page_title: Geography of Puerto Rico
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Geography of Puerto Rico / Political geography / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Map of Puerto Rico with Spanish colonial administrative subdivisions into departamentos — 1886.
context_page_description: The geography of Puerto Rico consists of an archipelago located between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic, west of the Virgin Islands and north of Venezuela. The main island of Puerto Rico is the smallest and most eastern of the Greater Antilles. With an area of 3,515 square miles, it is the third largest island in the United States and the 82nd largest island in the world. Various smaller islands and cays, including Vieques, Culebra, Mona, Desecheo, and Caja de Muertos comprise the remainder of the archipelago with only Culebra and Vieques being inhabited year-round. Mona is uninhabited through large parts of the year except for employees of the Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources.
  The mainland measures some 96 nautical miles by 35 nautical miles, slightly larger than the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It is mostly mountainous with large coastal areas in the north and south regions of the island. Some popular beaches on the north-west side of the island are Jobos Beach, Maria's Beach, Domes Beach and Sandy Beach. The main mountainous range is called La Cordillera Central.
context_section_description: The first municipality (previously called "town") of Puerto Rico, San Juan, was founded in 1521. In the 16th century two more municipalities were established, Coamo (1570) and San Germán (1570). Three more municipalities were established in the 17th century. These were Arecibo (1614), Aguada (1692) and Ponce (1692). The 18th and 19th century saw an increase in settlement in Puerto Rico with 30 municipalities being established in the 18th century and 34 more in the 19th century. Only six municipalities were founded in the 20th century with the last, Florida, being founded in 1971.
  Under Spanish rule, as of the 1880s, Puerto Rico was subdivided into regional districts (or "departamentos") that contained smaller ayuntamientes (municipalities):
  Aguadilla district
  Ayuntamientes: Aguada, Aguadilla, Isabella, Lares, Moca, Rincon, San Sebastian
  Arecibo district
  Ayuntamientes: Arecibo, Barceloneta, Camuy, Ciales, Hatillo, Manati, Morovi, Quebradillas, Utuado
  Bayamon district
  Ayuntamientes: Bayamón, Carolina, Corozal, Dorado, Loiza, Naranjito, Rio Grande, Rio Piedras, Toa Alta, Toa Baja, Trujillo Alto, Vega Alta, Vega Baja
  Capital: San Juan
  Guayama district
  Ayuntamientes: Aguas Buenas, Arroyo, Caguas, Cayey, Cidra, Guayama, Gurabo, Hato Grande, Juncos, Sabana del Palmar, Salinas
  Humacao district
  Ayuntamientes: Ceiba, Fajardo, Humacao, Luquillo, Maunabo, Naguabo, Patillas, Piedras, Vieques, Yabucoa
  Mayagüez district
  Ayuntamientes: Anasco, Cabo Rojo, Hormigueros, Lajas, Las Marias, Maricao, Mayagüez, Sabana Grande, San German
  Ponce district
  Ayuntamientes: Adjuntas, Aibonito, Barranquitas, Barros, Coamo, Guayanilla, Juana Diaz, Penuelas, Ponce, Santa Isabel, Yauco
caption: Map of Puerto Rico showing regional districts, 1886
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