Puerto Rico Facts and Travel Tips
General information about Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is a Caribbean archipelago and U.S. territory located just east of the Dominican Republic. The currency used in Puerto Rico is the U.S. dollar and the official languages are Spanish and English. Get to know some other facts about Puerto Rico, where it is summer year-round with temperatures typically averaging between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Languages
Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the USA where the official languages are Spanish and English.
Location
Puerto Rico is the smallest island of the Greater Antilles in the Caribbean, located east of the Dominican Republic.
Currency
The currency used in Puerto Rico is the US dollar.
Visa Information
For non-U.S. citizens, a visa is required to enter the Puerto Rico. These requirements are standard and are the same as for entering the USA. The purpose and extent of your visit will determine which visa to apply for. If you are just coming in as a tourist, the standard 90-day non-immigrant visa will be your key to paradise.
Learn more about general U.S. entry information here.
Transportation
You can get to Puerto Rico by air or by sea. Airlines such as Delta, American Airlines, United, Southwest, Jet Blue and Spirit Airlines have direct flights to the island. The island receives over 1,300 weekly non-stop flights and almost 1,000 direct flights. Most of these flights come from cities like New York, Boston, Orlando, Philadelphia, Hartford, Dallas, Houston, Baltimore, Washington and Chicago.
Weather
The climate in Puerto Rico is warm and tropical (i.e. expect an afternoon shower during the summer months). The temperature varies between 21 and 37 degrees Celsius (70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit) throughout the year. In the central mountainous area, it can go down to about 16 degrees Celsius (60 degrees Fahrenheit) during the months of December and January.
Other facts
- There are around 3.6 million people living in Puerto Rico.
- The legal age to consume alcoholic beverages in Puerto Rico is 18 years.
- The island has almost 480 kilometers of coastline and nearly 300 beaches.
- Puerto Rico is home to the largest shopping center in the Caribbean, Plaza Las Américas, and the largest rum factory in the world, Casa Bacardí.
- Puerto Rico’s El Yunque is the only rain forest that’s part of the U.S. Forest Service. The forest receives over 500 centimeters of rain every year.
- Although Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, it competes as an individual country in the contests of Miss Universe and the Olympics.
- Flamenco beach in Culebra has been recognized among top 10 beaches in the world on multiple occasions.
- The piña colada was invented in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.
