1 definition by JaneAusten
Puerto Rico, officially the Commonwealth of Puerto is an archipelago in the northeastern Caribbean. The island Puerto Rico is the smallest by land area but 3rd largest by population among the Antilles.
Puerto Ricans are US citizens by the 1917 Jones Act. The island has a republican form of government and is subject to US jurisdiction and sovereignty. Any US Citizen, even those born in PR, may vote for the US president and US Congress from any other part of the world. Conversely, no US citizen may vote for federal level positions from Puerto Rico. This is why many make the mistake of believing the territory is a colony. In fact Puerto Rico is a country on its own. Puerto Rico hosts Consulates from 42 countries and is well represented in the ONU. Although Spanish is the official language, almost every Puerto Rican is bilingual. Puerto Ricans also tend to have the highest GPAs in the entire American continent.
The island of Puerto Rico is famous for its many achievements in sports, despite being a small island, has had more World boxing champions than any other country. The basketball team of Puerto Rico defeated the US basketball team in Athens, Greece, the defending gold medalist and basketball powerhouse in Olympic play.
Famous Puerto Ricans:
* Carlos Beltran - New York Mets (2 time gold glover and silver slugger)
* Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez - New York Mets (over 400 career home runs)
* Rosario Dawson, actress (Men in Black II, The Rundown, Rent)
* Benicio del Toro, actor (Traffic, Academy award winner)
* Hector Elizondo, actor (Pretty Woman, The Princess Diaries, Love in the times of cholera)
* Ricky Martin, singer (Grammy Awards Winner)
* Don Omar, reggaeton singer (Grammy Awards Winner)
* Jennifer López, actress,singer,dancer (Grammy Awards Winner)
* Marc Anthony, singer (Latin Grammy Awards Winner)
* René Pérez, singer (Calle 13, Latin Grammy Awards Winner)
* Jai Rodríguez, actor, broadway singer (Queer Eye for the Straight Guy/Rent)
* Jean-Michel Basquiat, painter
* José Campeche, renowned Puerto Rican artist
* Miguel Arteta, film/television director (The Good Girl, Six Feet Under)
* José Ferrer, actor (first Hispanic actor to win an Academy Award)
* La La, MTV veejay, actress
* Justina Machado, actress (Six Feet Under, Final Destination 2,Torque)
* Frankie Muniz, actor (Malcolm in the Middle, Agent Cody Banks, Big Fat Liar)
* Amaury Nolasco, actor (2 Fast 2 Furious, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Prison Break)
* Ana Ortiz, actress (Ugly Betty)
* Freddie Prinze, comedian/actor (Chico and the Man)
* Freddie Prinze Jr., actor
* Michelle Rodríguez, actress (Lost, The Fast and the Furious)
* Jimmy Smits, actor (L.A. Law, The West Wing, and NYPD Blue, Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith)
* Pedro Pietri, poet, playwright, co-founder (Nuyorican Poets Cafe)
* Jaslene Gonzalez, fashion model (winner of America's Next Top Model, Cycle 8)
* Marisol Malaret, (Puerto Rican Miss Universe, 1970)
* Deborah Carthy-Deu, (Miss Universe 1985)
* Dayanara Torres, (Miss Universe 1993)
* Denise Quiñones, (Miss Universe 2001)
* Zuleyka Rivera, (Miss Universe 2006)
* Samuel A. Ramirez, President and founder ("Ramirez & Co." one of the largest investment banking firm in Wall Street)
* Herb Scannell, (Former Chairman of MTV Networks and president of Nickelodeon Networks)
* David Alvarez, (illustrator and storyboard artist for DC Comics Looney Tunes series)
Puerto Ricans are US citizens by the 1917 Jones Act. The island has a republican form of government and is subject to US jurisdiction and sovereignty. Any US Citizen, even those born in PR, may vote for the US president and US Congress from any other part of the world. Conversely, no US citizen may vote for federal level positions from Puerto Rico. This is why many make the mistake of believing the territory is a colony. In fact Puerto Rico is a country on its own. Puerto Rico hosts Consulates from 42 countries and is well represented in the ONU. Although Spanish is the official language, almost every Puerto Rican is bilingual. Puerto Ricans also tend to have the highest GPAs in the entire American continent.
The island of Puerto Rico is famous for its many achievements in sports, despite being a small island, has had more World boxing champions than any other country. The basketball team of Puerto Rico defeated the US basketball team in Athens, Greece, the defending gold medalist and basketball powerhouse in Olympic play.
Famous Puerto Ricans:
* Carlos Beltran - New York Mets (2 time gold glover and silver slugger)
* Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez - New York Mets (over 400 career home runs)
* Rosario Dawson, actress (Men in Black II, The Rundown, Rent)
* Benicio del Toro, actor (Traffic, Academy award winner)
* Hector Elizondo, actor (Pretty Woman, The Princess Diaries, Love in the times of cholera)
* Ricky Martin, singer (Grammy Awards Winner)
* Don Omar, reggaeton singer (Grammy Awards Winner)
* Jennifer López, actress,singer,dancer (Grammy Awards Winner)
* Marc Anthony, singer (Latin Grammy Awards Winner)
* René Pérez, singer (Calle 13, Latin Grammy Awards Winner)
* Jai Rodríguez, actor, broadway singer (Queer Eye for the Straight Guy/Rent)
* Jean-Michel Basquiat, painter
* José Campeche, renowned Puerto Rican artist
* Miguel Arteta, film/television director (The Good Girl, Six Feet Under)
* José Ferrer, actor (first Hispanic actor to win an Academy Award)
* La La, MTV veejay, actress
* Justina Machado, actress (Six Feet Under, Final Destination 2,Torque)
* Frankie Muniz, actor (Malcolm in the Middle, Agent Cody Banks, Big Fat Liar)
* Amaury Nolasco, actor (2 Fast 2 Furious, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Prison Break)
* Ana Ortiz, actress (Ugly Betty)
* Freddie Prinze, comedian/actor (Chico and the Man)
* Freddie Prinze Jr., actor
* Michelle Rodríguez, actress (Lost, The Fast and the Furious)
* Jimmy Smits, actor (L.A. Law, The West Wing, and NYPD Blue, Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith)
* Pedro Pietri, poet, playwright, co-founder (Nuyorican Poets Cafe)
* Jaslene Gonzalez, fashion model (winner of America's Next Top Model, Cycle 8)
* Marisol Malaret, (Puerto Rican Miss Universe, 1970)
* Deborah Carthy-Deu, (Miss Universe 1985)
* Dayanara Torres, (Miss Universe 1993)
* Denise Quiñones, (Miss Universe 2001)
* Zuleyka Rivera, (Miss Universe 2006)
* Samuel A. Ramirez, President and founder ("Ramirez & Co." one of the largest investment banking firm in Wall Street)
* Herb Scannell, (Former Chairman of MTV Networks and president of Nickelodeon Networks)
* David Alvarez, (illustrator and storyboard artist for DC Comics Looney Tunes series)
To those who say that people from Puerto Rico are lazy and useless, please read above and educate yourselves.
by JaneAusten January 14, 2008