- Geography
- Political
- Economy
- Social
- Phone Numbers
- Schools
- Immigration
- Housing
- More Information
Capital: San Juan
Area: 9,104 km2
Population: 3,994,259 (2007 EST.)
Major Industries: Agriculture, Bottling, Clay and Glass Products, Electrical and Electronic Production, Fishing, Metal Products, Mining rum and Beer distilling, textiles, tourism
LocationThe Commonwealth of Puerto Rico lies 1,047 miles south east of Miami and 548 miles north of Caracas, Venezuela. The U.S. Virgin Islands are on the east and the island of Hispaniola, comprised of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, the west. Puerto Rico is the smallest island of the Greater Antilles.
Climate
Puerto Rico has a tropical climate at low elevations and subtropical climate at high elevations. Rain and the temperatures are both affected by the NE trade winds. During the summer months, May –December, the humidity is high and most of the rainfall occurs during these months.
In 1952, the country adopted its own constitution with United States congress approval and included the political formula (ELA). The ELA is based on a similar presidential system as the government: executive, legislative and judiciary. At the moment, Puerto Ricans elect a governor every four years. All representatives are elected by majority vote even municipality mayors. The governor appoints the members of the judiciary power with the Senate's advice and consent.
US Dollar
Banking
Puerto Rico follows the same banking system as the United States of America. Most banks offer all basic banking, including electronic banking. Most banks also issue credit cards and debit cards; with access throughout the island. There is no Central Bank in Puerto Rico, however, the US Federal Reserve Bank acts as the Central Bank.
Some of the banks in Puerto Rico are:
- Banco Popular
- First Bancorp
- W Holding Co. Inc.
- Doral Financial Corp
- Banco Santander
- R&G Financial Corp.
- Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argent SA
- Oriental Financial Corp.
Spanish and English are the official languages of Puerto Rico
Religion
Roman Catholics make up 85% of the population, while Protestant and other religions make up the other 15%.
Shopping
Puerto Rico has the largest shopping center in the Caribbean know as “Plaza Las Americas”. Located in Hato Rey, Plaza Las Americas is a very modern shopping center that holds over 300 stores where fine jewelry, pottery, clothing and local cuisine can be found. In the Condado area, brand-name stores such as Gucci, Dior, and Salvatore Ferragamo can be found. Old San Juan offers small antique shops and souvenirs as well as art galleries and outlet malls. Most malls are open Mon-Wed and Sat from 9:00am-7:00pm, Thurs-Fri from 9:00am-9:00pm, and Sun from 11:00am-5:00pm. Some of the popular malls in Puerto Rico are:
- Plaza Las Americas
- Aguadilla Mall
- Plaza del Norte
- Santa Rosa Mall
- Ponce Mall
In San Juan, restaurants serve everything from Italian to Thai food, as well as local restaurants serving “comida criolla” or traditional home-style Puerto Rican food. Puerto Rican cooking uses a lot of local vegetables such as plantains which are either fried green (tostones), baked ripe (amarillos), mashed and fried (mofongo), or as chips. Locals cook white rice with red beans, annatto seeds, or saffron; brown rice with pigeon peas; and black rice with black beans. Yams and other root vegetables, such as yucca, are served baked, fried, stuffed, boiled, and mashed. Entertainment
Puerto Ricans, both men and women, love getting dressed up to go out. In Old San Juan, San Sebastian Street is filled with bars and restaurants. There is everything from salsa music to mellow Latin jazz. Just east of San Juan there are many seaside restaurants that are popular.
Emergency: 911
Police: 787-343-2020
Fire Department: 787-343-2330
Poison Control Center: 787-754-8536
US Marshal: 787-766-6000
US Coast Guard: 787-729-670
American Red Cross: 787-759-7979
Education in Puerto Rico has three levels and is mandatory for all children ages 5-18. The first is the primary levels which are the elementary grades 1-6. The second is the secondary levels which are the middle and high school grades 7-12. The third is the higher education levels which are for students pursuing undergraduate and graduate studies. There are also many private schools in San Juan, such as:
- Caribbean Preparatory School
- Commonwealth High School
- Robinson School
- Saint John's School
The largest public university in Puerto Rico is the University of Puerto Rico. Other universities are:
- Universidad del Turabo
- Metropolitan University
- Universidad del Este
- Inter-American University
- Pontifical Catholic University
- Caribbean University
- Carlos Albizu University
- Sacred Heart University
Puerto Rico is a USA territory and all immigration processes are handled through the USA government. The L-1 visa is available to individuals who are transferred to a U.S. Company after having worked at least one of the last three years at a foreign subsidiary, affiliate, branch, or parent company. The L-1A visa is available to employees who will work in a managerial or executive capacity. The L-1B visa is available to employees who will work in a position requiring “specialized knowledge.” If you are seeking a work-authorized U.S. visa, but don’t qualify for an L-1 visa, you should consider other visa alternatives, such as the H-1B, H-2B or TN visa.
More information is available at www.immigrationdirect.com.
Important Immigration Links:
- US Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services: www.uscis.gov
- Puerto Rico Police: www.policia.gobierno.pr
- American Chamber of Commerce of Puerto Rico: http://camarapr.org
HOUSING There are many properties located in prestigious communities in the best areas of the island. Most of the apartments and houses are in gated communities and include several amenities such as swimming pool, gym, tennis court. The average pricing for these types of properties can run anywhere from $2500 to $8000.
New Year's Day: January 1st
Epiphany Day: January
Eugenio Maria de Hostos’ Birthday: January
President's Day: February
Emancipation of the Slaves: March 22nd
Good Friday: April
José de Diego Day: April
Memorial Day: May
US Independence Day: July 4th
Constitution Day: July 25th
José Celso Barbosa's Birthday: July 27th
Labor Day: September
Columbus Day: October
Veterans' Day: November
Discovery of Puerto Rico Day: November 19th
Thanksgiving Day: Last Thursday in November
Christmas Day: December 25th
Voltage: 120 V which make it compatible with the 110 V voltages in the United States of America, Canada, and Japan.
Plugs: The plugs used in Puerto Rico are A or B.
