Why are there so many Puerto Ricans...if the island is so small?

Question

there so many in the island and in the major cities in the U.S., I would think they have a smaller population since they originate from a small Island...

Answer 1

Simply because we were not set minded in having just a kid or two like the typical USA family.  I'm my generation (I'm 43) it was usual to see family with three or four kids (in my case we are 5, the last one after 8 years from the birth of the fouth).  Before my generation the families were bigger (my Mom was the last of 9 brothers and sisters, she is the aunt of people older than she).

That have change over the years for several reasons, now families tend to have less kids, many stopping at two, specially if they are a son and a daughter.  If they are both boys or both girls, the couple may try for a third kid looking/hoping for a baby of the other s*x.

Nobody thinks of the island's size (100 miles x 35 miles) when thinking of get marry and having kids.

Answer 2

Why not? Must be the fact that the USA still has us a colony and won´t let us go for some economical reason. Why are the people in the USA called americans, we are all americans and not necessarily gringos?

Answer 3

because when puerto rico became a common wealth US territory puerto ricans moved to new york and established a life there, a lot where born in new york and died in new york without even knowing how puerto rico is or looks like. they kept there cultural traditions and their language and still do. i have cousins that where born in NY and never even seen puerto rico, but they know more than i do, that have been raised half my life and also born in NY. not necessarily because people represent their country and have pride means they are all originally from there. its like the singer luis miguel and the actor joanquin phoenix they were born in puerto rico but thats it, they dont even know about our traditions and culture because they were raised in other countries. puerto rico then started spreading in other countries, since we are american citizens even in we were born in puerto rico they started enlisting for the army and in those years like the 60's they had no choice, so they were sent to different states and countries some like it and stayed and kept forming families. also being the only hipanic country that has the american citizenship rights, makes it easier to establish families and spread throghout US, so its more common to see puerto ricans than other people from other countries because its harder for them to have immigration rights and financially the cost of finding legal papers in order for them to live in the US. here in the island there are a lot of dominicans(also in new york) living within puerto ricans, as well as puerto ricans living in the united states. i agree with wilfred L, i was born in NY, raised in PR and FL and i say im puerto rican; my cousins where born in NY, and raised all there lives in NY and still say they are puerto rican. in the other hand ive seen puerto ricans that were born in PR and raised in the states and have said that they are Americans or whatever country they were raised in. just because i was born in NY does not mean i like it, as a  matter of fact i dont. Im not that crazy about PR either, but i love Florida, thats my state but im still a proud puerto rican. if u read the lyrics of the patriotic song "en mi viejo san juan", your question is clearly answered (its also traduced in english if spanish is not your primary language).

Answer 4

Its small but it could be just as big as an US city and have as many habitants.

Answer 5

I don't know, I'm from Puerto Rico but there are more borns than deads hahaha. Thats what I thought, the thing is that I love my island and my people, Y will never go out of my island haha. Take Care of yourself, i give u a Star, ba bye!!

Answer 6

The facts are the not all the 4.1 million living in Puerto Rico and the other 4.2 million living in the mainland are not all born in Puerto Rico.  Lots of them are born here in the mainland but because we are very proud of our ancestors, we keep calling ourselves Puertoricans.

For example, one of my kids was born in Ohio and another in California, but if you ask them about their background, they will say that they are Puertoricans born in the mainland - not Ohioan or Californians but Puertoricans!!!