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PUERTO RICO
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 to retain commonwealth
status.
Economy
Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region. A
diverse industrial sector has far surpassed agriculture as the primary locus of
economic activity and income. Encouraged by duty-free access to the US and by
tax incentives, US firms have invested heavily in Puerto Rico since the 1950s.
US minimum wage laws apply. Sugar production has lost out to dairy production
and other livestock products as the main source of income in the agricultural
sector. Tourism has traditionally been an important source of income, with
estimated arrivals of nearly 5 million tourists in 1999. Growth fell off in
2001-03, largely due to the slowdown in the US economy, and has recovered in
2004.
Population
The 3.950 million people that inhabit the island of Puerto Rico make it one of
the most densely populated islands in the world. There are about 1,000 people
per square mile, a ratio higher than within any of the 50 states in the United
States. It is estimated that some 2 million Puerto Ricans have migrated to the
United States. Had these people remained in Puerto Rico, the island would be so
densely populated that there would be virtually no room for people to live.
Because of the massive migration to the mainland, more Puerto Ricans are said to
live in New York City than in San Juan. In recent years, many Puerto Ricans have
returned to their island home, in large part because of inadequate economic
opportunity in the United States.
History
Christopher Columbus bumped into Puerto Rico on his second voyage to the new
world. He sailed along the Caribbean Sea on the islands southern coast and went
ashore on November 19, 1493 somewhere on the western shore. He and his men
rested for a few days to supply themselves with fresh drinking water, fruit and
fish. The island was named San Juan Bautista (St. John the Baptist). After this
brief stay, Columbus sailed the Mona Passage west in search of other lands. The
island was left unvisited by the Europeans for 15 years. On August 12, 1508 Juan
Ponce de Leon, a soldier who had traveled with Columbus in 1493, invaded Puerto
Rico with a small army of soldiers and became Puerto Rico's first governor. The
first town established was Caparra, located near the south shore of what is
today the San Juan Bay. The Taino aborigines (about 30,000) who lived on the
island, lived in small tribes. They were not physically prepared to resist the
Spaniards goal to conquer the island. Their primitive weapons were no match for
the Spanish swords and powerful fire arms. The Tainos were turned into slaves
and used to do mining work. Soon, organized by the great and most important
Taino leader, Agueybana, the Tainos rebelled and began to launch bloody raids
against the isolated Spanish settlements. Unfortunately when the aborigines had
their direct confrontation with Ponce de Leon's forces, Agueybana was shot dead.
Some Tainos fled deep into the island's mountains and forest, others canoed to
nearby islands. After this the Taino resistance was limited to very few attacks.
Many of the enslaved Tainos killed their young ones and committed suicide. The
lack of slave labor prompted Ponce de Leon to go after the Tainos on land and
sea.
By 1514 there were less than 4,000 Tainos left. Agriculture was beginning to
take a bigger role in the islands economy and African slaves were introduced. In
1519 the smallpox epidemic (said to be brought to the island from Africa) killed
many Spaniards and Tainos. Ponce de Leon set eyes on Florida (North America) on
one of his exploratory voyages from Caparra. In 1521, while in Florida, Ponce de
Leon was wounded by an Aborigine's arrow and died of gangrene at the age of 47.
Ponce de Leon's remains rest beneath a marble slab in the San Juan Cathedral, in
Old San Juan. The Caparra settlement was then moved across the bay to a more
breezy site overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, what is today known as Old San Juan.
The coming years were also filled with attacks by the feared Caribe aborigines
who were known to be cannibals. They not only attacked the far shore of San Juan
but also the village of San German, in the southwest part of the island. In
time, as mining resources became more scarce, cultivating sugar cane became the
most important economical activity. The climate was ideal and African slaves
labor was cheap. By now the Spanish had built a rich empire in the new world.
Convoys of ships loaded with silver, pearls, and all kinds of treasures from the
new world sailed the Caribbean Sea and were often attacked by French, English
and Dutch pirates. To avoid that enemies take the island of Puerto Rico and use
it as a base from which to attack the treasure fleets, Spain authorized the
fortification of San Juan. The construction of El Morro de San Felipe Castle
began in 1539. Other small forts were also built.
In 1595 El Morro was attacked by Sir Francis Drake and his fleet. Fortunately
for the Spaniards El Morro proved itself worthy for battle and the enemy was
repelled. George Clifford, the count of Cumberland along side his large fleet
took the city but they couldn't take El Morro. After suffering of exhaustion in
the sun they were forced to leave. The Dutch also attacked Puerto Rico twenty
seven years later under General Boudewin Hendricksz. They sieged San Juan and
burnt down a great part of the city. Not being able to take El Morro, they also
left. Finally the city was completely encircled with a 50 foot wall and the San
Cristobal castle was constructed to protect the eastern part of the city. Part
of the wall was demolished later on in the twentieth century.
Currency
United States dollar (US$)
Since Puerto Rico is part of
the United States, the island's currency is the U.S.
dollar.
Coins: 1, 5, 10, 25 (cents) 1 (dollar) Bills: $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100,
$500, $1,000, $5,000, and $10,000. On July 14, 1969, the Treasury Department and
the Federal Reserve Board announced that they would immediately stop
distributing currency in denominations of $500, $1,000, $5,000 and $10,000.
Production of these denominations stopped during World War II. Their main
purpose was for bank transfer payments. Note that the US dollar is often
referred by locals as "peso".
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