Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico• Capital: San Juan

• Population: 3,916,632

• Government: Commonwealth associated with the United States

• Official Languages: Spanish and English

• Currency: U.S. Dollar

Puerto Rico• San Juan is on the

northeastern coast of the island.

• Originally Puerto Rico was named Puerto Rico Bautista and the capital was named Puerto Rico.

• Only later were the two names switched by Juan Ponce de León, Puerto Rico’s first governor.

Art• José Campeche is one of Puerto Rico’s most

famous artists. • Because of his expertise in the Rococo art style,

Campeche’s paintings appeal to the senses of the observer-more aesthetically than intellectually.

• This can be seen in his paintings: the faces of people done in such softness, charm and youth - true qualities of Rococo art.

Puerto Rico• The buildings and streets

of El Viejo San Juan reflect the Spanish colonial period.

• El Yunque, the Caribbean National Forest, is the largest forest in Pto. Rico. It’s known for its many species of plants and animals.

Puerto Rico• The tiny coquí, named for

the loud sound it makes, is a symbol of Puerto Rico.

• Large waves make the beaches of Isabela an ideal spot for surfers.

• Baseball is a very popular sport in Pto. Rico.

Puerto Rico• Las máscaras de

vejigante: Vejigante masks can be made out of a dried coconut shell. They have horns and are often painted with bright colors.

• The Taino culture was the dominant culture before the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1493.

Puerto Rico• El Morro is a Spanish

fortress that has become the architectural symbol of Puerto Rico.

• Its construction began in 1539 and its strategic position made it the most important Spanish fortress in the Caribbean.

Puerto Rico• The Town of Ponce,

nicknamed The Pearl of the South, is known for its fine architecture.

• El Parque de Bombas is a museum dedicated to the Ponce fire department. The building used to be a fire station from 1883 until 1989.

Puerto Rico• Habichuelas are beans, a

Puerto Rican staple often eaten with rice and chicken or beef.

• Fried chicken with fried plantains (known as tostones) is a typical dish of Puerto Rico.

• Other typical Puerto Rican dishes are maduros and carnitas.

Puerto Rico• Some of Puerto Rico’s

most famous people:• Ricky Martin, Daddy

Yankee, Benicio del Toro, Roselyn Sanchez, Rosario Dawson.