Karrie Williams – Cruise Contributor
OK, so a little birdie whispered in my ear that you are searching for information on the island Puerto Rico. As I have been to Puerto Rico before, I have decided to share my knowledge of the island with you.
Here are some important features of the island Puerto Rico, that you may find interesting:
Puerto Rico can be found situated in the Eastern Caribbean, close to the United States and British Virgin Islands and the island of Hispaniola which comprises the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
Puerto Rico is an overseas territory of the United States of America and as such Puerto Rican citizens are also citizens of the U.S. As such there are no travel restrictions for Puerto Ricans going in and out of the United States and vice versa.
There is also free movement of non-citizens who enter the U.S. boarding from Puerto Rico and vice versa.
There is however one major limitation; Puerto Rican citizens do not have a vote in the U.S. national elections; they are instead represented in Parliament by a Resident Commissioner who has a voice but no vote.
Before the United States acquired the island Puerto Rico, it was colonized by the Spanish and under same leadership. In 1898, the Spanish American War ended and Spain sold Puerto Rico to America.
The Puerto Rico lotto or loteria de Puerto Rico is the oldest modern lottery of the United States; beginning in 1934.
OK, enough about the politics etc.; other features of Puerto Rico include:
Geography: Puerto Rico is made up of its main island and several smaller outer islands such as Vieques, Desecheo, Culebra and La Isleta de San Juan.
Of these smaller islands, Vieques, Culebra and La Isleta de San Juan are occupied year round. La Isleta de San Juan is connected to mainland Puerto Rico via a bridge; this is also where old San Juan is located.
Puerto Rico is a part of the Greater Antilles and is the smallest island in the group; being approximately 8% of the size of Cuba which is also the largest island in the Caribbean.
Puerto Rico. Photo courtesy tripextras.com
A large percentage of the island Puerto Rico is mountainous, the main mountain range being the La Cordillera Central or The Central Range.
Climate: The Island Puerto Rico enjoys a tropical climate; as such year round warm temperatures are experienced, averaging 27°C or 80°F.
There is however some variations in the day to day weather, depending on where you visit. As an example, areas close to the mountainous peaks of Cordillera tend to have much cooler temperatures, a higher wind speed and a lot more rainfall than the lower lying areas of San Juan.
Culture: The Puerto Rican flag represents a great sense of pride for Puerto Ricans and those of Puerto Rican descent. A very popular expression of this pride is to get a Puerto Rican flag tattoo. In addition, you may also want to check out the Puerto Rican Coqui, deeply loved and appreciated by many Puerto Ricans.
In Puerto Rico, Christmas traditions are unique and interesting; far different from the general ways that Christmas is celebrated in America and the rest of the Caribbean.
Language: Spanish is the official language but English is also dominantly spoken on the island, especially in high tourist areas such as San Juan. English is also taught in Puerto Rican schools as a compulsory second language.
Transportation: If you plan to drive in Puerto Rico, you can access several car rental agencies at many airports across the island. Do bear in mind that driving is done on the right on the island.
You can also access several taxi and public bus services; taxi fares are set by the government and most taxis are metered.
That’s my bit about Puerto Rico; I hope you found it useful.
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