Appearances are generally very important and people tend to be very fashion conscious. House guests are treated with considerable attention an Puerto Ricans attempt to cater to their every desire.When someone visits, hosts and hostesses make every effort to ensure their guests feel welcome and comfortable.Individuals generally pride themselves on their hospitality.The oldest male in the extended family makes decisions affecting the balance of the family.Nepotism is considered a good thing, since it implies employing people one knows and trusts, which is of primary importance.Loyalty to the family comes before any other social relationship, even business.When possible, the extended family lives together or within the same vicinity.The individual derives support and assistance in times of need from the extended family, which generally encompasses three generations.The family forms the basis of stability and is considered the most enduring social network.(Día de Navidad).It’s worth noting that the Christmas celebration season in Puerto Rico lasts from Thanks Giving until mid January. 26th November – Thanks Giving day, (Día de Acción de Gracias).25th July - Commonwealth Constitution Day which commemorates the landing of troops from the USA.Official holiday which commemorates the landing of Christopher Columbus. 14th October - Columbus Day, (Día de la Raza Descubrimiento de América).Last Monday of May - Memorial Day, (Recordación de los Muertos de la Guerra).22nd March - Emancipation Day, (Día de la Abolición de Esclavitud) Official holiday which celebrates the abolition of slavery.Official holiday, which celebrates the birthday of an important figure in the fight for freedom. 13th January - Birthday of Eugenio María de Hostos, (Natalicio de Eugenio María de Hostos).Official holiday which celebrates the visit of the wise men to baby Jesus. 6th January - Three Kings Day, (Día de Reyes).1st January - New Year’s Day, (Día de Año Nuevo).There is considerable religious freedom in Puerto Rico and people are constitutionally free to choose.Many people carry a charm bracelet which is believed to offer protection against the mal de ojo. It is believed that if people or belongings are looked at with envy that this can lead to evil outcomes, such as a car crash (if people look at the car with envy) or sickness and perhaps death to a child if someone looks them with envy. As with many other faiths, many islanders believe in the presence and power of mal de ojo (the evil eye).Although Protestantism also took a hold following the occupation of the USA in 1898, Roman Catholicism remains the dominant faith.Religious practices tend to blend Taino and African traditions. However, the people of Puerto Rico tend not to follow the religion dogmatically. As with most countries conquered by the Spanish, Roman Catholicism is the dominant religion.Prior to the Spanish conquering Puerto Rico, the linguistic makeup of spoken languages evolved from Taino, the languages spoken by the indigenous inhabitants of Caribbean descent.Spanish is the written and spoken language of law, government, business, education and day to day living.The official languages of Puerto Rico are Spanish and English, spoken by 90% and 10% of the population respectively. Manufacturing is a dominant part of the economy with industries such as pharmaceuticals and textiles.Accommodating the inbound tourists is the large port in the capital city San Juan which is sufficiently big to cater for the large international cruise ships travelling to the country.It also an outstanding tropical landscape and rainforests. Puerto Rico has a rich and vibrant tourism industry, due to its extensive coast line, beautiful sandy beaches and opportunities for scuba divers and surfers. Government: Common wealth of Puerto Rico.Ethnic Make-up: 99% of Puerto Rico inhabitants are Latino, split by white 75.8%, black/African American 12.4%, other 8.5% (includes American Indian, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian, other Pacific Islander, and others), mixed 3.3% (2010 est.).Nationality: Puerto Rican (Boricua is also used).National anthem: "La Borinqueña" was adopted in 1952 by Puerto Rico as the national anthem.Two white stripes symbolise peace and victory, the white symbolises Puerto Rico and the blue represents the sky and waters. Flag: Three red stripes symbolising the blood lost by the martyrs who died for the country.Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic.Remember this is only a very basic level introduction to Puerto Rico, the culture and the people it cannot account for the diversity within Puerto Rican society and is not meant in any way to stereotype all people you may meet in the country!
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