NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Borinquen

The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (Spanish: Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico) is a self-governing unincorporated organized territory of the United States located east of the Dominican Republic in the northeastern Caribbean. Puerto Rico, the smallest of the Greater Antilles, includes the main island of Puerto Rico and a number of smaller islands and keys, including Mona, Vieques, and Culebra. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x800, 7 KB) The flag of Puerto Rico. ... Coat of Arms/Puerto Rico This image depicts a seal, an emblem, a coat of arms or a crest. ... Flag ratio: 1:2 The flag of Puerto Rico consists of five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bears a large, white, five-pointed star in the center. ... The Coat of Arms of Puerto Ricowere first granted by the Spanish Crown in 1511, and are the oldest arms still used in the New World. ... This page lists state and national mottos for the worlds independent states and their subdivisions. ... Latin is an Indo-European language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that is formally recognized by a countrys government as their states official national song. ... asBold textelashely doesnt have anyfriends no1 likes her she is a bitch. ... File links The following pages link to this file: Puerto Rico ... In politics a capital (also called capital city or political capital â€” although the latter phrase has an alternative meaning based on an alternative meaning of capital) is the principal city or town associated with its government. ... San Juan is the capital city of Puerto Rico. ... Puerto Rico is said to comprise a White majority, an extinct Amerindian population, persons of mixed ancestry, Africans and a small Asian minority. ... San Juan is the capital city of Puerto Rico. ... An official language is a language that is given a unique legal status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Seal of the Governor of Puerto Rico The Governor of Puerto Rico is the Head of Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. ... For other uses of Commonwealth, see Commonwealth. ... Order: 8th Democratically Elected Governor Term of Office: January 2, 2005â€“ Predecessor: Sila CalderÃ³n Successor: Incumbent Date of Birth: Friday, February 13, 1962 Place of Birth: San Juan, Puerto Rico First Lady: Luisa GÃ¡ndara Profession: Lawyer Political Party: Popular Democratic Party Resident Commissioner: Luis FortuÃ±o (2005-) An... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... To help compare orders of magnitude of different geographical regions, we list here areas between 1,000 kmÂ² and 10,000 kmÂ². See also areas of other orders of magnitude. ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... 2005 - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... This article is in need of attention. ... Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. ... This is a list of sovereign states and other territories by population, estimated for the year 2005. ... List of countries/dependencies by population density in inhabitants/kmÂ². The figures in the following table are based on areas including inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers). ... In economics, purchasing power parity (PPP) is a number used to compare the standard of living of two countries. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... These are two lists of countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP), the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. ... This is a list of countries of the world sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) at purchasing power parity (PPP) per capita for the year of 2004, the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year, divided by the average population for... World map indicating HDI of nation-states, 2003. ... 2003 (MMIII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This is a list of countries by Human Development Index, as included in the United Nations Development Programme Report 2005. ... USD redirects here. ... ISO 4217 is an international standard describing three letter codes to define the names of currencies established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ... Time zones are areas of the Earth that have adopted the same standard time, usually referred to as the local time. ... Daylight saving time (also called DST) is the U.S. term for a system intended to save daylight (the British observe summer time, and likewise the Europeans). ... The Atlantic Standard Time Zone (AST) is a geographic region that keeps time by subtracting four hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). ... Coordinated Universal Time or UTC, also sometimes referred to as Zulu time or Z, is an atomic realization of Universal Time (UT) or Greenwich Mean Time, the astronomical basis for civil time. ... DST is an abbreviation which stands for: Daylight Saving Time Data Storage and Transfer, a tape format for data backup developed by Ampex Desktop Support Technician Direction de la Surveillance du Territoire (Directorate of Territorial Surveillance), the French domestic intelligence agency Direct Stream Transfer, lossless compression used for SACD Discrete... Coordinated Universal Time or UTC, also sometimes referred to as Zulu time or Z, is an atomic realization of Universal Time (UT) or Greenwich Mean Time, the astronomical basis for civil time. ... The following is a list of currently existing Internet Top-level domains (TLDs). ... .pr is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Puerto Rico. ... // At a glance In depth Zone 1 â€“ North American Numbering Plan Area nanpa. ... The area code (787) is the local telephone area code of Puerto Rico. ... The area code (939) for Puerto Rico, operates as an overlay for the original local (787) telephone area code. ... For other uses of Commonwealth, see Commonwealth. ... An incorporated territory of the United States is a specific area under the jurisdiction of the United States, over which the United States Congress has determined that the United States Constitution is to be applied to the territorys inhabitants in its entirety (e. ... In the history of the United States, an organized territory is a territory for which the United States Congress has enacted an Organic Act. ... ... The Greater Antilles, an island group in the Caribbean Sea, are part of the Antilles. ... An archipelago is a landform which consists of a chain or cluster of islands. ... Mona Mona (a. ... Vieques is an island-municipality of Puerto Rico. ... Isla Culebra (Snake Island) is an island-municipality of Puerto Rico originally called Isla Pasaje and Isla de San Idelfonso. ...

History

Main article: History of Puerto Rico This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

When Europeans first arrived, the island of Puerto Rico was inhabited by a group of Arawak Indians known as Taínos. The Taínos called the island "Borikén." The first European contact was made by Christopher Columbus during his second voyage to the Antilles, on November 19, 1493. Some say that Puerto Rico was not discovered by Columbus but by Martín Alonso Pinzón in 1492 when he separated from Columbus and went exploring on his own. The Pinzón family was given one year by the Spanish court to start a settlement in Puerto Rico which would give them a claim to the island. However, they did not succeed. Originally named San Juan Bautista, in honor of Saint John the Baptist, the island ultimately took the name of Puerto Rico (Rich Port), while the name San Juan is now delegated to its capital and largest city. Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de León became the island's first governor to take office, while Vicente Yáñez Pinzón was the first appointed governor, though he never arrived on the island. The term Arawak (from aru, the Lokono word for cassava flour), was used to designate the friendly Amerindians encountered by the Spanish in the Caribbean. ... The TaÃno are pre-Colombian indigenous Amerindian inhabitants of the Greater Antilles islands, which include Cuba, Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Puerto Rico, Jamaica and the Bahamas. ... Christopher Columbus (conjectural image by Sebastiano del Piombo). ... November 19 is the 323rd day of the year (324th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Events January 4 - Christopher Columbus leaves the New World. ... The Baptism of Christ, by Piero della Francesca, 1449 John the Baptist (also called John the Baptizer or Yahya the Baptizer) is regarded as a prophet by at least three religions: Christianity, Islam, and Mandaeanism. ... San Juan is the capital city of Puerto Rico. ... Conquistador (meaning Conqueror in the Spanish language) is the term used to refer to the soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who achieved the Conquista (this Spanish term is generally accepted by historians), i. ... ... Seal of the Governor of Puerto Rico The Governor of Puerto Rico is the Head of Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. ...

The island was soon colonized and briefly became an important stronghold and port for the Spanish empire in the Caribbean. However, colonial emphasis during the late 17th–18th centuries focused on the more prosperous mainland territories, leaving the island impoverished of settlers. Concerned about threats from its European enemies, over the centuries various forts and walls were built to protect the port of San Juan. Fortresses such as La Fortaleza, El Castillo San Felipe del Morro and Fort San Cristóbal were built. The French, Dutch and English made attempts to capture Puerto Rico, but failed to wrest long-term occupancy of the island. Spain was the center of one of the first Global Empires. ... ... San Juan is the capital city of Puerto Rico. ... La Fortaleza (or The Fortress in English) is the current residence of the Governor of Puerto Rico. ... Aerial view of El Morro. ... Fort San CristÃ³bal is a Spanish fort in San Juan, Puerto Rico. ...

In 1809, while Napoleon occupied the majority of the Spanish peninsula, a populist assembly based in Cadiz recognized Puerto Rico as an overseas province of Spain with the right to send representatives to the Spanish Court. The representative Ramon Power y Giralt died soon after arriving in Spain; and constitutional reforms were reversed when autocratic monarchy was restored. Nineteenth century reforms augmented the population and economy, and expanded the local character of the island. After the rapid gains of independence by the South and Central American states in the first part of the century, Puerto Rico and Cuba became the sole New World remnants of the large Spanish empire. 1809 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... This article is about the Spanish city. ... Admiral Ramon Power y Giralt Admiral Ramon Power y Giralt (October 21, 1775 - June 10, 1813 born in the City of San Juan, Puerto Rico), was according to Puerto Rican historian, Lidio Cruz Monclova, among the first native born Puerto Ricans to referr to himself as a Puerto Rican and...

Toward the end of the 19th century, poverty and political estrangement with Spain led to a small but significant uprising in 1868 known as "El Grito de Lares." The Puerto Rican goal was to achieve personal freedom, the abolition of slavery, and full self-government. The uprising was easily and quickly crushed. Leaders of this independence movement included Ramón Emeterio Betances, considered the "father" of the Puerto Rican nation, and other political figures such as Segundo Ruiz Belvis. Later, another political stronghold was the autonomist movement originated by Roman Baldorioty de Castro and, toward the end of the century, by Luis Muñoz Rivera. In 1897, Muñoz Rivera and others persuaded the liberal Spanish government to agree to a Charters of Autonomy for Cuba and Puerto Rico. The following year, Puerto Rico's first, but short-lived, autonomous government was organized. The charter maintained a governor appointed by Spain, who held the power to annul any legislative decision he disagreed with, and a partially elected parliamentary structure. Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... El Grito de Lares (or The Cry of Lares in English) —also referred as the Lares uprising, the Lares revolt, or the Lares rebellion— refers to the revolt against Spanish rule in Puerto Rico which occurred on September 23, 1868, in the town of Lares, Puerto Rico. ... Dr. RamÃ³n Emeterio Betances (April 8, 1827 â€“ September 18, 1898), born in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, was the main leader of the Grito de Lares revolution. ... Segundo Ruiz Belvis (May 13, 1829 – November 3, 1867) born in Hormigueros, Puerto Rico was a dedicated abolisionist who also fought for Puerto Ricos right to independence. ... Román Baldorioty de Castro (Image: Library of Congress) Román Baldorioty de Castro (February 23, 1823-September 30, 1889), born in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, distinguished himself as one of Puerto Ricos foremost abolitionist and spokesperson for the islands right to self-determination. ... Luis MuÃ±oz Rivera Luis MuÃ±oz Rivera (July 17, 1859 - November 15, 1916) was a poet, journalist and a politician from Barranquitas, Puerto Rico. ...

On July 25, 1898 at the outbreak of the Spanish–American War, Puerto Rico, being a colony of Spain, was invaded by the United States of America with a landing at Guánica. Spain was forced to cede Puerto Rico, along with Cuba and the Phillippines, to the United States under the Treaty of Paris (1898) ^[1]. The twentieth century began under the military regime of the United States with officials, including the governor, appointed by the President of the United States. In 1917, the Jones-Shafroth Act approved by the United States Congress granted Puerto Ricans U.S. citizenship. Natural disasters and the Great Depression impoverished the island. Some political leaders demanded change; some, like Pedro Albizu Campos, would lead a nationalist (The Puerto Rican Nationalist Party) movement in favor of independence. He would eventually die by what he claimed was a conspiracy set in place by the U.S. Federal Government. Muñoz Rivera initially favored independence, but saw a severe decline of the Puerto Rican economy, as well as growing violence and uprisings, at the hands of the U.S. government and opted to create the "commonwealth" option as an eventual stepping stone to full independence. While that option survived several decades and had its benefits, it has proven to be stagnating the economy rather than setting it free. July 25 is the 206th day (207th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 159 days remaining. ... 1898 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The Spanish-American War took place in 1898, and resulted in the United States of America gaining control over the former colonies of Spain in the Caribbean and Pacific. ... Guánica is a municipality of Puerto Rico. ... The Treaty of Paris of 1898, signed on December 10, 1898, ended the Spanish-American War. ... The President of the United States (unofficially abbreviated POTUS) is the head of state of the United States. ... 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. ... For the law regarding sailor rights, see the Jones Act The Jones-Shafroth Act conferred United States citizenship to Puerto Ricans, and created the present system of government in Puerto Rico by creating a government mirroring the government structure of the United States. ... Citizenship is membership in a political community (originally a city but now usually a state), and carries with it rights to political participation; a person having such membership is a citizen. ... The Great Depression was a massive global economic recession (or depression) that ran from 1929 to approximately 1939. ... Pedro Albizu Campos Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos (September 12, 1891 â€“ April 21, 1965) born in Tenerias Village in Ponce, Puerto Rico was the son of Alejandro Albizu and Juana Campos. ... Nationalism is an ideology that creates and sustains a nation as a concept of a common identity for groups of humans. ... The Puerto Rican Nationalist Party was first organized on September 17, 1922. ...

Change in the nature of governance of the island came about during the latter years of the Roosevelt–Truman administrations, as a form of compromise spearheaded by Luis Muñoz Marín and others, and which culminated with the appointment by President Harry S. Truman in 1946 of the first Puerto Rican-born governor, Jesús T. Piñero. In 1948, the United States granted the right to democratically elect the governor of Puerto Rico. Luis Muñoz Marín would become the first elected governor of Puerto Rico. Luis Muñoz Marín. ... Luis Muñoz Marín. ... Order: 1st Democratically Elected Governor Term of Office: January 2, 1949â€“January 2, 1965 Predecessor: None Successor: Roberto SÃ¡nchez Vilella Date of Birth: Monday, February 18, 1898 Place of Birth: San Juan, Puerto Rico Date of Death: Thursday, April 30, 1980 Place of Death: San Juan, Puerto Rico First... Seal of the Governor of Puerto Rico The Governor of Puerto Rico is the Head of Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. ... Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882 â€“ April 12, 1945), 32nd President of the United States (1933-1945), the longest-serving holder of the office and the only person to be elected President more than twice (he was elected four times, and served just over 12 years), was one of the... Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884 â€“ December 26, 1972) was the thirty-fourth Vice President (1945) and the thirty-third President of the United States (1945â€“53), succeeding to the office upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt. ... Order: 1st Democratically Elected Governor Term of Office: January 2, 1949â€“January 2, 1965 Predecessor: None Successor: Roberto SÃ¡nchez Vilella Date of Birth: Monday, February 18, 1898 Place of Birth: San Juan, Puerto Rico Date of Death: Thursday, April 30, 1980 Place of Death: San Juan, Puerto Rico First... Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884 â€“ December 26, 1972) was the thirty-fourth Vice President (1945) and the thirty-third President of the United States (1945â€“53), succeeding to the office upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt. ... 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Order: 1st Puerto Rican to be appointed governor by the government of the United States Term of Office: 1946â€“1949 Predecessor: Rexford Guy Tugwell Successor: Luis MuÃ±oz MarÃn (1949) Date of Birth: April 6, 1897 Date of Death: November 16, 1952 Place of Birth: Carolina, Puerto Rico Profession... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... Seal of the Governor of Puerto Rico The Governor of Puerto Rico is the Head of Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. ...

On November 1, 1950, Puerto Rican nationalists Griselio Torresola and Oscar Collazo attempted to assassinate President Harry S. Truman. In response, Truman allowed for a genuinely democratic referendum in Puerto Rico to determine the status of its relationship to the United States ^[2]. November 1 is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 60 days remaining. ... 1950 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Griselio Torresola (1925 â€“ November 1, 1950) born in Jayuya, Puerto Rico, was one of two Puerto Rican Nationalists who attempted to assassinate United States President Harry Truman. ... Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884 â€“ December 26, 1972) was the thirty-fourth Vice President (1945) and the thirty-third President of the United States (1945â€“53), succeeding to the office upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt. ... A referendum (plural: referendums or referenda) or plebiscite is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. ...

Puerto Rico adopted its own constitution in 1952 which adopted a commonwealth relationship with the United States ^[3]^[4]. During the 1950s Puerto Rico experienced a rapid industrialization, with such projects as Operation Bootstrap which aimed to industrialize Puerto Rico's economy from agriculture-based into manufacturing-based. 1952 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... // Definition and linguistics The original phrase common wealth or the common weal is a calque translation of the Latin term res publica (public matters), from which the word republic comes, which was itself used as a synonym for the greek politeia as well as for the republican (i. ... // Events and trends The 1950s in Western society was marked with a sharp rise in the economy for the first time in almost 30 years and return to the 1920s-type consumer society built on credit and boom-times, as well as the the baby boom from returning GIs who... Operation Bootstrap (OperaciÃ³n Manos a la Obra) is the name given to the ambitious projects which industrialized Puerto Rico in the mid-20th century. ...

Present-day Puerto Rico has become a major tourist destination and a leading pharmaceutical and manufacturing center. Still, Puerto Rico continues to struggle to define its political status. A number of plebiscites have been held in recent decades to decide whether Puerto Rico should request independence, enhanced commonwealth status, or statehood. Narrow victories by commonwealth supporters over statehood advocates have not yielded substantial changes in the relationship between the island and the United States. However, commonwealth--which once had the support of well over 75% of the population--now has less than 50% support. This decrease has been met with an expanded support for statehood for the island, with both groups holding an equal share of support. The independence ideal, once the second leading ideology on the island in the general elections, is now supported by 3–6% of the population.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Puerto Rico Location: Image of Puerto Rico taken by NASA. Caribbean, archipelago between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N, 66 30 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: Total: 9,104 km² Land: 8,959 km² Water: 145...

The archipelago of Puerto Rico consists of the main island of Puerto Rico and various smaller islands, including Vieques, Culebra, Mona, Desecheo and Caja de Muertos. Of the latter five, only Culebra and Vieques are inhabited year-round. Mona is uninhabited through large parts of the year except for employees of the Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources. Map of Puerto Rico. ... Map of Puerto Rico. ... An archipelago is a landform which consists of a chain or cluster of islands. ... Vieques is an island-municipality of Puerto Rico. ... Isla Culebra (Snake Island) is an island-municipality of Puerto Rico originally called Isla Pasaje and Isla de San Idelfonso. ... Mona Mona (a. ... Beach in Caja de Muerto Island Shot Caja de Muerto is an island south of Puerto Rico that is protected by the Federal Reserve of Natural Resourses, because of native turtle traffic. ...

The mainland measures some 170 km by 60 km (105 miles by 35 miles). It has a population of approximately 4 million. The capital city, San Juan, is located on the main island's north coast and has a population of approximately 430,000. A kilometre (American spelling: kilometer), symbol: km is a unit of length in the metric system equal to 1000 metres (from the Greek words Ï‡Î¯Î»Î¹Î± (khilia) = thousand and Î¼ÎÏ„ÏÎ¿ (metro) = count/measure). ... In politics a capital (also called capital city or political capital â€” although the latter phrase has an alternative meaning based on an alternative meaning of capital) is the principal city or town associated with its government. ... San Juan is the capital city of Puerto Rico. ...

The mainland is mostly mountainous with coastal areas in the north and south regions of the island. The main mountainous range is called "La Cordillera Central" (The Central Range). The highest elevation point of Puerto Rico, Cerro de Punta (1338 meters), is located in this range. Another important mountain range is the El Yunque National Forest with a maximum elevation of 1,065m. Coca Falls The Caribbean National Forest located on the island of Puerto Rico, and commonly known as El Yunque (named after the TaÃno Indian spirit YuquiyÃº, and meaning Forest of Clouds) is the only tropical forest in the United States National Forest System. ...

Some beautiful beaches on the western side of the island are Jobos Beach, Maria's Beach, Domes Beach and Sandy Beach.

Puerto Rico has nine lakes and more than 50 rivers. Most of these rivers are born in the "Cordillera Central." The rivers in the northern region of the island are bigger and with higher flow capacity than those of the south region.

Geology

Puerto Rico is composed of Cretaceous to Eocene volcanic and plutonic rocks, which are overlain by younger Oligocene to recent carbonates and other sedimentary rocks. Most of the caverns and karst topography on the island occurs in the northern Oligocene to recent carbonates. The oldest rocks are approximately 190 million years old (Jurassic) and are located at Sierra Bermeja in the southwest part of the island. These rocks may represent part of the oceanic crust and are believed to come from the Pacific Ocean realm. Puerto Rico lies at the boundary between the Caribbean and North America plates. This means that it is currently being deformed by the tectonic stresses caused by the interaction of these plates. These stresses may cause earthquakes and tsunamis. These seismic events, along with landslides, represent some of the most dangerous geologic hazards in the island and in the northeastern Caribbean. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1212x739, 109 KB) Geology of Puerto Rico File links The following pages link to this file: Puerto Rico ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1212x739, 109 KB) Geology of Puerto Rico File links The following pages link to this file: Puerto Rico ... The Cretaceous period is one of the major divisions of the geologic timescale, reaching from the end of the Jurassic period, about 146 million years ago (Ma), to the beginning of the Paleocene epoch of the Tertiary period (65. ... The Eocene epoch (56-34 MYA) is a major division of the geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Palaeogene period in the Cenozoic era. ... This article is about volcanoes in geology. ... In geology an intrusion is usually a body of igneous rock that has crystallized from a molten magma below the surface of the Earth. ... The Oligocene epoch is a geologic period of time that extends from about 34 million to 23 million years before the present. ... Carbonate is an anion with a charge of -2 and an empirical formula of CO32-. For an aqueous solution, carbonate exists in three forms. ... Two types of sedimentary rock: limey shale overlaid by limestone. ... Alternate meanings: Cave (disambiguation) The outside world viewed from a cave A cave is a natural underground void. ... Karst topography occurs when a landscape is marked by underground drainage patterns. ... The Jurassic period is a major unit of the geologic timescale that extends from about 200 Ma (million years ago) at the end of the Triassic to 146 Ma at the beginning of the Cretaceous. ... Age of oceanic crust Oceanic crust is the part of Earths lithosphere which underlies the ocean basins. ... Plate has several meanings: A plate electrode in a vacuum tube. ... ... Global earthquake epicenters, 1963–1998. ... The tsunami that struck MalÃ© in the Maldives on December 26, 2004. ... Seismology (from the Greek seismos = earthquake and logos = word) is the scientific study of earthquakes and the movement of waves through the Earth. ... A landslide is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rock falls, deep failure of slopes, and shallow debris flows, see flow. ... A Geologic Hazard is one of several types of adverse geologic conditions capable of causing damage or loss of property and life. ...

Politics

Main article: Politics of Puerto Rico Puerto Rico is a United States territory given special commonwealth status. ...

The island government is based on the U.S. Republic system composed of 3 branches: the Executive branch headed by the Governor, the Legislative branch consisting of a bicameral Legislative Assembly (a Senate and a House of Representatives) and the Judicial branch. The legal system is based on a mix of the Civil Law and the Common Law systems. The governor as well as legislators are elected by popular vote every four years. Members of the Judicial branch are appointed by the governor and approved by the senate. The island is divided into 78 municipalities, which elect a mayor and municipal assembly. Puerto Rico's formal Chief of State is the President of the United States; however, most of the executive functions are carried out by the governor. Under the doctrine of the separation of powers, the executive is the branch of a government charged with implementing, or executing, the law. ... Seal of the Governor of Puerto Rico The Governor of Puerto Rico is the Head of Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. ... In government, bicameralism is the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers. ... The Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico is the legislative branch of the government of Puerto Rico. ... The Senate of Puerto Rico is the upper house of the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico, smaller than the House of Representatives. ... The House of Representatives of Puerto Rico is the lower house of the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico, larger than the Senate. ... Civil law has at least three meanings. ... This article concerns the common-law legal system, as contrasted with the civil law legal system; for other meanings of the term, within the field of law, see common law (disambiguation). ... A municipality or general-purpose district (compare with: special-purpose district) is an administrative local area generally composed of a clearly defined territory and commonly referring to a city, town, or village government. ... A head of state or chief of state is the chief public representative of a nation-state, federation or commonwealth, whose role generally includes personifying the continuity and legitimacy of the state and exercising the political powers, functions and duties granted to the head of state in the countrys... The President of the United States (unofficially abbreviated POTUS) is the head of state of the United States. ...

The current Constitution of Puerto Rico was approved through referendum in 1952, and ratified by the U.S. Congress, which maintains ultimate sovereignty over Puerto Rico. Under the 1952 constitution, Puerto Rico is a territorial commonwealth of the United States and is permitted a high degree of autonomy. Still, Puerto Rico does not have voting representation in the U.S. Congress; neither does it have any delegates to the U.S. Electoral College, and therefore Puerto Rican citizens have no representation in the U.S. Presidential elections. A non-voting Resident Commissioner is elected by the residents of Puerto Rico to the U.S. Congress. Residents of the island do not pay federal income tax on income from island sources, however, island residents do pay social security taxes and other federal taxes. The island was also exempt from the national 55 mph speed limit that was mandated on the rest of the U.S. from 1974 to 1995. The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is the basic governing document of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. ... 1952 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Seal of the Congress. ... // Definition and linguistics The original phrase common wealth or the common weal is a calque translation of the Latin term res publica (public matters), from which the word republic comes, which was itself used as a synonym for the greek politeia as well as for the republican (i. ... Autonomy is the condition of something that does not depend on anything else. ... The United States Electoral College is the electoral college which chooses the President and Vice President of the United States at the conclusion of each Presidential election. ... The Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico is a nonvoting representative of the United States House of Representatives elected by Puerto Ricans every 4 years. ... Seal of the Congress. ...

Puerto Rico's three major political parties are most distinguished by their position on the political status of Puerto Rico. The Popular Democratic Party (PPD) seeks to maintain or improve the current Commonwealth status, the New Progressive Party (PNP) seeks to fully incorporate Puerto Rico as a U.S. state, and the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP) seeks national independence. The Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico â€”or Partido Popular DemocrÃ¡tico de Puerto Rico (PPD) in Spanishâ€” is a political party that stands for Puerto Rico to be a free associated state of the United States, which is also known as a commonwealth status. ... The New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico â€”or Partido Nuevo Progresista de Puerto Rico (PNP) in Spanishâ€” is a political party that campaigns for Puerto Rico to become a state of the United States. ... The Puerto Rican Independence Party (Partido Independentista PuertorriqueÃ±o (PIP) in Spanish) is a Puerto Rican political party that campaigns for the independence of Puerto Rico from the United States. ...

Three Puerto Rico status referenda have been held since the ratification of the 1952 constitution. Support for the commonwealth has eroded from over 60% in 1967 to about 48%, while support for statehood has grown to about 46%. The constituency of supporters for independence is unclear, since many independentistas feel that voting for the PIP in the general elections or independence in referendums is a waste of a vote since support for independence is scarce and instead vote for the PPD; those people are called melones. In the 1998 referendum independence received 2.5%, but the "None of the above" option received more than 50%. The latter option is widely recognized on the island as a protest vote by the PPD and the PIP and a blockade against statehood promoted by then-Governor Dr. Pedro Rosselló. Puerto Rican Status Referenda have been held four times to determine the political status of the island of Puerto Rico in relation to the United States of America. ... 1952 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Order: 6th Democratically Elected Governor Term of Office: January 2, 1993â€“ January 2, 2001 Predecessor: Rafael HernÃ¡ndez ColÃ³n Successor: Sila CalderÃ³n Date of Birth: Monday, April 5, 1944 Place of Birth: San Juan, Puerto Rico First Lady: Maga Nevares Profession: Pedriatician Political Party: New Progressive Party Resident...

Puerto Ricans living on the island are not counted among the Hispanics residing in the U.S.; in fact, they are not included in the U.S. population count at all, although all Puerto Ricans are U.S. Citizens. Puerto Rico also is not included in the Current Population Surveys that the Census Bureau conducts to update its decennial census.

U.S. Commonwealth

Although Puerto Rico is, politically speaking, a Commonwealth of the United States, Puerto Ricans and people from other nations refer to Puerto Rico as a país, the Spanish word for country. This is a very common and accepted international status given to all dependent territories, also called dependent "states" by the UN. This is highlighted by the fact, for example, that Puerto Rico is an independent country in the sports world, even having their own Olympic teams. In the jargon of international law, an inhabited territory that is not a first-order administrative division, but rather forms an external, non-sovereign territory governed by a sovereign one, is both a "state" and a "country". But none of these cases —neither U.S. "states" nor dependent "states/countries"—are considered sovereign international entities.

Economy

The economic conditions in Puerto Rico have improved dramatically since the Great Depression due to external investment in capital-intensive industry such as petrochemicals pharmaceuticals and technology. Once the beneficiary of special tax treatment from the U.S. government, today local industries must compete with those in more economically depressed parts of the world where wages are not subject to U.S. minimum wage legislation. In recent years, some U.S. and foreign owned factories have moved to lower wage countries in Latin America and Asia. Puerto Rico is subject to U.S. trade laws and restrictions. The Great Depression was a massive global economic recession (or depression) that ran from 1929 to approximately 1939. ... A petrochemical is any chemical derived from fossil fuels. ... Pharmacology (in Greek: pharmacon is drug, and logos is science) is the study of how chemical substances interfere with living systems. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

Puerto Ricans had a per capita GDP estimate of $17,700 for 2004 ^[5] , which demonstrates a growth over the $14,412. level measured in the 2002 Current Population Survey by the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund ^[6]. In that survey, Puerto Ricans have a 48.2% poverty rate. By comparison, the poorest State of the Union, Mississippi, had a median level of $21,587, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey, 2002 to 2004 Annual Social and Economic Supplements ^[7]. The U.S. Census is mandated by the United States Constitution. ...

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Puerto Rico Puerto Rico is said to comprise a White majority, an extinct Amerindian population, persons of mixed ancestry, Africans and a small Asian minority. ...

Puerto Rico has sometimes been said to have a White majority, an extinct Amerindian population, persons of mixed ancestry, Africans and a small Asian minority. However, broad US census categories have disallowed the mixed ancestry of most Puerto Ricans to be officially acknowledged; and most on the island tend to agree that what is "Puerto Rican" is generally a mixture between Spanish, Amerindian, and African genetic heritage. According to a recent study funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, 61 percent of all Puerto Ricans have Amerindian mitochondrial DNA, 27 percent have African and 12 percent Caucasian ^[8]. Native Americans (also Indians, Aboriginal Peoples, American Indians, First Nations, Alaskan Natives, or Indigenous Peoples of America) are the indigenous inhabitants of The Americas prior to the European colonization, and their modern descendants. ... The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ...

During the 1800s hundreds of Corsican, French, and Portuguese, along with a large numbers of immigrants from the Canary Islands and numerous Spanish loyalists from Spain's former colonies in South America, arrived in Puerto Rico. Other settlers have included Irish, Scots, Germans, and many others who were granted land from Spain during the Cedula de Gracias of 1815, which allowed European Catholics to settle in the island with a certain amount of free land. In the 19th century hundreds of Corsicans left their families and homeland, the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea, and immigrated to the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. ... ...

Emigration has been a major part of Puerto Rico's recent history as well. Starting in the Post-WWII period, due to poverty, cheap air fare, and promotion by the island government, waves of Puerto Ricans moved to the mainland United States, particularly New York City. This continued even as Puerto Rico's economy improved and the birth rate declined. Emigration continues at the present time, and this, combined with Puerto Rico's greatly lowered birth rate, suggests that the island's population will age rapidly and start to decline sometime within the next couple of decades. Emigration is the act and the phenomenon of leaving ones native country to settle abroad. ... World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrination, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atom bomb. ... New York City, officially named the City of New York, is the most populous city in the United States, the most densely populated major city in North America, and the largest financial center in the world. ...

According to the 2000 US Census, 95% of the population consider themselves of Puerto Rican descent (regardless of race or skin color), making Puerto Rico one of the most culturally homogenous societies in the world ^[9]. Since its colonization, Puerto Rico has become the permanent home of over 100,000 legal residents who immigrated from not only Spain, but from Latin America as well. Cubans, Dominicans, Colombians, Panamanians, Curacaoans, and Santomeños can also be accounted for as settlers. The variety of surnames which exist in Puerto Rico suggests widespread immigration to the island from many regions. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ...

Languages

The official languages of the island are Spanish and English. Spanish is the primary language in business and government; English is taught as a second language in schools. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

Religion

The Roman Catholic religion has been historically dominant and is the religion of the majority of Puerto Ricans, although the presence of Protestant, Latter-Day Saint (Mormon) and Jehovah's Witnesses denominations has increased under American sovereignty, making modern Puerto Rico an interconfessional country. The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Protestantism is a movement within Christianity, representing a split from within the Roman Catholic Church during the mid-to-late Renaissance in Europe â€”a period known as the Protestant Reformation. ... A Latter-day Saint is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). ... The term Mormon is a colloquial name referring to Latter Day Saints, a religion which was derived in the 1830s from the Book of Mormon, one of their books of scripture, whose compiler was called the prophet Mormon. ...

Taíno religious practices have to a degree been rediscovered/reinvented by a few handfuls of advocates. Kongo belief, known as Mayombe or Palo, has been around since the days of the arrival of enslaved Africans. Although, Santeria (stronger and more organized in Cuba) is practiced by some, Palo Mayombe (an African belief system which originated with Bantu tribes brought into Puerto Rico as slaves for over 500 years) finds more adherence among individuals who practice some form of African Traditional Religion. Lukumí or Regla de Ocha, most widely known as Santeria, is a set of related religious systems that fuse Catholic beliefs with traditional Yorùbá beliefs. ...

See also Protestants in Puerto Rico. Before the island of Puerto Rico came under United States sovereignty in 1898, Protestantism was proscribed; the only worshipping congregation was an Anglican one, for British merchants, in the town of Ponce. ...

Culture

Education

Education in Puerto Rico is divided into four levels. These are elementary, intermediate, high school and the university level. Students can attend either a public or a private school. Public schools are run by the state while private schools are run by private institutions, predominantly the Roman Catholic Church. The only public university system in Puerto Rico is the University of Puerto Rico. Students attending a lecture at the Helsinki University of Technology Etymologically derived through Middle English from the Latin second-type conjugation verb stÅdÄ“rÄ•, which means to direct ones zeal at; hence a student is one who directs zeal at a subject. ... Public is of or pertaining to the people; belonging to the people; relating to, or affecting, a nation, state, or community; opposed to private; as, the public treasury, a road or lake. ... Private refers to: privacy the ability of a person to control the availability of information about and exposure of him or herself. ... The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the Christian Church whose visible and spiritual head is the Pope, currently Pope Benedict XVI. It teaches that it is the one holy catholic and apostolic Church founded by Jesus Christ, and that the sole Church of Christ which... The University of Puerto Rico (UPR) is the university system of Puerto Rico. ...

Sports

Main article:Sports in Puerto Rico Sports in Puerto Rico can be traced from the ceremonial competitions amongst the Pre-Columbian Native Americans of the TaÃno tribes which inhabited the island, to the modern era in which sports activities consist of an organized physical activity or skill carried out with a recreational purpose for competition. ...

Puerto Rico currently has its own Olympic team and participates in the Summer Olympics and the Winter Olympics, as well as international representation in many other sporting events including the Pan-American Games, the Central American Games, and the Caribbean World Series. Further, it has its own representatives in beauty pageants including Miss World and Miss Universe. The Summer Olympic Games are an international multi-sport event held every four years, organised by the International Olympic Committee. ... A runner carries the Olympic torch The Winter Olympic Games, Winter Olympics for short but more correctly The Olympic Winter Games, are the cold-weather counterpart to the Summer Olympic Games. ... The Pan American Games are a multi-sport event, held every four years between competitors from all nations of the Americas. ... The Caribbean World Series of Professional Baseball â€” or Serie del Caribe del BÃ©isbol Profesional in Spanish â€” is an annual baseball tournament, usually played during the month of February,before the MLB trainings season in Dominican Republic, Mexico,Puerto Rico or Venezuela. ... The Miss World pageant (not to be confused with Miss Universe) is an international beauty pageant founded in the United Kingdom by Eric Morley in 1951. ... Miss Canada Universe 2005, Natalie Glebova reacts after being crowned Miss Universe 2005 by former Miss Universe 2004, Jennifer Hawkins of Australia in Bangkok, Thailand. ...

Boxing, basketball, and baseball are popular. They have their own professional baseball leagues, though San Juan hosted the Montréal Expos for several series in 2003 and 2004 before they moved to Washington, D.C. and became the Washington Nationals. The MontrÃ©al Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in MontrÃ©al, Quebec, Canada from 1969 to 2004. ... 2003 (MMIII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Washington, D.C. is the capital city of the United States of America. ... The Washington Nationals are a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the National Leagues Eastern Division, and currently play at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium. ...

On September 29, 2005 Major League Baseball announced that opening rounds of the newly formed World Baseball Classic, a 16-country tournament featuring top players, would be held in San Juan in March 2006. MLB logo Major League Baseball (MLB) is the highest level of play in professional baseball in the world. ... The World Baseball Classic is an international baseball tournament, featuring Major League players, to be first held in March 2006 and in 2009, as well as every four years thereafter. ... San Juan is the capital city of Puerto Rico. ...

Municipalities (Municipios)

For a complete list of the municipalities of Puerto Rico see: List of municipalities in Puerto Rico Image File history File links Map of the municipalities of Puerto Rico. ... Image File history File links Map of the municipalities of Puerto Rico. ... There are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the United States Government, but Puerto Rico has 78 municipalities at the second order. ...

As a commonwealth associated with the United States, Puerto Rico does not have any first-order administrative divisions as defined by the U.S. Government, but there are 78 municipalities at the second level. Mona Island is not a municipality, but part of the municipality of Mayagüez). Each municipality has a mayor and a municipal legislature elected for a 4 year term. A municipality or general-purpose district (compare with: special-purpose district) is an administrative local area generally composed of a clearly defined territory and commonly referring to a city, town, or village government. ... Mona Mona (a. ... MayagÃ¼ez (pronounced Mah-yah-GWEHZ) is the third largest city of Puerto Rico. ... A mayor (from the Latin maÄ«or, meaning larger,greater) is the politician who serves as chief executive official of some types of municipalities. ...

The first municipality (back then called town) of Puerto Rico, San Juan, was founded in 1521. In the 16th century two more municipalities were established, Coamo (1570) and San Germán (1570). Three more municipalities were established in the 17th century. These were Arecibo (1614), Aguada (1692) and Ponce (1692). The 18th and 19th century saw an increase in settlement in Puerto Rico. 30 municipalities were established in the 18th century and 34 more were established in the 19th century. Only six municipalities were founded in the 20th century. The last municipality was Florida, founded in 1971 ^[10]. Main street in Bastrop, Texas, a small town In American English, a town is usually a municipal corporation that is smaller than a city but larger than a village. ... Coamo is a municipality in south central Puerto Rico, about 30 minutes away by car from Ponce. ... San GermÃ¡n is the name of a city in south-west Puerto Rico, near MayagÃ¼ez and Cabo Rojo. ... Arecibo is a municipality in Puerto Rico named after the Taino Cacique Arasibo. ... Aguada is a municipality of United States Categories: Stub | Municipalities of Puerto Rico ... Ponce, the second largest city in Puerto Rico outside of the San Juan metropolitan area is named after the Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de León. ... Florida is a municipality of Puerto Rico. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) is a common year starting on Friday (click for link to calendar). ...

The municipalities are further subdivided into barrios, and those into sectors. Barrio is a Spanish word meaning district. ...

See also

See also: List of Puerto Rico-related topics This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... A Chinese Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico, but whose ancestors came from China. ... In the 19th century hundreds of Corsicans left their families and homeland, the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea, and immigrated to the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. ... [[Puerto Rico|Puerto Rican cuisine]] is mildly reminiscent of its Spanish roots as well as Amerindian, and African influences. ... The following is a list of national holidays in Puerto Rico. ... In the 19th century, there was considerable Irish immigration to Puerto Rico, for a number of reasons. ... Puerto Rican Literature at first repressed by the Spanish Colonial Government, evolved from the art of oral story telling to the present day status of being amongst the best in Latin-America. ... This List of universities and colleges in Puerto Rico includes colleges and universities in Puerto Rico that grant bachelors degrees and/or post-graduate masters and doctorate degrees. ... This is a partial list of movies set in Puerto Rico; either the movies plot includes that island, the movie has been filmed there, or both. ... List of TaÃnos An Arawak Tribe Abey, cacique of Salinas, Puerto Rico Agueybana,Supreme Cacique in Puerto Rico Agueybana II, Agueybana,s brother Alonso, minor cacique of Utuado, Puerto Rico Arasibo, cacique of Arecibo, Puerto Rico Armana, cacique around Coa (Toa) river in Puerto Rico Aymamon, cacique around river... This is a list of phrases, words, and slang used in Puerto Rico. ... Puerto Rico The military history of Puerto Rico dates back to the 16th century, when Spanish conquistadores battled against the native Tainos. ... The music of Puerto Rico has been influenced by African and European (especially Spanish) forms, and has become popular across the Caribbean and in some communities worldwide. ... Pop culture in Puerto Rico, it can be said, has been historically affected both by the political changes the island has gone through, and by the changes in popular culture around the world. ... The Puerto Rican immigration to Hawaii can be traced to the year 1899, when Puerto Ricos sugar industry was devasted by two hurricanes. ... Sports in Puerto Rico can be traced from the ceremonial competitions amongst the Pre-Columbian Native Americans of the TaÃno tribes which inhabited the island, to the modern era in which sports activities consist of an organized physical activity or skill carried out with a recreational purpose for competition. ... The TaÃno are pre-colombian indigenous Amerindian inhabitants of the Greater Antilles islands, which include Cuba, Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Puerto Rico, Jamaica and the Bahamas. ... This is a list of Puerto Rico-related topics: This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it. ...

External links

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ...

Official sites

References

Notes

Categories: Former Spanish colonies | Insular areas of the United States | Puerto Rico The Caribbean Community and Common Market or CARICOM was established by the Treaty of Chaguaramas [1] which came into effect on August 1, 1973. ... The Caribbean Community and Common Market or CARICOM was established by the Treaty of Chaguaramas [1] which came into effect on August 1, 1973. ... General info: Large flag of CARICOM (the Caribbean Community and Common Market) Dimensions: 453x302 pixels Source: public domain License: Originally public domain, modifications under GFDL Most of the flags have had their colours improved and many have been resized to the proper ratios. ... The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, located in the Leeward Islands is a unitary island nation in the Caribbean. ... Saint Lucia is an island nation in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. ... Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is an independent sovereign state of the Caribbean, part of the Commonwealth of Nations. ... The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is a nation located in the southern Caribbean Sea, situated 11 km. ... The political units and divisions of the United States include: the several states, which units are typically divided into counties and townships, and incorporate cities, villages, towns, and other types of municipality, and other autonomous or subordinate public authorities and institutions; and the federal state, which unit is the United... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... A U.S. state is any one of the fifty states (four of which officially favor the term commonwealth) which, together with the District of Columbia and Palmyra Atoll (an uninhabited incorporated unorganized territory), form the United States of America. ... State nickname: Camellia State, The Heart of DixieÂ¹, Yellowhammer State Other U.S. States Capital Montgomery Largest city Birmingham Governor Bob Riley (R) Senators Richard Shelby (R) Jeff Sessions (R) Official language(s) English Area 52,423 miÂ²/135,775 kmÂ² (30th) - Land 50,750 miÂ²/131,442 kmÂ² - Water... State nickname: The Last Frontier, The Land of the Midnight Sun Other U.S. States Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Governor Frank Murkowski (R) Senators Ted Stevens (R) Lisa Murkowski (R) Official language(s) English Area 663,267 miÂ² / 1,717,854 kmÂ² (1st) - Land 571,951 miÂ² / 1,481... State nickname: The Grand Canyon State, The Copper State Other U.S. States Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Governor Janet Napolitano (D) Senators John McCain (R) Jon Kyl (R) Official language(s) English Area 295,254 kmÂ² (6th) - Land 294,312 kmÂ² - Water 942 kmÂ² (0. ... State nickname: The Natural State Other U.S. States Capital Little Rock Largest city Little Rock Governor Mike Huckabee (R) Senators Blanche Lincoln (D) Mark Pryor (D) Official language(s) English Area 137,732 kmÂ² (29th) - Land 134,856 kmÂ² - Water 2,876 kmÂ² (2. ... State nickname: The Golden State Other U.S. States Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) Senators Dianne Feinstein (D) Barbara Boxer (D) Official language(s) English Area 410,000 kmÂ² (3rd) - Land 404,298 kmÂ² - Water 20,047 kmÂ² (4. ... State nickname: The Centennial State Other U.S. States Capital Denver Largest city Denver Governor Bill Owens (R) Senators Wayne Allard (R) Ken Salazar (D) Official language(s) English Area 269,837 kmÂ² (8th) - Land 268,879 kmÂ² - Water 962 kmÂ² (0. ... State nickname: The Constitution State Other U.S. States Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport Governor M. Jodi Rell (R) Senators Chris Dodd (D) Joe Lieberman (D) Official language(s) English Area 14,371 kmÂ² (48th) - Land 12,559 kmÂ² - Water 1,809 kmÂ² (12. ... State nickname: The First State Other U.S. States Capital Dover Largest city Wilmington Governor Ruth Ann Minner (D) Senators Joe Biden (D) Thomas Carper (D) Official language(s) None Area 6,452 kmÂ² (49th) - Land 5,068 kmÂ² - Water 1,387 kmÂ² (21. ... State nickname: Sunshine State Other U.S. States Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville (largest metropolitan area is Miami) Governor Jeb Bush (R) Senators Bill Nelson (D) Mel Martinez (R) Official language(s) English Area 170,451 kmÂ² (22nd) - Land 137,374 kmÂ² - Water 30,486 kmÂ² (17. ... State nickname: The Aloha State Other U.S. States Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Monarch Akahi Nui Governor Linda Lingle (R) Senators Daniel Inouye (D) Daniel Akaka (D) Official language(s) Hawaiian and English Area 28,337 kmÂ² (43rd) - Land 16,649 kmÂ² - Water 11,672 kmÂ² (41. ... State nickname: Gem State Other U.S. States Capital Boise Largest city Boise Governor Dirk Kempthorne (R) Senators Larry Craig (R) Mike Crapo (R) Official language(s) none Area 216,632 kmÂ² (14th) - Land 214,499 kmÂ² - Water 2,133 kmÂ² (0. ... State nickname: Land of Lincoln, The Prairie State Other U.S. States Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Governor Rod Blagojevich (D) Senators Richard Durbin (D) Barack Obama (D) Official language(s) English Area 149,998 kmÂ² (25th) - Land 143,968 kmÂ² - Water 6,030 kmÂ² (4. ... State nickname: The Hoosier State Other U.S. States Capital Indianapolis Largest city Indianapolis Governor Mitch Daniels (R) Senators Richard Lugar (R) Evan Bayh (D) Official language(s) English Area 94,321 kmÂ² (38th) - Land 92,897 kmÂ² - Water 1,424 kmÂ² (1. ... State nickname: The Hawkeye State Other U.S. States Capital Des Moines Largest city Des Moines Governor Thomas Vilsack (D) Senators Chuck Grassley (R) Tom Harkin (D) Official language(s) English Area 145,743 kmÂ² (26th) - Land 144,701 kmÂ² - Water 1,042 kmÂ² (0. ... State nickname: The Sunflower State Other U.S. States Capital Topeka Largest city Wichita Governor Kathleen Sebelius (D) Senators Sam Brownback (R) Pat Roberts (R) Official language(s) None Area 82,277 miÂ²; 213,096 kmÂ² (15th) - Land 81,815 miÂ²; 211,900 kmÂ² - Water 462 miÂ²; 1,196 kmÂ²... State nickname: Bluegrass State Other U.S. States Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Governor Ernie Fletcher (R) Senators Mitch McConnell (R) Jim Bunning (R) Official languages English Area 104,749 kmÂ² (37th) - Land 102,989 kmÂ² - Water 1,760 kmÂ² (1. ... State nickname: Pelican State Other U.S. States Capital Baton Rouge Largest city New Orleans Governor Kathleen Blanco (D) Senators Mary Landrieu (D) David Vitter (R) Official language(s) None; English and French de facto Area 134,382 kmÂ² (31st) - Land 112,927 kmÂ² - Water 21,455 kmÂ² (16%) Population... State nickname: The Pine Tree State Other U.S. States Capital Augusta Largest city Portland Governor John Baldacci (D) Senators Olympia Snowe (R) Susan Collins (R) Official language(s) None Area 86,542 kmÂ² (39th) - Land 80,005 kmÂ² - Water 11,724 kmÂ² (13. ... State nickname: Old Line State; Free State Other U.S. States Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Governor Robert L. Ehrlich (R) Senators Paul Sarbanes (D) Barbara Mikulski (D) Official language(s) English Area 32,160 kmÂ² (42nd) - Land 25,338 kmÂ² - Water 6,968 kmÂ² (21%) Population (2000) - Population 5... State nickname: Bay State Other U.S. States Capital Boston Largest city Boston Governor Mitt Romney (R) Senators Edward Kennedy (D) John Kerry (D) Official language(s) English Area 27,360 kmÂ² (44th) - Land 20,317 kmÂ² - Water 7,043 kmÂ² (25. ... State nickname: The Wolverine State, The Great Lakes State Other U.S. States Capital Lansing Largest city Detroit Governor Jennifer Granholm (D) Senators Carl Levin (D) Debbie Stabenow (D) Official language(s) English de-facto Area 96,889 miÂ² / 250,941 kmÂ² (11th) - Land 56,855 miÂ² / 147,255 kmÂ²... State nickname: North Star State, Land of 10,000 Lakes, The Gopher State Other U.S. States Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Governor Tim Pawlenty (R) Senators Mark Dayton (D) Norm Coleman (R) Official language(s) None Area 225,365 kmÂ² (12th) - Land 206,375 kmÂ² - Water 18,990... State nickname: Magnolia State Other U.S. States Capital Jackson Largest city Jackson Governor Haley Barbour (R) Senators Thad Cochran (R) Trent Lott (R) Official language(s) English Area 125,546 kmÂ² (32nd) - Land 121,606 kmÂ² - Water 3,940 kmÂ² (3%) Population (2000) - Population 2,697,243 (31st) - Density... State nickname: The Show Me State Other U.S. States Capital Jefferson City Largest city Kansas City (largest metropolitan area is Saint Louis) Governor Matt Blunt (R) Senators Kit Bond (R) Jim Talent (R) Official language(s) English Area 69,709 miÂ²; 180,693 kmÂ² (21st) - Land 68,898 miÂ²... State nickname: Treasure State Other U.S. States Capital Helena Largest city Billings Governor Brian Schweitzer (D) Senators Max Baucus (D) Conrad Burns (R) Official language(s) English Area 381,156 kmÂ² (4th) - Land 377,295 kmÂ² - Water 3,862 kmÂ² (1%) Population (2000) - Population 902,195 (44th) - Density 2. ... State nickname: Cornhusker State Other U.S. States Capital Lincoln Largest city Omaha Governor Dave Heineman (R) Senators Chuck Hagel (R) Ben Nelson (D) Official languages English Area 200,520 kmÂ² (16th) - Land 199,099 kmÂ² - Water 1,247 kmÂ² (0. ... State nickname: Silver State, Battle Born State (official) Other U.S. States Capital Carson City Largest city Las Vegas Governor Kenny Guinn (R) Senators Harry Reid (D) John Ensign (R) Official languages None Area 286,367 kmÂ² (7th) - Land 284,396 kmÂ² - Water 1,971 kmÂ² (0. ... State nickname: The Granite State Other U.S. States Capital Concord Largest city Manchester Governor John Lynch (D) Senators Judd Gregg (R) John Sununu (R) Official languages English Area 24,239 kmÂ² (46th) - Land 23,249 kmÂ² - Water 814 kmÂ² (3. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... State nickname: Land of Enchantment Other U.S. States Capital Santa Fe Largest city Albuquerque Governor Bill Richardson (D) Senators Pete Domenici (R) Jeff Bingaman (D) Official language(s) English and Spanish Area 315,194 kmÂ² (5th) - Land 314,590 kmÂ² - Water 607 kmÂ² (0. ... State nickname: The Empire State Other U.S. States Capital Albany Largest city New York City Governor George Pataki (R) Senators Charles Schumer (D) Hillary Rodham Clinton (D) Official languages None (English is de facto) Area 141,205 kmÂ² or 54,556 square miles (27th) - Land 122,409 kmÂ² - Water... State nickname: Tar Heel State; Old North State Other U.S. States Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Governor Michael Easley (D) Senators Elizabeth Dole (R) Richard Burr (R) Official language(s) English Area 139,509 kmÂ² (28th) - Land 126,256 kmÂ² - Water 13,227 kmÂ² (9. ... State nickname: Peace Garden State, Roughrider State, Flickertail State Other U.S. States Capital Bismarck Largest city Fargo Governor John Hoeven (R) Senators Kent Conrad (D) Byron Dorgan (D) Official language(s) English Area 183 272 kmÂ² (19th) - Land 178 839 kmÂ² - Water 4 432 kmÂ² (2. ... State nickname: The Buckeye State Other U.S. States Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus (largest metropolitan area is Cleveland) Governor Bob Taft (R) Senators Mike DeWine (R) George V. Voinovich (R) Official language(s) None Area 116,096 kmÂ² (34th) - Land 106,154 kmÂ² - Water 10,044 kmÂ² (8. ... Oklahoma is a South Central state of the United States (with strong Southern, Western, and Midwestern influences) and its U.S. postal abbreviation is OK; others abbreviate the states name Okla. ... State nickname: Beaver State Other U.S. States Capital Salem Largest city Portland Governor Ted Kulongoski (D) Senators Ron Wyden (D) Gordon Smith (R) Official language(s) None Area 255,026 kmÂ² (9th) - Land 248,849 kmÂ² - Water 6,177 kmÂ² (2. ... State nickname: The Keystone State Other U.S. States Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Governor Ed Rendell (D) Senators Arlen Specter (R) Rick Santorum (R) Official language(s) None Area 119,283 kmÂ² (33rd) - Land 116,074 kmÂ² - Water 3,208 kmÂ² (2. ... State nickname: The Ocean State, Little Rhody Other U.S. States Capital Providence Largest city Providence Governor Donald Carcieri (R) Senators Jack Reed (D) Lincoln Chafee (R) Official language(s) None Area 4,005 kmÂ² (50th) - Land 2,709 kmÂ² - Water 1,296 kmÂ² (32. ... State nickname: Palmetto State Other U.S. States Capital Columbia Largest city Columbia Governor Mark Sanford (R) Senators Lindsey Graham (R) Jim DeMint (R) Official language(s) English Area 82,965 kmÂ² (40th) - Land 78,051 kmÂ² - Water 4,915 kmÂ² (6%) Population (2000) - Population 4,012,012 (26th) - Density... State nickname: The Mount Rushmore State Other U.S. States Capital Pierre Largest city Sioux Falls Governor Mike Rounds (R) Senators Tim Johnson (D) John Thune (R) Official language(s) English Area 199,905 kmÂ² (17th) - Land 196,735 kmÂ² - Water 3,173 kmÂ² (1. ... State nickname: Volunteer State Other U.S. States Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis Governor Phil Bredesen (D) Senators Bill Frist (R) Lamar Alexander (R) Official language(s) English Area 109,247 kmÂ² (36th) - Land 106,846 kmÂ² - Water 2,400 kmÂ² (2. ... ... Utah is one of the Four Corners states, and is bordered by: Idaho (at 42Â°N) and Wyoming (at 41Â°N and 111Â°W) in the north, by Colorado (at 109Â°W) in the east, at a single point by New Mexico to the southeast (at the Four Corners Monument... State nickname: The Green Mountain State Other U.S. States Capital Montpelier Largest city Burlington Governor Jim Douglas (R) Senators Patrick Leahy (D) Jim Jeffords (I) Official language(s) None Area 24,923 kmÂ² (43th) - Land 23,974 kmÂ² - Water 949 kmÂ² (3. ... State nickname: Old Dominion Other U.S. States Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Governor Mark R. Warner (D) Tim Kaine (D-Governor Elect) Senators John Warner (R) George Allen (R) Official language(s) English Area 110,862 kmÂ² (35th) - Land 102,642 kmÂ² - Water 8,220 kmÂ² (7. ... State nickname: The Evergreen State Other U.S. States Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Governor Christine Gregoire (D) Senators Patty Murray (D) Maria Cantwell (D) Official language(s) None Area 184,824 kmÂ² (18th) - Land 172,587 kmÂ² - Water 12,237 kmÂ² (6. ... State nickname: Mountain State Other U.S. States Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Governor Joe Manchin (D) Senators Robert Byrd (D) Jay Rockefeller (D) Official languages English Area 62,809 kmÂ² (41st) - Land 62,436 kmÂ² - Water 376 kmÂ² (0. ... State nickname: Badger State Other U.S. States Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Governor Jim Doyle (D) Senators Herb Kohl (D) Russ Feingold (D) Official language(s) None Area 169,790 kmÂ² (23rd) - Land 140,787 kmÂ² - Water 28,006 kmÂ² (17%) Population (2000) - Population 5,453,896 (18th) - Density... State nickname: Equality State Other U.S. States Capital Cheyenne Largest city Cheyenne Governor Dave Freudenthal (D) Senators Craig Thomas (R) Mike Enzi (R) Official language(s) English Area 253,554 kmÂ² (10th) - Land 251,706 kmÂ² - Water 1,851 kmÂ² (0. ... Federal districts are subdivisions of a federal system of government. ... Washington, D.C. is the capital city of the United States of America. ... An insular area is United States territory that is neither a part of one of the fifty states nor a part of the District of Columbia, the nations federal district. ... The flag of the US is used on Howland Island Howland Island Howland Island is an uninhabited atoll located just north of the equator in the central Pacific Ocean at 0Â°48â€² N 176Â°38â€² W, about 3,100 km (1,675 nautical miles) southwest of Honolulu. ... The flag of the US is used on Jarvis Island Map of Jarvis Island Jarvis Island is an uninhabited 4. ... Johnston Atoll is a 2. ... The flag of the US is used for Kingman Reef Kingman Reef Kingman Reefâ€”NASA NLT Landsat 7 (Visible Color) Satellite Image Kingman Reef is a one-square-kilometer tropical coral reef located in the North Pacific Ocean, roughly half way between Hawaiian Islands and American Samoa at 6Â°24... The flag of the US is used on the Midway Islands Orthographic projection centred over midway Midway Atoll (also known as Midway Island or Midway Islands, Hawaiian: Pihemanu) is a 6. ... Navassa Island Navassa Island is a small, uninhabited island in the Caribbean Sea. ... The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) is a commonwealth in political union with the United States of America at a strategic location in the West Pacific Ocean. ... Map of Palmyra Atoll Map of Palmyra Atoll Palmyra Atoll - NASA NLT Landsat 7 (Visible Color) Satellite Image Palmyra Atoll is an uninhabited, 12 km2 atoll in the Northern Pacific Ocean at 5°52′ N 162°6′ W. Palmyra is one of the Northern Line Islands (southeast of Kingman Reef... The United States Virgin Islands is a group of islands in the Caribbean that is a dependency of the United States. ... Wake Island - NASA NLT Landsat 7 (Visible Color) Satellite Image Wake Island (also known as Wake Atoll) is a coral atoll (having a coastline of 12 miles (19. ...

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