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Puerto Rico is a self-governing unincorporated organized
territory of the United States, in the eastern Caribbean, consisting of the island of Puerto Rico and some smaller islands. Its official
name is The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto
Rico. Puerto Rico's ultimate legal status is a subject of continuing debate.
Puerto Rico is part of the Greater Antilles, located to the east
of the Dominican Republic and to the west of the Lesser Antilles. It consists of the main island, commonly called by Puerto
Ricans as "the Great Island" (La Isla Grande) and a number of smaller islands, of which only Vieques, Isla de Culebra and Isla Mona are inhabited. It is divided in 78
municipalities and its U.S. postal
abbreviation is PR.
Puerto Rico was called Borikén by the indigenous Taínos before Christopher Columbus named it San Juan Bautista (after John the Baptist). The name Puerto Rico means "rich port" in Spanish.
Political Status
Puerto Rico is a US territory which has been given self-governing "commonwealth" status. (The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, located in the western Pacific
Ocean, has a similar relationship to the United States.) What this means has never been absolutely clear; however, Puerto Rico
has more latitude over its internal affairs than the US territories of Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or American Samoa.
Puerto Rico's current constitutional arrangements are the result of a treaty signed in 1952, so presumably it could become independent in the same way - a right not possessed by the states of the United
States. Alternatively, it could be admitted as a state of the United States by a vote of the Congress, in the same way that Hawaii was in 1959.
Puerto Rico has approximately the same degree of authority over its internal affairs as an American state. The United States federal government controls interstate trade, foreign commerce, customs, aviation and navigation, immigration, currency, all military and naval matters, radio
and television communications, mining
and minerals, highways, the postal system, social security, and other areas generally controlled by the federal government in the
United States. United States courts have the final say over the constitutionality of Puerto Rican laws. Puerto Rico may not
conclude treaties with other sovereign states, although it does belong to some international bodies.
Puerto Rico's elected governor and legislature control all other internal affairs. The major differences between Puerto Rico
and the states are greater financial autonomy (it levies its own taxes and is exempt from the
Internal Revenue
Code), its lack of voting representation in either house of the Congress and the ineligibility of Puerto Rican residents to
vote in presidential elections.
Satellite Image of Puerto Rico.
History
Main article: History of Puerto Rico
The island of Puerto Rico was originally inhabited by a group of Arawak Indians known as Tainos. The European
discovery was made by Christopher Columbus on his second
voyage to the Anitlles on November 19, 1493. The island was originally named San Juan Bautista, in honor of
Saint John the Baptist. Spanish conqueror Juan Ponce de Leon became the island's first governor of Puerto Rico to take office.
The island was soon colonized becoming the most important stronghold of the Spanish empire in the Caribbean. Concerned about threats from its european enemies, Spain began construction of massive defenses
around the city of San Juan. Fortresses such as La Fortaleza, Fort San Felipe del
Morro and Fort San Cristobal would be built. The French,
Dutch and English made attempts to capture Puerto Rico, but failed.
In 1809, Puerto Rico was recognized as an overseas providence of Spain with the right to send representatives to the Spanish
Court. Puerto Rico was granted it's first constitution, allowed to engage in free commerce and given its own identity in aspecs
such as culture, music, and arts.
Toward the end of the 19th century, poor economic and political situations with Spain led to an attempted uprising in 1868
known as "El Grito de Lares". The Puerto Rican goal was to achieve
personal freedom, the abolition of slavery, and full self-government. The uprising was easily and quickly crushed. Champions of
this autonomist movement were such political leaders as Ramon Baldorioty de Castro, and towards the end of the century, Luis
Muñoz Rivera. In 1897, Muñoz Rivera persuaded a liberal Spanish government to agree to an Autonomic Charter for the island. The
following year Puerto Rico's first autonomous government was organized with Muñoz Rivera as leader.
On July 25, 1898 Puerto Rico was invaded by
the United States of America with a landing at
Guánica Bay. Spain was forced to
cede Puerto Rico to the United States under the Treaty of Paris. The twentieth century would begin under
the military regime of the United States with officials including the
governor appointed by the President of the
United States. In 1917, the United
States congress granted Puerto Ricans U.S. citizenship. Natural disasters
and the Great Depression impoverished the island. Political leaders
demanded change, some like Pedro Albizu Campos would lead a
nationalist movement in favor of independence. Later, José T. Piñero became the first
Puerto Rican governor designated by United States. In 1948, the United States granted the right to democratically elect the governor of Puerto Rico. Luis Muñoz Marín would become the first elected governor of Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico adopted its own constitution in 1952 adopting a commonwealth relation with the United States. During the 1950's Puerto
Rico experienced a rapid industrialization, with such projects as Operation Bootstrap which
aimed to change Puerto Rico's agicultural-based economy into an economy based on other industries such as manufacturing.
Present-day Puerto Rico has become a major tourist destination and a leading pharmaceutical and manuacturing center. Still,
Puerto Rico continues to struggle to define its political status.
Politics
Main article: Politics of Puerto Rico
The government is composed of 3 branches: the Executive branch
headed by the Governor, the Legislative branch consisting of a bicameral Legislative Assembly (a Senate and a House of
Representatives) and the Judicial branch. The legal system is
based on the Spanish
civil code.
The Constitution of Puerto Rico was
approved through refendum in 1952, and ratified by the U.S. Congress,
which maintains ultimate sovereignty over Puerto Rico. Under this constitution, Puerto Rico is a territorial commonwealth of the United States and is permitted a high degree of autonomy. Although Puerto Rico does not have representation in the U.S. Electoral College or U.S. Congress, it is permitted a
non-voting Resident
Commissioner in the U.S. House of
Representatives and Puerto Ricans pay no federal income tax. Citizens of Puerto Rico are also U.S. citizens.
Municipalities
Main article: List of
municipalities in Puerto Rico
As a commonwealth associated with the United States, Puerto Rico does not have any first-order administrative divisions as
defined by the U.S. Government, but there are 78 municipalities at the
second order. Each municipality has a Mayor and a Council elected for a 4 year term.
Geography
Main article: Geography of Puerto
Rico
The archipelago of Puerto Rico consists of the main island of Puerto Rico and various smaller islands, including Vieques, Culebra, and Mona. 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
Main article: 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.
Demographics
Main article: Demographics of Puerto
Rico
Puerto Ricans are a mixture of European, African and Native Americans.
Puerto Rico is said to comprise a European (mainly Spanish) majority, an extinct Amerindian population, mixed to a lesser degree with Africans. Recent genetic research, however, contradicts
that information. Mitochondrial and Y-chromosome analysis have shown that 62% of Puerto Ricans come from an Amerindian ancestry
(said to be "from our mothers") and well over 70% have a white ancestry ("from our fathers"). In other words, the MESTIZO is the
lineage that MOST permeates the society. Mulatos and blacks seem to ONLY account for less than 20% (Y chromosome) and 26% (Mtdna)
--therefore only about a 25% of the islands populace can really lay claim to an African ancestry. Europeans are also said to be
highly mixed, again in varying degrees, with Amerindian bloodlines.
Later Corsican, Italian, and French immigrants arrived along with numerous Spanish loyalists from Spain's former colonies in
South America --and as a result the mestizos were fully absorbed into the general population. Other settlers have included Irish,
Germans and in recent years, immigrants from Cuba, the Dominican
Republic, Mexico and Venezuela, but
represent less than 5% of the population. According to the 2000 census, 95% of the population consider themselves of Puerto Rican
descent, making Puerto Rico one of the most homogeneous societies in the world.
Puerto Rico has over 100,000 legal residents who came from Spain, Mexico, Central or South America, in addition to the Cubans
and Dominicans.
The Roman Catholic religion is dominant, although there is a notable
Protestant presence. Puerto Rico has its own Olympic team and has international
representation in many events including the Summer Olympics, the
Pan-American Games,
the Central
American Games, and the Caribbean World Series.
Colleges and universities
- Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico
- Catholic University of Puerto Rico
- University of the Sacred Heart
- Ana G. Méndez University System
- InterAmerican University of Puerto Rico
- Aguadilla Campus
- Arecibo Campus
- Barranquitas
Campus
- Bayamón Campus
- Fajardo Campus
- Guayama Campus
- Metropolitan
Campus
- Ponce Campus
- San Germán
Campus
- School of Law
- School of
Optometry
- University of Puerto Rico
- UPR,
Río Piedras Campus
- UPR, Medical Sciences Campus
- UPR, Mayagüez Campus
- UPR at Arecibo
- UPR at Bayamón
- UPR at Carolina
- UPR at Cayey
- UPR at Ponce
Culture
Main article: Culture of Puerto Rico
- Art in Puerto
Rico
- Literature of Puerto Rico
- List of movies set in Puerto
Rico
- List
of Puerto Rican phrases, words and slangs
- Music of Puerto Rico
- Cuisine of Puerto Rico
- Puerto Rican Pop Culture
- Sports in Puerto Rico
- Holidays in Puerto Rico
Miscellaneous topics
- List of Famous Puerto Ricans
- Black history in Puerto Rico
- List of Puerto Rico-related
topics
- Communications in Puerto Rico
- Military of Puerto Rico
- Transportation in Puerto Rico
External links
Official sites
Others
References
- Central Intelligence Agency (USA). The World Factbook (2003). United States of America.
- United Nations. General Assembly Resolutions 8th Session (1953). United States of America.
Notes
[1] See http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/8/ares8.htm
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