Puerto Rico is a Caribbean island and an unincorporated territory of the United States with official Commonwealth status. It is known as the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It includes the eponymous main island as well as several smaller islands like Mona, Culebra, and Vieques. It is in the northeast Caribbean Sea, about 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) southeast of Miami, Florida, between the Dominican Republic and the U.S. Virgin Islands. San Juan, the country's capital and most populous city, is home to approximately 3.2 million people. The executive branch of the government speaks both English and Spanish, though Spanish is spoken more frequently.

Between 2,000 and 4,000 years ago, a succession of indigenous peoples settled Puerto Rico; The Ortoiroid, Saladoid, and Tono were among these. Puerto Rico was colonized by Spain after Christopher Columbus arrived in 1493. Other European powers fought for it, but it remained a Spanish possession for four centuries. The island's cultural and demographic landscape was profoundly altered by an influx of African slaves and settlers, primarily from Andalusia and the Canary Islands. Compared to wealthier colonies like Peru and New Spain, Puerto Rico served a secondary but strategic function within the Spanish Empire. A distinct Puerto Rican identity began to emerge by the late 19th century, centered on a fusion of indigenous, African, and European elements. After the Spanish–American War, Puerto Rico was taken over by the United States in 1898.