• Contested territories
  • Status Unincorporated Territory of the United States
  • Area 9,104 km²
  • Population 3,193,694
  • Governor Wanda Vázquez Garced

Puerto Rico became a US territory following the Spanish-American War in 1898. In 1899, Hurricane San Ciriaco left the island in ruins and the US stepped in granting large loans, buying up most of the farmland leaving Puerto Rico indebted and dependent. Today, following the devastation of another hurricane, Puerto Rico finds itself with a collapsing economy, destroyed infrastructure, and a crisis of sovereignty. It’s not its own state, nor is it one of the United States. Puerto Ricans can be drafted into the US military but have no meaningful representation in the US government, and are not protected under the Bill of Rights. After failed attempts at independence via both congressional voting and violent uprising, the island is divided. A little over half want full US statehood, and the remainder want either full independence or to continue the current arrangement.