77 Interesting Facts About Puerto Rico    

Last updated on April 19th, 2022

51. Economy: Tourism, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and technology play a significant role in Puerto Rico’s economy.

52. Trade: The United States, the Dominican Republic, and the U.K are Puerto Rico’s main trading partners.

53. The best time to visit Puerto Rico is between December and April.

54. Castillo San Cristóbal is one of Puerto Rico’s most important landmarks.

55. Beaches: Puerto Rico is known for its beautiful beaches, which can be found all over the island.

56. Ponce, also known as La Perla del Sur (“Pearl of the South”), is the second-most-populous city in Puerto Rico.

57. Coffee lovers, pay attention: Puerto Rico is a coffee lovers’ paradise. Here, you can taste some of the best coffee in the world. With more than 10,000 coffee farms, there is no doubt Puerto Rico’s coffee is worth your attention!

58. Puerto Ricans are proud to say “I’m as Puerto Rican as a coquí.” See fact no. 17 and you’ll learn why.

Flag of Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico flag
Flag of Puerto Rico. Source – CIA

Facts about wildlife in Puerto Rico, climate, size etc

59. Puerto Rico is the easternmost and smallest island of the Greater Antilles group.

60. If you are interested in seeing a major breeding ground for wildlife, head to the uninhabited Mona Island.

61. Rio de la Plata is the longest river on the island. It runs for 74 km from Cayey to Dorado and empties into the Atlantic.

Grey mongoose, Puerto Rico facts
Grey mongoose

62. Puerto Ricans imported mongoose from India for controlling the population of reptiles in cane fields.

63. In Puerto Rico, throughout the year, the temperature varies between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

64. Bird, flower, tree: note Puerto Rico’s National Bird: Reina Mora; National Flower: Flor de Maga; National Tree: Ceiba.

About Puerto Rican culture

65. Puerto Rico has been the destination of choice for immigrants from various countries including Italy, France, Germany, Cuba, Lebanon, Scotland, Ireland, the Dominican Republic and more.

66. The immigration of residents from these different countries gives Puerto Rico a rich culture.

67. In Puerto Rico, standing close to a person during a conversation and kissing them on their cheeks is considered a sign of respect.

68. Grillwork is ubiquitous in Puerto Rican architecture because it offers security against criminal activity. Since the 1950s, high-rise condominiums have become desirable housing choices as opposed to individual housing and community housing, which prevailed in the country prior to the modern period.

Bacalaito salt cod pancake like fritters from Puerto Rico.

69. Puerto Ricans prefer native food, although they enjoy fast food, as well.

70. Puerto Ricans prefer good family life and education over money. However, commodities such as cars, gadgets, and clothes differentiate people.

71. Note that Puerto Rico competes in the Olympics individually, and they have won six medals in the Olympic games as of the date of this writing. Athletes from the region participate in events including tennis, wrestling, volleyball, boxing, swimming, the triathlon and table tennis.

72. According to ifitweremyhome.com, if Puerto Rico were your home instead of the United States you would be 2.2 times more likely to be unemployed and would use 56% less electricity.

73. Moreover, if Puerto Rico were your home instead of France, you would be 22.1 times more likely to be murdered.

74. Puerto Rico is slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island.

75. Cock-fighting is a legal and popular sport in Puerto Rico. In the majority of the towns in Puerto Rico, you can find stadiums built for rooster fights.

Leatherback sea turtle from Puerto Rico
Leatherback sea turtle – Scientific name: Dermochelys coriacea
Common name Spanish: Tinglar. Image credit – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

76. Puerto Rico is also home to the largest living reptile in the world – the leatherback sea turtle. You can see these endangered reptiles on the islands of Vieques and Culebra.

77. In 2016, more than 80% of Puerto Rico’s population uses the internet.

Puerto Rico – the country at a glance

Independencenone (territory of the US with commonwealth status)
National anthem"La Borinquena" (The Puerto Rican)
Capital CitySan Juan
(18°27′N 66°6′W)
Largest CitySan Juan
(18°27′N 66°6′W)
Total areatotal: 9,104 sq km

land: 8,959 sq km

water: 145 sq km
Literacy rate92.4%
Population3,098,423 (2022 est.)
Population growth rate-1.59% (2020 est.)
DemonymPuerto Rican (formal)
Boricua (colloquial)
Suffrage18 years of age; universal; note - island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Government typepresidential democracy; a self-governing commonwealth in political association with the US
PresidentJoe Biden (D)
GovernorPedro Pierluisi (PNP/D)
Official LanguageSpanish and English
National Anthem"La Borinqueña"
ReligionRoman Catholicism
BordersLand borders: 0 Km;
Coastline: 501 Km
CurrencyUnited States dollar ($) (USD)
Life expectancy at birth81.68 Years (2022)
Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.
Climatetropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrainmostly mountains with coastal plain in north; precipitous mountains to the sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal areas
Mean elevation261 m
Lowest pointCaribbean Sea 0 m
Highest pointCerro de Punta 1,338 m
Natural resourcessome copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil
Agricultural land22%
Birth rate7.87 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate9.76 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Sex ratio0.89 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
National symbol`Puerto Rican spindalis (bird), coqui (frog)
National colorsred, white, blue
Industriespharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, tourism
Exports$73.17 billion (2017 est.)
chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment
Imports$49.01 billion (2017 est.)
chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products
GDP - per capita (PPP)$33,400 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)
Time ZoneAtlantic (UTC-4)
Internet country code.pr
Calling Code+1-787, +1-939
Drives on theRight
Table last updatedAugust 1, 2022