Puerto Rico

Puerto RicoThe Pearl of the Caribbean

Where is it?

• It’s pretty small, only 161 km long and 56 km wide.

• The capital of Puerto Rico is San Juan.

• Although Puerto Rico is part of the United States, it is an island located in the Caribbean Sea.

Language• Puerto Rico became a part of the USA in 1898, but

before that, it was a Spanish colony for over 400 years.

• So, the two languages used in Puerto Rico are:Spanish - the primary language used every day

English – taught in schools and commonly heard in TV, movies, music, etc.

Weather• The island is very close to the Equator so the

weather is tropical.• This means that the weather doesn’t change

much with each season.• It rains a lot and it’s pretty hot the whole year.• The coldest it ever gets in the winter, up in the

mountains, is about 13C, but the average temperature is 30 C

• We also have the only rainforest in the USA. It’s called El Yunque

Geography• Puerto Rico is mountainous

with large coastal areas in the north and in the south.

• The main mountain range is called ‘La Cordillera Central’, which is where El Yunque is.

• The Puerto Rican parrot, an endangered species only found in Puerto Rico lives in El Yunque.

• The coquí also lives in Puerto Rico. It’s name comes from the song it makes: co - quí

• Of course, it has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

People & Culture

• There are almost 4 million people in Puerto Rico.

• Our culture is a mix of the African (from the slaves), Taíno (the indigenous people living there before the Spanish), Spanish, and more recently, American cultures.

• The official symbols are:– The reinita mora – The flor de maga– The ceiba

Music• We LOVE listening to music.• Folk music and instruments

– Bomba y plena - Guiro - La Flauta– Danza - Cuatro

• Popular music:– Salsa– Pop and rock in Spanish– Reggaeton

• World famous artists are:– Ricky Martin, Daddy Yankee– Luis Fonsi, Ednita Nazario

Sports• The most popular sport

is baseball. • Other popular sports

are: boxing, basketball and volleyball.

• We have our own delegation representing us in international competitions, such as the Olympics and the Pan American Games.

Transportation & Buildings• Most people drive everywhere.

• In San Juan and the surrounding area, there is one metro line. The metro is called the Tren Urbano.

• We also have a big international airport, Luis Muñoz Marin.

• The governor lives in a mansion called “La Fortaleza” and most people live in cement houses.

• We’ve also got the biggest mall in the Caribbean, Plaza las Americas

Food

Rice and beans

flan

Lechon a la varita

PineapplePapayaCoconutCoffeePassion fruit

PlantainQuenepasAvocado

Plantain & tostones

Empanadillas

Typical Christmas dinner

Monuments & Leisure

• A famous monument is “El Morro”, built by the Spanish.

• Beaches, caves, and glowing lagoons are some of our natural wonders.

• Puerto Ricans also really like to go shopping and to the cinema.