San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan is the capital and largest city of Puerto Rico. The city's population is 321,992. It is the 42nd-largest city and the oldest European settlement in United States territory. Today, San Juan is Puerto Rico's most important seaport.
San Juan, Puerto Rico | |
|---|---|
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 Flag  Seal | |
| Nickname(s): La Ciudad Amurallada (The Walled City) | |
 Location of San Juan within the island of Puerto Rico | |
| Coordinates: 18°27′00″N 66°04′00″W | |
| Country | United States |
| Territory | Puerto Rico |
| Founded | 1521 |
| Area | |
| • City | 76.93 sq mi (199.2 km2) |
| • Land | 47.82 sq mi (123.9 km2) |
| • Water | 29.11 sq mi (75.4 km2) 37.8% |
| Elevation | 322 ft (98 m) |
| Population (2024)[1] | |
| • City |  321,992 |
| • Density | 9,084.4/sq mi (3,507.5/km2) |
| • Metro | 2,509,007 |
| Time zone | UTC-4 (AST) |
History
San Juan was founded in 1521. It was named after San Juan Bautista, or St. John the Baptist (name given by Christopher Columbus). San Juan is also known as "La Ciudad Amurallada". This means the "walled city". San Juan has many old buildings still standing today. Many Spanish explorers came during the Age of Discovery and built forts, churches, and other historical buildings. An example of a very old fort is "La Fortaleza". It is also known as "Palacio de Santa Catalina". In the sixteenth century, it was a Spanish fortress against Caribs. These were the people native to the Caribbean islands and Central America. Another old building is the oldest residence in Old San Juan, Casas de los Contrasfuertes (House of Buttresses).
References
- "San Juan and its barrios". United States Census Bureau. 2000. Archived from the original on 2020-02-12. Retrieved 2009-08-20.
