Population: Pop. 437,745; Metropolitan Area Population: 1,086,376 The largest part of the population is of Spanish descent. There are also Portuguese, Italians, and French. About 85 percent of the people are Roman Catholics

Location: Puerto Rico, commonwealth of United States of America 1000 miles southeast of Miami and 1600 miles from New York.

Elevation: 8ft

Area: 300 square miles

Country: Puerto Rico

Time Zone: Atlantic Time (GMT -4 Hours) Same as Eastern Standard Time without Daylight Saving Time.

Climate: Tropical, Hot Weather: Average Temperatures (in Fahrenheit): High Low January - March 81 70 April - June 85 72 July - September 86 75 October - December 85 72

Temperatures average 78-83F year round. December-April are the coolest months. Sweaters are necessary in the mountains during winter. In the hottest months, July-September, temperatures often top 90F. Sunblock is essential year round! About 59 in. of rain falls annually on the island, most of it during hurricane season June-November, but rain can fall in brief torrents year round. This is a warm rain in San Juan, and one can easily "drip dry" after a shower.

Tourist Assistance: Tourist Offices: In The U.S., Puerto Rico Tourism Company, 575 Fifth Ave., New York, Ny 10017, Phone 212-599-6262 Or 800-223-6350.

Currency:Currency: U.S. Dollar. Traveler's checks and credit cards are widely accepted.

Banks: Mon-Fri 9:30 -3 . Some are open on Saturdays. Credit cards and traveler's checks are widely accepted.

Post Office: If you travel to San Juan on a cruise, The easiest way to mail letters and postcards is from the ship. The U.S. Postal Service dispatches mail daily. The old post office on Recinto Sur in old San Juan is open Mon-Fri 8am - 5pm and Sat 8am - noon.

Documentation: Passport/Visa Requirements: proof of citizenship recommended but not necessary for U.S. Citizens. All others should have proof of citizenship. Reconfirm documentation requirements with carrier before departure.

Departure Tax: None

Electricity: 110 Volts, 60 cycles AC, same as US. Telephones & Fax:

International Dialing Code: International telecommunications are good. The pay phones have instructions in English And Spanish. You can also place long-distance calls from world service telephone at Pier one: phone 721-2520

Telephone Area Code: 787

Emergency: 911

Hospitals: while the drinking water is considered safe, many residents drink bottled water. Medical facilities are plentiful in San Juan and outside the city. The Ashford Memorial Community Hospital is located in the tourist area of Conrad phone 721-2160. For municipal ambulance service, call 343-2550.

National Holidays: Jan 1 New Year's Day Jan 6 Three King's Day Jan 11 De Hosts Day Feb 22 Washington's Birthday Late Feb. Ponce Carnival Ma22r Emancipation Day Apr 5 Good Friday Apr 7 Easter Apr 16 De Diego Day May 30 Memorial Day Jun 24 San Juan Bautista Day July 4 Independence Day Jul 17Munoz Rivera Day July 25 Constitution Day July 27 Dr José Cellos Barbuda's Birthday Sept 1. Labor Day Oct 12 Columbus Day Nov 11. Veteran's Day Nov 19 Discovery Day November 25 Thanksgiving Day Dec 25 Christmas Day

How To Get Around: Much of the sightseeing and shopping can be done on foot as distances around the City are not great.

Driving in Puerto Rico: Puerto Rico's 3,500 square miles are a lot of land to explore. Although you can get from town to town via público, it's not the best way to travel unless your Spanish is good and you know exactly where you're going. In spite of traffic signs in Spanish and aggressive fellow drivers, a rental car may be best for exploring outside the old city. Roads in Puerto Rico are well marked with distances posted in kilometers and speed limits in miles per hour. Be aware that many of Puerto Rico's newer roads are toll roads, so keep change handy. Roads in the interior of the island can be narrow and steep. Chickens and dogs share the road with vehicles. You may find that local drivers travel at high speeds regardless of road conditions or narrowness of the roads. Drive defensively and make sure to buy a good road map.

Public Transportation: catch one of the free, open-air trolleys by getting on near the terminal or anywhere along their routes: one follows a northwesterly path Boulevard De Valle and Calle Norzagaray To Calle Cristo and La Fortaleza while the other travels northeasterly along San Francisco Street, Plaza De Armas and Fortaleza Street.

Taxis: Taxis are readily available at the ship terminal, with dispatchers supervising loading and unloading. They are usually the best way to get around San Juan quickly and easily - as long as you and the driver agree on rates and routes beforehand. a word of caution: in the past some taxi drivers have been accused of overcharging passengers, especially tourists. The public service commission has set up a system to try to improve this situation.

Local Bus Service: Air-conditioned but crowded, public buses run from the harbor to various locations in the greater San Juan area the Metropolitan bus authority or AMA, its Spanish acronym covers the greater San Juan area, which consists of San Juan, Santurce, Rio Piedras, Hato Rey, Bayamon and Carolina. Small bus companies serve island towns and environs. Publicos vans and cars are low priced and offer rides along established routes but may not keep to a schedule or be very comfortable. In one of these packed public cars, typically a mini-van or sedan whose license plate includes the letters "pd" or "p", the 15-minute trip from San Juan to Rio Piedras, for example, stretches to 45 minutes.

Ferry: The Aqua Express, a daily ferry service, connects Old San Juan at Pier Two with Cataño and Hato Rey. .