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Most Recent Articles
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- Puerto Rico – A Vacationer's Paradise
“Puerto Rico – my heart’s devotion – let it sink back in the ocean!” sang Anita in West Side Story. Although Anita’s song made it clear that she preferred America, for many residents and visitors Puerto Rico really is their hearts’ devotion! Its warm tropical climate, perennial sunshine and beautiful beaches bring millions of tourists to the island every year. It has earned its nickname, the Island of Enchantment.
The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (Spanish for “Rich Port”) became an American territory and its inhabitants granted US citizenship in 1912. It is the easternmost island of the Greater Antilles chain between the Atlantic Ocean on the north and the Caribbean Sea on the south. Puerto Rico was a Spanish colony for nearly 400 years; it was ceded to the United States in 1898 after the Spanish-American War. Its Hispanic roots remain; Spanish is the primary language of the island. In addition to the main island, Puerto Rico includes several off-shore islands; Vieques, Culebra and Mona. Although uninhabited, Mona Island is a diver’s favorite because of its abundant marine life.
Visitors to the island flock to its pristine beaches, such as Luquillo Beach on the northeastern corner. Light brown sand and blue-green water gives way to lush palm forests that wave gently in the cool trade winds. The surrounding ocean is very deep; the Puerto Rico Trench, to the north, drops to 28,231 feet – the deepest known point of the Atlantic Ocean. Thus, between the cool, deep water and the trade winds, visitors find Puerto Rico’s climate very agreeable.
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