El Yunque National Forest is located in the rugged Sierra de Luquillo and split into four different forests: Tabonuco Forest, Palo Colorado Forest, Palma Sierra Forest, and En Las Nubes Forest. The forest as a whole got its name from an Indigenous spirit named Yuquiyu (or “Yohaku”), meaning “Forest of Clouds”, possibly referring to the clouds that consistently cover the tops of trees in the forest. El Yunque National Forest encompasses over 28,000 acres of diverse and densely populated forest with over 240 species of trees and plants, including 26 species which cannot be found anywhere else, such as the critically endangered Puerto Rican Parrot. In addition, there are eight major rivers that originate in El Yunque such as the Mameyes, La Mina, and Icacos rivers that supply over 20% of the Puerto Rican population’s water. Furthermore, El Yunque is the rainiest of all National Forests with over 240 inches of rain per year, that’s over 100 billion gallons of rainwater! From one place to another, the temperature and precipitation can vary greatly, from semi-desert to rainforest conditions and strong easterly trade winds. All in all, make sure to check out the extremely bio-diverse, and fascinating National Forest that contributes to the identity of Puerto Rico and what makes this country special!