Yabucoa, Puerto Rico facts for kids

Quick facts for kids

Yabucoa

Municipio Autónomo de Yabucoa

Statue representing Puerto Rican soldier who fought in Vietnam / Korea, in front of a government building

Flag	Coat of arms

Nicknames:

"Ciudad del Azúcar", "El Pueblo de Yuca", "Los Bebe Leche"

Anthem: "Yabucoa es mi Pueblo"

Map of Puerto Rico highlighting Yabucoa Municipality

Founded

October 3, 1793

Founded by

Carlos Morales

Barrios

10 barrios

Aguacate
Calabazas
Camino Nuevo
Limones
Guayabota
Jácanas
Juan Martín
Playa
Tejas
Yabucoa barrio-pueblo

Area

• Total

83.26 sq mi (215.65 km²)

• Land

55.26 sq mi (143.11 km²)

• Water

28.01 sq mi (72.55 km²)

Population

(2020)

• Total

30,426

• Rank

40th in Puerto Rico

• Density

365.421/sq mi (141.090/km²)

Demonym(s)

Yabucoeños

Racial groups

• White

68.5%

• Black

8.6%

• American Indian/AN

0.6%

• Asian

0.3%

• Other
Two or more races

13.6%
8.2%

Time zone

UTC−4 (AST)

ZIP Code

00767

Area code(s)

787/939

Major routes

Yabucoa (pronounced ya-boo-KO-ah) is a town and municipality in Puerto Rico. It is located in the eastern part of the island. Yabucoa is north of Maunabo and south of San Lorenzo, Las Piedras, and Humacao. It is also east of Patillas.

The town of Yabucoa is divided into 9 areas called barrios, plus the downtown area known as Yabucoa Pueblo. It is part of the larger San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.

What's in a Name?

The name Yabucoa might come from the Taíno language, which was spoken by the native people of Puerto Rico. Some believe it comes from Guaroca, meaning "where water is found."

However, many experts think it's more likely from the Taíno word yaucoa. This word means "cassava plantation." Cassava is a root vegetable, also known as yuca.

Fun Nicknames for Yabucoa

Yabucoa has a few cool nicknames:

"Sugar City" is one nickname. This is because there used to be many sugarcane farms in the Yabucoa Valley.
"Pueblo de Yuca" means "Yuca Town." This nickname also points to the Taíno origin of the town's name, linked to the cassava plant.
Locals are sometimes called the "Bebe Leches" or "milk drinkers." This is because there are many dairy farms in the area.

Yabucoa's History

The area where Yabucoa is now was once part of the Taíno region called Guayaney. A Taíno leader named Cacique Guaraca ruled this land.

After the Spanish arrived, the Yabucoa region became part of Humacao. It was mostly used for raising cattle and farming. Yabucoa officially became a town on October 3, 1793. Don Manuel Colón de Bonilla and his wife, Doña Catalina Morales Pacheco, gave the land to the people.

Maria as it was making landfall near Yabucoa on September 20, 2017

Map of landslides in Puerto Rico caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017

Hurricane Maria's Impact

On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico very hard. It was a strong Category 4 hurricane. The storm first made landfall in Camino Nuevo, Yabucoa.

The hurricane caused many problems:

It knocked out electricity for the entire island.
Access to clean water was also affected.
There were many landslides, which are when large amounts of earth move down a slope.
Widespread flooding occurred.
Important buildings and roads were badly damaged.

Yabucoa's government buildings were heavily damaged. About 2,500 other buildings in Yabucoa were also affected. Many elderly people in Yabucoa were greatly affected. Sadly, some passed away due to the lack of electricity for medical equipment. A new section was added to the cemetery after the hurricane.

Even eight months after the hurricane, many homes in Yabucoa still did not have electricity. The mayor, Rafael Surillo, said that over 30% of homes were without power in June 2018. Some areas, like Jácanas, had no power for nine months.

Yabucoa's Geography

Yabucoa is located on the southeastern coast of Puerto Rico. The Valley of Yabucoa is special. It is surrounded by hills on three sides and the Caribbean Sea on the fourth.

The hills around Yabucoa are part of the San Lorenzo Batholith. This is a large rock formation. The highest point in the hills around Yabucoa is about 2,130 feet (649 meters) high. The valley itself gently slopes down to the sea.

Barrios of Yabucoa

Subdivisions of Yabucoa

Like all municipalities in Puerto Rico, Yabucoa is divided into smaller areas called barrios. The main town area, with government buildings and the church, is called "el pueblo".

Here are the barrios in Yabucoa:

Sectors

Barrios are further divided into even smaller areas called sectores (sectors). These can have different names like urbanización or residencial.

Special Communities

Some communities in Puerto Rico are called Comunidades Especiales (Special Communities). These are areas where people might face challenges and need extra support. In Yabucoa, some of these communities include Ingenio, Jacanas Granja, Playa Guayanés, Tejas Trinidad, and Urbanización Jaime C. Rodríguez.

Population of Yabucoa

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1900	13,905	—
1910	17,338	24.7%
1920	19,623	13.2%
1930	21,914	11.7%
1940	27,438	25.2%
1950	28,810	5.0%
1960	29,782	3.4%
1970	30,165	1.3%
1980	31,425	4.2%
1990	36,483	16.1%
2000	39,246	7.6%
2010	37,941	−3.3%
2020	30,426	−19.8%
U.S. Decennial Census 1899 (shown as 1900) 1910-1930 1930-1950 1960-2000 2010 2020

Fun Things to Do in Yabucoa

Yabucoa has many interesting places to visit:

Guayanés Beach and pier
Kyle Rembis beach
Hacienda Santa Lucía Ruins (old sugar plantation ruins)
La Casa de la Cultura (House of Culture)
Roig Refinery (an old sugar refinery)
El Cocal Beach, also known as El Guano Beach
Public skatepark
Playa Lucia (Dead Dog Beach)
Petroleum Refinery
Punta Yeguas (a nature reserve)

Yabucoa's Economy

Farming and Industry

Olein Recovery Corp. in Yabucoa in 2006

Yabucoa is known for its farming. The fertile valley grows most of the island's plantains and bananas. People from Yabucoa are sometimes called "sugar people." This is because much of the valley was used for growing sugar cane.

One of the most famous sights in Yabucoa is the old Hacienda Roig sugar mill. It was one of the last mills in Puerto Rico to produce sugar.

There is also a special company in Yabucoa called Olein Recovery Corp. It is the only oil recycling company in the Caribbean. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Olein started making hand sanitizer.

Culture and Celebrations

Concha Acústica Toño Márquez in Yabucoa, where community events and concerts are held

Festivals and Events

Yabucoa celebrates its patron saint festival in September or October. This festival is called the Fiestas Patronales de los Santos Angeles Custodios. It's a fun religious and cultural event with parades, games, local crafts, rides, food, and live music.

Other festivals and events in Yabucoa include:

Sugar Cane Festival - May
Beach Festival - May
Festival del Carmen – July
Campesino Festival – October
Jíbaro de Martorell Festival – December

Community events and concerts are often held at the Concha Acústica Toño Márquez.

Sports

The Estadio Félix "Nacho" Millán stadium, where the Azucareros played their home games, sustained significant damage from Hurricane Maria in 2017.

The Azucareros de Yabucoa are Yabucoa's Double-A baseball team. They have won 4 championships!

In 1994, they won against the Toritos de Cayey.
In 1995, they won against Cidra.
In 1996, they won against Cabo Rojo.

In 2020, the Azucareros de Yabucoa became the eighth Puerto Rico Double-A baseball team to win 900 games.

Their home stadium, the Estadio Félix "Nacho" Millán, was badly damaged by Hurricane Maria in 2017. As of 2020, the stadium still needed repairs.

Symbols of Yabucoa

The municipality of Yabucoa has its own official flag and coat of arms.

The Flag

The flag of Yabucoa has an abstract design. Its colors, green, white, and violet, are inspired by the municipal shield.

The Coat of Arms

The shield shows two angels, the Santos Angeles Custodios. These are the patron saints of Yabucoa. The color purple (violet) on the shield represents the high importance of the angels.

The walking sticks on the shield represent travelers. They show the angels' role as guides and companions for people on their journey through life. The sticks are decorated with guajana flowers, which symbolize the rich sugar cane crops. The green land where the angels stand represents the fertile valley where Yabucoa is located.

Getting Around Yabucoa

One of the main roads to Yabucoa is PR-3. This road runs along the eastern side of the island. Yabucoa is about an hour's drive from the capital city.

In 2008, a tunnel was finished that connects Yabucoa with the town of Maunabo. This tunnel is currently the longest on the island.

Yabucoa also has 41 bridges.

Famous People from Yabucoa

Many notable people come from Yabucoa:

Nydia Velasquez - A congresswoman in the United States.
Carmen Delgado Votaw (1935–2017) - A civil rights activist.
Christian Pagán - The winner of Idol Puerto Rico.
Santiago Vidarte (1828–1848) - A poet.
Antonio Ayuso Valdivieso (1899–1969) - A politician, lawyer, and educator.
Jose Facundo Cintrón - He worked to end slavery in 1872 and 1873.
Emilio Diaz Colon - A member of the military.
Luis Diaz Colon - A politician and former mayor of Yabucoa.
Jordan A. Caraballo-Vega - A Computer Engineer who works for NASA.

Many people from Yabucoa have also served in the U.S. military.

Images for kids

Sugarcane field in Yabucoa in 1941
Seagrape shrub at Playa Lucia in 2015
National Guard clearing debris in Yabucoa after Hurricane Maria in 2017
Playa Lucia in Yabucoa in 2020