Claimed as United States territory, Puerto Rico is located in the northeastern Caribbean Sea, south of the mainland of the United States. Its official name is Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; Puerto Rico is an area that attracts several tourists, as it is a major vacation spot. This diverse island is full of culture, history, scenery, economics, and politics. Italian explorer, Christopher Columbus discovered the country, in 1493; "he claimed the land as Spain 's territory, naming it San Juan Bautista, after John the Baptist" (Bayron-Toro 872). Spain later resigned the island to the United States after the Spanish-American War. Puerto Rico became a commonwealth in July of 1952; its name translates to rich port in Spanish (Bayron-Toro 872). Puerto Rico is one of the twenty-one countries that have set Spanish as the official language, …show more content…
Millions of people, especially from the United States visit Puerto Rico each year. The tourist income operates a large portion of Puerto Rico 's economy, bringing in several chain businesses. The currency in Puerto Rico is the United States dollar, due to it being a part of the United States. "Principal exports include chemicals, pharmaceuticals, medical products, clothing, fish products, beverages, tropical fruits, dairy, and meat" (Puerto Rico 1527). The land in Puerto Rico is only ten percent fitting for agriculture (Puerto Rico 1527). The industrial sector greatly exceeds the agriculture industry, but the service industry leads the labor force. Due to Puerto Rico 's controlled climate, it is able to grow tropical crops. Minerals such as salt, sand, gravel, clay, lime, and cement can be found throughout the island and each Puerto Rican mine. "Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region, however, growth has been negative for each of the last nine years (The World Factbook: Puerto