Carolina, Puerto Rico

Infobox Settlement
settlement_type =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = Territory
subdivision_name1 = Puerto Rico
subdivision_type2 =
subdivision_name2 =
timezone=AST
utc_offset=-4
timezone_DST=
utc_offset_DST=
unit_pref=Imperial
map_caption =Location of Carolina, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico.
latNS=N
longEW=W| official_name = Carolina, Puerto Rico |

image_caption = Aerial view of Carolina
nickname = Ciudad de Gigantes

| image_

population_blank1 = Carolinenses|population_blank1_title=Gentilic|
Puerto Rico
Country |
Puerto Rico
established_date = | leader_title = Mayor | leader_title=Mayor
leader_name = Jose C. Aponte Dalmau
political party = Partido Popular Democrático
leader_party = PPD
leader_title1=Senatorial dist.
leader_name1= 8 - Carolina
leader_title2=Representative dist.
leader_name2 = 38, 39, 40| area_magnitude = 1 E9 | area_total_km2 = 156.29
area_land_km2 = 117.4| area_water_km2 = 38.89| population_as_of = 2000 | population_note =
population_total = 186076|population_footnotes= | population_density_km2 = 1585.0| timezone = AST | utc_offset = -4 | timezone_DST = | utc_offset_DST = -4| latd=18|latm=27|lats=6
longd=66|longm=4|longs=8
website = http://www.gmacpr.com | footnotes = |

Carolina (kah-ro-LEE-nah) is a city located in the northern part of Puerto Rico, bordering the Atlantic Ocean; north of Gurabo and Juncos; east of Trujillo Alto and San Juan; and west of Canóvanas and Loíza. Carolina is spread over 12 wards and Carolina Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city).

Carolina is a short distance from San Juan. Along with San Juan, Bayamón, Guaynabo, Cataño, Toa Baja and Trujillo Alto it is considered to be a part of the island's "metropolitan area".

History

The town was founded in 1816 as Trujillo Bajo ("lower Trujillo"), along with its counterpart Trujillo Alto after Trujillo, Spain. In 1857 it was renamed to "San Fernando de la Carolina", shortened to "Carolina", after Charles II of Spain. [cite encyclopedia | author = Adrian Room | title = Carolina | encyclopedia = Placenames of the World | publisher = McFarland & Co. | year = 2006 | id = ISBN 0786422483 | pages = p. 79]

The city is known as "Tierra de Gigantes" (Land of Giants) not only for well-known Carolina resident Don Felipe Birriel González (who was 7'11"), but also in honor of other eminent people from Carolina such as poet Julia de Burgos and baseball player Roberto Clemente. Carolina was also the home of Jesús T. Piñero, the first Puerto Rican governor to be appointed in that position by the United States government.

Flag

The flag consists of three vertical bands, the laterals white and the middle red. The laterals are seeded with black ermine tails in the heraldic way as does the coat of arms. The middle band of the flag shows a red field with the sword and crown of the coat of arms.

Coat of Arms

The crown over the sword is the main attribute for royalty and for that reason it occupies a privileged position in the Coat of Arms. The sword is not only a symbol for military service, but also one of justice, recalling the virtues of San Fernando. The Coat of Arms has a wide edge of silver, a cultivated field of small tails of ermine shown in the conventional heraldic manner. The red symbolizes the first patriotic developments made for Puerto Rico's freedom under Spanish dominion.

Demographics

Barrios (Districts/Wards) [http://welcome.topuertorico.org/maps/carolina.pdf]

Geo/Topography

*Rivers: Canovanillas , Rio Grande de Loiza
*Lagoons La Torrecilla , Pinones

Economic

Carolina is the home of "Plaza Carolina", one of Puerto Rico's largest shopping malls.

Industrial

Manufacture (pharmaceutical, medical equipment and chemical) and commerce.

Tourism

Carolina, led between 1984 and 2006 by mayor José Aponte, is one of Puerto Rico's most important touristic centers. Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, while incorrectly thought to be in San Juan, is actually located in an area, Isla Verde, that is geographically a part of Carolina. Also located in Carolina are a large group of hotels, which sit by Carolina's large beach area.

There are several well known hotels on the coast of Carolina, including the El San Juan Resort and Casino, and the Ritz-Carlton San Juan Hotel, Spa, and Casino.

Landmarks and places of interest

*Buena Vista Ruins
*Carolina Beach
*Grande de Loíza River
*Isla Verde Club Gallístico
*Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport
*Jesús T. Piñero Monument
*Julia de Burgos Park
*Piñones Beach
*Roberto Clemente Ciudad Deportiva

Festivals and events

*Ladies Crafts Fair - April
*San Fernando Patron Celebrations - May
*Crafts Fair - July
*Roberto Clemente Week - August

ports

In recent years, Carolina has seen the building of the "Ciudad Deportiva Roberto Clemente" or "Roberto Clemente Sports City", a sports and recreation facility that aims to become a youth sports school, and the Roberto Clemente Stadium, host to many entertainment events and to the 2003 and 2007 Caribbean World Series. It has also played host to the "Coliseo Guillermo Angulo", where the BSN's "Gigantes de Carolina" play, as well as the Gigantes of Puerto Rican women's professional basketball, the Gigantes of men's professional volleyball, and the Gigantes of women's professional volleyball.

The Gigantes professional baseball team use the Clemente Walker stadium as their home field.

Notable Natives and Residents

*Don Omar, Reggaeton
*Tito "El Bambino", Reggaeton
*Hector "El Father", Reggaeton
*José Aponte de la Torre, mayor
*Wilfredo Benitez, former world boxing champion
*Julio Voltio, Reggaeton
*Felipe Birriel - "El Gigante de Carolina" ("The Carolina Giant"), the man after whom all the sports teams in Carolina are named: who is believed to have been over 7 feet tall, the tallest Puerto Rican in history. A statue dedicated to him in Carolina.
*Julia de Burgos,poet
*Roberto Clemente, MLB 1966 National League MVP
*Esteban De Jesus, former world boxing champion
*Alfredo Escalera, former world boxing champion
*Micaela Nevárez, actress
*Jesús T. Piñero, former governor
*Osvaldo Ríos, (b. 1968), actor
*Gilberto Santa Rosa, singer
*Marco Vélez, professional soccer player

References

* [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=05000US72031&-_box_head_nbr=GCT-PH1&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&-redoLog=false&-format=CO-2&-mt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_GCTPH1_CO2 Carolina and its barrios, United States Census Bureau]

External links

*es icon [http://www.gobierno.pr/GPRPortal/StandAlone/MunicipalityInformation.aspx?Filter=162 Carolina municipality general information]
* [http://www.puertohost.com/maps/carolina-map.php Map of Carolina Puerto Rico]