About Puerto Rico

Explore this Puerto Rico map to learn everything you want to know about this country. Learn about Puerto Rico location on the world map, official symbol, flag, geography, climate, postal/area/zip codes, time zones, etc. Check out Puerto Rico history, significant states, provinces/districts, & cities, most popular travel destinations and attractions, the capital city’s location, facts and trivia, and many more.

Introduction : this island county which is also referred to as “The walled City” or “La Ciudad Amurallada” was first called “Borikén” by the Taínos Arawak Indians who were the original inhabitants of the island.

It was named “San Juan Bautista” after Saint John the Baptist after Europeans landed on the island. Christopher Columbus was the first of them and dropped anchor in 1493. Finally over time due to the prosperity of then island, it took the name of “Puerto Rico” meaning ‘rich port’.

Location of Puerto Rico San Juan : surrounded by several small islets, the rectangular island nation of Puerto Rico San Juan is positioned in between the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Puerto Rico San Juan is one of the Caribbean islands. The Dominican republic lies to the west of it.

Physical Map of Puerto Rico San Juan : the coastal regions of the almost rectangular island-nation of Puerto Rico San Juan comprises of narrow plains and beaches. Inland wards, the terrain elevates to form hills and mountains. The island is volcanic in origin and has a number of lakes dotting the terrain as well as some small rivers. Together with the islands of Vieques, Mona, Culebra, Monito and Culebrita, Puerto Rico San Juan forms a commonwealth.

Climate of Puerto Rico San Juan : the island nation of Puerto Rico has a sub-tropical marine kind of climate. The island nation of Puerto Rico San Juan does not experience any drastic climatic variations. The general temperature is sweltering and humid, though the temperature is milder at higher altitudes. However, the island of Puerto Rico is prone to hurricanes in the summer-monsoon months of May to October.

Flora and Fauna of Puerto Rico San Juan :

Flora : the flora in Puerto Rico San Juan is an exotic collection. The country has an exotic collection of flowers too. Some of the trees in the island nation are Egyptian papyrus, red palm, rain tree, candle tree, cantaloupe tree, Puerto Rican palm, kapok trees, breadfruit, guanabanas, papayas, sea grapes, and star apples. Flowering varieties include poinciana, African tulips, orchids and poinsettias.

Fauna : Puerto Rico San Juan does not possess an extensive list of fauna; however, they do have quite a collection. Some of the common species are bats, mongooses, non-poisonous snakes, iguanas, lizards, and coqui frogs. The marine life thriving around the island nation includes Spanish mackerels, barracuda, snappers, herring, sharks, marlin, pompano, mullet and tuna.

People of Puerto Rico San Juan : Originally there were the Taino Indians. Then came the Spaniards. They brought African slaves to work in the island. Later more Europeans docked in the shores of the island nation. Some of the major communities whose presence is felt even today are the Italians, the French and the German. Even people from Lebanon came to the country. In the more recent times, there has been a considerable influx of Cubans and people from the Dominican Republic due to unfavorable conditions in their countries.

Arts, Culture and Music of Puerto Rico San Juan :

Art : the artistic heritage of the island nation of Puerto Rico San Juan dates back to the 18 th century, when José Campeche became the island’s first prominent artist with his ecclesiastical paintings. The more recent name originating from the island is that of Francisco Oller’s, who has made a mark in the genre of impressionist work.

Culture : Puerto Rico San Juan has a rich cultural heritage. In fact, it is a thriving example of the harmonious coexistence of diverse ethnic groups within the same borders. Though it is predominantly Caribbean, it is a composite culture comprising primarily of Taino, African and Spanish elements. Other countries providing a significant influence are the Italians, French and German.

Music : as Puerto Rico San Juan is a mixed society comprising of people from different ethnicities, the musical genres of the country too have mixed cultural traits.The most popular indigenous forms of music that

originate from Puerto Rico San Juan are folk genres like the decimal and seis; and contemporary and dance genres like the danza, the plena, the bomba and the salsa.

Flag of Puerto Rico San Juan : the flag of Puerto Rico San Juan derives its essence from the flag of the US. There are also similarities between this flag and the Cuban flag. The rectangular flag is dominated by three colors: red, blue and white. Red and white appears in five equal horizontal stripes, while there is a blue isosceles triangle in the center of which is a white five-pointed star. The red signifies the life giving “blood” of the country’s administration: Legislative, Executive and Judiciary; white stands for liberty; blue symbolizes the “Republican Government”; and the lone white star is emblematic of the “The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico”.

Economy of Puerto Rico San Juan : the tiny island nation of Puerto Rico San Juan has quite a prosperous economy. The crux of this lies in the fact that it has struck a balance between its agricultural and industrial sectors. The chief natural resources of the country are copper, nickel and oil – both onshore and offshore. Agricultural produce also do not lag behind with the production of such revenue earning crops as sugarcane and coffee. Other crops include pineapples, plantains and bananas. Industries in the country, on the other hand, include the production and processing of such goods as apparel, electronics, pharmaceuticals and food products. The other industries of prime importance in the country are fishing and tourism. The chief exports from the country are apparel, medical equipment, chemicals, beverage concentrates, electronics, canned tuna and rum.