Geography and Demographics
– San Juan is located at coordinates 18°24′23″N 66°3′50″W.
– It covers an area of 763.60 sqmi (1,977.7km).
– The elevation of San Juan is 26ft (8m).
– The population of the municipality is 342,259.
– San Juan is the 1st ranked municipality in Puerto Rico and the 57th ranked city in the United States.
– San Juan is an urban area with a population of 1,844,410.
– The urban density is 2,415.4/sqmi (932.6/km).
– The metro area, including San Juan and surrounding municipalities, has a population of 2,350,126.
History
– The Taíno people were the original inhabitants of the area.
– In 1508, Juan Ponce de León founded the original settlement called Caparra.
– The settlement was later moved to a site called Puerto Rico.
– San Juan became the name for the entire island, leading to the city being identified as Puerto Rico de Puerto Rico on maps.
– San Juan served as a stopover for merchant and military ships traveling from Spain.
– Fortifications were built to protect the transports of gold and silver.
– San Juan successfully defended against attacks from English and Dutch forces.
– USS Yale captured the Spanish freighter Rita in San Juan Bay, marking the first hostile encounter in Puerto Rico during the Spanish-American War.
– Captain Ángel Rivero Méndez commanded the Spanish forces in the fortress of San Cristóbal and ordered an attack on USS Yale.
– San Juan residents blamed Rivero for the destruction caused by American bombardments.
– Camp Las Casas served as the main training camp for Puerto Rican soldiers in World War I and World War II.
– Lieutenant Teófilo Marxuach fired the first shot of World War I by the United States against a German supply vessel.
– Felisa Rincón de Gautier became the first woman elected as the mayor of San Juan.
– The San Juan Uprising occurred in 1950, with an aim to attack La Fortaleza and the United States Federal Court House Building.
– Gentrification has been noticeable in areas of San Juan such as Loíza Street and Santa Rita.
– San Juan has been the site of various strikes and protests, including those against the United States Navy and Governor Ricardo Rosselló.
– Hurricane Maria caused extensive damage and infrastructure collapse in San Juan in 2017.
– Significant progress has been made in the city’s recovery from Hurricane Maria.
Landmarks and Infrastructure
– San Juan is home to notable landmarks such as Castle San Felipe del Morro and La Fortaleza.
– The Puerto Rico Convention Center, opened in 2005, is the largest of its kind in the Caribbean.
– The city has industries including tobacco processing, breweries, refining facilities, and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
– San Juan has a rich architectural heritage, with colonial buildings in Old San Juan.
– The city has a well-developed transportation and communication infrastructure.
Climate and Natural Phenomena
– San Juan has a tropical monsoon climate (Am).
– Average temperature is 81.0°F (27.2°C).
– Temperatures of 90°F (32°C) or higher occur on average 79 days per year.
– Winter temperatures can drop to around 60°F (16°C).
– San Juan is often blanketed by waves of Saharan dust from Northern Africa.
– Dust storms have become hazardous to human health, causing haze and overheating.
– San Juan experienced widespread flooding and roof damage during Hurricane Maria.
– San Juan’s beaches are currently under the threat of coastal erosion.
Parks and Nature Reserves
– San Juan contains various parks managed by different entities.
– Parks include public parks, historic and heritage parks, nature reserves, and recreational parks.
– San Juan is home to the San Juan Bay National Estuary, the only tropical estuary in the National Estuary Program network.
– Examples of parks in San Juan include Bahía Urbana, Paseo de Puerta de Tierra, Ventana al Mar, Laguna del Condado Jaime Benítez Park, and Parque del Indio.
– San Juan has state forests and protected natural areas that preserve important ecosystems and natural areas.
– Old San Juan features Spanish colonial architecture, with setted roads and colonial houses. Source URL:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Juan,_Puerto_Rico
