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Guánica, Puerto Rico

Guánica (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈɡwanika], locally [ˈwanika]) is a town and municipality in southern Puerto Rico, bordering the Caribbean Sea, south of Sabana Grande, east of Lajas, and west of Yauco. It is part of the Yauco metropolitan statistical area.

Guánica
Municipio Autónomo de Guánica
Boats in San Jacinto Sector in Guánica barrio-pueblo
Nicknames: 
"Pueblo de la amistad", "El Pueblo de las Doce Calles", "Puerta de la Cultura"
Anthem: "América es jardín del mundo"
Map of Puerto Rico highlighting Guánica Municipality
Coordinates: 17°58′18″N 66°54′29″W / 17.97167°N 66.90806°W / 17.97167; -66.90806
Sovereign state United States
Commonwealth Puerto Rico
Settled1508
FoundedMarch 13, 1914
Barrios
Government
 • MayorIsmael (Titi) Rodríguez Ramos (PPD)
 • Senatorial dist.5 - Ponce
 • Representative dist.21
Area
 • Total53.42 sq mi (138.35 km2)
 • Land37 sq mi (96 km2)
 • Water16.35 sq mi (42.35 km2)
Population
 (2020)[1]
 • Total13,787
 • Rank71st in Puerto Rico
 • Density260/sq mi (100/km2)
DemonymGuaniqueños
Time zoneUTC−4 (AST)
ZIP Codes
00653, 00647
Area code787/939
Major routes
GNIS feature ID1610855[2]

Guánica barrio-pueblo, also known as Pueblo de Guánica, is the downtown of the municipality. Guánica's population in 2020 was 13,787 people. Guánica is located on a deeply indented harbor of the same name. The harbor resembles a tropical fjord, narrow and bordered by rugged hills, barely a quarter-mile wide, but about two miles (3.2 km) from mouth to the town. The town is about 100 miles (160 km) and over two hours' driving distance from San Juan, and about 20 miles (30 km) west of Ponce.

Guánica's postal ZIP Code is 00653 and telephone area codes are 787 and 939. The urban settlement of Ensenada has a separate postal ZIP Code of 00647.

History edit

Settlement edit

Juan Ponce de León landed in the Guánica harbor on August 12, 1508, and founded a town called Guaynía, a word derived from the Taíno language that is popularly said to mean "Here is a place with water". The town, considered the first capital of the island of Puerto Rico (which was at that time named Isla de San Juan Bautista), was destroyed during the indigenous uprising of 1511, and the area was abandoned by Europeans for some years, during which time San Juan (itself at first called Puerto Rico) became the capital of the island.

Puerto Rico was ceded by Spain in the aftermath of the Spanish–American War under the terms of the Treaty of Paris of 1898 and became a territory of the United States. In 1899, the United States Department of War conducted a census of Puerto Rico finding that the population of Guánica was 2,700.[4] The re-founded town of Guánica was at first a barrio of the municipality of Yauco until Guánica was established as a separate municipality on March 13, 1914. Víctor Ángel Sallaberry Safini was Guánica's first mayor.

Invasion edit

 
American troops landing at Guánica in 1898, by Howard Chandler Christy

On July 25, 1898, American forces (who included the young poet-writer Carl Sandburg led by General Nelson A. Miles) landed in Guánica as part of the course of the Puerto Rico campaign in the Spanish–American War. This invasion led to Puerto Rico being acquired by the United States. The invasion, just one small part of the war between Spain and United States, occurred in Guánica due to its sheltered harbor and proximity to Ponce, besides being such an unexpected site for such an attack, which had been anticipated at the heavily fortified city of San Juan. The Gloucester was the first ship to set anchor in the Bay of Guánica. Twenty-eight sailors and Marines, under the command of lieutenants H. P. Huse and Wood, departed from the ship on rafts and landed on the beach. The Marines lowered the Spanish flag from the beach flagpole and replaced it with the American flag. They then proceeded to set up a machine gun nest and placed barbed wire around their perimeter. The first land skirmish in Puerto Rico between the Puerto Rican militia and the American forces occurred when Lt. Méndez López and his men attacked and opened fire on the Americans. During the small battle which followed, the Americans returned fire with their machine gun and the Gloucester began to bombard the Spanish position. Lt. Méndez López and three of his men were wounded and the militia unit was forced to retreat to the town of Yauco.[5][6] The invasion is commemorated by a contentious monument on the waterfront: along a broad paseo (el malecón), there is a large coral boulder known as the Guánica Rock (Piedra de Guánica) marked by the carved words, "3rd Battalion, 1st U.S.V. Engineers, September 16, 1898." July 25 was subsequently commemorated in Puerto Rico as Occupation Day, later renamed Constitution Day (see Public holidays in Puerto Rico).

 
Gloucester landing team

Today edit

 
Rock in Guánica which indicates where Major General Nelson A. Miles and his men landed

Guánica is a modern town that maintains roots and connections to a traditional past. Known as el pueblo de la amistad ('the town of friendship'), it is also occasionally referred to as el pueblo de las doce calles ('the town of the twelve streets'). The central part of town consists of five streets running north–south crossing seven other streets that run east–west, resulting in a compact grid of 24 square blocks, one of which is the main town square. Facing the square are the Catholic church, city hall, a school, and many shops; the plaza itself contains greenery, walks, and a music stand. In recent years this central area of the twelve streets has been extensively supplemented by suburbs in the south and west. Hills surround the town and harbor, including the 450-foot (140 m) hill to the east of town, itself topped by the tiny Fort Caprón. Two large factories, one producing fertilizer, partially distract the eye from the pleasant landscape, but both have been important to the economy of the town, at one time dominated by the sugar plantations of Central Guánica. The resort chain known as Club Med once attempted to set up a luxury resort on beaches east of the town but withdrew due to local opposition which was apprehensive about both environmental and community degradation. East of the town some 200 acres (80.9 ha) of land, including three miles (4.8 km) of beach, have been intermittently for sale. It is a fishing village; commercial fishermen still ply their traditional trade beyond the harbor entrance. Copamarina Beach Resort & Spa offers beach access and a short boat ride to Gilligan Island, the westernmost key of the Cayos de Caña Gorda, which is a great spot to go snorkeling. The water is crystal clear and shallow, in which old pieces of coral and fish can be seen. People can walk or swim from one island to another.

On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria struck the island of Puerto Rico. In Guánica, 951 homes were damaged or destroyed.[7]

On January 6, 2020, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake was felt in Guánica and nearby municipalities, and several residences and cars were destroyed.[8] On January 7, 2020, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake hit.[9]

Geography edit

 
Guayacán Centenario

Guánica has mountains and a dry forest. The Guánica State Forest (Bosque Estatal de Guánica) is also the name of a dry forest reserve east and west of the town, the largest remaining tract of tropical dry coastal forest in the world and designated an international Biosphere Reserve in 1981. The park comprising much of the dry forest is known as Bosque Seco de Guánica.[10][11]

Highway Route 116, the nearest principal road, heads west toward Lajas and east toward Ponce, passing through the island of Puerto Rico's driest area. The largely intact forest of the Guánica Dry Forest reserve hosts the greatest number of bird species found on the island, including several bird species seldom found anywhere else: the Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo, Puerto Rican woodpecker, the Puerto Rican nightjar, and the Puerto Rican emerald hummingbird. Other animals thought to be extinct in Puerto Rico have turned up in this forest. Many different types of cacti grow here, a stunning contrast to the lush Caribbean National Forest in the northeast part of the island, which is a tropical rainforest. The contrast is due to the mountain ridge Cordillera Central which separates Guánica from the northeast part of the island; while the northeast receives over 100 inches (2,500 mm) of precipitation each year, Guánica receives less than 30, and some regions of the forest reserve are said to receive only six inches.

The forest reserve of some 9,500 acres (38 km2) contains 36 miles (58 km) of trails through four different forest types: deciduous trees, a coastal region with tree-size milkweed and nine-foot-tall (2.7 m) prickly pear cactus, a mahogany forest, and twisted gumbo limbo trees. There are about 700 varieties of plants, including aroma (acacia) and guayacan (Lignum vitae—Latin for 'wood of life'). One guayacan is about 500–700 years old. The squat melon cactus and other cacti can be found here along with 40 species of birds, including the guabairo (Puerto Rican nightjar), found nowhere else. Also found in the area are the Puerto Rico crested toad (Peltophryne lemur) and, sometimes on the beaches, green and leatherback turtles, though their eggs suffer severe predation from mongooses one time introduced to fight rats in sugarcane fields.

Barrios edit

 
Subdivisions of Guánica

Like all municipalities of Puerto Rico, Guánica is subdivided into barrios. The municipal buildings, central square and large Catholic church are located in a small barrio referred to as "el pueblo".[12][13][14][15]

Sectors edit

Barrios (which are, in contemporary times, roughly comparable to minor civil divisions)[16] and subbarrios,[17] are further subdivided into smaller areas called sectores (sectors in English). The types of sectores may vary, from normally sector to urbanización to reparto to barriada to residencial, among others.[18][19][20]

Special Communities edit

Comunidades Especiales de Puerto Rico (Special Communities of Puerto Rico) are marginalized communities whose citizens are experiencing a certain amount of social exclusion. A map shows these communities occur in nearly every municipality of the commonwealth. Of the 742 places that were on the list in 2014, the following barrios, communities, sectors, or neighborhoods were in Guánica: Esperanza neighborhood, Callejón Magüeyes, El Batey, El Tumbao, Ensenada, Fuig, La Luna, and Playa Santa.[21]

Tourism edit

 

To stimulate local tourism, the Puerto Rico Tourism Company launched the Voy Turistiendo ("I'm Touring") campaign, with a passport book and website. The Guánica page lists Bosque Seco de Guánica, Playa La Jungla, and Cayo Aurora "Gilligan's", as places of interest.[22]

Landmarks and places of interest edit

According to a news article by Primera Hora, Guánica has 39 beaches, including Playa Santa.[23]

  • Guánica Parador 1929 is a historic inn near the sugar mill[24]
  • Museum of Art and History of Guánica (former town hall)[25]
  • Azul Beach
  • Ballenas Bay
  • Ballenas Beach (is considered a dangerous beach)[26]
  • Caprón Fortress[27]
  • Casa Alejada
  • Cayo Aurora (popularly known as Gilligan's Island)
  • Copamarina Beach Resort & Spa
  • El Malecón (Boardwalk)
  • Guánica Bay
  • Playa Manglillo is a beach near Playa Santa.
  • Playa Santa Beach[28]
  • Punta de Brea, a surf spot[29]
  • Punta Jorobao
  • Hacienda Santa Rita
  • Serra Beach
  • Central Guánica (Sugar Cane Refinery)
  • Guánica State Forest, also called Guánica Dry Forest is a 9,000-acre forest[30]
  • Guánica Lighthouse ruins

Economy edit

 
Harvesting sugarcane in Guánica in 1942

Agriculture edit

  • Salt and Sugarcane

Industry edit

  • Manufacture (apparel)

Culture edit

Festivals and events edit

Guánica celebrates its patron saint festival in July. The Fiestas Patronales de Santiago Apostol is a religious and cultural celebration that generally features parades, games, artisans, amusement rides, regional food, and live entertainment.[11] The festival has featured live performances by well-known artists such as Cano Estremera, Tito Rojas, and Arcángel.[31]

Other festivals and events celebrated in Guánica include:

Demographics edit

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
19209,948
193010,2382.9%
194012,68523.9%
195015,63023.2%
196013,767−11.9%
197014,8898.1%
198018,79926.3%
199019,9846.3%
200021,8889.5%
201019,427−11.2%
202013,787−29.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[32]
1920-1930[33]
1930-1950[34] 1960-2000[35] 2010[14] 2020[36]

Government edit

Like all municipalities in Puerto Rico, Guánica is administered by a mayor. The current mayor is Ismael (Titi) Rodríguez Ramos, from the Popular Democratic Party (PPD). Rodríguez was elected in the 2020 general election after a close race with Santos Seda (Papichy) from the New Progressive Party (PNP). While both candidates received almost the same share of the vote, 2,000 ballots where write in votes mostly for Edgardo Cruz Vélez an independent candidate.[38] This resulted in a vote recount and while the initial results signaled Vélez was the victor, after weeks of counting, Rodríguez was declared the winner.[39][40] Vélez initially conceded the race but then petitioned a court to adjudge early voting ballots to his count. This court case and subsequent court appeal where both dismissed.[41][42]

The city belongs to the Puerto Rico Senatorial district V, which is represented by two senators. In 2012, Ramón Ruiz and Martín Vargas Morales, from the Popular Democratic Party (PPD), were elected as District Senators.[43] In 2020, Marially Gozález and Ramón Ruiz, from the Popular Democratic Party (PPD), were elected as District Senators.[44]

Symbols edit

The municipio has an official flag and coat of arms.[45]

Flag edit

The five waves, blue and yellow represent the Guánica Bay, a fragment of the Official Shield of Guánica.[46]

Coat of arms edit

Shield divided in four quarters. In the superior right side, it has a "bohío" (a native hut) under a crown that represents Cacique Agüeybaná, whose yucayeque (Indian territory) was in this region. In the superior left quarter, a lion representing Juan Ponce de León. The red and yellow checkered strips over a silver-plated background in the inferior right side represent the shields of Don Cristóbal de Sotomayor, founder of the town of Tavara, the actual location of Guánica. The waved stripes represent the bay of this town. The branches surrounding the shield represent the sugarcane industry that was very important in this region.[46]

Notable "Guaniqueños" edit

Transportation edit

At one time during 1937, Guánica received domestic, commercial airline flights from San Juan on Puerto Rico's national airline, Puertorriqueña de Aviación.[47]

There are 25 bridges in Guánica.[48]

Gallery edit

Books edit

  • Torres, Angel Luis, Walter Torres, and Miguel Canals. En el Bosque Seco de Guánica. San Juan, Puerto Rico: La Editorial Universidad de Puerto Rico (Colección San Pedrito), 1995. ISBN 0-8477-0207-3 – Children's picture book about a trip through the dry forest of Guánica with a sea turtle. (in Spanish)

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "PUERTO RICO: 2020 Census". The United States Census Bureau. from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  2. ^ "Guánica – Populated Place". Geographic Names Information System. USGS. from the original on May 28, 2022. Retrieved May 14, 2008.
  3. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. from the original on December 27, 1996. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  4. ^ Joseph Prentiss Sanger; Henry Gannett; Walter Francis Willcox (1900). Informe sobre el censo de Puerto Rico, 1899, United States. War Dept. Porto Rico Census Office (in Spanish). Imprenta del gobierno. p. 165. from the original on November 15, 2012. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  5. ^ Barnes, Mark R. "The American Army Moves on Puerto-Rico, Part 2". War in Puerto Rico. Spanish American War Centennial Website. from the original on July 24, 2008. Retrieved August 2, 2008.
  6. ^ "El desembarco en Guánica". 1898 La Guerra Hispano Americana en Puerto Rico (in Spanish). from the original on April 21, 2010. Retrieved August 2, 2008.
  7. ^ "María, un nombre que no vamos a olvidar. María se lleva la industria turística de Guánica" [Maria, a name we will never forget. Maria took Guánica's tourism industry with it]. El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). June 13, 2019. from the original on September 11, 2022. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  8. ^ "Colapsan cinco residencias en la barriada Esperanza en Guánica por el temblor [Five residences in the Esperanza neighborhood of Guánica collapse as a result of the earthquake]". El Nuevo Dia. January 6, 2020. from the original on January 7, 2020. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
  9. ^ Rosa, Alejandra; Mazzei, Patricia (January 6, 2020). "Earthquake Strikes Puerto Rico, Toppling a Well-Known Natural Wonder". from the original on January 7, 2020. Retrieved January 7, 2020 – via NYTimes.com.
  10. ^ "Balneario Caña Gorda". drdpuertorico (in Spanish). Programa de Parques Nacionales de Puerto Rico. from the original on February 13, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  11. ^ a b "Guánica Municipality". enciclopediapr.org. Fundación Puertorriqueña de las Humanidades (FPH). from the original on August 29, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  12. ^ Picó, Rafael; Buitrago de Santiago, Zayda; Berrios, Hector H. Nueva geografía de Puerto Rico: física, económica, y social, por Rafael Picó. Con la colaboración de Zayda Buitrago de Santiago y Héctor H. Berrios. San Juan Editorial Universitaria, Universidad de Puerto Rico,1969. from the original on December 26, 2018. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  13. ^ Gwillim Law (May 20, 2015). Administrative Subdivisions of Countries: A Comprehensive World Reference, 1900 through 1998. McFarland. p. 300. ISBN 978-1-4766-0447-3. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  14. ^ a b Puerto Rico:2010:population and housing unit counts.pdf (PDF). U.S. Dept. of Commerce Economics and Statistics Administration U.S. Census Bureau. 2010. (PDF) from the original on February 20, 2017. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  15. ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 24, 2018. Retrieved December 29, 2018.
  16. ^ . factfinder.com. US Census. Archived from the original on May 13, 2017. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  17. ^ "P.L. 94-171 VTD/SLD Reference Map (2010 Census): Guánica Municipio, PR" (PDF). www2.census.gov. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Economics and Statistics Administration U.S. Census Bureau. (PDF) from the original on August 22, 2020. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  18. ^ "Agencia: Oficina del Coordinador General para el Financiamiento Socioeconómico y la Autogestión (Proposed 2016 Budget)". Puerto Rico Budgets (in Spanish). from the original on June 28, 2019. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  19. ^ Rivera Quintero, Marcia (2014), El vuelo de la esperanza: Proyecto de las Comunidades Especiales Puerto Rico, 1997-2004 (first ed.), San Juan, Puerto Rico Fundación Sila M. Calderón, ISBN 978-0-9820806-1-0
  20. ^ "Leyes del 2001". Lex Juris Puerto Rico (in Spanish). from the original on September 14, 2018. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  21. ^ Rivera Quintero, Marcia (2014), El vuelo de la esperanza:Proyecto de las Comunidades Especiales Puerto Rico, 1997-2004 (Primera edición ed.), San Juan, Puerto Rico Fundación Sila M. Calderón, p. 273, ISBN 978-0-9820806-1-0
  22. ^ Pasaporte: Voy Turisteando (in Spanish). Compañia de Turismo de Puerto Rico. 2021.
  23. ^ "Las 1,200 playas de Puerto Rico [The 1200 beaches of Puerto Rico]". Primera Hora (in Spanish). April 14, 2017. from the original on December 12, 2019. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  24. ^ "Historic Hotels and Resorts in Puerto Rico". Discover Puerto Rico. from the original on July 17, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  25. ^ "La antigua alcaldía de Guánica es un ejemplo de elegancia y fortaleza" [The old town hall of Guánica is an example of elegance and endurance]. El Nuevo Día. from the original on August 18, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  26. ^ "Conoce las 11 playas más peligrosas de Puerto Rico [Know the 11 most dangerous beaches in Puerto Rico]". El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). July 4, 2018. from the original on April 1, 2021. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  27. ^ "Fort Capron in Guánica: an adventure on the mountain". El Nuevo Día. August 26, 2021. from the original on August 26, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  28. ^ "Playa Santa in Guanica | Puerto Rico Day Trips Travel Guide". www.puertoricodaytrips.com. from the original on March 6, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  29. ^ "Punta de Brea - Surfing in Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico - WannaSurf, surf spots atlas, surfing photos, maps, GPS location". Wanna Surf. from the original on August 22, 2020. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  30. ^ "Guanica Dry Forest Reserve | Puerto Rico Day Trips Travel Guide". Puerto Rico Day Trips. from the original on July 5, 2019. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  31. ^ "Fiestas Tradicionales Guánica". sondeaquiprnet. El Gobierno Municipal de Guánica. from the original on May 17, 2020. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  32. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  33. ^ "Table 3-Population of Municipalities: 1930 1920 and 1910" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. (PDF) from the original on August 17, 2017. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  34. ^ "Table 4-Area and Population of Municipalities Urban and Rural: 1930 to 1950" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. (PDF) from the original on August 30, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
  35. ^ "Table 2 Population and Housing Units: 1960 to 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. (PDF) from the original on July 24, 2017. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  36. ^ "PUERTO RICO: 2020 Census". The United States Census Bureau. from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  37. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. from the original on December 27, 1996. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  38. ^ "CEE Event". elecciones2020.ceepur.org. from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  39. ^ "Inicia con polémica el recuento de votos de la contienda por la alcaldía de Guánica". El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). January 14, 2021. from the original on May 26, 2021. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  40. ^ "La alcaldía de Guánica queda en manos del candidato del PPD, Ismael Rodríguez Ramos". El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). December 17, 2020. from the original on December 18, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  41. ^ NotiCel. "Tribunal vuelve a fallar en contra del candidato por nominación directa en Guánica, Edgardo Cruz". www.noticel.com. from the original on May 26, 2021. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  42. ^ "Desestiman pleito de Edgardo Cruz, candidato por nominación directa a la alcaldía de Guánica". El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). May 17, 2021. from the original on May 26, 2021. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  43. ^ Elecciones Generales 2012: Escrutinio General 2013-01-15 at the Wayback Machine on CEEPUR
  44. ^ "CEE Event". elecciones2020.ceepur.org. from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  45. ^ "Ley Núm. 70 de 2006 -Ley para disponer la oficialidad de la bandera y el escudo de los setenta y ocho (78) municipios". LexJuris de Puerto Rico (in Spanish). from the original on January 20, 2021. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  46. ^ a b "GUANICA". LexJuris (Leyes y Jurisprudencia) de Puerto Rico (in Spanish). February 19, 2020. from the original on February 19, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  47. ^ "Aerovias NPR - Aerovias Nacionales Puerto Rico". Time Table Images. from the original on August 22, 2020. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
  48. ^ "Guánica Bridges". National Bridge Inventory Data. US Dept. of Transportation. from the original on February 21, 2019. Retrieved February 20, 2019.

Further reading edit

  • Mapa de municipios y barrios - Guánica - Memoria Núm. 44 (PDF). University of Puerto Rico: Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, Oficina del Gobernador, Junta de Planificacion, Santurce, Puerto Rico. 1955.

External links edit

  • World Wildlife Fund, ed. (2001). . WildWorld Ecoregion Profile. National Geographic Society. Archived from the original on March 8, 2010.
  • Gilligan's Island Photos and information, Guanica, Puerto Rico
  • (in Spanish)
  • (in Spanish)

guánica, puerto, rico, guánica, spanish, pronunciation, ˈɡwanika, locally, ˈwanika, town, municipality, southern, puerto, rico, bordering, caribbean, south, sabana, grande, east, lajas, west, yauco, part, yauco, metropolitan, statistical, area, guánica, munici. Guanica Spanish pronunciation ˈɡwanika locally ˈwanika is a town and municipality in southern Puerto Rico bordering the Caribbean Sea south of Sabana Grande east of Lajas and west of Yauco It is part of the Yauco metropolitan statistical area Guanica Municipio Autonomo de GuanicaTown and MunicipalityBoats in San Jacinto Sector in Guanica barrio puebloFlagNicknames Pueblo de la amistad El Pueblo de las Doce Calles Puerta de la Cultura Anthem America es jardin del mundo Map of Puerto Rico highlighting Guanica MunicipalityCoordinates 17 58 18 N 66 54 29 W 17 97167 N 66 90806 W 17 97167 66 90806Sovereign state United StatesCommonwealth Puerto RicoSettled1508FoundedMarch 13 1914Barrios8 barrios ArenaCanoCareneroCienagaEnsenadaGuanica barrio puebloMontalvaSusua BajaGovernment MayorIsmael Titi Rodriguez Ramos PPD Senatorial dist 5 Ponce Representative dist 21Area Total53 42 sq mi 138 35 km2 Land37 sq mi 96 km2 Water16 35 sq mi 42 35 km2 Population 2020 1 Total13 787 Rank71st in Puerto Rico Density260 sq mi 100 km2 DemonymGuaniquenosTime zoneUTC 4 AST ZIP Codes00653 00647Area code787 939Major routesGNIS feature ID1610855 2 Guanica barrio pueblo also known as Pueblo de Guanica is the downtown of the municipality Guanica s population in 2020 was 13 787 people Guanica is located on a deeply indented harbor of the same name The harbor resembles a tropical fjord narrow and bordered by rugged hills barely a quarter mile wide but about two miles 3 2 km from mouth to the town The town is about 100 miles 160 km and over two hours driving distance from San Juan and about 20 miles 30 km west of Ponce Guanica s postal ZIP Code is 00653 and telephone area codes are 787 and 939 The urban settlement of Ensenada has a separate postal ZIP Code of 00647 Contents 1 History 1 1 Settlement 1 2 Invasion 1 3 Today 2 Geography 2 1 Barrios 2 2 Sectors 2 3 Special Communities 3 Tourism 3 1 Landmarks and places of interest 4 Economy 4 1 Agriculture 4 2 Industry 5 Culture 5 1 Festivals and events 6 Demographics 7 Government 8 Symbols 8 1 Flag 8 2 Coat of arms 9 Notable Guaniquenos 10 Transportation 11 Gallery 12 Books 13 See also 14 References 15 Further reading 16 External linksHistory editSettlement edit Juan Ponce de Leon landed in the Guanica harbor on August 12 1508 and founded a town called Guaynia a word derived from the Taino language that is popularly said to mean Here is a place with water The town considered the first capital of the island of Puerto Rico which was at that time named Isla de San Juan Bautista was destroyed during the indigenous uprising of 1511 and the area was abandoned by Europeans for some years during which time San Juan itself at first called Puerto Rico became the capital of the island Puerto Rico was ceded by Spain in the aftermath of the Spanish American War under the terms of the Treaty of Paris of 1898 and became a territory of the United States In 1899 the United States Department of War conducted a census of Puerto Rico finding that the population of Guanica was 2 700 4 The re founded town of Guanica was at first a barrio of the municipality of Yauco until Guanica was established as a separate municipality on March 13 1914 Victor Angel Sallaberry Safini was Guanica s first mayor Invasion edit Main article Puerto Rico campaign nbsp American troops landing at Guanica in 1898 by Howard Chandler ChristyOn July 25 1898 American forces who included the young poet writer Carl Sandburg led by General Nelson A Miles landed in Guanica as part of the course of the Puerto Rico campaign in the Spanish American War This invasion led to Puerto Rico being acquired by the United States The invasion just one small part of the war between Spain and United States occurred in Guanica due to its sheltered harbor and proximity to Ponce besides being such an unexpected site for such an attack which had been anticipated at the heavily fortified city of San Juan The Gloucester was the first ship to set anchor in the Bay of Guanica Twenty eight sailors and Marines under the command of lieutenants H P Huse and Wood departed from the ship on rafts and landed on the beach The Marines lowered the Spanish flag from the beach flagpole and replaced it with the American flag They then proceeded to set up a machine gun nest and placed barbed wire around their perimeter The first land skirmish in Puerto Rico between the Puerto Rican militia and the American forces occurred when Lt Mendez Lopez and his men attacked and opened fire on the Americans During the small battle which followed the Americans returned fire with their machine gun and the Gloucester began to bombard the Spanish position Lt Mendez Lopez and three of his men were wounded and the militia unit was forced to retreat to the town of Yauco 5 6 The invasion is commemorated by a contentious monument on the waterfront along a broad paseo el malecon there is a large coral boulder known as the Guanica Rock Piedra de Guanica marked by the carved words 3rd Battalion 1st U S V Engineers September 16 1898 July 25 was subsequently commemorated in Puerto Rico as Occupation Day later renamed Constitution Day see Public holidays in Puerto Rico nbsp Gloucester landing team Today edit nbsp Rock in Guanica which indicates where Major General Nelson A Miles and his men landed Guanica is a modern town that maintains roots and connections to a traditional past Known as el pueblo de la amistad the town of friendship it is also occasionally referred to as el pueblo de las doce calles the town of the twelve streets The central part of town consists of five streets running north south crossing seven other streets that run east west resulting in a compact grid of 24 square blocks one of which is the main town square Facing the square are the Catholic church city hall a school and many shops the plaza itself contains greenery walks and a music stand In recent years this central area of the twelve streets has been extensively supplemented by suburbs in the south and west Hills surround the town and harbor including the 450 foot 140 m hill to the east of town itself topped by the tiny Fort Capron Two large factories one producing fertilizer partially distract the eye from the pleasant landscape but both have been important to the economy of the town at one time dominated by the sugar plantations of Central Guanica The resort chain known as Club Med once attempted to set up a luxury resort on beaches east of the town but withdrew due to local opposition which was apprehensive about both environmental and community degradation East of the town some 200 acres 80 9 ha of land including three miles 4 8 km of beach have been intermittently for sale It is a fishing village commercial fishermen still ply their traditional trade beyond the harbor entrance Copamarina Beach Resort amp Spa offers beach access and a short boat ride to Gilligan Island the westernmost key of the Cayos de Cana Gorda which is a great spot to go snorkeling The water is crystal clear and shallow in which old pieces of coral and fish can be seen People can walk or swim from one island to another On September 20 2017 Hurricane Maria struck the island of Puerto Rico In Guanica 951 homes were damaged or destroyed 7 On January 6 2020 a 5 8 magnitude earthquake was felt in Guanica and nearby municipalities and several residences and cars were destroyed 8 On January 7 2020 a 6 4 magnitude earthquake hit 9 Geography edit nbsp Guayacan Centenario Guanica has mountains and a dry forest The Guanica State Forest Bosque Estatal de Guanica is also the name of a dry forest reserve east and west of the town the largest remaining tract of tropical dry coastal forest in the world and designated an international Biosphere Reserve in 1981 The park comprising much of the dry forest is known as Bosque Seco de Guanica 10 11 Highway Route 116 the nearest principal road heads west toward Lajas and east toward Ponce passing through the island of Puerto Rico s driest area The largely intact forest of the Guanica Dry Forest reserve hosts the greatest number of bird species found on the island including several bird species seldom found anywhere else the Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo Puerto Rican woodpecker the Puerto Rican nightjar and the Puerto Rican emerald hummingbird Other animals thought to be extinct in Puerto Rico have turned up in this forest Many different types of cacti grow here a stunning contrast to the lush Caribbean National Forest in the northeast part of the island which is a tropical rainforest The contrast is due to the mountain ridge Cordillera Central which separates Guanica from the northeast part of the island while the northeast receives over 100 inches 2 500 mm of precipitation each year Guanica receives less than 30 and some regions of the forest reserve are said to receive only six inches The forest reserve of some 9 500 acres 38 km2 contains 36 miles 58 km of trails through four different forest types deciduous trees a coastal region with tree size milkweed and nine foot tall 2 7 m prickly pear cactus a mahogany forest and twisted gumbo limbo trees There are about 700 varieties of plants including aroma acacia and guayacan Lignum vitae Latin for wood of life One guayacan is about 500 700 years old The squat melon cactus and other cacti can be found here along with 40 species of birds including the guabairo Puerto Rican nightjar found nowhere else Also found in the area are the Puerto Rico crested toad Peltophryne lemur and sometimes on the beaches green and leatherback turtles though their eggs suffer severe predation from mongooses one time introduced to fight rats in sugarcane fields Barrios edit nbsp Subdivisions of Guanica Like all municipalities of Puerto Rico Guanica is subdivided into barrios The municipal buildings central square and large Catholic church are located in a small barrio referred to as el pueblo 12 13 14 15 Arena Cano Carenero Cienaga Ensenada Guanica barrio pueblo Montalva Susua Baja Sectors edit Barrios which are in contemporary times roughly comparable to minor civil divisions 16 and subbarrios 17 are further subdivided into smaller areas called sectores sectors in English The types of sectores may vary from normally sector to urbanizacion to reparto to barriada to residencial among others 18 19 20 Special Communities edit See also Puerto Rico Office for Socioeconomic and Community Development Comunidades Especiales de Puerto Rico Special Communities of Puerto Rico are marginalized communities whose citizens are experiencing a certain amount of social exclusion A map shows these communities occur in nearly every municipality of the commonwealth Of the 742 places that were on the list in 2014 the following barrios communities sectors or neighborhoods were in Guanica Esperanza neighborhood Callejon Magueyes El Batey El Tumbao Ensenada Fuig La Luna and Playa Santa 21 Tourism edit nbsp To stimulate local tourism the Puerto Rico Tourism Company launched the Voy Turistiendo I m Touring campaign with a passport book and website The Guanica page lists Bosque Seco de Guanica Playa La Jungla and Cayo Aurora Gilligan s as places of interest 22 Landmarks and places of interest edit According to a news article by Primera Hora Guanica has 39 beaches including Playa Santa 23 Guanica Parador 1929 is a historic inn near the sugar mill 24 Museum of Art and History of Guanica former town hall 25 Azul Beach Ballenas Bay Ballenas Beach is considered a dangerous beach 26 Capron Fortress 27 Casa Alejada Cayo Aurora popularly known as Gilligan s Island Copamarina Beach Resort amp Spa El Malecon Boardwalk Guanica Bay Playa Manglillo is a beach near Playa Santa Playa Santa Beach 28 Punta de Brea a surf spot 29 Punta Jorobao Hacienda Santa Rita Serra Beach Central Guanica Sugar Cane Refinery Guanica State Forest also called Guanica Dry Forest is a 9 000 acre forest 30 Guanica Lighthouse ruinsEconomy edit nbsp Harvesting sugarcane in Guanica in 1942 Agriculture edit Salt and Sugarcane Industry edit Manufacture apparel Culture editFestivals and events edit Guanica celebrates its patron saint festival in July The Fiestas Patronales de Santiago Apostol is a religious and cultural celebration that generally features parades games artisans amusement rides regional food and live entertainment 11 The festival has featured live performances by well known artists such as Cano Estremera Tito Rojas and Arcangel 31 Other festivals and events celebrated in Guanica include Fish Festival April July 25 Parade July Juan Ponce de Leon Celebration AugustDemographics editHistorical population CensusPop Note 19209 948 193010 2382 9 194012 68523 9 195015 63023 2 196013 767 11 9 197014 8898 1 198018 79926 3 199019 9846 3 200021 8889 5 201019 427 11 2 202013 787 29 0 U S Decennial Census 32 1920 1930 33 1930 1950 34 1960 2000 35 2010 14 2020 36 Government editMain article Mayoralty in Puerto Rico Like all municipalities in Puerto Rico Guanica is administered by a mayor The current mayor is Ismael Titi Rodriguez Ramos from the Popular Democratic Party PPD Rodriguez was elected in the 2020 general election after a close race with Santos Seda Papichy from the New Progressive Party PNP While both candidates received almost the same share of the vote 2 000 ballots where write in votes mostly for Edgardo Cruz Velez an independent candidate 38 This resulted in a vote recount and while the initial results signaled Velez was the victor after weeks of counting Rodriguez was declared the winner 39 40 Velez initially conceded the race but then petitioned a court to adjudge early voting ballots to his count This court case and subsequent court appeal where both dismissed 41 42 The city belongs to the Puerto Rico Senatorial district V which is represented by two senators In 2012 Ramon Ruiz and Martin Vargas Morales from the Popular Democratic Party PPD were elected as District Senators 43 In 2020 Marially Gozalez and Ramon Ruiz from the Popular Democratic Party PPD were elected as District Senators 44 Symbols editThe municipio has an official flag and coat of arms 45 Flag edit The five waves blue and yellow represent the Guanica Bay a fragment of the Official Shield of Guanica 46 Coat of arms edit Shield divided in four quarters In the superior right side it has a bohio a native hut under a crown that represents Cacique Agueybana whose yucayeque Indian territory was in this region In the superior left quarter a lion representing Juan Ponce de Leon The red and yellow checkered strips over a silver plated background in the inferior right side represent the shields of Don Cristobal de Sotomayor founder of the town of Tavara the actual location of Guanica The waved stripes represent the bay of this town The branches surrounding the shield represent the sugarcane industry that was very important in this region 46 Notable Guaniquenos editAgueybana and Agueybana II Taino chiefs Rose Franco b 1932 first Puerto Rican woman Chief Warrant Officer in U S Marine CorpsTransportation editAt one time during 1937 Guanica received domestic commercial airline flights from San Juan on Puerto Rico s national airline Puertorriquena de Aviacion 47 There are 25 bridges in Guanica 48 Gallery edit nbsp Guanica mangroves nbsp Playa Jaboncillo nbsp Playa Jaboncillo and Bosque Seco in Guanica nbsp Pier in Guanica nbsp Fuerte Capron Bosque Seco Guanica nbsp Fuerte Capron Bosque Seco Guanica nbsp Facade of Fuerte Capron nbsp Guanica boardwalk nbsp Adventist Temple in GuanicaBooks editTorres Angel Luis Walter Torres and Miguel Canals En el Bosque Seco de Guanica San Juan Puerto Rico La Editorial Universidad de Puerto Rico Coleccion San Pedrito 1995 ISBN 0 8477 0207 3 Children s picture book about a trip through the dry forest of Guanica with a sea turtle in Spanish See also edit nbsp Puerto Rico portal nbsp Geography portal List of Puerto Ricans History of Puerto Rico National Register of Historic Places listings in Guanica Puerto Rico Did you know Puerto Rico References edit PUERTO RICO 2020 Census The United States Census Bureau Archived from the original on December 1 2021 Retrieved August 25 2021 Guanica Populated Place Geographic Names Information System USGS Archived from the original on May 28 2022 Retrieved May 14 2008 U S Census website United States Census Bureau Archived from the original on December 27 1996 Retrieved January 31 2008 Joseph Prentiss Sanger Henry Gannett Walter Francis Willcox 1900 Informe sobre el censo de Puerto Rico 1899 United States War Dept Porto Rico Census Office in Spanish Imprenta del gobierno p 165 Archived from the original on November 15 2012 Retrieved April 18 2020 Barnes Mark R The American Army Moves on Puerto Rico Part 2 War in Puerto Rico Spanish American War Centennial Website Archived from the original on July 24 2008 Retrieved August 2 2008 El desembarco en Guanica 1898 La Guerra Hispano Americana en Puerto Rico in Spanish Archived from the original on April 21 2010 Retrieved August 2 2008 Maria un nombre que no vamos a olvidar Maria se lleva la industria turistica de Guanica Maria a name we will never forget Maria took Guanica s tourism industry with it El Nuevo Dia in Spanish June 13 2019 Archived from the original on September 11 2022 Retrieved September 11 2022 Colapsan cinco residencias en la barriada Esperanza en Guanica por el temblor Five residences in the Esperanza neighborhood of Guanica collapse as a result of the earthquake El Nuevo Dia January 6 2020 Archived from the original on January 7 2020 Retrieved January 6 2020 Rosa Alejandra Mazzei Patricia January 6 2020 Earthquake Strikes Puerto Rico Toppling a Well Known Natural Wonder Archived from the original on January 7 2020 Retrieved January 7 2020 via NYTimes com Balneario Cana Gorda drdpuertorico in Spanish Programa de Parques Nacionales de Puerto Rico Archived from the original on February 13 2019 Retrieved February 13 2019 a b Guanica Municipality enciclopediapr org Fundacion Puertorriquena de las Humanidades FPH Archived from the original on August 29 2019 Retrieved March 20 2019 Pico Rafael Buitrago de Santiago Zayda Berrios Hector H Nueva geografia de Puerto Rico fisica economica y social por Rafael Pico Con la colaboracion de Zayda Buitrago de Santiago y Hector H Berrios San Juan Editorial Universitaria Universidad de Puerto Rico 1969 Archived from the original on December 26 2018 Retrieved January 4 2019 Gwillim Law May 20 2015 Administrative Subdivisions of Countries A Comprehensive World Reference 1900 through 1998 McFarland p 300 ISBN 978 1 4766 0447 3 Retrieved December 25 2018 a b Puerto Rico 2010 population and housing unit counts pdf PDF U S Dept of Commerce Economics and Statistics Administration U S Census Bureau 2010 Archived PDF from the original on February 20 2017 Retrieved January 4 2019 Map of Guanica at the Wayback Machine PDF Archived from the original PDF on March 24 2018 Retrieved December 29 2018 US Census Barrio Pueblo definition factfinder com US Census Archived from the original on May 13 2017 Retrieved January 5 2019 P L 94 171 VTD SLD Reference Map 2010 Census Guanica Municipio PR PDF www2 census gov U S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Economics and Statistics Administration U S Census Bureau Archived PDF from the original on August 22 2020 Retrieved August 22 2020 Agencia Oficina del Coordinador General para el Financiamiento Socioeconomico y la Autogestion Proposed 2016 Budget Puerto Rico Budgets in Spanish Archived from the original on June 28 2019 Retrieved June 28 2019 Rivera Quintero Marcia 2014 El vuelo de la esperanza Proyecto de las Comunidades Especiales Puerto Rico 1997 2004 first ed San Juan Puerto Rico Fundacion Sila M Calderon ISBN 978 0 9820806 1 0 Leyes del 2001 Lex Juris Puerto Rico in Spanish Archived from the original on September 14 2018 Retrieved June 24 2020 Rivera Quintero Marcia 2014 El vuelo de la esperanza Proyecto de las Comunidades Especiales Puerto Rico 1997 2004 Primera edicion ed San Juan Puerto Rico Fundacion Sila M Calderon p 273 ISBN 978 0 9820806 1 0 Pasaporte Voy Turisteando in Spanish Compania de Turismo de Puerto Rico 2021 Las 1 200 playas de Puerto Rico The 1200 beaches of Puerto Rico Primera Hora in Spanish April 14 2017 Archived from the original on December 12 2019 Retrieved December 12 2019 Historic Hotels and Resorts in Puerto Rico Discover Puerto Rico Archived from the original on July 17 2019 Retrieved June 25 2019 La antigua alcaldia de Guanica es un ejemplo de elegancia y fortaleza The old town hall of Guanica is an example of elegance and endurance El Nuevo Dia Archived from the original on August 18 2021 Retrieved August 20 2021 Conoce las 11 playas mas peligrosas de Puerto Rico Know the 11 most dangerous beaches in Puerto Rico El Nuevo Dia in Spanish July 4 2018 Archived from the original on April 1 2021 Retrieved April 4 2021 Fort Capron in Guanica an adventure on the mountain El Nuevo Dia August 26 2021 Archived from the original on August 26 2021 Retrieved August 26 2021 Playa Santa in Guanica Puerto Rico Day Trips Travel Guide www puertoricodaytrips com Archived from the original on March 6 2019 Retrieved June 25 2019 Punta de Brea Surfing in Puerto Rico Puerto Rico WannaSurf surf spots atlas surfing photos maps GPS location Wanna Surf Archived from the original on August 22 2020 Retrieved June 25 2019 Guanica Dry Forest Reserve Puerto Rico Day Trips Travel Guide Puerto Rico Day Trips Archived from the original on July 5 2019 Retrieved July 5 2019 Fiestas Tradicionales Guanica sondeaquiprnet El Gobierno Municipal de Guanica Archived from the original on May 17 2020 Retrieved August 14 2023 U S Decennial Census United States Census Bureau Archived from the original on February 13 2020 Retrieved September 21 2017 Table 3 Population of Municipalities 1930 1920 and 1910 PDF United States Census Bureau Archived PDF from the original on August 17 2017 Retrieved September 21 2017 Table 4 Area and Population of Municipalities Urban and Rural 1930 to 1950 PDF United States Census Bureau Archived PDF from the original on August 30 2015 Retrieved September 21 2014 Table 2 Population and Housing Units 1960 to 2000 PDF United States Census Bureau Archived PDF from the original on July 24 2017 Retrieved September 21 2017 PUERTO RICO 2020 Census The United States Census Bureau Archived from the original on December 1 2021 Retrieved August 25 2021 Population and Housing Unit Estimates United States Census Bureau Archived from the original on December 27 1996 Retrieved September 21 2017 CEE Event elecciones2020 ceepur org Archived from the original on November 12 2020 Retrieved May 26 2021 Inicia con polemica el recuento de votos de la contienda por la alcaldia de Guanica El Nuevo Dia in Spanish January 14 2021 Archived from the original on May 26 2021 Retrieved May 26 2021 La alcaldia de Guanica queda en manos del candidato del PPD Ismael Rodriguez Ramos El Nuevo Dia in Spanish December 17 2020 Archived from the original on December 18 2020 Retrieved May 26 2021 NotiCel Tribunal vuelve a fallar en contra del candidato por nominacion directa en Guanica Edgardo Cruz www noticel com Archived from the original on May 26 2021 Retrieved May 26 2021 Desestiman pleito de Edgardo Cruz candidato por nominacion directa a la alcaldia de Guanica El Nuevo Dia in Spanish May 17 2021 Archived from the original on May 26 2021 Retrieved May 26 2021 Elecciones Generales 2012 Escrutinio General Archived 2013 01 15 at the Wayback Machine on CEEPUR CEE Event elecciones2020 ceepur org Archived from the original on November 12 2020 Retrieved March 1 2021 Ley Num 70 de 2006 Ley para disponer la oficialidad de la bandera y el escudo de los setenta y ocho 78 municipios LexJuris de Puerto Rico in Spanish Archived from the original on January 20 2021 Retrieved June 15 2021 a b GUANICA LexJuris Leyes y Jurisprudencia de Puerto Rico in Spanish February 19 2020 Archived from the original on February 19 2020 Retrieved September 17 2020 Aerovias NPR Aerovias Nacionales Puerto Rico Time Table Images Archived from the original on August 22 2020 Retrieved April 19 2018 Guanica Bridges National Bridge Inventory Data US Dept of Transportation Archived from the original on February 21 2019 Retrieved February 20 2019 Further reading editMapa de municipios y barrios Guanica Memoria Num 44 PDF University of Puerto Rico Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico Oficina del Gobernador Junta de Planificacion Santurce Puerto Rico 1955 External links editVisit the Guanica dry forest World Wildlife Fund ed 2001 Puerto Rican dry forests WildWorld Ecoregion Profile National Geographic Society Archived from the original on March 8 2010 Gilligan s Island Photos and information Guanica Puerto Rico Bosque Seco de Guanica in Spanish El Bosque Estatal de Guanica in Spanish Mapa del Bosque Seco Guanica Puerto Rico at Wikipedia s sister projects nbsp Media from Commons nbsp Travel guides from Wikivoyage nbsp Data from Wikidata Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Guanica Puerto Rico amp oldid 1218091954, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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