Puerto Ricans serve in the U.S. military and carry U.S. passports—but can’t vote for president. As a territory since 1898, Puerto Rico exists in political limbo—its residents are citizens without full rights. In 2024, a majority of voters once again chose statehood in a non-binding referendum. Congress, as in past efforts, has yet to respond.

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Spanish colonization, African slavery, and Indigenous Taíno heritage have shaped a rich cultural legacy. You hear it in bomba, an Afro-Caribbean music born in resistance, still performed with fierce pride in neighborhoods across the island. Even as Puerto Rico faces economic instability, decaying infrastructure, and the lingering effects of hurricanes, cultural traditions endure—alive in music, language, food, and art.

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This story was published in National Geographic Magazine in March 2003.