Puerto Rico
Geography - People - Economy - Government - Communications - Transportation - Military - Transnational IssuesCountry name - conventional long form : Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
Country name - conventional short form : Puerto Rico
Government type : commonwealth
Capital - name : San Juan
Capital - time difference : UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
National holiday : US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico Constitution Day, 25 July (1952)
Population : 3,958,128 (July 2008 est.)
Nationality - noun : Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens)
Nationality - adjective : Puerto Rican
Languages : Spanish, English
Currency (code) : US dollar (USD)
Currency code : USD
Puerto Rico is located Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic. The climate is tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature variation. The terrain is mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north; mountains precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal areas.
Background
This entry usually highlights major historic events and current issues and may include a statement about one or two key future trends.Background : Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the island was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following COLUMBUS' second voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial rule that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and African slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a result of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship in 1917. Popularly-elected governors have served since 1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted providing for internal self government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and 1998, voters chose not to alter the existing political status.
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