Vieques

History

Archaeological evidence suggests that Vieques was first inhabited by ancient Indigenous peoples of the Americas who traveled mostly from South America perhaps between 3000 and 2000 BCE. Estimates of these prehistoric dates of inhabitation vary widely. These tribes had a Stone Age culture and were probably fishermen and hunter-gatherers. Excavations at the Puerto Ferro site by Luis Chanlatte and Yvonne Narganes uncovered a fragmented human skeleton in a large hearth area. Radiocarbon dating of shells found in the hearth indicate a burial date of . This skeleton, popularly known as , was buried at the center of a group of large boulders near Vieques's south-central coast, approximately one kilometer northwest of Bioluminescent Bay. Linear arrays of smaller stones radiating from the central boulders are apparent at the site today, but their age and reason for placement are unknown. Further waves of settlement by Indigeous peoples followed over many centuries. The Arawakan-speaking Saladoid (or Igneri) people, thought to have originated in modern-day Venezuela, arrived in the region around 200 BCE (estimates vary). These tribes, noted for their pottery, stone carving, and other artifacts, eventually merged with groups from Hispaniola and Cuba to form what is now called the Taíno culture. This culture flourished in the region from around 1000 CE until the arrival of Europeans in the late 15th century. The European discovery of Vieques is sometimes credited to Christopher Columbus, who landed in Puerto Rico in 1493. It does not seem to be certain whether Columbus personally visited Vieques, but in any case the island was soon claimed by the Spanish. During the early 16th century Vieques became a center of Taíno rebellion against the European invaders,…

Geography

Vieques measures about east-west, and three to north-south. It has a land area of and is located about to the east of Puerto Rico. To the north of Vieques is the Atlantic Ocean, and to the south, the Caribbean. The island of Culebra is about north of Vieques, and the United States Virgin Islands lie to the east. Vieques and Culebra, together with various small islets, make up the Spanish Virgin Islands, sometimes known as the Passage Islands. The former US Navy lands, now wildlife reserves, occupy the entire eastern and western ends of Vieques, with the former live weapons testing site (known as the "LIA", or "Live Impact Area") at the extreme eastern tip. These areas are unpopulated. The former civilian area occupies very roughly the central third of the island and contains the towns of Isabel Segunda on the north coast, and Esperanza on the south. Vieques has a terrain of rolling hills, with a central ridge running east–west. The highest point is Monte Pirata at . Geologically the island is composed of a mixture of volcanic bedrock, sedimentary rocks such as limestone and sandstone, and alluvial deposits of gravel, sand, silt, and clay. There are no permanent rivers or streams. Much former agricultural land has been reclaimed by nature due to prolonged disuse, and, apart from some small-scale farming in the central region, the island is largely covered by brush and subtropical dry forest. Around the coast lie palm-fringed sandy beaches interspersed with lagoons, mangrove swamps, salt flats and coral reefs. A series of nearshore islets and rocks are part of the municipality of Vieques, clockwise starting at the northernmost: *Roca Cucaracha (a rock of less than five meters in diameter) *Isla Yallis *Roca Alcatraz *Cayo Conejo *Cayo Jalovita *Cayo Jalova…

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• GUILLERMINA ROSADO DE AYALA
  Elementary · LOIZA · 567 students · 14.2:1 ratio
• SUPERIOR VOCACIONAL ELADIO RIVERA QUINONES
  High · LOIZA · 465 students · 13.3:1 ratio
• BELEN BLANCO DE ZEQUEIRA
  High · LOIZA · 400 students · 10:1 ratio
• MEDIANIA ALTA ELEMENTAL
  Elementary · LOIZA · 316 students · 11.3:1 ratio
• SU NUEVA BO. MEDIANIA
  Middle · LOIZA · 283 students · 9.8:1 ratio
• CELSO GONZALEZ VAILLANT
  Elementary · LOIZA · 267 students · 10.7:1 ratio
• JOBOS
  Elementary · LOIZA · 237 students · 10.8:1 ratio
• ESCUELA PUBLICA BILINGUE CACICA YUISA ALIANZA
  Elementary · LOIZA · 74 students · 12.3:1 ratio