Archipelago of Puerto-Rico
Puerto Rico, officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States self-governing status, situated to the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of the Virgin Islands.
Its west coast is located, in addition, about 2,000 kilometers (1,280 miles) off the coast of Florida, the nearest continent.
The archipelago of Puerto Rico includes the main island of Puerto Rico, the smallest of the Greater Antilles, and a number of smaller islands and cays, of which the largest are: Mona, Vieques and Culebra. It is a tropical island, and despite its size, has a diversity of ecosystems: dry and wet forests, karst area, mountainous areas, coastal and marine ecosystems, etc...
Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens since 1917, when the U.S. Congress passed the Jones.
Although his relationship with the United States is similar to that of a state of the Union and allowed the drafting of a constitution for the management of affairs then it's subject to the full powers of Congress by Clause Territorial.This means that the power to exercise its sovereignty rests with the United States Congress and the powers that be on the island, not be protected in the constitution U.S., are revocable.
Géography and Climate
The island state is situated in the Caribbean and consists of the island of Puerto Rico and the smaller adjoining islands of Vieques, Culebra, Culebrita, Desecheo, Palomino, Mona, Caja de Muertos, and Monitoring. Puerto Rico is the easternmost and smallest island of the Greater Antilles.
About 150 kilometers ( 93 miles) to the west lies the island of Hispaniola, 100 km ( 62 mi ) east of the Virgin Islands and 800 km ( 497 mi) south, across the Caribbean, is South America.
The surrounding ocean is very deep: in the north of the islands, there is the 9219 meter deep Milwaukeetief in the Puerto Rico Trench in the Atlantic, the south by the 5649 m deep basin in the Venezuelan Caribbean. The island is mountainous in many areas (60 percent of the surface), but there are also areas with rain forests and deserts. Highest mountain: Cerro La Punta (1,338 feet).
Longest River: Rio de la Plata (97 kilometers or 62 miles) The island has a tropical climate with average temperatures of about 82°F(28 ° C). The north coast and the highlands of the most frequently recorded rainfall, while the south is relatively dry.
Fauna
The fauna of Puerto Rico is similar to the fauna of island archipelagos. Rich in endemic species, but are low in alpha-diversity. Bats are the only surviving native land mammals of Puerto Rico. All other land mammals such as cats, small mongoose, goats and sheep were introduced by man.
Also still live in the sea dolphins, manatees and whales. Of the 349 bird species breed in the 120 in the archipelago, and 47.5% are vagrants or rare species. Probably the most remarkable and most famous animal of Puerto Rico, the coqui, a small endemic frog is one of the 85 species of Puerto Rican herpetofauna. In the freshwater, there are no native fish, but some entrained by the human species. Most of the fauna consists of invertebrates.
The arrival of the first people 4,000 years ago and an even greater extent the Europeans 500 years ago had a strong influence on the Puerto Rican fauna. Not hunting, habitat destruction and the introduction of alien species led to the extinction or local extinction. Conservation and Arterhaltungsbestrebungen, especially for the Puerto Rican Amazon, started in the second half of the 20th Century. In 2002 there were 21 endangered species, including two mammals, eight breeding birds, eight reptiles and three amphibians.
Population
According to U.S. census in Puerto Rico for the year 2004 the population was around 4,500,000 inhabitants. In the United States and Puerto Rican population exceeds 5.0 million. The growth rate is 0.393% per annum. Life expectancy is 82.67 years for women and 74.6 for men, with an average of 78 years.
Ethnicity
The total white population of 70.5% in total.
The mestizo population 20.9% of the total.
Afro-Caribbean population plus 8.0% of the total. According to the U.S. census, the white population is the most abundant in Puerto Rico, with 70.5% of the population.
Afro-Caribbeans are particularly in the municipalities of Loiza and Rio Grande. The Mestizos are found throughout the Island, but predominate in the center and north. Targets are found throughout the island too, but more abundant in the west and in the metropolitan area. The inhabitants are very few Asians in general. Appear also other ethnic groups and cultures mixed. A group of Puerto Rican university students conducted a study of DNA or mitochondrial DNA has provided surprising data, found that the current population of Puerto Rico has a high genetic component Taino (native Puerto Rican) and Guanche (Canary Islands native, especially the Guanches of the island of Tenerife).
Its west coast is located, in addition, about 2,000 kilometers (1,280 miles) off the coast of Florida, the nearest continent.
The archipelago of Puerto Rico includes the main island of Puerto Rico, the smallest of the Greater Antilles, and a number of smaller islands and cays, of which the largest are: Mona, Vieques and Culebra. It is a tropical island, and despite its size, has a diversity of ecosystems: dry and wet forests, karst area, mountainous areas, coastal and marine ecosystems, etc...
Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens since 1917, when the U.S. Congress passed the Jones.
Although his relationship with the United States is similar to that of a state of the Union and allowed the drafting of a constitution for the management of affairs then it's subject to the full powers of Congress by Clause Territorial.This means that the power to exercise its sovereignty rests with the United States Congress and the powers that be on the island, not be protected in the constitution U.S., are revocable.
Géography and Climate
The island state is situated in the Caribbean and consists of the island of Puerto Rico and the smaller adjoining islands of Vieques, Culebra, Culebrita, Desecheo, Palomino, Mona, Caja de Muertos, and Monitoring. Puerto Rico is the easternmost and smallest island of the Greater Antilles.
About 150 kilometers ( 93 miles) to the west lies the island of Hispaniola, 100 km ( 62 mi ) east of the Virgin Islands and 800 km ( 497 mi) south, across the Caribbean, is South America.
Longest River: Rio de la Plata (97 kilometers or 62 miles) The island has a tropical climate with average temperatures of about 82°F(28 ° C). The north coast and the highlands of the most frequently recorded rainfall, while the south is relatively dry.
Fauna
The fauna of Puerto Rico is similar to the fauna of island archipelagos. Rich in endemic species, but are low in alpha-diversity. Bats are the only surviving native land mammals of Puerto Rico. All other land mammals such as cats, small mongoose, goats and sheep were introduced by man.
Also still live in the sea dolphins, manatees and whales. Of the 349 bird species breed in the 120 in the archipelago, and 47.5% are vagrants or rare species. Probably the most remarkable and most famous animal of Puerto Rico, the coqui, a small endemic frog is one of the 85 species of Puerto Rican herpetofauna. In the freshwater, there are no native fish, but some entrained by the human species. Most of the fauna consists of invertebrates.
The arrival of the first people 4,000 years ago and an even greater extent the Europeans 500 years ago had a strong influence on the Puerto Rican fauna. Not hunting, habitat destruction and the introduction of alien species led to the extinction or local extinction. Conservation and Arterhaltungsbestrebungen, especially for the Puerto Rican Amazon, started in the second half of the 20th Century. In 2002 there were 21 endangered species, including two mammals, eight breeding birds, eight reptiles and three amphibians.
Population
According to U.S. census in Puerto Rico for the year 2004 the population was around 4,500,000 inhabitants. In the United States and Puerto Rican population exceeds 5.0 million. The growth rate is 0.393% per annum. Life expectancy is 82.67 years for women and 74.6 for men, with an average of 78 years.
Ethnicity
The total white population of 70.5% in total.
The mestizo population 20.9% of the total.
Afro-Caribbean population plus 8.0% of the total. According to the U.S. census, the white population is the most abundant in Puerto Rico, with 70.5% of the population.
Afro-Caribbeans are particularly in the municipalities of Loiza and Rio Grande. The Mestizos are found throughout the Island, but predominate in the center and north. Targets are found throughout the island too, but more abundant in the west and in the metropolitan area. The inhabitants are very few Asians in general. Appear also other ethnic groups and cultures mixed. A group of Puerto Rican university students conducted a study of DNA or mitochondrial DNA has provided surprising data, found that the current population of Puerto Rico has a high genetic component Taino (native Puerto Rican) and Guanche (Canary Islands native, especially the Guanches of the island of Tenerife).
