Interesting Facts
- The capital of Puerto Rico is San Juan.
- The official currency of Puerto Rico is the United States Dollar (USD).
- The largest city is San Juan and Ponce is the second largest.
- The official languages are Spanish and English.
- Puerto Rico is currently under Commonwealth Status of the USA (Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico).
- There are roughly 4 million inhabitants on the Island.
- The current Governor of Puerto Rico is Luis Fortuño.
Luis Fortuño, Governor
- The main Island is roughly 100 miles east to west and 35 miles north to south.
- The "unofficial mascot" of Puerto Rico is the "Coquí," which is a small frog that is only found in Puerto Rico and is recognized by the noise it makes.
El Coquí
- After nearly 400 years of Spanish colonial rule, Puerto Rico went under United States' jurisdiction following the 1898 Spanish-American War.
- Puerto Ricans were granted US Citizenship in 1917.
- Main exports include: chemicals, electronics, apparel, rum, beverages, medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, and canned seafood products.
- Main imports include: food, oil/petrol products, machinery, equipment, chemicals, among others.
- The Island is often referred to as the Island Borinquen, from Borikén, the indigenous name given by the Taínos.
- Baseball, boxing, volleyball, soccer, and basketball are all popular sports in Puerto Rico.
- The national beer of Puerto Rico is Medalla.
La cerveza nacional, Medalla
- The Puerto Rican culture is comprise of mainly 4 groups: African, Taíno, Spanish, and North American.
- The median household income is roughly $18,000, which is comparable to Latvia or Poland.
- Puerto Rico's public debt has grown faster than its economy over recent years, resulting in a $3.3 billion deficit and a layoff of around 24,000 government employees, resulting in an unemployment rate of 17%.
- Although Salsa and traditional music remain popular in Puerto Rico, reggaeton has gained a stronghold among the younger generations.
- El Yunque rain forest is the only such forest under United States National Park System.
- Cerro de Punta is the highest point on the Island, reaching 1,339 meters (4,390 feet) above sea level.
- Puerto Rico has 50 rivers and 17 lakes, although all the lakes are man-made.
Cerro de Punta
