Vieques General Info
Places of Interest
Beaches & Bays
Island History
How to Get Here
Restaurants, Scuba & Rental Cars
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General Information
ABUNDANT BEACHES, A SNORKELER'S DREAM, A FISHERMAN'S
PARADISE, A GLISTENING LUMINESCENT BAY AND A SIMPLE, NATURAL ENVIRONMENT -
THESE ARE THE FEATURES OF VIEQUES ISLAND, ONLY SIX MILES OFF PUERTO RICO'S
EAST COAST. IN A RELAXED ATMOSPHERE, VISITORS STILL FIND CARIBBEAN LIFE AS
IT HAS BEEN LIVED FOR A CENTURY. THIS SUNNY, INFORMAL ISLAND IS A SOOTHING
CONTRAST TO TODAY'S URBAN WORLD.
RELATIVELY UNKNOWN AMONG CARIBBEAN ISLANDS, VIEQUES IS A PART OF PUERTO
RICO. 21 MILES LONG AND 5 MILES WIDE AT ITS WIDEST POINT, IT IS THE HOME OF
ABOUT 9,000 SPANISH-SPEAKING PEOPLE, WHO MOSTLY MAKE THEIR HOMES IN THE
CENTRAL PORTION OF THE ISLAND. THE EASTERN END OF THE ISLAND FORMERLY
UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE U.S. NAVY, IS NOW CONTROLLED BY THE US DEPT OF
THE INTERIOR, AND MANAGED BY THE FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE AS THE CARIBBEAN'S
LARGEST WILDLIFE REFUGE!
MOST PEOPLE LIVE IN THE ISLAND'S ONE CITY, ISABEL SEGUNDA. OTHERS LIVE
ALONG THE NORTH COAST BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE AIRPORT, OR ON THE HIGH RIDGE
IN THE CENTER OF THE ISLAND FROM WHICH A MAGNIFICENT VIEW OF BOTH COASTS CAN
BE SEEN. ESPERANZA, A SMALL FISHING VILLAGE ON THE SOUTHERN COAST, CONTAINS
THE REST OF THE POPULATION.
EXCEPT FOR OCCASIONAL ROCK OUTCROPPINGS
JUTTING INTO THE AZURE SEA, VIEQUES IS RIMMED BY BEACHES EQUALLING THE MOST
BEAUTIFUL IN THE WORLD. COCONUT, MANGO AND OTHER TROPICAL TREES LINE THE
BEACHES. THE CHAIN OF HILLS THAT STRETCH EAST TO WEST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
ISLAND GIVE AN UNDULATING EFFECT TO THE LAND. ON THE WESTERN END OF THE
ISLAND, THE ELEVATION RISES TO 1,000 FEET.
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WHILE THE LAND IS FERTILE,
DEPENDABLE RAINFALL IS LACKING. AN AVERAGE OF ONLY 47 INCHES OF RAIN HAS
FALLEN IN RECENT YEARS. WHILE MORE RAIN FALLS IN MARCH, JULY, NOVEMBER AND
DECEMBER, THERE IS NO CLEARLY DEFINED RAINY SEASON. LIKE PUERTO RICO, VIEQUES' CLIMATE IS TROPICAL WITH A TEMPERATURE VARYING LITTLE FROM THE
MID-80’S IN DAYTIME AND THE MID-70’S AT NIGHT.
BECAUSE MUCH OF THE ISLAND IS OWNED BY THE GOVERNMENT AND LEASED TO LOCAL
CATTLEMEN FOR GRAZING, EXTENSIVE AREAS ARE UNINHABITED. THE ONLY READILY
VISIBLE LIFE IN THESE AREAS ARE THE CATTLE LETHARGICALLY SEARCHING FOR
EDIBLE GRASS AND THEIR COMPANIONS, THE FRAIL WHITE AFRICAN EGRETS, WHICH
KEEP THE CATTLE CLEAN OF INSECTS.
AGRICULTURE WAS THE TRADITIONAL BASE OF THE ISLAND'S
ECONOMY. AT ONE TIME, VIEQUES HAD FOUR SUGAR MILLS PRODUCING 20,000 TONS OF
SUGAR ANNUALLY. COMPETITION FROM PUERTO RICO AND ABSORPTION OF LAND BY THE
GOVERNMENT HAS REDUCED THIS PRODUCTION, AND NO MILLS REMAIN TODAY. TODAY,
MOST INHABITANTS RELY FOR THEIR INCOMES ON CATTLE FARMING, FISHING AND A FEW
SMALL RECENTLY OPENED INDUSTRIES.
http://www.isla-vieques.com/puerto-rico.php?introduction
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