Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico is located east of the Dominican Republic and west of the British Virgin Islands. The island is relatively small, 3459 sq miles/8959 sq km, with a mountain range which reaches an altitude of 4390 ft/1338 m at Cerro de Punta and it is surrounded by low coastal plains. The capital, San Juan, is located on the northeast shore. Most of the island’s natural forest has bee removed for agriculture, but there are trees in the northeast that are protected as it is considered as a national park. The other main cities are Ponce, Bavamon, Mayaguez, Caguas, Carolina, Arecibo, Guaynabo, Cavey, Aguadilla and Farjardo.

Accommodations: San Juan has modern Americanized hotels as does Ponce. Outside the main urban areas, there are Paradores (government-sponsored country inns). These are less modern, but of a good standard. There are also vacation rentals by owners for rent. These include: Apartments, Bed and Breakfasts, Condominiums or Resorts, Cottages or Cabins, Homes or Villas, Hotels and Inns, Houseboats, and Studios and Penthouses

History: The Taino Indians were the first to live in Puerto Rico and. The island was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1493 during his second voyage to the New World. The island was surrendered to the USA in 1898 at the end of the Spanish-American War. In 1917, the Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship and in 1952, the island became a self governing Commonwealth in association with the USA.