Carolina, Puerto Rico facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carolina Municipio Autónomo de Carolina
City and Municipality
Buildings along Isla Verde Ave. in Carolina
Flag Coat of arms
Nicknames:  "Tierra de Gigantes" Spanish for "Land of Giants" "El Pueblo de los Tumba Brazos" Spanish for "Arm Hackers Town"
Map of Puerto Rico highlighting Carolina Municipality
Commonwealth	Puerto Rico
Founded	1857
Barrios	13 barrios Barrazas Buena Vista Cacao Cangrejo Arriba Canovanillas Carolina barrio-pueblo Carruzos Cedro Martín González Sabana Abajo San Antón Santa Cruz Trujillo Bajo
Area
• Total	60.34 sq mi (156.29 km2)
• Land	45.3 sq mi (117.4 km2)
• Water	15.02 sq mi (38.89 km2)
Elevation	52 ft (16 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	154,815
• Density	2,565.54/sq mi (990.56/km2)
Demonym(s)	Carolinenses
Time zone	UTC−4 (AST)
ZIP Codes	00979, 00982, 00983, 00985, 00987, 00981, 00984, 00986, 00988
Area code(s)	787/939
Major routes

Carolina is a city and municipality located on the northeast coast of Puerto Rico. It lies immediately east of the capital San Juan and Trujillo Alto; north of Gurabo and Juncos; and west of Canóvanas and Loíza. Carolina is spread over 12 barrios plus Carolina Pueblo (the downtown area and administrative center). It is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area, and home to Puerto Rico's main airport, the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport.

History

The town was founded by Spanish colonists in 1816 as Trujillo Bajo ("lower Trujillo"), along with its counterpart Trujillo Alto after Trujillo, Spain. In 1857 it was renamed to San Fernando de la Carolina, later shortened to Carolina, after Charles II of Spain.

The city is known as Tierra de Gigantes (Land of Giants), not only for well-known Carolina resident Don Felipe Birriel González (who was 7'11"), but also in honor of other people from Carolina, including poet Julia de Burgos and most notably the first Latin American player named to baseball's Hall of Fame, Roberto Clemente. Carolina was also home to Jesús T. Piñero, the first Puerto Rican to be appointed as governor by the United States government. The City is also known as "El Pueblo de los Tumba Brazos" (The Arm Hackers Town). During the late 1800s, the town's major export was sugar cane. Sugar cane workers solved their issues by fighting with their machetes, therefore many their arms. (needs reference)

Geography

• Rivers: Río Canovanillas, Río Grande de Loíza
• Lagoons: La Torrecilla, Piñones

Cityscape

Isla Verde skyline in Carolina

Barrios

• Barrazas
• Cacao
• Cangrejo Arriba
• Canovanillas
• Carolina Pueblo
• Carruzos
• Cedro
• Hoyo Mulas
• Martín González
• Sabana Abajo
• San Antón
• Santa Cruz
• Trujillo Bajo

Tourism

Carolina is one of Puerto Rico's most important tourist centers. Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, the country's main airport, is located in Isla Verde. Also located in Carolina are a large group of hotels, which sit by Carolina's large beach area.

There are several well-known hotels on the coast of Carolina (Isla Verde area), including the El San Juan Resort and Casino, InterContinental San Juan Hotel and the Ritz-Carlton San Juan Hotel, Spa, and Casino.

Landmarks and places of interest

• Buena Vista Ruins
• Carolina Beach
• Loíza's Big River
• Isla Verde Club Gallístico
• Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport
• Jesús T. Piñero Monument
• Julia de Burgos Park
• Piñones Beach
• Roberto Clemente Ciudad Deportiva

Aerial view of the city

Culture

Festivals and events

• Ladies Crafts Fair - April
• San Fernando Patron Celebrations - May
• Crafts Fair - July
• Roberto Clemente Week - August
• Patron Saint Celebration of Santa Carolina

Sports

In recent years, Carolina has seen the building of the Ciudad Deportiva Roberto Clemente or Roberto Clemente Sports City, a sports and recreation facility that aims to become a youth sports school, and the Roberto Clemente Stadium, host to many entertainment events and to the 2003 and 2007 Caribbean World Series. It has also played host to the Coliseo Guillermo Angulo, where the BSN's Gigantes de Carolina play, as well as the Gigantes of Puerto Rican women's professional basketball, the Gigantes of men's professional volleyball, and the Gigantes of women's professional volleyball.

The Gigantes de Carolina professional baseball team use the Roberto Clemente Stadium as their home field. There is also another team with the same name, the Giants de Carolina, a professional soccer team that plays in the Puerto Rico Soccer League. That team also uses the Roberto Clemente Stadium as its home field.

Professional horse jockey Emanuel Jose Sanchez was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico. Riding the mare Mark Me Special he captured the 7th race at Colonial Downs on June 19, 2005.

Demographics

Symbols

Flag

The flag consists of three vertical bands, the laterals white and the middle red. The laterals are seeded with black ermine tails in the heraldic way as for the coat of arms. The middle band of the flag shows a red field with the sword and crown of the coat of arms.

Coat of Arms

The crown over the sword is the main attribute for royalty and for that reason it occupies a privileged position in the Coat of Arms. The sword is not only a symbol for military service, but also one of justice, recalling the virtues of San Fernando. The Coat of Arms has a wide edge of silver, a cultivated field of small tails of ermine shown in the conventional heraldic manner. The red symbolizes the first patriotic developments made for Puerto Rico's freedom under Spanish dominion.

Economy

Carolina is the home of Plaza Carolina, one of Puerto Rico's largest shopping malls.

Executive Airlines, an aircraft ground handling company and subsidiary of American Airlines, is headquartered on the grounds of Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in Carolina.

Industrial

Manufacturing (pharmaceutical, medical equipment and chemical) and commerce.

Transportation

There are 72 bridges in Carolina. The Teodoro Moscoso Bridge connects Carolina to San Juan. Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport is located in Carolina.

Notable people from Carolina

Images for kids

• 

  Flooding in Carolina after Hurricane Maria on September, 20 2017

• 

  Subdivisions of Carolina.

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  Ritz-Carlton in Carolina

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  Beach in Carolina

• 

  Courtyard by Marriott in Isla Verde Beach Resort

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  Statue of Roberto Clemente located at entrance of Ciudad Deportiva Roberto Clemente

See also

In Spanish: Carolina (Puerto Rico) para niños