Main Entry:
Puer⋅to Ri⋅co
[pwer-tuh ree-koh]
–noun
A self-governing island commonwealth of the United States in the Caribbean Sea east of
Hispaniola. Inhabited by Tainos when it was discovered by Columbus in 1493, it was
colonized by the Spanish in the 16th century and ceded to the United States in 1898 after
the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted U.S. citizenship in 1917, although
residents of the island do not vote in U.S. presidential elections. Commonwealth status was
proclaimed in 1952 and has been upheld by various plebiscites since the 1960s. San Juan
is the capital and the largest city. Population: 3,940,000. The American Heritage® Dictionary
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