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Nature
Natural Wonders of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico Trench Puerto Rico is close to the deepest submarine depression in the North Atlantic Ocean called the Puerto Rico Trench. This submarine trench lies parallel to the coast of Puerto Rico, about 75 miles north of the island. It is about 1,090 miles long and 60 miles wide.
Soils One of the great wonders of Puerto Rico is that we have almost all the major soil groups of the earth in such a small island. Mineral recourses are vast. There’s everything from sand and stone to magnesium, mercury, zinc, lead, cobalt, tin and nickel. It has been found that there are copper and related minerals, gold and silver in the mountains of the island.
Guanica Dry Forest This is a subtropical forest with some of the biggest and most varied cactus in the world. The area is known for the diverse species of birds, of which more than 40 are only found there. It is habitat to more than 700 species of protected plants and trees.
Bioluminescent Waters A very curious natural wonder in Puerto Rico is the existence of bioluminescent waters. Bioluminescence is the production of light by living organisms, like certain fungi and bacteria that emit light continuously. Out of seven (7) bioluminescent bays in the world, five are located in Puerto Rico.
Camuy Cavern This cavern system is 15 kilometers long and has 17 different entrances. Some of the caves are so big that a 25 story building could be fit into them comfortably.
Camuy River The Camuy River is the third longest underground river in the world. It runs under the Camuy Cavern System.
Coral Reef Puerto Rico has a linear coastline of about 620 kilometers, surrounded by over 5,000 kilometers coral reef ecosystems, easily accessible.
El Yunque Rainforest Puerto Rico has the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System. The forest consists of 28,000 acres of rain forest characterized by a rugged topography and abundant, highly diverse vegetation. It rains almost every afternoon so the average rainfall is 200 inches a year. It usually rains more during springtime and autumn.
Aquifers The island has a great diversity of geological formations that act as aquifers: rain water deposits, limestone and igneous rock. The most important ones are located along the north coast of the island.
Coamo Thermal Waters The thermal waters located near the town of Coamo are reminders of the volcanic past of the island. These warm waters that come out in the form of a natural spring soothe the body and the spirit of locals and tourist alike.
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for Cultural Enhancement and Reaffirmation, Inc.
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