| Cultural
Information
Puerto
Rico, is a freely associated commonwealth of the United
States, composed of one large, densely populated island
and several small islands in the West Indies. Officially
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (Spanish Estado Libre
Asociado de Puerto Rico), it forms part of the Greater
Antilles along with the islands of Cuba, Hispaniola,
and Jamaica. San Juan, on the northeastern coast, is
Puerto Rico's capital, chief port, and largest city.
Puerto Rico was a Spanish colony for almost four centuries
until it was ceded to the United States following the
Spanish-American War (1898). Today, it remains geographically
and culturally part of Latin America despite its close
ties to the United States. Almost all residents speak
Spanish as their primary language.
Since 1952 Puerto Ricans have debated whether the island
should remain a commonwealth, attempt to become the
51st state of the United States, or become an independent
nation. Puerto Rico has held a number of referenda on
this issue. The vast majority of voters remain closely
split between commonwealth status and statehood.
According to the 2000 census, Puerto Rico had 3,808,610
inhabitants, an increase of 8.1 percent over the 1990
figure of 3,536,910. The population estimate for 2003
was 3,885,877. The average population density in 2003
was 428 persons per sq km (1,108 persons per sq mi),
a higher density than in any state. In 2000 whites constituted
80.5 percent of the population, blacks 8 percent, Asians
0.2 percent, Native Americans 0.4 percent, and those
of mixed heritage or not reporting race 11 percent.
Hispanics, who may be of any race, were 98.8 percent
of Puerto Rico's population. Spanish and English are
the official languages of the commonwealth, but Spanish
is the primary language. Almost 75 percent of the people
are Roman Catholic.
Following the abolition of slavery in 1873, Puerto Rico's
social structure changed. The sharp division between
classes began to blur. This process accelerated after
the economy industrialized in the 1940s and 1950s. By
the early 21st century, Puerto Ricans had increased
social mobility and much greater opportunities because
of universal access to education and a more developed
economy. Although some vestiges of the traditional social
structure still persisted and not all remnants of racial
prejudice were eliminated, modern society in Puerto
Rico by and large permitted a great deal of social and
economic mobility.
Many of Puerto Rico's major cultural institutions are
in San Juan. These include the Puerto Rico Museum of
Art, housing works from pre-Columbian times to the present;
the Children's Museum in Old San Juan; and the Museum
of the Indian, featuring exhibits about the indigenous
peoples of the Caribbean region. Of note, too, is the
Ponce Art Museum, which has exhibits of paintings by
European and Puerto Rican artists. In addition, metropolitan
San Juan is the home of the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra,
the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico, and ballet
and dance companies. A popular cultural attraction is
the Pablo Casals Museum in Old San Juan, which contains
memorabilia from the life and career of renowned cellist
Pablo Casals. -
"Puerto Rico," Microsoft® Encarta®
Online Encyclopedia 2003 |
