Situated in the northeast Caribbean Sea, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico has over 143 islands and is a much-loved destination among tourists from all around the world. Here is the list of the 15 most interesting things you should know about this island.
- It was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1493, one year after the discovery of America.
- Puerto Rico is a territory of the USA but isn’t a state.
- The currency is the U.S. dollar, which is often called “peso”.
- It is the size of Connecticut.
- Puerto Rico is a big exporter of tuna, rum, medical equipment, chemicals and electronics.
- All year long, the temperatures vary between 70 and 80 degrees.
- Spanglish, a mixture of English and Spanish language, is very used in Puerto Rico.
- Puerto Rican women have worn the Miss Universe pageant crown five times. Even though Puerto Rico is considered as a U.S. territory, it still competes as and individual.
- No indigenous wildlife there, only exotic birds and fish can be found.
- The Puerto Rican flag is similar to the Cuban flag. However, it was adopted in 1922 and the red stripes represent the “blood” that nourished the three branches of government.
- Even though the residents of Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens, they can’t participate in the U.S. elections.
- The best time to travel there is between December and April, during the no-hurricane season.