Carolina, Puerto Rico facts for kids

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Carolina

Municipio Autónomo de Carolina

City and Municipality

San Fernando de la Carolina

Old City Hall of Carolina

San Fernando Church

Roberto Clemente Stadium

Parque Escorial suburbs in San Antón

SJU Tower

Condos in Isla Verde

Isla Verde skyline

Isla Verde beaches

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

Settled

late 17th century

Founded

January 31, 1857

Founded by

Santiago Veve y Vidal

Named for

Charles II of Spain

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

• Rank

3rd in Puerto Rico

• Density

2,565.54/sq mi (990.56/km²)

Demonym(s)

Carolinense (neutral)

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 vibrant city and municipality located on the northeastern coast of Puerto Rico. It sits just east of San Juan, the capital city. Carolina is known for its beautiful beaches and is home to Puerto Rico's main international airport, the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport. It is the third most populated municipality on the island.

History of Carolina

Carolina was first settled by Spanish colonists in the late 1600s. The town was officially founded in 1816. It was first called Trujillo Bajo, which means "lower Trujillo," named after a city in Spain.

In 1857, the town's name was changed to San Fernando de la Carolina. This name honored Charles II of Spain. Later, it was shortened to just Carolina.

Why is Carolina called "Land of Giants"?

Carolina is famously known as "Tierra de Gigantes" (Land of Giants). This nickname celebrates several important people from Carolina. One was Felipe Birriel, who was very tall at 7 feet, 11 inches!

The name also honors other famous residents. These include the talented poet Julia de Burgos. Most notably, it celebrates Roberto Clemente, a baseball legend. He was the first Latin American player to be welcomed into baseball's Hall of Fame. Jesús T. Piñero, the first Puerto Rican governor appointed by the United States government, also lived in Carolina.

The city is also called "El Pueblo de los Tumba Brazos" (The Arm Hackers' Town). This nickname comes from the late 1800s. Back then, sugarcane was the town's main crop.

After the Spanish–American War, Puerto Rico became a territory of the United States in 1898. In 1899, a census showed that Carolina had a population of 11,965 people.

Hurricane Maria's Impact

On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria caused major flooding in Carolina. The Río Grande de Loíza river overflowed, damaging about 500 homes. The Roberto Clemente Stadium lost its roof. Many other buildings, bridges, and roads were also damaged. The total cost of the damage was around $87 million.

Because the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport is in Carolina, the hurricane caused big problems for travel. The airport had to close for three days. Even weeks later, it struggled with power outages and had to rely on generators.

Geography of Carolina

Carolina has several important rivers. These include the Río Canovanillas and the Río Grande de Loíza. It also has lagoons like those in the Piñones State Forest.

Barrios in Carolina

Subdivisions of Carolina.

Like all municipalities in Puerto Rico, Carolina is divided into smaller areas called barrios. The main town area, where the city hall and a large church are, is called "el pueblo".

Here are the 13 barrios of Carolina:

Sectors: Smaller Areas

Barrios are further divided into even smaller areas called sectores, or "sectors." These can be different types of neighborhoods, like urbanizaciones (developments) or residenciales (housing projects).

Special Communities in Carolina

Some communities in Puerto Rico are called Comunidades Especiales (Special Communities). These are areas that need extra support and resources. In Carolina, some of these communities include Martín González, Buena Vista, and San Antón.

Tourism in Carolina

Ritz-Carlton in Carolina

Carolina is a very popular place for tourists in Puerto Rico. The Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, the main airport for the island, is located here.

Carolina also has many large hotels along its beautiful beach area called Isla Verde. Some well-known hotels include the El San Juan Resort and Casino and the Ritz-Carlton San Juan Hotel. Isla Verde is also home to the only Orthodox Jewish synagogue in Puerto Rico, called Chabad of Puerto Rico.

To encourage people to explore Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico Tourism Company created a campaign called Voy Turistiendo ("I'm Touring"). Some interesting places to visit in Carolina include Hacienda Campo Rico, El Museo del Niño (The Children's Museum), and Balneario de Carolina (Carolina Beach).

Landmarks and Places to Visit

Carolina has 4 beaches, including Balneario de Isla Verde. Other interesting places are:

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

Economy of Carolina

Carolina is home to Plaza Carolina, one of the largest shopping malls in Puerto Rico.

Executive Airlines, a company that helps with aircraft ground handling, has its main office at the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in Carolina.

Industrial Activities

Carolina's economy also includes manufacturing. Factories here produce things like medicines, medical equipment, and chemicals. Commerce, or buying and selling goods, is also a big part of the economy.

Culture in Carolina

Festivals and Events

Carolina celebrates its patron saint festival, called the Fiestas Patronales de San Fernando, in late May or early June. This is a fun religious and cultural event. It usually features parades, games, local crafts, amusement rides, and delicious regional food. There are also live music performances by famous artists.

Other regular events in Carolina include:

Jazz Night – held on the third Friday of each month
Bohemia Night – held on the second Thursday of each month
Youth Night – held on the first Friday every two months
Artisans' Market – held one Sunday a month
Roberto Clemente Week – celebrated in August

Sports in Carolina

Carolina has a great sports facility called the Ciudad Deportiva Roberto Clemente, or Roberto Clemente Sports City. This place aims to be a sports school for young people.

The city also has the Roberto Clemente Stadium. This stadium hosts many entertainment events and has been home to the Caribbean World Series in 2003 and 2007. The Guillermo Angulo Coliseum is another important sports venue. It's where the Gigantes de Carolina (Giants of Carolina) basketball teams play, including men's and women's professional teams. Professional volleyball teams also play here.

The Gigantes de Carolina professional baseball team plays its home games at the Roberto Clemente Stadium. There's also a professional soccer team called the Giants de Carolina, which plays in the Puerto Rico Soccer League. They also use the Roberto Clemente Stadium.

Famous professional horse jockey Emanuel Jose Sanchez was born in Carolina.

Population of Carolina

Puerto Rico became a territory of the United States after the Spanish–American War in 1898. In 1899, the first census by the United States showed Carolina's population was 11,965.

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1900	11,965	—
1910	15,327	28.1%
1920	15,563	1.5%
1930	18,751	20.5%
1940	24,046	28.2%
1950	29,224	21.5%
1960	40,923	40.0%
1970	107,643	163.0%
1980	165,954	54.2%
1990	177,806	7.1%
2000	186,076	4.7%
2010	176,762	−5.0%
2020	154,815	−12.4%
U.S. Decennial Census 1899 (shown as 1900) 1910-1930 1930-1950 1960-2000 2010

Race - Carolina, Puerto Rico - 2020 Census
Race	Population	% of Total
White	21,998	14.2%
Black/Afro-Puerto Rican	42,299	27.3%
American Indian/Alaska Native	4,006	2.6%
Asian	593	0.4%
Two or more races/Some other race	85,919	55.5%

Transportation in Carolina

Carolina has 72 bridges. The Teodoro Moscoso Bridge connects Carolina to San Juan. The Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport is also located in Carolina, making it a key travel hub.

Symbols of Carolina

The municipio of Carolina has its own official flag and coat of arms.

Carolina's Flag

The flag has three vertical stripes. The stripes on the sides are white, and the middle stripe is red. The white stripes have black ermine tails, which are a symbol used in coats of arms. The red middle stripe shows a sword and crown, which are also on the coat of arms.

Carolina's Coat of Arms

The crown above the sword is a symbol of royalty and importance. The sword represents military service and justice. This reminds people of the good qualities of San Fernando, who the city is partly named after. The coat of arms has a wide silver border with small ermine tails. The color red on the coat of arms represents the early efforts for Puerto Rico's freedom when it was under Spanish rule.