Coordinates: 18°7′37″N, 65°25′26″W Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...

Vieques, Puerto Rico
Vieques from the air, looking west
Flag Coat of arms
Nickname: Isla Nena (Baby Girl Island)
Location within Puerto Rico
Coordinates: 18°07′N 65°25′W / 18.117, -65.417
Country	Puerto Rico
Government
- Mayor	Damaso Serrano López
Area
- Total	348.15 km² (134.4 sq mi)
- Land	135 km² (52.1 sq mi)
- Water	213.15 km² (82.3 sq mi)
Population (2000)
- Total	9,106
- Density	67.5/km² (174.8/sq mi)
- Demonym	Viequenses
Time zone	AST (UTC-4)
Website: www.viequesrenace.com

Vieques (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈbjekes]; English pronunciation: [viːˈeɪkeɪz] or [-kɛz]), in full Isla de Vieques, is an island-municipality of Puerto Rico in the northeastern Caribbean. Although Puerto Rico is a U.S. Commonwealth, Vieques, like the rest of Puerto Rico, retains strong Spanish influences from 400 years of Spanish ownership. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 202 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Vieques Island, Puerto Rico from air. ... Image File history File links Vieques flag File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... EXAMPLE:Laughbox,Blondie,BamBam,Pinkie,etc. ... Image File history File links Map_of_Puerto_Rico_highlighting_Vieques. ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... To help compare orders of magnitude of different geographical regions, we list here areas between 1,000 km² and 10,000 km². See also areas of other orders of magnitude. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a people or the inhabitants of a place. ... Timezone and TimeZone redirect here. ... The Atlantic Standard Time Zone (AST) is a geographic region that keeps time by subtracting four hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). ... −12 | −11 | −10 | −9:30 | −9 | −8 | −7 | −6 | −5 | −4 | −3:30 | −3 | −2:30 | −2 | −1 | −0:25 | UTC (0) | +0:20 | +0:30 | +1 | +2 | +3 | +3:30 | +4 | +4:30 | +4:51 | +5 | +5:30 | +5:40 | +5:45 | +6 | +6:30 | +7 | +7:20 | +7... List of Islands of Puerto Rico Alcarraza El Ancon Bajo Evelyn La Blanquilla Cabeza de Perro Isla Caja de Muertos Isla de Cardona Cayos Caribes Cayo Ahogado Cayo Alfenique Cayo Algodones Cayo Arenas Cayo Ballena Cayo Batata Cayo Bayo Cayo Berberia Cayo Botella Cayo Cabritas Cayo Caracoles Cayo Caribe Cayo... There are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the United States Government, but Puerto Rico has 78 municipalities at the second order. ... West Indies redirects here. ... For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... In the terminology of the United States insular areas, a Commonwealth is an organized territory or colony that has established with the Federal Government a more highly developed relationship, which may be embodied in a written mutual agreement. ...

Vieques lies about 8 miles (13 km) to the east of the Puerto Rican mainland, and measures approximately 21 miles (34 km) long by 4 miles (6 km) wide. The two main towns of Vieques are Isabel Segunda (sometimes written "Isabel II"), the administrative center located on the northern side of the island, and Esperanza, located on the southern side. At peak, the population of Vieques is around 10,000.

The island's name is a Spanish spelling of a Native American word said to mean "small island". It also has the nickname "Isla Nena", usually translated from the Spanish as "Little Girl Island", as a reference to its being perceived as Puerto Rico's little sister island. During the colonial period the British name was "Crab Island".

Vieques is best known internationally as the site of a series of protests against the US Navy's use of the island as a bombing range and weapons testing ground, which eventually led to the Navy's departure in 2003. The Navy-Vieques protests is the name given by English-speaking media to a series of protests starting in 1999 on the Puerto Rican island-municipality of Vieques, against the United States Navy and Marine Corps (USMC) use of the island for bombing target practices. ...

History

Pre-Columbian history

Archaeological evidence suggests that Vieques was first inhabited by ancient Native American peoples who travelled from continental America perhaps between 3000 BC and 2000 BC. However, estimates of these prehistoric dates of inhabitation vary widely, and a fossilized skeleton of a 10,000-year-old man discovered in the late 1980s in the central southern part of the island indicates a much earlier human presence.^{[citation needed]} These tribes had a Stone Age culture and were probably fishermen and hunter-gatherers. For other uses, see Native Americans (disambiguation). ...

Further waves of settlement by Native Americans followed over many centuries. The Arawak-speaking Saladoid (or Igneri) people, thought to have originated in modern-day Venezuela, arrived in the region perhaps around 200 BC (again estimates vary). These tribes, noted for their pottery, stone carving, and other artifacts, eventually merged with groups from Hispaniola and Cuba, to form what is now called the Taino culture. This culture flourished in the region from around 1000 AD, and survived on Vieques until the arrival of the Europeans in the 15th century. For other uses, see Native Americans (disambiguation). ... Arowak woman (John Gabriel Stedman) The term Arawak (from aru, the Lokono word for cassava flour), was used to designate the Amerindians encountered by the Spanish in the West Indies. ... The Saladoid are a native people of the Caribbean and Venezuela. ... This page meets Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ... Early map of Hispaniola Hispaniola (from Spanish, La Española) is the second-largest and most populous island of the Antilles, lying between the islands of Cuba to the west, and Puerto Rico to the east. ... The Taíno are the pre-Hispanic Amerindian inhabitants of the Greater Antilles, which includes Cuba, Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Puerto Rico, Jamaica and the Bahamas. ... The European peoples are the various nations and ethnic groups of Europe. ...

Colonial period

The European "discovery" of Vieques is sometimes credited to Christopher Columbus, who landed in Puerto Rico in 1493. It does not seem to be certain whether Columbus personally visited Vieques, but in any case the island was soon claimed by the Spanish. During the early 16th century Vieques became a center of Taino rebellion against the European invaders, prompting the Spanish to send armed forces to the island to quell the resistance. The native Taino population was decimated, and its people either killed, imprisoned or enslaved by the Spanish. Christopher Columbus (1451 – May 20, 1506) was a navigator, colonizer, and explorer and one of the first Europeans to explore the Americas after the Vikings. ...

The Spanish did not, however, permanently colonise Vieques at this time, and for the next three hundred years it remained a lawless outpost, frequented by pirates and outlaws. As European powers fought for control in the region, a series of attempts by the French, English and Danish to colonise the island in the 17th and 18th centuries were repulsed by the Spanish.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the Spanish took steps to permanently settle and secure the island. In 1811, Don Salvador Meléndez, then governor of Puerto Rico, sent military commander Juan Rosselló to begin what would become the annexation of Vieques by the Puerto Ricans. In 1832, under an agreement with the Spanish Puerto Rican administration, Frenchman Teófilo José Jaime María Le Guillou became Governor of Vieques, and undertook to impose order on the anarchic province. He was instrumental in the establishment of large plantations, marking a period of social and economic change for the island. Le Guillou is now remembered as the "founder" of Vieques (though this title is also sometimes conferred on Francisco Saínz, governor from 1843 to 1852, who founded Isabel Segunda, the "town of Vieques", named after Queen Isabel II of Spain). Vieques was formally annexed to Puerto Rico in 1854. Teofilo Jose Jaime Maria Gillous last name is Le Guillou. ... Isabella II (October 10, 1830 – April 10, 1904), Isabel II in Spanish, was Queen regnant of Spain (Queen of the Spains officially from August 13, 1836, Isabella II the queen of Castile, Leon, Aragon,...) // Isabella was born in Madrid in 1830 and was the eldest daughter of Ferdinand VII, king...

In 1816, Vieques was briefly visited by Simón Bolívar while fleeing defeat in Venezuela. This article is about the South American independence leader. ...

During the second part of the 19th century, thousands of black immigrants came to Vieques to work on the sugar cane plantations. They arrived from the nearby islands of St. Thomas, Nevis, St. Kitts, St. Croix, and many other Caribbean nations, some as slaves and some as independent economic migrants. Since this time black people have formed an important part of Vieques’ society. Species Ref: ITIS 42058 as of 2004-05-05 Sugarcane is one of six species of a tall tropical southeast Asian grass (Family Poaceae) having stout fibrous jointed stalks whose sap at one time was the primary source of sugar. ... This article is about crop plantations. ... Map of U.S. Virgin Islands Saint Thomas is an island in the Caribbean Sea, a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), an unincorporated territory of the United States. ... For other uses, see Nevis (disambiguation). ... Saint Kitts (also/previously known as Saint Christopher) is an island in the Caribbean. ... A separate article treats the several rivers known as the St. ... West Indies redirects here. ... Wiktionary has related dictionary definitions, such as: slave Slave may refer to: Slavery, where people are owned by others, and live to serve their owners without pay Slave (BDSM), a form of sexual and consenual submission Slave clock, in technology, a clock or timer that synchrnonizes to a master clock...

US acquisition

In 1898, after Spain's defeat in the Spanish–American War, Vieques, along with mainland Puerto Rico, was ceded to the United States. Combatants United States Republic of Cuba Philippine Republic Spain Commanders Nelson A. Miles William R. Shafter George Dewey Máximo Gómez Emilio Aguinaldo Patricio Montojo Pascual Cervera Casualties 3,289 U.S. dead (432 from combat); considerably higher although undetermined Cuban and Filipino casualties Unknown[1] The Spanish–American...

In the 1920s and 1930s, the sugar industry, on which Vieques was totally dependent, went into decline due to falling sugar prices and industrial unrest. Many locals were forced to move to mainland Puerto Rico or St. Croix to look for work. A separate article treats the several rivers known as the St. ...

During World War II, the United States military purchased about two thirds of Vieques as an extension to the Roosevelt Roads base nearby on the Puerto Rican mainland. The original purpose of the base (never implemented) was to provide a safe haven for the British fleet should Britain fall to Germany. Much of the land was bought from the owners of large farms and sugar cane plantations, and the purchase triggered the final demise of the sugar industry. Many agricultural workers, who had no title to the land they occupied, were evicted.^[1] Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Puerto Rican Operating Area. ...

After the war, the US Navy continued to use the island for military exercises, and as a firing range and testing ground for bombs, missiles, and other weapons in a manner not unlike Kahoolawe in the Hawaiian Islands. For other uses, see Bomb (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Missile (disambiguation). ... Kaho‘olawe is the smallest of the 8 main volcanic islands in the Hawaiian Islands. ... Map of the Hawaiian Islands, a chain of islands that stretches 2,400 km in a northwesterly direction from the southern tip of the Island of Hawaii. ...

Protests and departure of the US Navy

Main article: Navy-Vieques protests

See also: United States Navy in Vieques, Puerto Rico

The continuing post-war presence in Vieques of the US Navy drew protests from the local community, angry at the expropriation of their land and the environmental impact of weapons testing. The locals' discontent was exacerbated by the island's parlous economic condition. The Navy-Vieques protests is the name given by English-speaking media to a series of protests starting in 1999 on the Puerto Rican island-municipality of Vieques, against the United States Navy and Marine Corps (USMC) use of the island for bombing target practices. ...

These protests came to a head in 1999 when Vieques native David Sanes was killed by a bomb dropped during target practice. A campaign of civil disobedience began. The locals took to the ocean in their small fishing boats and successfully stopped the US Navy's military exercises. The Vieques issue became something of a cause celèbre, and local protestors were joined by sympathetic groups and prominent individuals from mainland USA (such as Edward James Olmos) and abroad. David Sanes Rodríguez (1954-19 April 1999) was a native of Vieques, Puerto Rico whose death became a rallying point for those opposed to the U.S. military presence on and use of his home island for live-fire bombing practice. ... Edward James Olmos (born February 24, 1947) is an Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated American actor and director. ...

As a result of this pressure, in May 2003 the Navy withdrew from Vieques, and much of the island was designated a wildlife reserve under the control of the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Closure of the Roosevelt Roads base followed in 2004. The USFWS logo The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a unit of the United States Department of the Interior that is dedicated to managing and preserving wildlife. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Puerto Rican Operating Area. ...

Politics

Government

See also: Government of Puerto Rico

Vieques is a municipio of Puerto Rico, translated as "municipality" and in this context roughly equivalent to "county". It is in the Puerto Rican electoral district of Carolina. Local government is under the leadership of a mayor (Spanish alcalde), presently Dámaso Serrano López. Like the rest of Puerto Rico, the head of state is the President of the United States. The Government of Puerto Rico is a commonwealth within the United States consisting of a national and state government and 78 administrative sub-divisions called municipalities. ... There are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the United States Government, but Puerto Rico has 78 municipalities at the second order. ... A municipality is an administrative entity composed of a clearly defined territory and its population and commonly referring to a city, town, or village, or a small grouping of them. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ...

Administrative divisions

Administratively Vieques is divided into Isabel Segunda plus seven wards:^[2] A ward is an electoral district used in local politics, most notably in England, Scotland, and Wales, as well as Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa and many cities in the United States and the federal district of Washington, DC. Wards are usually named after neighbourhoods...

These are often referred to as "barrios", though this term is also applied to various other localities and townships on the island. Look up barrios in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Geography

Location of Vieques, with the Spanish Virgin Islands highlighted in yellow, the US Virgin Islands of St Thomas, St John and St Croix in white, and Tortola, in the British Virgin Islands, in beige.

Sub-tropical dry forest on Vieques

Vieques measures about 21 miles (34 km) east-west, and three to four miles (5 km) north-south. It has a land area of 52 square miles (135 km²) and is located about ten miles (16 km) to the east of Puerto Rico. To the north of Vieques is the Atlantic ocean, and to the south the Caribbean Sea. The island of Culebra is about 10 miles (16 km) north of Vieques, and the US Virgin Islands lie to the east. Vieques and Culebra, together with various small islets, make up the so-called Spanish Virgin Islands, sometimes known as the Passage Islands. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 648 × 453 pixelsFull resolution (648 × 453 pixel, file size: 30 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Vieques, Puerto Rico Spanish Virgin Islands... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 648 × 453 pixelsFull resolution (648 × 453 pixel, file size: 30 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Vieques, Puerto Rico Spanish Virgin Islands... Spanish Virgin Islands (in yellow) The Spanish Virgin Islands are a group of islands just east of the main island of Puerto Rico. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Map of U.S. Virgin Islands Saint Thomas is an island in the Caribbean Sea, a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), an unincorporated territory of the United States. ... Oppenheimer Beach, in St John, U.S. Virgin Islands. ... St. ... Tortola is the largest and most populated of the British Virgin Islands, a group of islands which form part of the archipelago of the Virgin Islands. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 453 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Sub tropical dry forest on Vieques, Puerto Rico. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 453 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Sub tropical dry forest on Vieques, Puerto Rico. ... Flag Seal Nickname: La Isla Chiquita (Little Island), Última Virgen (Last Virgin) Gentilic: Culebrenses Location Location of Culebra, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded October 27, 1880 Mayor Abraham Peña Nieves Political party PNP Senatorial district 8 - Carolina Representative district 36 Geographical characteristics Area Total 30. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Spanish Virgin Islands (in yellow) The Spanish Virgin Islands are a group of islands just east of the main island of Puerto Rico. ...

The former US Navy lands, now wildlife reserves, occupy the entire eastern and western ends of Vieques, with the former live weapons testing site (known as the "LIA", or "Live Impact Area") at the extreme eastern tip. These areas are unpopulated. The former civilian area occupies very roughly the central third of the island and contains the towns of Isabel Segunda on the north coast, and Esperanza on the south.

Geology

Vieques has a terrain of rolling hills, with a central ridge running east-west. The highest point is Monte Pirata ("Pirate Mount") at 987 feet (300 m). Geologically the island is composed of a mixture of volcanic bedrock, sedimentary rocks such as limestone and sandstone, and alluvial deposits of gravel, sand, silt, and clay. There are no permanent rivers or streams. Much former agricultural land has been reclaimed by nature due to prolonged disuse, and, apart from some small-scale farming in the central region, the island is largely covered by brush and subtropical dry forest. Around the coast lie palm-fringed sandy beaches interspersed with lagoons, mangrove swamps, salt flats and coral reefs. Ignimbrite is a deposit of a pyroclastic flow. ... For other uses, see Limestone (disambiguation). ... Red sandstone interior of Lower Antelope Canyon, Arizona, worn smooth due to erosion by flash flooding over millions of years Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-size mineral or rock grains. ... Puerto Rican dry forests are a subset of tropical and subtropical broadleaf dry forests. ... For other uses, see Beach (disambiguation). ... Above and below water view at the edge of the mangal. ... The playa and shore of Lake Hart, an endorheic desert lake in South Australia An alkali flat (known in US and Mexico as a playa) is a dry lakebed, generally the shore of, or remnant of, an endorheic lake. ... Some of the biodiversity of a coral reef, in this case the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. ...

Climate

Vieques has a warm, relatively dry, tropical to sub-tropical climate. Temperatures vary little throughout the year, with average daily maxima ranging from 82 °F (28 °C) in January to 87 °F (31 °C) in July.^[3] Average daily minima are about 10 °F (6 °C) lower. Rainfall averages around 45 to 55 inches (1150 to 1400 mm) per year, with the months of May and September–November being the wettest. The west of the island receives significantly more rainfall than the east. Prevailing winds are easterly.

Vieques is prone to tropical storms and at risk from hurricanes from June to November. In 1989 Hurricane Hugo caused considerable damage to the island.^[4] Lowest pressure 918 mbar (hPa; 27. ...

Economy

The sugar industry, once the mainstay of the island's economy, declined during the early decades of the twentieth century, and finally collapsed in the 1940s when the US Navy took over much of the land on which the sugar cane plantations stood. After an initial naval construction phase, opportunities for making a living on the island were largely limited to fishing or subsistence farming on reduced area. Crops grown on the island include avocados, bananas, coconuts, grains, papayas and sweet potatoes. A small number of permanent local jobs were provided by the US Navy. Since the 1970's General Electric employs a few hundred workers at a manufacturing plant. Unemployment was widespread, with consequent social problems. The 2000 US census reported a median household income in 1999 dollars of $9,331 (compared to $41,994 for the USA as a whole), and 35.8% of the population of 16 years and over in the labor force (compared to 63.9% for the USA as a whole).^[5] “GE” redirects here. ...

Like the rest of Puerto Rico, the island's currency is the US dollar.

Following the 2003 departure of the US Navy, efforts have been made to redevelop the island's agricultural economy, to clean up contaminated areas of the former bombing ranges, and to develop Vieques as a tourist destination.

Tourism

Playa del Corcho (Corcho Beach)

For sixty years the majority of Vieques was closed off by the US Navy, and the island remained almost entirely undeveloped for tourism. This lack of development is now marketed as a key attraction. Vieques is promoted under an ecotourism banner as a sleepy, unspoilt island of rural "old world" charm and pristine deserted beaches, and is rapidly becoming a popular destination. Image File history File links Vieques beach File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Vieques beach File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Tapanti National Park in Costa Rica Ecotourism, also known as ecological tourism, is a form of tourism that appeals to the ecologically and socially conscious individuals. ...

Since the Navy's departure, tensions on the island have been low, although land speculation by foreign developers and fears of overdevelopment have caused some resentment among local residents, and there are occasional reports of lingering anti-American sentiment.

The lands previously owned by the Navy have been turned over to the U.S. National Fish and Wildlife Service and the authorities of Puerto Rico and Vieques for management. The immediate bombing range area on the eastern tip of the island suffers from severe contamination, but the remaining areas are mostly open to the public, including many beautiful beaches that were inaccessible to civilians when the military bases were open. A civilian is a person who is not a member of a military. ...

Snorkeling is excellent, especially at Blue Beach (Bahía de la Chiva). Aside from archeological sites, such as La Hueca, and deserted beaches, a unique feature of Vieques is the presence of two pristine bioluminescent bays, including Mosquito Bay. Vieques is also famous for its wild or semi-wild horses, which roam free over parts of the island. These are descended from stock originally brought by European colonisers. Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by a living organism as the result of a chemical reaction during which chemical energy is converted to light energy. ...

Landmarks and places of interest

• Fortín Conde de Mirasol (Count Mirasol Fort), a fort built by the Spanish in the mid 19th century, now a museum
• Playa Esperanza (Esperanza Beach)
• The tomb of Le Guillou, the island's "founder", in Isabel Segunda
• Old Nayda Cinema Theater
• Faro Punta Mulas (Punta Mulas Lighthouse), built in 1896
• Sun Bay Beach
• The 300 year old ceiba tree
• The Bioluminescent Bay

Species About 10-20 species, including: Ceiba aesculifolia Ceiba glaziovii Ceiba insignis Ceiba pentandra Ceiba speciosa Ceiba trichistandra Ceiba is the name of a genus of many species of large trees found in tropical areas, including Central and South America, The Bahamas,the Caribbean, West Africa, and Southeast Asia. ...

Bioluminescent Bay

The Bioluminescent Bay (or "bio bay" as it is sometimes called), is perhaps the world's largest and brightest. The luminescence is caused by micro-organisms (dinoflagellates) which glow whenever the water is disturbed, leaving a trail of neon blue. A combination of factors create the necessary conditions for bioluminescence: red mangrove trees surround the water (the organisms feed off the dead leaves), a complete lack of modern development around the bay, the water is cool enough and deep enough, and a small channel to the ocean keeps the dinoflagellates in the bay. This small channel is the result of Spanish ships's attempts to choke off the bay from the ocean's waters. The Spanish believed that the bioluminescence they first encountered was the work of the Devil 'El Diablo' and tried to block the ocean's waters from entering the bay by dropping huge boulders in the channel. The Spanish only succeeded in preserving and increasing the luminescence. Kayaking and swimming are permitted in the bay and can be arranged through local vendors. Bioluminescence is the production and emission of visible light by a living organism as the result of a chemical reaction during which chemical energy is converted to light energy. ... Classes Dinophyceae Noctiluciphyceae Syndiniophyceae The dinoflagellates are a large group of flagellate protists. ... Binomial name L. A free-standing red mangrove tree growing in shallow water in the backcountry of the Cape Sable area of Everglades National Park. ...

Festivals and events

• Cultural Festival – April
• Matron Celebrations – December
• Bilí Festival – November
• Arepa Festival – November

Demographics

According to the 2000 US census,^[5] the total population of Vieques was 9,106. 97.4% of the population are Hispanic or Latino (of any race). Whites redirects here. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... Note that this classification is now considered incorrect and should not be used in everyday writing. ... Alaskan Natives are Aboriginal Americans who live in Alaska. ... Asian people[1] is a demonym for people from Asia. ... In April of 1990, Daniel K. Akaka became the first native Hawaiian and Chinese American to serve in the United States Congress as a Senator from the State of Hawaii. ... Pacific Islands (or Pacific Person, pl: Pacific People, also called Oceanic[s]), is a geographic term used in several places, such as New Zealand and the United States, to describe the inhabitants of any of the three major sub-regions of Oceania. ...

Natives of Vieques are known as "Viequenses".

Language

Both Spanish and English are recognized as official languages. Spanish is the primary language of most inhabitants. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

Transportation

Vieques is served by Antonio Rivera Rodríguez Airport, which currently accommodates only small propeller driven aircraft. Services to the island run from San Juan's Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, Fajardo Airport or Isla Grande Airport (20-30 minute flight). Flights are also available between Vieques and Saint Croix and Saint Thomas. Antonio Rivera Rodríguez Airport is a small commercial air facility on the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico. ... For other uses, see San Juan. ... , SJU redirects here. ... Fernando Ribas Dominicci Airports runway can be seen at the top right of this photo of San Juans ship dock Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport (IATA: SIG, ICAO: TJIG), also commonly known as Isla Grande Airport, is a small airport in San Juan, about 5 minutes by air... St. ... Map of U.S. Virgin Islands Saint Thomas is an island in the Caribbean Sea, a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), an unincorporated territory of the United States. ...

A ferry runs from Fajardo several times a day. Nickname: Los Cariduros, La Metrópolis del Sol Naciente Gentilic: Fajardeños Location Location of Fajardo, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded 1772 Mayor Hon. ...

Public health

There have been claims linking Vieques' high cancer rate to the long history of US weapons testing on the island, especially after the US Navy admitted using depleted uranium at least on one occasion in 1999. Dr. Nayda Figueroa, an epidemiologist for Puerto Rico's Cancer Registry, claimed that research showed Vieques' cancer rate (latest available is for 1995 to 1999) was 31 percent higher than for the main island. Dr. Michael Thun, head of epidemiological research at the American Cancer Society, cautioned that the variations in the rates could be attributed to chance, given the small population on Vieques.^[7] A 2000 NRC report concluded that "the public had not been exposed to depleted uranium contamination or other radiation above normal background (naturally occurring) levels".^[8] Cancer is a class of diseases or disorders characterized by uncontrolled division of cells and the ability of these to spread, either by direct growth into adjacent tissue through invasion, or by implantation into distant sites by metastasis (where cancer cells are transported through the bloodstream or lymphatic system). ... Depleted uranium storage yard. ... NRC headquarters in Rockville, MD. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (or NRC) is a United States government agency that was established by the Energy Reorganization Act in 1974, and was first opened January 19, 1975. ...

In response to concerns about potential contamination from toxic metals and other chemicals, the United States ATSDR agency conducted a number of surveys in 1999–2002 to test Vieques' soil, water supply, air, fish and shellfish for harmful substances. The general conclusion of these surveys was that no public health hazard existed as a result of the Navy's activities.^[8] However, scientists have pointed out that fish samples were drawn from local markets, which often import fish from outside. Also sample sizes from each location were too small to provide compelling evidence for the lack of a public health danger (Wargo, Green Intelligence). The United States Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, (ATSDR), is directed by congressional mandate to perform specific functions concerning the effect on public health of hazardous substances in the environment. ...

Casa Pueblo, a Puerto Rican environmental group, reports a study of the flora and fauna of Vieques that "clearly demonstrates sequestration of high levels of toxic elements in plant and animal tissue samples", and that "Consecuently [sic], the ecological food web of the Vieques Island has been adversely impacted."^[9]

Notable Viequenses

Jaime Benítez – educator, politician and humanist JAIME BENÍTEZ Jaime Benítez (October 29, 1908 - May 30, 2001) author, academic, politician, was born in Vieques, a small island about twenty miles from the shores of Puerto Rico. ...

Photo gallery

Sun Bay Image File history File linksMetadata Vieques_SunBayBeach. ...	A view towards Navio Beach from a nearby sea cave Image File history File linksMetadata Vieques_jaskyna_na_PlayaNavio. ...	A view from the malecón (promenade) in Esperanza towards Cayo Fuera Image File history File linksMetadata Vieques_Tomáš_v_Esperanze. ...	Playa del Caracas (Red Beach) Image File history File links Vieques beach File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...
Navio Beach Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (900x380, 73 KB) Summary Author: Jaro Nemcok; URL: http://nemcok. ...

References

1. ^ "From Sugar Plantations to Military Bases: the U.S. Navy’s Expropriations in Vieques, Puerto Rico", César Ayala.
2. ^ US Census (2000), Vieques Municipio, Puerto Rico -- County Subdivision and Place. Retrieved on 2007-04-20.
3. ^ weatherbase.com
4. ^ U.S. Geological Survey report
5. ^ ^{a b} US Census (2000). Retrieved on 2007-04-17.
6. ^ Ethnicity 2000 census
7. ^ "Vieques Cancer Rate an Issue". Miami Herald. Retrieved on 2007-04-17.
8. ^ ^{a b} "Soil Pathway Evaluation, Isla de Vieques Bombing Range". Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Retrieved on 2007-04-17.
9. ^ Casa Pueblo report. Retrieved on 2007-04-17.

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 110th day of the year (111th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 107th day of the year (108th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 107th day of the year (108th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 107th day of the year (108th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 107th day of the year (108th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• Navy-Vieques protests
• List of Vieques birds
• Spanish Virgin Islands

The Navy-Vieques protests is the name given by English-speaking media to a series of protests starting in 1999 on the Puerto Rican island-municipality of Vieques, against the United States Navy and Marine Corps (USMC) use of the island for bombing target practices. ... Vieques Island from air. ... Spanish Virgin Islands (in yellow) The Spanish Virgin Islands are a group of islands just east of the main island of Puerto Rico. ...

External links

• Pictures from the island
• Vieques, Puerto Rico: ATSDR Documents Dealing with the Isla de Vieques Bombing Range
• Vieques travel guide from Wikitravel

	v • d • e Commonwealth of Puerto Rico San Juan (capital)
Topics	Culture | Geography | Government | History | Economy Wikitravel is a project to create an open content, complete, up-to-date, and reliable world-wide travel guide. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Puerto_Rico. ... In the terminology of the United States insular areas, a Commonwealth is an organized territory or colony that has established with the Federal Government a more highly developed relationship, which may be embodied in a written mutual agreement. ... For other uses, see San Juan. ... Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, site of first U.S. capital. ... La escuela del Maestro Cordero by Puerto Rican artist Francisco Oller. ... Puerto Rico The history of Puerto Rico began with the settlement of the archipelago of Puerto Rico by the Ortoiroid people between 3000 and 2000 BC. Other tribes, such as the Saladoid and Arawak Indians, populated the island between 430 BC and 1000 AD. At the time of Christopher Columbus...
Municipalities	Adjuntas | Aguada | Aguadilla | Aguas Buenas | Aibonito | Añasco | Arecibo | Arroyo | Barceloneta | Barranquitas | Bayamón | Cabo Rojo | Caguas | Camuy | Canóvanas | Carolina | Cataño | Cayey | Ceiba | Ciales | Cidra | Coamo | Comerío | Corozal | Culebra | Dorado | Fajardo | Florida | Guánica | Guayama | Guayanilla | Guaynabo | Gurabo | Hatillo | Hormigueros | Humacao | Isabela | Jayuya | Juana Díaz | Juncos | Lajas | Lares | Las Marías | Las Piedras | Loíza | Luquillo | Manatí | Maricao | Maunabo | Mayagüez | Moca | Morovis | Nagüabo | Naranjito | Orocovis | Patillas | Peñuelas | Ponce | Quebradillas | Rincón | Río Grande | Sabana Grande | Salinas | San Germán | San Juan | San Lorenzo | San Sebastián | Santa Isabel | Toa Alta | Toa Baja | Trujillo Alto | Utuado | Vega Alta | Vega Baja | Vieques | Villalba | Yabucoa | Yauco There are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the United States Government, but Puerto Rico has 78 municipalities at the second order. ... Image:Adjuntas seal. ... Flag Seal Nickname: La Villa de Sotomayor, Villa de San Francisco de Asís de la Aguada, El Pueblo Playero, La Ciudad del Vaticano Gentilic: Aguadeños Location Location of Aguada, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded 1739 Mayor Hon. ... Flag Nickname: El Nuevo Jardín del Atlántico, La Villa del Ojo de Agua, El Pueblo de los Tiburones Gentilic: Aguadillanos Location Location of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Coordinates Government Founded 1780 Mayor Carlos Méndez Martínez Political party PNP Senatorial district Mayagüez Representative district... Image:Aguas Buenas seal. ... Aibonito is a small mountain town in Puerto Rico. ... Nickname: Location of Añasco, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Gentilic: Arecibeños Location Location of Arecibo, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded 1616 Mayor Lemuel Soto Political party NPP Senatorial district 3 - Arecibo Representative district 13, 14 Geographical characteristics Area Total 443. ... Image:Arroyo seal. ... Barceloneta is a municipality in Puerto Rico and is located in the north region, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, north of Florida, east of Arecibo and west of Manati. ... Image:Barranquitas seal. ... Nickname: Location within the island of Puerto Rico Coordinates: , Country Territory Founded May 22, 1772 Government  - Mayor Ramón Luis Rivera, Jr. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Gentilic: Caborrojeños Location Location of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded December 17, 1771 Mayor Hon. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Gentilic: Camuyanos Location Location of Camuy, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded 1807 Mayor Hon. ... Image:Canóvanas seal. ... Nickname: Gentilic: Carolinenses Location Location of Carolina, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Coordinates , , Government Founded Mayor José Aponte, Jr. ... Flag Seal Nickname: El Pueblo Que Se Negó a Morir, La Antesala de la Capital, El Pueblo Olvidado Gentilic: Catañeses Location Location of Cataño, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded July 1, 1927 Mayor Wilson Soto Political party PNP Senatorial district 2 - Bayamón Representative district 9... Cayey (ka-YAI) is a mountain town in central Puerto Rico located on the Central Mountain range, north of Salinas and Guayama; south of Cidra and Caguas; east of Aibonito and Salinas; and west of San Lorenzo Cayey is spread over 21 wards and Cayey Pueblo (The downtown area and... Nickname: Location within the island of Puerto Rico Country Territory Founded April 7, 1838 Government  - Mayor Hon. ... Nickname: Gentilic: Cialeños Location Location of Ciales, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded June 24, 1820 Mayor Hon. ... Image:Cidra seal. ... Image:Coamo flag. ... Image:Comerío seal. ... Image:Corozal seal. ... Flag Seal Nickname: La Isla Chiquita (Little Island), Última Virgen (Last Virgin) Gentilic: Culebrenses Location Location of Culebra, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded October 27, 1880 Mayor Abraham Peña Nieves Political party PNP Senatorial district 8 - Carolina Representative district 36 Geographical characteristics Area Total 30. ... Dorado is a small touristic town in the northern coast of Puerto Rico, west of San Juan, Cataño, and Bayamon. ... Nickname: Los Cariduros, La Metrópolis del Sol Naciente Gentilic: Fajardeños Location Location of Fajardo, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded 1772 Mayor Hon. ... Florida is a municipality of Puerto Rico. ... Guánica is a municipality in southwestern Puerto Rico consisting of a land area of 37. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Gentilic: Guayameses Location Location of Guayama, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded 1736 Mayor Hon. ... Guayanilla is a municipality of Puerto Rico. ... Guaynabo (pronounced as IPA: ; also known as Guaynabo City or GC) is a municipality in the northern part of Puerto Rico, located in the northern coast of the island, north of Aguas Buenas; south of Cataño; east of Bayamón; and west of San Juan. ... Gurabo is a small town in Puerto Rico. ... Image:Hatillo seal. ... Hormigueros is a municipality of Puerto Rico. ... Image:Humacao seal. ... The city of Isabela is located on the northwestern most tip of Puerto Rico. ... Image:Jayuya esc. ... Flag Seal Nickname: La Ciudad del Maví, La Ciudad del Jacaguas, El Belén de Puerto Rico Gentilic: Juanadinos Location Location of Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded 1798 Mayor Ramón Ramoncito Hernández Political party PPD Senatorial district 6 - Guayama Representative district 26 Geographical... Juncos is a municipality of Puerto Rico. ... Lajas is a small town located in Puerto Ricos southwest. ... Flag Nickname: Cuidad del Grito, Los Patriotas Gentilic: Lareños Location Location of Lares, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded April 26, 1827 Mayor Hon. ... Las Marías is a municipality of Puerto Rico. ... Las Piedras is a municipality in east Puerto Rico. ... Loíza is a small town in the northeastern coast of Puerto Rico, near Canóvanas, Carolina and San Juan. ... Flag Nickname: Gentilic: Luquillenses Location Location of Luquillo, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded 1797 Mayor Hon. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Ciudad Metropolitana, La Atenas de Puerto Rico Gentilic: Manatieños Location Location of Manatí, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded 1738 Mayor Juan Bin Cruz Manzano Political party PNP Senatorial district 3 - Arecibo Representative district 12, 13 Geographical characteristics Area Total 145. ... Image:Maricao seal. ... Image:Maunabo seal. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Gentilic: Mayagüezanos Location Location of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Coordinates , , Government Founded July 19 1760 Mayor José Guillermo Rodríguez Rodríguez Political party PPD Senatorial district Mayagüez Representative district 18 and 19 Geographical characteristics Area Total 709. ... Moca is a northwest municipality of Puerto Rico known as La Capital del Mundillo (The capital of lace) it was founded by Don José de Quiñónez on April 7, 1772. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Naguabo is a town of 23,753 inhabitants (Census 2000) in Puerto Rico. ... Flag Nickname: Gentilic: Naranjiteños Location Location of Naranjito, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded December 3, 1824 Mayor Hon. ... Orocovis (o-ro-KO-vis) is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the Central Mountain Range, north of Villalba and Coamo; south of Morovis and Corozal; southeast of Ciales; east of Jayuya; and west of Barranquitas. ... Patillas is a municipality of Puerto Rico. ... Peñuelas (PAIN-wai-lahs) is a town in Puerto Rico located in the southern coast of the island, south of Adjuntas, east of Guayanilla, west of Ponce and north of the Caribbean Sea. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Gentilic: Ponceños Location Location of Ponce, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded 1692 Mayor Francisco Zayas Seijo Political party PPD Senatorial district 5 - Ponce Representative district 24, 25 Geographical characteristics Area Total 501. ... Flag Seal Nickname: La Guarida del Pirata, La Ciudad Pirata, La Ciudad del Cooperativismo, El Rincón de Guajataca Gentilic: Quebradillanos Location Location of Quebradillas, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded May 22, 1772 Mayor Hon. ... Flag Seal Nickname: El Pueblo de los Bellos Atardeceres, Los Surfers, El Pueblo del Surfing Gentilic: Rinconeños Location Location of Rincón, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded 1771 Mayor Hon. ... Nickname: La Ciudad del Yunque Gentilic: Riograndeños Location Location of Río Grande, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded July 25, 1840 Mayor Hon. ... Flag Nickname: Gentilic: Sabaneños Location Location of Sabana Grande, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded 1813 Mayor Hon. ... Flag Nickname: El Pueblo del Mojo Isleño, Los Marlins Gentilic: Salinences Location Location of Salinas, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded 1851 Mayor Hon. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Gentilic: Sangermeños Location Location of San Germán, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Coordinates , , Government Founded 1573 Mayor Isidro A. Negrón Irizarry Political party PPD Senatorial district Mayagüez Representative district 20 Geographical characteristics Area Total 141. ... For other uses, see San Juan. ... San Lorenzo (Spanish Saint Lawrence) is a town in eastern Puerto Rico. ... San Sebastián is a municipality of Puerto Rico. ... Flag Nickname: Gentilic: Santaisabelinos Location Location of Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded October 5, 1842 Mayor Enrique Quique Questell Alvarado Political party PNP Senatorial district 6 - Guayama Representative district 30 Geographical characteristics Area Total km² Population Total (2000) Density /km² Time zone AST (UTC-4) Anthem... Toa Alta is a municipality of Puerto Rico. ... Toa Baja is a municipality of Puerto Rico. ... Trujillo Alto is a municipality of Puerto Rico that was founded in 1801. ... Utuado is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the central/western mountainous region of the island known as La Cordillera Central. ... Image:Vega Alta seal. ... Image:Vega Baja seal. ... Flag Nickname: Gentilic: Villalbeños Location Location of Villalba, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded 1917 Mayor Hon. ... Flag Nickname: Gentilic: Yabucoeños Location Location of Yabucoa, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded 1793 Mayor Hon. ... Yauco is a city (ciudad) in southwestern Puerto Rico bounded on the west by the municipalities of Sabana Grande and Guánica, on the north by Maricao, on the east by Guayanilla, and on the south, at the end of a narrow strip of territory, by the Caribbean Sea. ...
Islands	Puerto Rico | Vieques | Culebra | Desecheo | Mona | Monito | Full list Flag Seal Nickname: La Isla Chiquita (Little Island), Última Virgen (Last Virgin) Gentilic: Culebrenses Location Location of Culebra, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded October 27, 1880 Mayor Abraham Peña Nieves Political party PNP Senatorial district 8 - Carolina Representative district 36 Geographical characteristics Area Total 30. ... Desecheo Island is located 20 km from the west coast of the main island of Puerto Rico, in the northeast of Mona Passage. ... Mona Island redirects here. ... Monito Island is an unhabited island about 5 kilometers northwest of Mona Island. ... This is a list of islands of Puerto Rico. ...