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90-534: Vieques ( / v i ˈ eɪ k ə s / ; Spanish pronunciation: [ˈbjekes] ), officially Isla de Vieques , is an island, town and municipality of Puerto Rico , and together with Culebra , it is geographically part of the Spanish Virgin Islands . Vieques lies about 8 miles (13 km) east of the mainland of Puerto Rico , measuring about 20 miles (32 km) long and 4.5 miles (7 km) wide. Its most populated barrio

180-556: A Stone Age culture and were probably fishermen and hunter-gatherers . Excavations at the Puerto Ferro site by Luis Chanlatte and Yvonne Narganes uncovered a fragmented human skeleton in a large hearth area. Radiocarbon dating of shells found in the hearth indicate a burial date of c. 1900 BCE. This skeleton, popularly known as El Hombre de Puerto Ferro , was buried at the center of a group of large boulders near Vieques's south-central coast, approximately one kilometer northwest of

270-572: A Catholic church. Fiestas patronales (patron saint festivals) are held in the central plaza every year. The central plaza, or square, is a place for official and unofficial recreational events and a place where people can gather and socialize from dusk to dawn. The Laws of the Indies , Spanish law, which regulated life in Puerto Rico in the early 19th century, stated the plaza's purpose was for "the parties" (celebrations, festivities) ( Spanish :

360-629: A certain amount of social exclusion . A map shows these communities occur in nearly every municipality of the commonwealth. Of the 742 places that were on the list in 2014, the following barrios, communities, sectors, or neighborhoods were in Vieques: Sector Gobeo in Barrio Florida, Bravos de Boston, Jagüeyes, Monte Carmelo, Pozo Prieto (Monte Santo) and Villa Borinquén. Vieques measures about 21 miles (34 km) east-west, and three to four miles (6.4 km) north-south. It has

450-566: A description of Greece itself, besides accounts of western and northern Europe. His work survives only fragmentarily, but was received by Polybius and others. Roman Empire period authors include Diodorus Siculus , Strabo and Tacitus . Julius Caesar gives an account of the Celtic tribes of Gaul , while Tacitus describes the Germanic tribes of Magna Germania . A number of authors like Diodorus Siculus, Pausanias and Sallust depict

540-597: A friend of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman ; the character was modeled on future West Wing star Jimmy Smits , a native of Puerto Rico who was repeatedly arrested for leading protests there. As a result of this pressure, in May 2003 the Navy withdrew from Vieques, and much of the island was designated a National Wildlife Refuge under the control of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service . The island

630-498: A head in 1999 when Vieques native David Sanes , a civilian employee of the United States Navy, was killed by a jet bomb that the Navy said misfired. Sanes had been working as a security guard. A popular campaign of civil disobedience resurged; not since the mid-1970s had Viequenses come together en masse to protest the target practices. The locals took to the ocean in their small fishing boats and successfully stopped

720-643: A land area of 52 square miles (130 km) and is located about ten miles (16 km) to the east of Puerto Rico. To the north of Vieques is the Atlantic Ocean, and to the south, the Caribbean . The island of Culebra is about 10 miles (16 km) north of Vieques, and the United States Virgin Islands lie to the east. Vieques and Culebra, together with various small islets, make up the Spanish Virgin Islands , sometimes known as

810-595: A lawless outpost, frequented by pirates and outlaws. As European powers fought for control in the region, a series of attempts by the French , English and Danish to colonize the island in the 17th and 18th centuries were repulsed by the Spanish. At the beginning of the 19th century, the Spanish took steps to permanently settle and secure the island. In 1811, Don Salvador Meléndez, then governor of Puerto Rico, sent military commander Juan Rosselló to begin what would become

900-702: A long history in Europe , but is a small minority religion, with France (1%) the only European country with a Jewish population in excess of 0.5%. The Jewish population of Europe is composed primarily of two groups , the Ashkenazi and the Sephardi . Ancestors of Ashkenazi Jews likely migrated to Central Europe at least as early as the 8th century , while Sephardi Jews established themselves in Spain and Portugal at least one thousand years before that. Jews originated in

990-453: A median household income in 1999 dollars of $ 9,331 (compared to $ 41,994 for the US as a whole), and 35.8% of the population of 16 years and over in the labor force (compared to 63.9% for the US as a whole). Culebra barrio-pueblo As was customary in Spain, in Puerto Rico, the municipality has a barrio called pueblo which contains a central plaza, the municipal buildings (city hall), and

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1080-513: A mixture of four distinct ancestral components. Iron Age (pre- Great Migrations ) populations of Europe known from Greco-Roman historiography , notably Herodotus , Pliny , Ptolemy and Tacitus : Ethno-linguistic groups that arrived from outside Europe during historical times are: The earliest accounts of European ethnography date from Classical Antiquity . Herodotus described the Scythians and Thraco-Illyrians . Dicaearchus gave

1170-507: A population of 8,249. 8.0% of the population is of non-Hispanic origin, making it the second-least Hispanic municipality in Puerto Rico after Culebra . This represents an increase from 2010, when only 5.7% of the population was non-Hispanic. The 2010 US census, showed the total population of Vieques was 9,301. 94.3% of the population are Hispanic or Latino (of any race). Natives of Vieques are known as Viequenses . Both Spanish and English are recognized as official languages. Spanish

1260-413: A propósito para las fiestas ), and that the square should be proportionally large enough for the number of neighbors ( Spanish : grandeza proporcionada al número de vecinos ). These Spanish regulations also stated that the streets nearby should be comfortable portals for passersby, protecting them from the elements: sun and rain. At one time, this barrio was referred to as Dewey. Located across from

1350-448: A relation of the peoples of Europe are expressed in terms of genealogy of mythical founders of the individual groups. The Europeans were considered the descendants of Japheth from early times, corresponding to the division of the known world into three continents , the descendants of Shem peopling Asia and those of Ham peopling Africa . Identification of Europeans as " Japhetites " is also reflected in early suggestions for terming

1440-523: A warm, relatively dry, tropical climate. Temperatures vary little throughout the year, with average daily maxima ranging from 84.7 °F (29.3 °C) in January to 89.9 °F (32.2 °C) in September. Average daily minima are about 18 °F or 6 °C lower. Rainfall averages around 40 to 45 inches (1,000 to 1,100 millimetres) per year, with the month of September being the wettest. The west of

1530-405: A year on average. The US military used the highest possible contaminant depleted uranium (DU) munitions since 1972 on the populated (and full of exotic wildlife) island, at a rate of over 80 live bombs daily for decades. The health consequences are felt to this day as the cancer rates are ostensibly higher for the population of Vieques, especially children, than for those on the main island. After

1620-579: Is also sometimes conferred on Francisco Saínz, governor from 1843 to 1852, who founded Isabel Segunda , the main town in Vieques, named after Queen Isabel II of Spain). Vieques was formally annexed to Puerto Rico in 1854. In 1816, Vieques was briefly visited by Simón Bolívar when his ship ran aground there while fleeing defeat in Venezuela. During the second part of the 19th century, thousands of slaves of African descent were brought to Vieques to work

1710-431: Is an accepted version of this page Europeans are the focus of European ethnology , the field of anthropology related to the various ethnic groups that reside in the states of Europe . Groups may be defined by common ancestry, common language, common faith, etc. The total number of national minority populations in Europe is estimated at 105 million people, or 14% of 770 million Europeans in 2002. The Russians are

1800-508: Is generally linked to the classical definition of the Western world . In this definition, Western culture is the set of literary , scientific , political , artistic and philosophical principles which set it apart from other civilizations. Much of this set of traditions and knowledge is collected in the Western canon . The term has come to apply to countries whose history has been strongly marked by European immigration or settlement during

1890-526: Is now called the Taíno culture. This culture flourished in the region from around 1000 AD until the arrival of Europeans in the late 15th century. The European discovery of Vieques is sometimes credited to Christopher Columbus , who landed in Puerto Rico in 1493. It does not seem to be certain whether Columbus personally visited Vieques, but in any case the island was soon claimed by the Spanish. During

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1980-476: Is open to the public, but much remains closed off due to biological or chemical contamination or unexploded ordnance that the military is, slowly, cleaning up. Some of the most beautiful beaches on the island are on the eastern end (former site of the Marine Base) that the Navy named Red Beach, Blue Beach , Caracas Beach , Pata Prieta Beach, La Chiva Beach, and Plata Beach. At the far western tip (formerly

2070-557: Is the largest Christian country in Europe by population, followed by Germany and Italy . According to Scholars, in 2017, Europe's population was 77.8% Christian (up from 74.9% 1970), these changes were largely result of the collapse of Communism and switching to Christianity in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries. Islam has some tradition in the Balkans and the Caucasus due to conquest and colonization from

2160-682: Is the largest religion in the European Union , accounting for 72% of the EU 's population. As of 2010 Catholics were the largest Christian group in Europe , accounting for more than 48% of European Christians. The second-largest Christian group in Europe were the Orthodox , who made up 32% of European Christians. About 19% of European Christians were part of the Protestant tradition. Russia

2250-519: Is the primary language of most inhabitants. The sugar industry , once the mainstay of the island's economy, declined during the early 20th century, and finally collapsed in the 1940s when the US Navy took over much of the land on which the sugar cane plantations stood. After an initial naval construction phase, opportunities to make a living on the island were increased to include not only fishing or subsistence farming, but also Naval jobs. Crops grown on

2340-423: Is the so-called "time element", or how long the original inhabitants of a land occupied it before the arrival of later settlers. As there is no fixed time frame, the answer to the question of what groups constitute Indigenous minorities is often context-dependent. The most extreme view claims that all Europeans are "descendants of previous waves of immigrants", and as such, the countries of Europe are no different from

2430-541: Is the town of Isabel Segunda (or "Isabel the Second", sometimes written "Isabel II"), the administrative center located on the northern side of the island. The population of Vieques was 8,249 at the 2020 Census. The island's name is a Spanish spelling of a Taíno word said to mean "small island" or "small land". It also has the nickname Isla Nena , usually translated as "girl island" or "little girl island", alluding to its perception as Puerto Rico's little sister. The island

2520-894: Is under the leadership of a mayor, presently Junito Corcino. Vieques belongs to the Puerto Rico Senatorial district VIII , which is represented by two Senators. In 2012, Pedro A. Rodríguez and Luis Daniel Rivera were elected as District Senators. Vieques is divided into eight barrios , including the downtown barrio called Isabel Segunda. Barrios (which are like minor civil divisions ) are further subdivided into smaller areas called sectores ( sectors in English). The types of sectores may vary, from normally sector to urbanización to reparto to barriada to residencial , among others. Comunidades Especiales de Puerto Rico (Special Communities of Puerto Rico) are marginalized communities whose citizens are experiencing

2610-793: Is very heterogeneous, with more than 95% in Poland, and less than 20% in the Czech Republic and Estonia. The 2005 Eurobarometer poll found that 52% of EU citizens believe in God. According to a Pew Research Center Survey in 2012 the Religiously Unaffiliated ( Atheists and Agnostics ) make up about 18.2% of the European population in 2010. According to the same Survey the Religiously Unaffiliated make up

2700-530: The Bell beaker period), and a Proto-Balto-Slavic language (assumed for roughly the Corded Ware horizon) has been postulated with less confidence. Old European hydronymy has been taken as indicating an early (Bronze Age) Indo-European predecessor of the later centum languages. According to geneticist David Reich , based on ancient human genomes that his laboratory sequenced in 2016, Europeans descend from

2790-645: The Bioluminescent Bay . Linear arrays of smaller stones radiating from the central boulders are apparent at the site today, but their age and reason for placement are unknown. Further waves of settlement by Native Americans followed over many centuries. The Arawak -speaking Saladoid (or Igneri ) people, thought to have originated in modern-day Venezuela , arrived in the region perhaps around 200 BC (estimates vary). These tribes, noted for their pottery, stone carving, and other artifacts, eventually merged with groups from Hispaniola and Cuba to form what

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2880-571: The Chagos Islands , who were displaced to make way for an Air Force Base in the Indian Ocean in the 1960s, many agricultural workers, who had no formal title to the land they occupied, were evicted and forced to migrate. For over sixty years, the US military used the island (with a population of over 9000 inhabitants in 1950) as a live munitions target practice. According to internal Navy documents, bombardments occurred on 180 days out of

2970-570: The Cold War , since the 1990s. The foundation of the OSCE following the 1990s Paris Charter has facilitated this process on a political level during the 1990s and 2000s. From the later 20th century, 'Europe' has come to be widely used as a synonym for the European Union even though there are millions of people living on the European continent in non-EU member states. The prefix pan implies that

3060-551: The Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities . The broad aims of the convention are to ensure that the signatory states respect the rights of national minorities, undertaking to combat discrimination, promote equality, preserve and develop the culture and identity of national minorities, guarantee certain freedoms in relation to access to the media, minority languages and education and encourage

3150-641: The Indo-European languages of Europe, including: Besides the Indo-European languages, there are other language families on the European continent which are considered unrelated to Indo-European: The Basques have been found to descend from the population of the late Neolithic or early Bronze Age directly. By contrast, Indo-European groups of Europe (the Centum , Balto-Slavic , and Albanian groups) migrated throughout most of Europe from

3240-585: The Indo-European languages "Japhetic". In this tradition, the Historia Brittonum (9th century) introduces a genealogy of the peoples of the Migration Period based on the sixth-century Frankish Table of Nations as follows, The text goes then on to list the genealogy of Alanus, connecting him to Japheth via eighteen generations. European culture is largely rooted in what is often referred to as its "common cultural heritage". Due to

3330-722: The Levant where they resided for thousands of years until the 2nd century AD, when they spread around the Mediterranean and into Europe, although small communities were known to exist in Greece as well as the Balkans since at least the 1st century BC. Jewish history was notably affected by the Holocaust and emigration (including Aliyah , as well as emigration to America ) in the 20th century. The Jewish population of Europe in 2010

3420-755: The Oriental Church , is also in Europe – another branch of Christianity (world's oldest National Church). Catholicism , while typically centered in Western Europe , also has a very significant following in Central Europe (especially among the Germanic , Western Slavic and Hungarian peoples/regions) as well as in Ireland (with some in Great Britain). Christianity has been the dominant religion shaping European culture for at least

3510-567: The Ottoman Empire in the 16th to 19th centuries, as well as earlier though discontinued long-term presence in much of Iberia as well as Sicily . Muslims account for the majority of the populations in Albania , Azerbaijan , Kosovo , Northern Cyprus (controlled by Turks ), and Bosnia and Herzegovina . Significant minorities are present in the rest of Europe. Russia also has one of the largest Muslim communities in Europe, including

3600-535: The Panama Canal . Much of the land was bought from the owners of large farms and sugar cane plantations, and the expropriations triggered the final demise of the sugar industry. Without consulting the local population who had lived and worked there for centuries and protested the expropriations, the decision to turn it into a bombing range was made in Washington. In a similar way as the former population of

3690-668: The Pontic steppe . They are assumed to have developed in situ through admixture of earlier Mesolithic and Neolithic populations with Bronze Age, proto-Indo-Europeans . The Finnic peoples are assumed to also be descended from Proto-Uralic populations further to the east, nearer to the Ural Mountains , that had migrated to their historical homelands in Europe by about 3,000 years ago. Reconstructed languages of Iron Age Europe include Proto-Celtic , Proto-Italic and Proto-Germanic , all of these Indo-European languages of

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3780-677: The Scottish Highlands , and the Isle of Man ; Also the Silesian and Sorbian people of Germany and Poland. Many non-European ethnic groups and nationalities have migrated to Europe over the centuries. Some arrived centuries ago. However, the vast majority arrived more recently, mostly in the 20th and 21st centuries. Often, they come from former colonies of the British, Dutch, French, Portuguese and Spanish empires. Medieval notions of

3870-513: The Swiss are discussed in terms of both ethnicity and language affiliations. Of the total population of Europe of some 740 million (as of 2010), close to 90% (or some 650 million) fall within three large branches of Indo-European languages , these being: Three stand-alone Indo-European languages do not fall within larger sub-groups and are not closely related to those larger language families: In addition, there are also smaller sub-groups within

3960-783: The Tatars of the Middle Volga and multiple groups in the Caucasus, including Chechens , Avars , Ingush and others. With 20th-century migrations, Muslims in Western Europe have become a noticeable minority. According to the Pew Forum , the total number of Muslims in Europe in 2010 was about 44 million (6%), while the total number of Muslims in the European Union in 2007 was about 16 million (3.2%). Judaism has

4050-546: The centum group, and Proto-Slavic and Proto-Baltic , of the satem group. A group of Tyrrhenian languages appears to have included Etruscan , Rhaetian , Lemnian , and perhaps Camunic . A pre-Roman stage of Proto-Basque can only be reconstructed with great uncertainty. Regarding the European Bronze Age , the only relatively likely reconstruction is that of Proto-Greek (ca. 2000 BC). A Proto-Italo-Celtic ancestor of both Italic and Celtic (assumed for

4140-520: The sugarcane plantations . They arrived from mainland Puerto Rico and nearby islands of St. Thomas , Nevis , Saint Kitts , Saint Croix , and many other Caribbean islands. Slavery was abolished in Puerto Rico in 1873. The island also received considerable attention as a possible colony from Scotland , and after numerous attempts to buy the island proved unsuccessful, the Scottish fleet, en route to Darien in 1698, made landfall and took possession of

4230-445: The "Western World" has been intimately connected with the concept of " Christianity and Christendom " many even attribute Christianity for being the link that created a unified European identity . Christianity is still the largest religion in Europe; according to a 2011 survey, 76.2% of Europeans considered themselves Christians . Also according to a study on Religiosity in the European Union in 2012, by Eurobarometer , Christianity

4320-707: The 10th century gives an account of the Bolghar and the Rus' peoples . William Rubruck , while most notable for his account of the Mongols , in his account of his journey to Asia also gives accounts of the Tatars and the Alans . Saxo Grammaticus and Adam of Bremen give an account of pre-Christian Scandinavia. The Chronicon Slavorum (12th century) gives an account of the northwestern Slavic tribes. Gottfried Hensel in his 1741 Synopsis Universae Philologiae published one of

4410-604: The 18th and 19th centuries, such as the Americas , and Australasia , and is not restricted to Europe. Since the High Middle Ages , most of Europe has been dominated by Christianity . There are three major denominations: Roman Catholic , Protestant and Eastern Orthodox , with Protestantism restricted mostly to Northern Europe , and Orthodoxy to East and South Slavic regions, Romania , Moldova , Greece , and Georgia . The Armenian Apostolic Church , part of

4500-506: The Navy Base) is Punta Arenas , which the Navy named 'Green Beach'. The beaches are commonly listed among the top in the Caribbean for their azure waters and white sands. Archaeological evidence suggests that Vieques was first inhabited by ancient Indigenous peoples of the Americas who traveled mostly from South America perhaps between 3000 BCE and 2000 BCE. Estimates of these prehistoric dates of inhabitation vary widely. These tribes had

4590-495: The Passage Islands. The former US Navy lands, now wildlife reserves, occupy the entire eastern and western ends of Vieques, with the former live weapons testing site (known as the "LIA", or "Live Impact Area") at the extreme eastern tip. These areas are unpopulated. The former civilian area occupies very roughly the central third of the island and contains the towns of Isabel Segunda on the north coast, and Esperanza on

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4680-447: The Susan Centeno community health center based on its "replacement value." The family of Jaideliz Moreno Ventura, 13, whose 2020 death was blamed on the lack of a functioning hospital and lifesaving medical equipment in Vieques, is suing the government for violation of human and civil rights. Funds for rebuilding the hospital were approved two weeks after Jaideliz's death. While Governor Pedro Pierluisi expected construction to begin on

4770-464: The US Navy's military exercises for a short period, until the US Navy and two US Coast Guard cutters began controlling access to the island and escorting boaters away from Vieques. On April 27, 2001, the Navy resumed operations and protesting resumed. At this point over 600 protesters had already been detained. The Vieques issue became something of a cause célèbre , and local protesters were joined by sympathetic groups and prominent individuals from

4860-731: The United States . In 1899, the United States Department of War conducted a census of Puerto Rico finding that the population of Culebra barrio-pueblo was 206. Barrios (which are, in contemporary times, roughly comparable to minor civil divisions ) in turn are further subdivided into smaller local populated place areas/units called sectores ( sectors in English). The types of sectores may vary, from normally sector to urbanización to reparto to barriada to comunidad to residencial , among others. The following sectors are in Culebra barrio-pueblo: Comunidad Clark, Sector Fulladosa, Sector Melones, Sector Sardinas I , and Sector Sardinas II . European ethnic groups This

4950-641: The United States or Canada with regards to who settled where. Some groups that claim Indigenous minority status in Europe include the Uralic Nenets , Samoyed , and Komi peoples of northern Russia; Circassians of southern Russia and the North Caucasus ; Crimean Tatars , Krymchaks and Crimean Karaites of Crimea (Ukraine); Sámi peoples of northern Norway , Sweden , and Finland and northwestern Russia (in an area also referred to as Sápmi ); Galicians of Galicia , Spain ; Catalans of Catalonia , Spain and southern France ; Basques of Basque Country , Spain and southern France ; Gaels of Ireland ,

5040-580: The aftermath of the Spanish–American War under the terms of the Treaty of Paris of 1898 and became a territory of the United States. In 1899, the United States conducted its first census of Puerto Rico finding that the population of Vieques was 6,642 (but this included 704 residents from a nearby island, Culebra ). In the 1920s and 1930s, the sugar industry , on which Vieques was dependent, went into decline due to falling prices and industrial unrest. Many locals were forced to move to mainland Puerto Rico or Saint Croix to look for work. In 1941, while Europe

5130-540: The ancient Sardinian and Corsican peoples. The 4th century Tabula Peutingeriana records the names of numerous peoples and tribes. Ethnographers of Late Antiquity such as Agathias of Myrina , Ammianus Marcellinus , Jordanes , and Theophylact Simocatta give early accounts of the Slavs , the Franks , the Alamanni and the Goths . Book IX of Isidore 's Etymologiae (7th century) treats de linguis, gentibus, regnis, militia, civibus (concerning languages, peoples, realms, war and cities). Ahmad ibn Fadlan in

5220-442: The annexation of Vieques by the Puerto Ricans. In 1832, under an agreement with the Spanish Puerto Rican administration, Frenchman Teófilo José Jaime María Le Guillou became Governor of Vieques, and undertook to impose order on the anarchic province. He was instrumental in the establishment of large plantations, marking a period of social and economic change. Le Guillou is now remembered as the founder of Vieques (though this title

5310-438: The bay from the ocean. The Spanish believed that the bioluminescence they encountered there while first exploring the area was the work of the devil and tried to block ocean water from entering the bay by dropping huge boulders in the channel. The Spanish only succeeded in preserving and increasing the luminescence in the now isolated bay. Kayaking is permitted in the bay and may be arranged through local vendors. Vieques has

5400-458: The categorisation of Europeans into clearly defined racial groups. A 2007 study on the genetic history of Europe found that the most important genetic differentiation in Europe occurs on a line from the north to the south-east (northern Europe to the Balkans), with another east–west axis of differentiation across Europe, separating the indigenous Basques , Sardinians and Sami from other European populations. Despite these stratifications it noted

5490-417: The central plaza is the Parroquia Nuestra Señora del Carmen (English: Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish), a Roman Catholic church. The church is made of concrete and faces east. Culebra barrio-pueblo was in Spain's gazetteers until Puerto Rico was ceded by Spain in the aftermath of the Spanish–American War under the terms of the Treaty of Paris of 1898 and became an unincorporated territory of

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5580-442: The central region, the island is largely covered by brush and subtropical dry forest . Around the coast lie palm-fringed sandy beaches interspersed with lagoons, mangrove swamps , salt flats and coral reefs . A series of nearshore islets and rocks are part of the municipality of Vieques, clockwise starting at the northernmost: The Vieques Bioluminescent Bay (also known as Puerto Mosquito , Mosquito Bay , or "The Bio Bay" ),

5670-404: The current European population. Both Spain and the United Kingdom are special cases, in that the designation of nationality , Spanish and British , may controversially take ethnic aspects, subsuming various regional ethnic groups (see nationalisms and regionalisms of Spain and native populations of the United Kingdom ). Switzerland is a similar case, but the linguistic subgroups of

5760-445: The earliest ethno-linguistic map of Europe, showing the beginning of the pater noster in the various European languages and scripts. In the 19th century, ethnicity was discussed in terms of scientific racism , and the ethnic groups of Europe were grouped into a number of " races ", Mediterranean , Alpine and Nordic , all part of a larger " Caucasian " group. The beginnings of ethnic geography as an academic subdiscipline lie in

5850-404: The early 16th century Vieques became a center of Taíno rebellion against the European invaders, prompting the Spanish to send armed forces to the island to quell the resistance. The native Taíno population was decimated, and its people either killed, imprisoned or enslaved by the Spanish. The Spanish did not, however, permanently colonize Vieques at this time, and for the next 300 years it remained

5940-445: The great number of perspectives which can be taken on the subject, it is impossible to form a single, all-embracing conception of European culture. Nonetheless, there are core elements which are generally agreed upon as forming the cultural foundation of modern Europe. One list of these elements given by K. Bochmann includes: Berting says that these points fit with "Europe's most positive realisations". The concept of European culture

6030-433: The hospital rebuild in 2022, it was delayed until 2023 with the holdup blamed on both construction complications on the island and further bureaucratic proceduress by FEMA . As of November 2024, construction was not yet complete. Vieques is a municipio of Puerto Rico , translated as "municipality" and in this context roughly equivalent to "township". It is in the Puerto Rican electoral district of Carolina. Local government

6120-403: The island in the name of the Company of Scotland Trading to Africa and The Indies . Scottish sovereignty of the island proved short-lived, as a Danish ship arrived shortly afterward and claimed the island. From 1689 to 1693, the island was controlled by Brandenburg-Prussia as Krabbeninsel ( German crab island ), where the English name Crab Island came from. Puerto Rico was ceded by Spain in

6210-411: The island include avocados , bananas, coconuts , grains, papayas and sweet potatoes . A number of permanent local jobs were provided by the US Navy, and their economy benefited. Starting in the 1970s General Electric had employed a few hundred workers at a manufacturing plant but that plant subsequently closed. Unemployment was widespread, with consequent social problems. The 2000 US census reported

6300-429: The island receives significantly more rainfall than the east. Prevailing winds are easterly. Vieques is prone to tropical storms and at risk from hurricanes from June to November. In 1989, Hurricane Hugo caused considerable damage to the island, and in 2017, Hurricane Maria also caused major damage. According to the 2020 Census, Vieques is the third-least populous municipality (after Maricao and Culebra ) with

6390-408: The last 1700 years. Modern philosophical thought has very much been influenced by Christian philosophers such as St Thomas Aquinas and Erasmus, and throughout most of its history, Europe has been nearly equivalent to Christian culture . The Christian culture was the predominant force in western civilization , guiding the course of philosophy , art , and science . The notion of "Europe" and

6480-606: The main island of Puerto Rico to give birth. People needing dialysis had to travel to the main island. In November 2018, a mobile dialysis machine was delivered to a temporary clinic. On January 21, 2020, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved $ 39.5 million to help rebuild its only hospital after damage caused by Hurricane Maria. FEMA approved the funding after the Office of Management and Budget agreed to provide money to rebuild

6570-469: The mainland United States and abroad, including political leaders Rubén Berríos , Robert F. Kennedy Jr. , Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson , singers Danny Rivera , Willie Colón and Ricky Martin , actors Edward James Olmos and Jimmy Smits , boxer Félix 'Tito' Trinidad , baseball superstar Carlos Delgado , writers Ana Lydia Vega and Giannina Braschi , and Guatemala's Nobel Prize winner Rigoberta Menchú . Kennedy's son, Aidan Caohman "Vieques" Kennedy,

6660-401: The majority of the population in only two European countries: Czech Republic (76%) and Estonia (60%). " Pan-European identity " or " Europatriotism " is an emerging sense of personal identification with Europe, or the European Union as a result of the gradual process of European integration taking place over the last quarter of the 20th century, and especially in the period after the end of

6750-404: The most populous among Europeans, with a population of roughly 120 million. There are no universally accepted and precise definitions of the terms " ethnic group " and " nationality ". In the context of European ethnography in particular, the terms ethnic group , people , nationality and ethno-linguistic group are used as mostly synonymous, although preference may vary in usage with respect to

6840-514: The obvious fact that Canada's Halifax harbor would have been a more likely fallback position for the British fleet, with British King George VI already reigning as King of Canada. The base was however seen as the Atlantic's counterpart of Pearl Harbor in the Pacific due to its strategic location. The Naval Station at Roosevelt Roads was a perfect location to defend the strategic approaches to

6930-460: The participation of national minorities in public life. The Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities defines a national minority implicitly to include minorities possessing a territorial identity and a distinct cultural heritage. By 2008, 39 member states had signed and ratified the convention, with the notable exception of France . Definitions of what constitutes Indigenous minority groups in Europe can vary widely. One criterion

7020-457: The period following World War I, in the context of nationalism , and in the 1930s exploitation for the purposes of fascist and Nazi propaganda , so that it was only in the 1960s that ethnic geography began to thrive as a bona fide academic subdiscipline. The origins of modern ethnography are often traced to the work of Bronisław Malinowski , who emphasized the importance of fieldwork. The emergence of population genetics further undermined

7110-591: The situation specific to the individual countries of Europe. In 2021, the number of non-EU nationals living in EU members states was 23.7 million (5.3% of the EU population). The countries with the largest population of non-nationals were Germany, Spain, France and Italy. These four Member States represented 70.3% of all non-EU nationals living in the EU Member States. The population of the European Union , with some 450 million residents, accounts for two thirds of

7200-512: The south. Vieques has a terrain of rolling hills, with a central ridge running east–west. The highest point is Monte Pirata at 987 feet (301 m). Geologically the island is composed of a mixture of volcanic bedrock , sedimentary rocks such as limestone and sandstone , and alluvial deposits of gravel, sand, silt, and clay. There are no permanent rivers or streams. Much former agricultural land has been reclaimed by nature due to prolonged disuse, and, apart from some small-scale farming in

7290-491: The storm caused widespread devastation and a near-total shutdown of the island's tourism-based economy. The largest hotel on the island, The W, has not reopened since the storm, but most smaller hotels, bed and breakfasts, and Airbnb operators have resumed operations. As of December 2019, the Susana Centeno Hospital in Vieques had not been repaired and remained shuttered. Expectant mothers had to travel to

7380-458: The unusually high degree of European homogeneity: "there is low apparent diversity in Europe with the entire continent-wide samples only marginally more dispersed than single population samples elsewhere in the world." The total number of national minority populations in Europe is estimated at 105 million people, or 14% of Europeans. The member states of the Council of Europe in 1995 signed

7470-434: The war, the US Navy continued to use the island for military exercises, and as a firing range and testing ground for munitions . The continuing postwar presence in Vieques of the United States Navy drew protests from the local community, angry at the expropriation of their land and the environmental impact of weapons testing. The locals' discontent was exacerbated by the island's perilous economic condition. Protests came to

7560-414: The water (the organisms have been related to mangrove forests although mangrove is not necessarily associated with this species); a complete lack of modern development around the bay; the water is warm enough and deep enough; and a small channel to the ocean keeps the dinoflagellates in the bay. This small channel was created artificially, the result of attempts by the occupants of Spanish ships to choke off

7650-639: Was also placed on the National Priorities List (NPL), the list of hazardous waste sites in the United States eligible for long-term remedial action (cleanup) financed by the federal Superfund program. Closure of Roosevelt Roads Naval Station followed in 2004, and prior to Hurricane Maria the Roosevelt Roads Naval Station was reopened. Puerto Rico was struck by Hurricane Maria on September 20, 2017, and

7740-423: Was born while his father served jail time in Puerto Rico for his role in the protests. The problems arising from the US Navy base have also featured in songs by various musicians, including Puerto Rican rock band Puya , rapper Immortal Technique and reggaeton artist Tego Calderón . In popular culture, one subplot of " The Two Bartlets " episode of The West Wing dealt with a protest on the bombing range led by

7830-468: Was declared the "Brightest bioluminescent bay" in the world by Guinness World Records in 2006, and is listed as a national natural landmark , one of five in Puerto Rico . The luminescence in the bay is caused by a microorganism , the dinoflagellate Pyrodinium bahamense , which glows whenever the water is disturbed, leaving a trail of neon blue. A combination of factors creates the necessary conditions for bioluminescence: red mangrove trees surround

7920-506: Was estimated to be approximately 1.4 million (0.2% of European population) or 10% of the world's Jewish population. In the 21st century, France has the largest Jewish population in Europe , followed by the United Kingdom, Germany, Russia and Ukraine. In modern times, significant secularization since the 20th century, notably in secularist France , Estonia and the Czech Republic. Currently, distribution of theism in Europe

8010-609: Was given this name by the Puerto Rican poet Luís Lloréns Torres . During the British colonial period, its name was Crab Island . Vieques is best known internationally as the site of a series of protests , held against the United States Navy 's use of the island as a bombing range and testing-ground, leading to the Navy's departure in 2003. Today, the former navy lands are a national wildlife refuge ; some of it

8100-539: Was in the midst of World War II , the United States Navy purchased or seized almost eighty percent of Vieques as an extension to the Roosevelt Roads Naval Station nearby on the Puerto Rican mainland. It is said that the original purpose of the base (never implemented) was to provide a safe haven for the British fleet and the British royal family should Great Britain fall to Nazi Germany . This assertion does not match U.S. Navy documents and

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