Vieques, officially Isla de Vieques, is an island and municipality of Puerto Rico, a United States territory in the northeastern Caribbean. Vieques is part of a group of islands sometimes known as the Spanish Virgin Islands; Puerto Rico, as a whole, is located just west of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Vieques is part of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and retains its strong Spanish influence after 400 years of Spanish colonial presence in the island.
Sunset at Sun Bay Beach in Vieques
Municipio de Vieques plaque
Radar in Vieques, Puerto Rico
Fuera la Marina de Vieques Ya (translation: Navy out of Vieques now) sign on structure
Municipalities of Puerto Rico
The municipalities of Puerto Rico are the second-level administrative divisions in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. There are 78 such administrative divisions covering all 78 incorporated towns and cities. Each municipality is led by a mayor and divided into barrios, third-level administrative divisions, though the latter are not vested with any political authority. Every municipality is governed as stated by the Autonomous Municipalities Act of 1991, which establishes that every municipality must have an elected strong mayor with a municipal legislature as the form of government. Each legislature must be unicameral, with the number of members related to adequate representation of the total population of the municipality. In contrast to other jurisdictions, both the mayors and the municipal legislators are elected on the same date and for the same term of four years in office.
San Juan, the largest municipality and capital of Puerto Rico.
Bayamón, the second largest municipality of Puerto Rico, located just west of San Juan.
Carolina, the third largest municipality of Puerto Rico, located just east of San Juan.
Ponce, the fourth largest municipality of Puerto Rico and the largest municipality outside the San Juan metropolitan area.