Santa Catalina, Coamo, Puerto Rico facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Santa Catalina
Barrio
Location of Santa Catalina within the municipality of Coamo shown in red
Santa Catalina, Coamo, Puerto Rico Location in Caribbean
Commonwealth	Puerto Rico
Municipality	Coamo
Area
• Total	10.29 sq mi (26.7 km2)
• Land	10.29 sq mi (26.7 km2)
• Water	0 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation	935 ft (285 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	1,788
• Density	173.8/sq mi (67.1/km2)
	Source: 2010 Census
Time zone	UTC−4 (AST)

Santa Catalina is a special area called a barrio located in the town of Coamo, Puerto Rico. Think of a barrio like a neighborhood or a district within a larger town. In 2010, about 1,788 people lived in Santa Catalina. It's a part of the beautiful island of Puerto Rico, which is a commonwealth of the United States.

A Look at History

Santa Catalina has an interesting history, especially concerning how Puerto Rico became connected with the United States.

Puerto Rico's Change

Long ago, Puerto Rico was under the rule of Spain. However, after the Spanish–American War in 1898, things changed. The United States won this war, and as a result, Spain gave Puerto Rico to the U.S. This agreement was part of a document called the Treaty of Paris of 1898. After this, Puerto Rico became an unincorporated territory of the United States. This means it's a territory that belongs to the U.S. but is not fully a part of it, like a state.

Early Population Count

Soon after this change, in 1899, the United States Department of War wanted to know how many people lived in different parts of Puerto Rico. They conducted a special count, like a survey, called a census. This census showed that in 1899, the Santa Catalina barrio had a population of 1,864 people.

More to Explore

• List of communities in Puerto Rico