Lajas, Puerto Rico facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lajas Municipio de Lajas
Town and Municipality
Homes in Lajas
Flag Coat of arms
Nicknames:  "La Ciudad Cardenalicia", "Los Tira Piedras"
Anthem: "Nuestro Lajas, pueblito querido"
Map of Puerto Rico highlighting Lajas Municipality
Commonwealth	Puerto Rico
Founded	1883
Barrios	12 barrios Candelaria Costa Lajas Pueblo Lajas Arriba Llanos Palmarejo Parguera París Plata Sabana Yeguas Santa Rosa
Area
• Total	76.85 sq mi (199.04 km2)
• Land	61 sq mi (158 km2)
• Water	15.85 sq mi (41.04 km2)
Population  (2020)
• Total	23,334
• Density	303.631/sq mi (117.233/km2)
Demonym(s)	Lajeños
Time zone	UTC−4 (AST)
ZIP Code	00667
Area code(s)	787/939
Major routes

Lajas is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the Lajas Valley in southwestern Puerto Rico, on the southern coast of the island, bordering the Caribbean Sea, south of San Germán and Sabana Grande; east of Cabo Rojo; and west of Guánica. Lajas is spread over 11 barrios plus Lajas Pueblo (the downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the San Germán-Cabo Rojo Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Located at the Lajas Valley, the town was founded in 1883 by the Xueta Teodoro Jacome Pagan. Xuetes (Chuetas) were Majorcan Jews (Sephardi Catalan Jews). Some families changed their names from Jacome to the Castilian form Santiago (Saint James the greater). Jacome is the Mallorquin form of James (Ia'akov). Catalonian Jews from Majorca were part of the early settlers in the South of (Boriken) Puerto Rico. The village of La Parguera (founded in 1940 by Andrew Breedlove and fishermen from Guánica and Cabo Rojo) is a popular tourist destination to see the famous Bahía Fosforescente (Phosphoresent Bay) and its keys and islet's.

Geography

Laguna Cartagena National Wildlife Refuge is a national protected area.

Cityscape

Barrios

Lajas is divided into the following barrios (wards/districts):

Tourism

Lajas is famous for its main touristic attraction, Phosphorescent Bay (La Parguera), a place where bioluminescent dinoflagellates of different colors appear when the water moves. The origin of the colored lights is the object of many legends. Lajas is also a fishing town.

Landmarks and places of interest

Caracoles, a mangrove island off La Parguera

• Cartagena Lagoon
• Indian Museum
• Old Train Station
• Old Silver Mines
• La Parguera
• Lajeño soldier Monument
• Isla Magueyes
• Isla Mata la Gata
• Pineapple Processing Plant Ruins
• Rosada Beach or Playita Rosada
• Caracoles
• Caribe Fisheries
• Alien rute

Culture

Festivals and events

• Matron Festivities - February
• International Kite Festival - February
• Agro Fair- March
• Pineapple Festival - March
• E. Ramírez Marathon - March
• Kite Festival - June
• Fish Festival - July
• Cock Fight Festival - October

Symbols

Flag

The flag consists of three (3) horizontal stripes; the superior one green, the center white and the bottom one yellow. A fourth cross. In the center of that cross we have two arms united with a ripe yellow pineapple. The cross is surrounded by eleven gold stars; five in the superior (north) part and six in the inferior (south) part of the cross forming a circle.

Coat of Arms

The body is gold with a green band crossing it diagonally right to left; the color gold stands for the wealth of the land and green stands for the beauty of the valley which is a gift from mother nature to Lajas. The band is adorned, at each end, with a pineapple bordered in gold and black. In the center of the band, also in gold, a marine shell. In the left superior side there is a red cardinal's hat and in the inferior a red anchor with a green; the shield has 3 tower castle, each one with two windows and one door. On the bottom, outside the shield, a banner with the inscription "Ciudad Cardenalicia" (Cardinality City). The banner and the inscription appear in black.

Demographics

Transportation

There are 5 bridges in Lajas.

Notable Lajeños

• Luis Aponte Martínez, Roman Catholic cardinal of the Archdiocese of San Juan
• Ulises Casiano, Roman Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Mayagüez
• Robinson Cancel, Major League Baseball player
• Jacobo Morales, actor and film director
• Jose "Joe" Basora, Puerto Rican Boxer

Images for kids

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  Picture of La Parguera, Lajas taken during ISS Expedition 53

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  Subdivisions of Lajas

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  Caracoles, a mangrove island off La Parguera

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  Children at Feria Agrícola Nacional Del Valle De Lajas

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  Cays and boats in La Parquera

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  Boats in the Caribbean Sea in Lajas

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  Roseate tern at La Parguera, (on the list of threatened species)

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  Moonrise over the dock at La Parguera