![]() Scarce archaeological findings and early Spanish accounts from the colonial era constitute all that is known about them. Unlike other indigenous cultures in the New World ( Aztec, Maya or Inca) which left behind abundant archeological and physical evidence of their societies, scant artifacts and evidence remain of the Puerto Rico's earliest population. The ancient history of the archipelago which is now Puerto Rico is not well known. HistoryĪ 20th-century reconstruction of an 8th-century Taíno village, located at the spot where their ballpark and remains were discovered in 1975, in the aftermath of Hurricane Eloise. The official name of the entity in Spanish is Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico ("Free Associated State of Puerto Rico"), while its official English name is Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The name was changed back to Puerto Rico in 1931 by a joint resolution in Congress introduced by Félix Córdova Dávila. ![]() The island's name was changed to Porto Rico by the United States after the Treaty of Paris of 1898. Eventually traders and other maritime visitors came to refer to the entire island as Puerto Rico, while San Juan became the name used for the main trading/shipping port and the capital city. Ĭolumbus named the island San Juan Bautista, in honor of Saint John the Baptist, while the capital city was named Ciudad de Puerto Rico ("Rich Port City"). The island is also popularly known in Spanish as la isla del encanto, meaning "the island of enchantment". ![]() The terms boricua and borincano are commonly used to identify someone of Puerto Rican heritage, and derive from Borikén and Borinquen respectively. Puerto Ricans often call the island Borinquén, a derivation of Borikén, its indigenous Taíno name, which means "Land of the Valiant Lord". The major sectors of Puerto Rico's economy are manufacturing (primarily pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, and electronics) followed by services (namely tourism and hospitality). It is classified by the International Monetary Fund as a developed jurisdiction with an advanced, high-income economy it ranks 40th on the Human Development Index. government, together with the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company, launched a series of economic projects to develop Puerto Rico into an industrial high-income economy. īeginning in the mid-20th century, the U.S. Puerto Rico's current and future political status has consistently been a matter of significant debate. citizens residing on the island to elect a governor. Congress approved a local constitution in 1952, allowing U.S. Congress, called a Resident Commissioner, and participates in presidential primaries as it is not a state, Puerto Rico does not have a vote in Congress, which governs it under the Puerto Rico Federal Relations Act of 1950. In common with four other territories, Puerto Rico sends a nonvoting representative to the U.S. However, as residents of an unincorporated territory, American citizens of Puerto Rico are disenfranchised at the national level, do not vote for the president or vice president, and generally do not pay federal income tax. citizens since 1917, and can move freely between the island and the mainland. In 1898, following the Spanish–American War, Puerto Rico was acquired by the United States. By the late 19th century, a distinct Puerto Rican identity began to emerge, centered around a fusion of indigenous, African, and European elements. Within the Spanish Empire, Puerto Rico played a secondary but strategic role compared to wealthier colonies like Peru and New Spain. ![]() An influx of African slaves and settlers primarily from the Canary Islands and Andalusia vastly changed the cultural and demographic landscape of the island. Puerto Rico was contested by other European powers, but remained a Spanish possession for the next four centuries. It was then colonized by Spain following the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1493. Puerto Rico was settled by a succession of indigenous peoples beginning 2,000 to 4,000 years ago these included the Ortoiroid, Saladoid, and Taíno. Spanish and English are the official languages of the executive branch of government, though Spanish predominates. It has roughly 3.2 million residents, and its capital and most populous city is San Juan. Virgin Islands, and includes the eponymous main island and several smaller islands, such as Mona, Culebra, and Vieques. It is located in the northeast Caribbean Sea, approximately 1,000 miles (1,600 km) southeast of Miami, Florida, between the Dominican Republic and the U.S. Puerto Rico ( Spanish for 'rich port' abbreviated PR Taino: Boriken, Borinquen), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( Spanish: Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit.'Free Associated State of Puerto Rico'), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated territory of the United States with official Commonwealth status.
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