| Río Grande, Puerto Rico | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| — Municipality — | |||
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| Nickname(s): La Ciudad del Yunque | |||
| Anthem: "Entre las ondas que juguetean" | |||
| Location of Río Grande in Puerto Rico | |||
| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | United States | ||
| Territory | Puerto Rico | ||
| Founded | July 25, 1840 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor | Hon. Eduard Rivera Correa (PPD ) | ||
| • Senatorial dist. | 8 - Carolina | ||
| • Representative dist. | 36,37 | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 89.6 sq mi (232.11 km2) | ||
| • Land | 60.7 sq mi (157.28 km2) | ||
| • Water | 28.9 sq mi (74.83 km2) | ||
| Population (2010) | |||
| • Total | 54,304 | ||
| • Density | 605.9/sq mi (234/km2) | ||
| Demonym | Riograndeños | ||
| Time zone | AST (UTC-4) | ||
| Zip code | 00721, 00745 | ||
Río Grande (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈri.o ˈɣɾande]) is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the Northern Coastal Valley, north of Las Piedras, Naguabo and Ceiba; east of Loíza and Canóvanas and west of Luquillo. Río Grande is spread over eight wards and Río Grande Pueblo (the downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.
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Rio Grande was founded on July 25, 1840, by Desiderio and Quilimaco Escobar, with the approbation of governor Miguel López.
The town is named after the Río Grande and is located where the Río Grande and the Río Espíritu Santo (Holy Spirit) join.
The Río Grande flag consists of two horizontal stripes of equal size united by a white triangle placed on the side of the mast. On the white triangle a Puerto Rican parrot. it is very large
In a silver field, two Puerto Rican parrots(Amazon vitatta vitatta) , accompanied by a waving blue stripe, a green mountain with three peaks. The top portion of the shield is blue, with an opened silver book, accompanied on each side by five gold coins. Topped by a three tower gold crown outlined in black with green openings.
Fruits, ornamental plants, vegetables and cattle.
Rio Grande is home to one of the largest secluded areas with beach access (Coco Beach) on the entire island.
Major hotels in the area include Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Resort and Gran Melia Puerto Rico Resort.
Every March, the Trump International Golf Club plays host to the PGA Tour's Puerto Rico Open.
Within a ten-minute drive is El Yunque National Forest, the only tropical rain forest within the United States National Forest System and a finalist in the New 7 Wonders of Nature receiving thousands of votes from around the globe at http://www.n7w.com
Local retail stores are aside the PR-3. Large shopping centers were not present mainly due to the closeness of the Canóvanas shopping district area. However, now there's one large shopping mall located on 65fh of Infantry express way and 956ht street. Because it is relatively new many of its spaces are not leased yet. Together both cities are growing economically very fast and becoming the eastern pole of economy of the northeastern area of Puerto Rico attracting hotels, shopping malls, sport venues among others. Another thing that is making Rio Grande more attractive to tourists and businesses alike is the newly constructed and opened Route 66th (or ruta 66), which makes it a lot more accessible and more appealing to home buyers.
Manufacture of textiles.
LAS peñetas
Basketball, baseball and handball are popular sports in Río Grande.