You may have heard of Puerto Rico. You may have visited. You might even live here. But with a history as long and storied as ours, there’s always something new to learn. With that in mind, here’s…
Facts About Puerto Rico You (Probably) Didn’t Know
1. The Original Name of the Island is Borikén.
For centuries before the Spanish arrived, the island was inhabited by natives known as the Taínos. They were the ones who gave the island the name of Borikén. Some sources claim this means “Land of the great and noble Lord,” but considering the Taínos were known to be polytheistic, take that with a grain of salt.
2. Puerto Rico is Spanish for Rich Port, a reference to the gold the Spaniards found here.
While originally named San Juan Bautista, for John the Baptist, Spanish colonizers soon came up with a name that more closely reflected the riches they found here.
3. The island of Puerto Rico isn’t actually an island.
Puerto Rico keeps getting called an island, but really, it’s an archipelago made up of one larger island surrounded by smaller islands and cays. Only three of those landmasses are inhabited.
4. Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the U.S.
PR is a commonwealth of the US, which means we aren’t a state, but we also aren’t an independent country.
5. Puerto Ricans can’t Vote in the U.S. Presidential Elections (But do vote in primaries).
Because of that complicated political relationship, Puerto Ricans don’t vote for the president even though we are US citizens. We have local elections and vote for our governor, mayors, and senators, but not the president. Oddly enough, presidential primaries get held here.
6. The Piña Colada ID Puerto Rican.
Do you like Piña Coladas? And getting caught in the rain? (Sorry, I had to do it.) Well, you have Puerto Rico to thank for that! That’s right! The Piña Colada was invented here!
7. El Yunque is the only rainforest in the U.S. Forest System.
El Yunque receives an average of 120 inches of rain a year and is home to over 200 species of flora, 16 of which are endemic to the forest. Like the title of this entry says, it’s the only rainforest in the US forest system.
8. We have the largest shopping center in the Caribbean.
Opening on September 12, 1968, Plaza las Américas was the first shopping center to open in Puerto Rico and remains the largest one in the Caribbean.
9. Casa Bacardi is the largest rum distillery in the world, producing more than 100,000 liters of rum daily.
Puerto Rico produces a lot of rum. Aside from the Bacardi distillery mentioned in the title of this entry, we also have the Serrallés distillery, producer of Don Q. With all that rum, is it any wonder the Piña Colada was invented here?
10. Puerto Rico has phenomenal beaches.
The beaches in PR are second to none. Of course, I may be biased, so don’t take my word for it. Playa Flamenco, for example, is consistently ranked among the best in the Caribbean and the world.
Conclusion
As it was stated at the beginning of this post, the number of exciting things to learn about PR is seemingly endless. Enough to make another one of these articles, maybe? Thanks for reading, and if you find these facts interesting, maybe check out another one of our posts, or even better, come check out PR for yourself! There’s nothing like learning straight from the source.
