The geography of Puerto Rico consists of an archipelago located between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic, west of the Virgin Islands and north of Venezuela. The main island of Puerto Rico is the smallest and most eastern of the Greater Antilles. With an area of 3,515 square miles (9,104 km2), it is the third largest island in the United States and the 82nd largest island in the world. Various smaller islands and cays, including Vieques, Culebra, Mona, Desecheo, and Caja de Muertos comprise the remainder of the archipelago with only Culebra and Vieques being inhabited year-round. Mona is uninhabited through large parts of the year except for employees of the Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources.
Lajas is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the Lajas Valley in southwestern Puerto Rico, on the southern coast of the island, bordering the Caribbean Sea, south of San Germán and Sabana Grande; east of Cabo Rojo; and west of Guánica. Lajas is spread over 11 barrios plus Lajas Pueblo. It is part of the San Germán-Cabo Rojo Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Cabo Rojo is a city and municipality situated on the southwest coast of Puerto Rico and forms part of the San Germán–Cabo Rojo metropolitan area as well as the larger Mayagüez–San Germán–Cabo Rojo Combined Statistical Area.
Caborrojeños Pro Salud y Ambiente, Inc. is a non-profit environmentalist organization based in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico.
Cerro Las Tetas, nicknamed Las Tetas de Cayey but officially Las Piedras del Collado, are two mountain peaks located in the municipality of Salinas, Puerto Rico, north of the city of Salinas proper. Since September 1, 2000, the peaks have become part of a Puerto Rico Natural Reserve and are protected by law. Their height is 2,762 feet (842 m) above sea level.
Cordillera Central, is the main mountain range in Puerto Rico. The range crosses the island from west to east and divides it into its northern and southern coastal plains. The Cordillera Central runs eastward from the municipality of Maricao in the west to Aibonito in the central eastern region, and on to the Caribbean in the southeast through the Sierra de Cayey. The Central Mountain Range consists of the Cordillera Central proper and numerous subranges, foothills and ridges that extend throughout the island. Cerro de Punta is both the highest peak of the Cordillera Central and the highest point in Puerto Rico. The Sierra de Luquillo, where El Yunque is located, is sometimes included as a subrange or eastward extension of the Cordillera Central.
Faro Los Morrillos de Cabo Rojo, also known as Los Morrillos Light, is a historic lighthouse located in the municipality of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico.
Efrén Pérez Rivera was a Puerto Rican environmentalist leader and college professor. He got married at the age of 28 with Pezinka Berenguer, till the day he died. He had three children with her, Efrén Pérez Berenguer, Manuel Pérez Berenguer, and José Luis Pérez Berenguer
Paradores in Puerto Rico is a brand of small inns similar to bed and breakfasts that have government permission to call themselves paradores based on a set of criteria. These inns are scattered across the island countryside, outside the main metropolitan area of San Juan. Often called "country inns" in English, paradores in Puerto Rico are known for their hospitality, affordable rates, exotic locations, and traditional Puerto Rican cuisine. They are frequented by guests looking to enjoy the local customs and charm.
The Residential Center of Educational Opportunities of Mayagüez ("C.R.O.E.M.") is a magnet high school, in Mayagüez in the United States insular area of Puerto Rico. This is the top specialized school operated by the Puerto Rico Department of Education, specialized in sciences & math, only the top students of Puerto Rico are selected to study here. This is a boarding school, here students can stay in the living facilities of the school, or also have the option to be a non-resident student. Apart from having college structured classes, schedules and highly prepared professors, come from public and private schools from all around the island. The school is recognized as one of the best on the island according to the Department of Education.
The San Germán-Cabo Rojo Metropolitan Statistical Area is a United States Census Bureau defined Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in southwestern Puerto Rico. A July 1, 2009 Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 148,559, a 9.06% increase over the 2000 census figure of 136,212.
Boquerón is a barrio in the municipality of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. Its population in 2010 was 5,373. The village is one of the main tourist attractions in the southwestern part of the island. In 2000, its population was 4,963.
Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge is located on the southwestern side of Puerto Rico in the municipio of Cabo Rojo. It was established in 1974, when 587 acres of land were obtained by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from the Central Intelligence Agency which had operated the Caribbean Bureau of the Foreign Broadcast Information Service there for a number of years. The 1,836 acres (7.43 km2) refuge is a habitat for number of native bird species including the endangered yellow-shouldered blackbird also known as la mariquita de Puerto Rico or capitán. Many birds find their way to the refuge while migrating between North and South America.
Isla de Ratones also known as Cayo Ratones or Isla Ratones is a small island located near the Joyuda Lagoon in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. The island is a popular spot for snorkeling and bathing.
The Lajas Valley runs east-to-west in southwestern Puerto Rico, within the municipalities of Lajas, Cabo Rojo, Guánica, and Sabana Grande. It is surrounded by the Cordillera Central and the Santa Marta hills to the north, the Sierra Bermeja, the Boqueron Bay in Cabo Rojo, and Guánica Bay. The climate is considered moist to dry subhumid tropical. Its large extension and fertile soil has made it a good place for agriculture. However, it is one of the driest places of Puerto Rico, making irrigation necessary. A Tethered Aerostat Radar System aerostat is located at the Lajas Valley.
The Laguna Cartagena National Wildlife Refuge is a 1043-acre National Wildlife Refuge in Lajas, Puerto Rico. It is part of the Caribbean Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex.
Club Deportivo del Oeste is a private club in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico which has the largest marina and one of only two golf courses in the Porta del Sol region of Puerto Rico.
Aristida chaseae is a rare species of grass known by the common name Chase's threeawn. It is endemic to Puerto Rico, where it is known from two locations in the Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge and the Sierra Bermeja. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States. It cannot compete with introduced species of grasses, such as Brachiaria subquadripara, which are invading its habitat.
Buyé Beach is a beach in southwestern Puerto Rico, in the municipality of Cabo Rojo. The beach is popular with locals due to its soft, light beige-colored sand, its calm waters, and its relaxed and secluded, yet family-friendly, atmosphere. It is located next to the small Buyé Resort which offers parking, food kiosks and restrooms for visitors to the beach.
Boquerón State Forest is one of the 20 forestry units that make up the public forest system of Puerto Rico. Despite its name, the Boquerón State Forest is not only located in Boquerón, Cabo Rojo but also spans almost 5,000 acres across the municipalities of Cabo Rojo, Lajas and Mayagüez. The forest area is also known for its limestone cliffs, the lighthouse, and the salt flats which have been a source of salt since the pre-Hispanic era and dating to 700 C.E. it is considered one of the oldest industries in the Americas.
