Puerto Ricans are very proud of their heritage, and rightly so. These islands were probably first settled by a Taíno people called the Boricua, who referred to the main island as Borinquén. Many of today’s Puerto Rican cultural festivals, stories, and ways of life can be directly traced to the island’s Taíno past.

When Columbus landed on the island we would one day call Puerto Rico at the end of the 15th century, he re-named it San Juan Bautista. The island began to be referred to as “Puerto Rico” in the 1520s when “San Juan” was mainly used to refer to the island’s main port and largest city.

Puerto Rico became a US territory after the Spanish-American War. Congress passed the Foraker Act in 1900, establishing a US-led civil government there, and by 1917, the Jones-Shafroth Act had made all Puerto Ricans US citizens.

Today, Puerto Rico’s status falls just short of that of a US state. Puerto Ricans cannot vote for the President and are not represented in the federal congress, but there are movements towards making them a state in the works even now.  This is one of the reasons mobile homes for sale in Puerto Rico are becoming so popular – mobile and modular homes in Puerto Rico are likely to jump dramatically in value if the territory does officially become a state.

Puerto Rico is part of an island chain. The islands of Puerto Rico, Mona, Culebra, and Vieques all form the territory of Puerto Rico. Some 3.2 million people live on the four islands, spread out over nearly 3,500 square miles of land. The main island is split into large coastal areas in the north and south, divided by the La Cordillera Central mountain range. More than 50 rivers flow down from these mountains, feeding more than 17 lakes.

With a population density of less than 1,000 per square mile, Puerto Rico is the 39th most densely populated US territory. It isn’t at all crowded, so mobile homes for sale in Puerto Rico go for very reasonable prices.

The port city of San Juan remains the largest settlement in the territory. Just under 400,000 people live there, making it the 46th largest city in the US. The second largest city, on the southern coast, is called Ponce. This is where the Government of Puerto Rico and most US Federal Government agencies are located. Of course, mobile homes in Puerto Rico near these cities go for premium rates.

The climate of most of the main island of Puerto Rico is that of a typical tropical rainforest. Daytime temperatures rarely drop below 84°F on lower land levels even in local winters, and temperatures stay around 70°F in the mountains all year round. The Atlantic hurricane season does affect all three islands, and this means insurance is a big factor for anyone looking at mobile homes for sale in Puerto Rico.

One of the many good reasons to buy mobile homes in Puerto Rico is to rent to the students at its world-class schools. The schools do tend to cluster around the largest cities and towns, so of course, mobile homes for sale in Puerto Rico can be found near the schools. There are plenty of Puerto Rico modular homes for sale far from the “spring break” school crowds, as well. If one of the reasons you are considering mobile homes in Puerto Rico is to serve the school market, read on.

University of Puerto Rico is best known for its stunning San Juan campus, but this is just one of 11 UPR campuses throughout the territory. The main site is right on the coast, drawing in students looking for both the urban lifestyle and access to world-class water sports. Note that a student visa will be required for international students, but not for US students.

Universidad InterAmericana de Puerto Rico is a private, non-profit university in Aibonito. It has deep cultural roots in both Latin America and North America but is perhaps best known for its social science, humanitarian, and hard science degree programs.