Empire, Puerto Rico played a secondary but strategically significant role compared to larger and wealthier colonies like Peru and New Spain. By the late 19th century, a distinct Puerto Rican identity began to emerge, centered on a fusion of European, African, and Indigenous elements. In 1898, following the Spanish–American War, Puerto Rico was acquired by the United States.
Puerto Ricans have been U.S. citizens since 1917 and can move freely between the archipelago and the mainland. However, residents of Puerto Rico are disenfranchised from federal elections and generally do not pay federal income tax. In common with four other territories, Puerto Rico sends a nonvoting representative to the U.S. Congress, called a Resident Commissioner, and participates in presidential primaries; as it is not a state, Puerto Rico does not have a vote in the U.S. Congress, which oversees it under the Puerto Rico Federal Relations Act of 1950. Congress approved a territorial constitution in 1952, allowing residents of the archipelago to elect a governor in addition to a senate and house of representatives. The political status of Puerto Rico is an ongoing debate.
Beginning in the mid-20th century, the U.S. government, together with the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company, launched a series of economic projects to develop Puerto Rico into an industrial high-income economy. It is classified by the International Monetary Fund as a developed jurisdiction with an advanced, high-income economy; it ranks 47th on the Human Development Index. The major sectors of Puerto Rico's economy are manufacturing, primarily pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, and electronics, followed by services, namely tourism and hospitality. (Full article...)
Entries here consist of Good and Featured articles, which meet a core set of high editorial standards.
Image 4
Hurricane Klaus at peak intensity northeast of the Leeward Islands on November 9 Hurricane Klaus was a North Atlantic hurricane that hit the Leeward Islands from the west in November of the 1984 Atlantic hurricane season. Forming from a broad area of low pressure on November 5, Klaus maintained a northeast movement throughout much of its path. After making landfall on extreme eastern Puerto Rico, it passed to the north of the Leeward Islands, resulting in strong southwesterly winds and rough seas. Klaus attained hurricane status and reached peak winds of 90 mph (145 km/h) before becoming extratropical over cooler waters on November 13. The storm dropped heavy rainfall in Puerto Rico, causing minor flooding and light damage. Klaus caused heavy marine damage in the Leeward Islands, including wrecking at least three ships. The Virgin Islands experienced heavy damage as well. ( Full article...)
Image 5Andrés Yungo Torres Feliciano Jr., (born January 26, 1978) is an American former professional baseball center fielder. He stands 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m) tall and weighs 195 pounds (88 kg) and is a switch-hitter. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers, New York Mets, and San Francisco Giants. Born in New Jersey, Torres grew up in Puerto Rico before returning to the United States to attend Miami-Dade Community College. He was a track star at Miami-Dade and did not begin playing baseball until later. In 1998, he was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the fourth round of the 1998 Major League Baseball draft. Torres played in their minor leagues until 2002, when he made his major league debut. In 2003, he got a chance to be the everyday center fielder for the Tigers, but after 23 games they chose to replace him. He played only three games for them in 2004 before he was outrighted to the minors and released upon request. In 2005, Torres resurfaced with the Texas Rangers but only appeared in eight games. He spent the next three years in the minor leagues. ( Full article...)
Image 7Román Baldorioty de Castro (23 February 1822 – 30 September 1889) was a leading Puerto Rican abolitionist and spokesman for the right to self-determination of Puerto Rico. In 1870, he was elected as a deputy in the Cortes Generales, the Spanish parliament, where he promoted abolition of slavery. In 1887, Baldorioty de Castro was the founder of the Partido Autonomista (Autonomist Party), also known as "Partido Autonomista Puro" (Pure Autonomous Party), "Partido Histórico" (Historic Party), and "Partido Ortodoxo" (Orthodox Party). ( Full article...)
Image 10Luis Muñoz Rivera (July 17, 1859 – November 15, 1916) was a Puerto Rican poet, journalist and politician. He was a major figure in the struggle for political autonomy of Puerto Rico in union with Spain. In 1887, Muñoz Rivera became part of the leadership of a newly formed Autonomist Party. In 1889, he successfully ran a campaign for the position of delegate in the district of Caguas. Subsequently, Muñoz Rivera was a member of a group organized by the party to discuss proposals of autonomy with Práxedes Mateo Sagasta, who would grant Puerto Rico an autonomous government following his election. He served as Chief of the Cabinet of this government. ( Full article...)
Image 11Map of the Puerto Rico campaign illustrating operations July 25 – August 12, 1898, and showing municipality borders in 1898. Blue are US Naval forces, red are US land forces, and green are Spanish ground forces. Map of Puerto Rico under the US and Spanish flags from August 14 til September 19, 1898. The 23 blue-colored municipalities were under the US flag and the 55 yellow-colored municipalities were under the Spanish flag ( Full article...)
Image 12" Quiero Bailar" ('I Want To Dance') is a song by Puerto Rican reggaetón recording artist Ivy Queen, from the platinum edition of her third studio album, Diva (2003). It was composed by Queen alongside her then-husband Gran Omar, produced by Iván Joy and released as the lead single from the album in 2004. Lyrically, "the song talks about a guy expecting sex after a dance like it was a bad thing." Addressing the topic of female autonomy of the body, the song has become recognized as a female empowerment anthem. The song became the first Spanish-language song to reach the top position on Miami's WPOW Rhythmic Top 40, the first Spanish song to do so, while reaching the Top 10 of the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay chart. The song has become known as the first female reggaeton feminist anthem among songs that lyrically degraded women. An accompanying music video was filmed for the song which featured cameos from her ex-husband Omar Navarro, known artistically as Gran Omar. ( Full article...)
Image 13
Rodríguez with the Texas Rangers in 2009 Iván Rodríguez Torres (born November 27, 1971), nicknamed " Pudge" and " I-Rod", is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball catcher who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Texas Rangers (in two separate stints, comprising the majority of his career), Florida Marlins, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Houston Astros and Washington Nationals. Rodríguez is widely regarded as one of the greatest catchers in MLB history and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2017. Rodríguez was awarded the American League Most Valuable Player Award in 1999. He won the 2003 World Series with the Florida Marlins and played in the 2006 World Series while with the Tigers. In 2009, he set an MLB record by catching his 2,227th game, passing Carlton Fisk for the most. He had the best career caught-stealing percentage of any major league catcher, at 45.68% (versus a league average of 31%), and he had nine seasons with a caught-stealing rate of 50% or higher. Only one major league catcher ( Yadier Molina) has more putouts. Rodríguez recorded 2,844 hits in his career, the most of any catcher in MLB history. ( Full article...)
Image 15William Daniel Leahy ( LAY-(h)ee; 6 May 1875 – 20 July 1959) was an American naval officer and was the most senior United States military officer on active duty during World War II; he held several titles and exercised considerable influence over foreign and military policy. As a fleet admiral, he was the first flag officer ever to hold a five-star rank in the U.S. Armed Forces. An 1897 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Leahy saw active service in the Spanish–American War, the Philippine–American War, the Boxer Rebellion in China, the Banana Wars in Central America, and World War I. He was the first member of his cadet class to reach flag rank, as the Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance from 1927 to 1931. He subsequently served as Chief of the Bureau of Navigation from 1933 to 1936, and commanded the Battle Fleet from 1936 to 1937. As Chief of Naval Operations from 1937 to 1939, he was the senior officer in the United States Navy, overseeing the expansion of the fleet and preparations for war. ( Full article...)
- June 4, 1870 - Moret Law was passed which granted freedom to slaves born after September 17, 1868
- June 4, 1918 - Birth of Noel Estrada, composer of En Mi Viejo San Juan (d. 1979)
- June 9, 1976 - Birth of Sharif Fajardo, member of the Puerto Rico national basketball team
- June 11, 1948 - Governor Jesús T. Piñero signed a law which made the public advocation of independence unlawful.
- June 12, 1826 - The Municipality of Comerío was founded.
- June 13, 1899 - Birth of Antonio S. Pedreira, author and educator (d. 1939)
- June 13, 1983 - Death of Alicia Moreda, television soap opera actress (b. 1912)
- June 15, 1598 - The Royal Navy, led by George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland, landed troops from 21 ships to the east in Santurce with aims to overtake the city.
- June 16, 1944 - Death of Luis Lloréns Torres, poet, journalist, playwright, and politician (b. 1876)
- June 16, 2005 - Death of Enrique Laguerre, writer and poet (b. 1905)
- June 17, 1833 - Birth of Francisco Oller, artist (d. 1917)
- June 18, 1984 - Birth of Wilfredo Vázquez, Jr., professional boxer
- June 21, 1939 - Birth of Rubén Berríos, president of the Puerto Rican Independence Party
- June 22, 1772 - The Municipality of Moca is founded.
- June 24, 1820 - The Municipality of Ciales was founded.
- June 25, 1972 - Birth of Carlos Delgado, Major League Baseball first baseman
- June 25, 1835 - Queen María Cristina abolished slave trade to Spanish colonies, which included Puerto Rico.
- June 26, 1983 - Death of Concha Meléndez, educator, poet and writer (b. 1895)
- June 26, 1984 - Birth of José Juan Barea, professional basketball player
- June 28, 1968 - Birth of Chayanne (Elmer Figueroa Arce), Latin pop singer
- June 29, 1993 - Death of Héctor Lavoe, as a result of conplications of AIDS (b. 1946)
- June 30, 1823 - The Municipality of Hatillo was founded.
- June 30, 1960 - Birth of Lunna, pop and jazz singer
- June 30, 1979 - Birth of Rick Gonzalez, actor
- June 30, 1983 - Birth of Juan Manuel López professional boxer
WikiProject Puerto Rico
| Parent Projects: |
Sister Projects: |
| Geography |
| Caribbean |
Cuba • Dominican Republic |
| Latin America |
Mexico • Mesoamerica |
| United States |
Puerto Rican Highways |
| Ethnic groups |
| Latinos |
Old Parque de Bombas firehouse building
The Parque de Bombas (English: firehouse) is a historic former fire station in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It is one of Puerto Rico's most notable buildings, with some considering it "by far the most easily recognized landmark in the Island."
The Parque de Bombas is located at the Plaza Las Delicias town square, directly behind Ponce Cathedral. Originally built in 1882 as a pavilion for an exhibition, it became Puerto Rico's first ever fire station. In 1990, the fire station closed and was converted into a museum. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on 12 July 1984. (Full article...)
Rafael Carrión Sr. (January 3, 1891 – March 26, 1964), the patriarch of one of Puerto Rico's financial dynasties, was one of the founding fathers of Banco Popular de Puerto Rico, the largest bank in Puerto Rico and the largest Hispanic bank in the United States. (Full article...)
Science-related topics
- ... that Dr. Mario R. García Palmieri, Cardiologist - García Palmieri is the first Hispanic to have the distinction of being designated a "Master" by the American College of Cardiology?
- ... that Dr. Isaac González Martínez, urologist - was the first Puerto Rican urologist and a pioneer in the fight against cancer in the island?
- ... that Fernando López Tuero Agricultural scientist and agronomist - discovered the bug (believed at first to be a germ) which was destroying Puerto Rico's sugar canes?
- ... that Dr. Eduardo Santiago Delpín Surgeon - wrote the first book in Spanish about organ transplant?
- ... that Dr. Diego R. Solís Physician - made Puerto Rican medical history when he performed the first simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplant in Puerto Rico?
- ... that Dr. Ramón M. Suárez Calderón Scientist, cardiologist, educator and hematologist - carried out investigations that led to the identification of the proper and effective treatment of a type of anemia known as Tropical Espru, the application of complex methods, such as electrocardiography and radioisotope, to be used in clinics and the identification and treatment of the disease which causes heart rheumatism?
- ... that Before Christopher Columbus and the Spanish Conquistadors landed on the island of "Borikén" (Puerto Rico), the Taínos who inhabited the island depended on their astronomical observations for the cultivation of their crops?.
- ... that The School of Tropical Medicine, was an educational institution created in 1926 by an act of the Puerto Rican Legislature, to further the research initiated by the Anemia Commissions and the Institute of Tropical Medicine on anemia and its causes? Did you also know that the institution existed as an independent entity until 1949, when it was integrated into the School of Medicine of the University of Puerto Rico and its building is in the National Register of Historical Places?
- ... that Dr. Yajaira Sierra Sastre is the only Hispanic, selected to participate in a four-month long, Mars analog mission funded by NASA. Sierra Sastre aspires to become the first Puerto Rican woman to travel to outer space?
The following are images from various Puerto Rico-related articles on Wikipedia.
Image 1Christopher Columbus, the explorer credited with the European discovery of Puerto Rico. (from History of Puerto Rico)
Image 2From 1948 to 1952 it was a felony to display the Puerto Rican flag in public; the only flag permitted to be flown on the island was the flag of the United States. (from History of Puerto Rico)
Image 3Four men playing dominoes in San Juan, Puerto Rico (from Culture of Puerto Rico)
Image 41876 indemnity bond paid as compensation to former Puerto-Rico owners of freed slaves (from History of Puerto Rico)
Image 5Sugar cane workers resting at the noon hour, Rio Piedras. Photograph by Jack Delano, a photographer for the Farm Security Administration. Ca. 1941. (from History of Puerto Rico)
Image 6Royal Cédula of Graces, 1815, which granted legal entry of some foreigners to Puerto Rico. (from History of Puerto Rico)
Image 7'La escuelo del Maestro Cordero' by Puerto Rican artist Francisco Oller. (from Culture of Puerto Rico)
Image 8The original Lares revolutionary flag. The first "Puerto Rican Flag" used in the unsuccessful Grito de Lares (Lares Uprising). (from History of Puerto Rico)
Image 9Los Reyes Magos painted by Hipolito Marte Martinez, "In Puerto Rico, Melchior is always represented with dark skin" (from Culture of Puerto Rico)
Image 11"El desastre es la colonia" (the disaster is the colony), words seen on light meter six months after Hurricane Maria (from Culture of Puerto Rico)
Image 13US and Puerto Rico flags on a building in Puerto Rico (from Culture of Puerto Rico)
Image 14The first Supreme Court of Puerto Rico, established in 1900. (from History of Puerto Rico)
Image 15Picture by journalist Carlos Torres Morales of the Ponce massacre, March 21, 1937. (from History of Puerto Rico)
Image 16Hurricanes Irma and Maria sharply reduced the availability of electricity throughout the island (from History of Puerto Rico)
Image 17Map of the departments of Puerto Rico during Spanish provincial times (1886). (from History of Puerto Rico)
Image 18Juan Ponce de León ( Santervás de Campos, Valladolid, Spain), was the first governor of Puerto Rico. His grandson Juan Ponce de Leon II was the first indigenous governor of Puerto Rico. (from History of Puerto Rico)
Image 19Raising the US Flag over San Juan, October 18, 1898. (from History of Puerto Rico)
Image 21The 45-star flag, used by the United States during the invasion of Puerto Rico, was also the official flag of Puerto Rico from 1899 to 1908. (from History of Puerto Rico)
Image 22El Imparcial headline: "Aviation (US) bombs Utuado" during Nationalist revolts. (from History of Puerto Rico)
Image 23Spanish Planter of Puerto Rico with House Slave, ca. 1808 (from History of Puerto Rico)
Image 24Flag flown by Fidel Vélez and his men during the "Intentona de Yauco" revolt. (from History of Puerto Rico)
Image 25States proposed in the Spanish Draft Federal Constitution of 1873, among which Puerto Rico was included. (from History of Puerto Rico)
Image 26An 1899, caricature by Louis Dalrymple (1866–1905), showing Uncle Sam harshly lecturing four black children labelled Philippines, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Cuba (from History of Puerto Rico)
Image 27Hacienda La Fortuna, sugar mill complex in Puerto Rico painted by Francisco Oller in 1885. (from Culture of Puerto Rico)
| “ |
The Puerto Ricans forming the ranks of the gallant 65th Infantry on the battlefields of Korea…are writing a brilliant record of achievement in battle and I am proud indeed to have them in this command. I wish that we might have many more like them. |
” |
| — Douglas MacArthur, on Puerto Rican servicemen in the Korean conflict, quoted on a February 12, 1951 interview in Tokyo. |
Select [►] to view subcategories
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico-related lists Buildings and structures in Puerto Rico Environment of Puerto Rico Flags of municipalities of Puerto Rico Organizations based in Puerto Rico
On Wikipedia, anyone can edit. So if you're interested in Puerto Rico and its related subjects and articles, feel free to add and edit current content or start a new article. After all, the Wikipedia community encourages all readers and users to be bold in updating pages. If you're unsure on where to start, you can choose any of the open tasks listed below. The Puerto Rico WikiProject thanks you!
WikiProject Puerto Rico requested articles |
|---|
| Current events | |
|---|
| High importance |
- Arts industry in Puerto Rico
- Automotive industry in Puerto Rico
- Construction in Puerto Rico
- Banking in Puerto Rico
- Cooperativism in Puerto Rico
- Electricity sector in Puerto Rico
- Energy policy of Puerto Rico
- Food service industry in Puerto Rico
- For-profit education in Puerto Rico
- Healthcare industry in Puerto Rico
- Hotel industry in Puerto Rico
- Insurance in Puerto Rico
- Money transfer industry in Puerto Rico
- Mortgage industry in Puerto Rico
- Music industry in Puerto Rico
- Private security industry in Puerto Rico
- Recreation in Puerto Rico
- Research industry in Puerto Rico
- Retail in Puerto Rico
- Science in Puerto Rico
- Social programs in Puerto Rico
- Warehousing in Puerto Rico
- Wholesale in Puerto Rico
|
|---|
| Others |
- Ana Rosa Luna
- Billy "La Voz"
- David Alemán
- Donas Aymat
- El Verde
- “El Pica Piedras de Guavate"
- Julio A. Santos
- La Cueva del Chicken Inn
- Miguel Marquez Muñoz
- Museo del Pueblo
- Omayra George
- Shirley Perez
- Oscar Ramón Loubriel Flores
- Candelario Lopez Salas (Papa Candito)
- Puerto Rico Heineken Jazz Fest
- San Juan Moda
- Carlos Morales
- Santiago Vidarte
- Jaime Claudio Villamil
- Yasmin Pereira
- Ruy Delgado Zayas
|
|---|
- Join WikiProject Puerto Rico
The following Wikimedia Foundation sister projects provide more on this subject:
Discover Wikipedia using portals
-
List of all portals
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Random portal
-
WikiProject Portals
|