Page 124 - Florida and the US Caribbean Isles

Puerto Rico Guide Map

The island is strategically positioned in the trade routes between Eu- Along the northwest coastal plains, the lower slopes of the Cordillera
rope, North America and South America — was one of the Spanish give way to foothills and hillocks. This region, characterized by hay-
Crown’s trade and military centers during the 17th and 18th centu- stack hills and giant sinkholes, is Karst Country. Puerto Rico has one
ries. By the mid-1600s the city of San Juan was a military masterpiece of the most extensive cave systems in the Western Hemisphere, where
of massive stone walls and fortresses. Spain fought hard to control you can visit Rio Camuy Cave Park and the world’s largest radio tel-
trade in the region, and to remain in power when attacked by other escope, built right into a sinkhole at the Arecibo Observatory.
nations — and local militias. Although the great fortresses are still West of Ponce, Puerto Rico’s second largest city, the southwest side
standing, years of struggling caused Spain’s rule to crumble; the Span- of the island is characterized by dry yellow foothills sloping to the
ish ceded Puerto Rico to the United States in 1898 under the Treaty of coast, where the dry forest gives way to mangrove lagoons and the
Paris, which ended the Spanish-American War. Puerto Rico became a home of La Parguera’s Phosphorescent Bay, or Bioluminescent Bay.
commonwealth territory. Puerto Ricans share the rights and duties of The protected water in the bay is heavy with concentrations of micro-
U.S. citizens, except that they do not pay federal income taxes and do scopic organisms called dinoflagellates, but more commonly known
not vote in presidential elections. as bioluminescence. Movement in the water, such as swimming or
Puerto Rico is grouped together with Cuba, Hispaniola and Jamai- boat wakes, causes the eerie blue-green glow. This natural nighttime
ca, and makes up what is known as the Greater Antilles. The island’s light show attracts many visitors to the small tourist community of
countryside is where you’ll find the wealth of natural attractions. Like Parguera.
many islands in the Caribbean, Puerto Rico was formed by volcanic
eruptions that created four distinct geographic zones — The Cordil-
lera Central, The Karst Country, Guanica’s Dry Forest and the Coastal
Plains. Each region offers natural wonders. Close to San Juan in the
Luquillo Mountains, less than 30 minutes by car, is the Caribbean
National Forest. This 28,000-acre rain forest park is more commonly
called El Yunque (meaning “the anvil”), named after the mountain
that dominates the landscape in this northeast section of the island. El
Yunque connects with the Cordillera Central, a steep spine of moun-
tains that cross the island from east to west.