Forgotten World (214): Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (Spanish for ‘rich port’) is a Caribbean island that is almost part of the United States – it is technically a sef-governing, unincorporated territory of the USA. The US invaded and occupied the island during the Spanish-American War of 1898, ending centuries of rule from Spain.
Under American administration, Puerto Rico saw growth and development, but nationalist sentiment sometimes spilled over into violence, notably in the 1930s and 1940s, and a series of bombings and killings in the 1970s and 1980s were blamed on a pro-independence group.
The 4 million Puerto Ricans, who elect a governor for the island, have tended to favour parties that support the union with the US. They do not pay US income tax but the island receives federal funds.