Puerto Rico is a self-governing island commonwealth of the United States that is the easternmost island in the Greater Antilles. In addition to its mainland, Puerto Rico as a whole also encompasses three small islands: Vieques, Culebra, and Mona Island. The country’s mainland is approximately 111 miles east to west and thirty nine miles north to south with its capital, San Juan, located in the northeastern region of the island. Furthermore, Puerto Rico is mostly composed of mountainous and hilly terrain with roughly 25% of the island being covered with steep slopes. Due to tectonic plate movement, Puerto Rico’s terrain is extremely unique, but it is also often plagued by occasional earthquakes that devastate the land. On the island, there is very little seasonal variation, but local conditions may change according to elevation and exposure to rain-bearing winds. Also, the north and south parts of the island are very different from each other as the north is covered in rainforest and has high amounts of rainfall, whereas the south is covered in thorn and shrub vegetation as it is covered with a rain shadow. The average daily temperature in the lowlands is about 78 °F (26 °C), but relatively high humidity makes daytime temperatures feel warmer, and highland temperatures average just a few degrees lower. In terms of biodiversity, Puerto Rico cannot be passed up on either as there are more than 200 different species of birds including the critically endangered Puerto Rican Parrot and many different land animals as well such as snakes, lizards, mongooses, and frogs, with various species of fish too. In conclusion, despite its small size, the island of Puerto Rico is very diverse, bursting with biodiversity, and with something for everyone just waiting for you to explore!