Municipalities of Puerto Rico

Municipalities of Puerto Rico are the second-order 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, though the latter are not vested with any political authority. All municipalities are governed by the Autonomous Municipalities Act of 1991 which establishes that municipalities are to be governed by a mayor and a municipal legislature.

History

The concept of a municipality in Puerto Rico originates from the time of the Spanish colonial period. The Spanish Crown divided the island into "partidos" and these were further subdivided into "barrios". After the U.S. invasion and subsequent acquisition of Puerto Rico, the "partidos" were renamed "municipalities".

Structure

Each municipality of Puerto Rico is subdivided into smaller, rural parts called barrios which include neighborhoods, towns, sectors, and/or urban areas. The municipal governments are responsible for providing many services including law enforcement, education, healthcare, public housing, transportation, and utilities.

List of Municipalities

There are 78 municipalities in Puerto Rico. The most populous municipality is the city of San Juan, which serves as the capital of Puerto Rico and is governed by a mayor. Other major municipalities include Ponce, Mayagüez, Bayamón, and Carolina.

Government

Each municipality has a mayor and a municipal legislature elected for a four-year term. The mayor is the executive officer, while the municipal legislature is the legislative body. The size of the municipal legislature varies depending on the population of the municipality.

See also

• List of mayors of municipalities in Puerto Rico
• Barrios of Puerto Rico
• Demographics of Puerto Rico