Editing Geography of Puerto Rico (section)

==Strategic geography==
{{main article| Geostrategy}}

Since the [[Puerto Rico#Spanish colony (1493–1898)|European colonization]] of [[Puerto Rico]] in the early 1500s, the geographic location of the main island has been recognized for its strategic significance and accessibility. During the [[Age of Discovery|Age of Exploration]] and [[Age of Sail|Sail]], Puerto Rico was known to the [[Spanish Empire|Spanish]] as ''La Llave de las Indias'' (The Key to the [[Council of the Indies|Indies]]),<ref name="MightyPR">{{cite web |date=April 4, 2023 |title=Justificación para una historia militar de Puerto Rico |url=https://academiaprhistoria.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/1990-07-01-02.pdf |access-date=January 19, 2024 |website=Academia Puertorriqueña de la Historia |pages=250–51 |language=Spanish}}</ref> as it was the closest European-settled major area of land in the [[Americas]] to both [[continental Europe]] and [[Africa]] with open access to the [[Atlantic Ocean]]. The [[Trade winds|northeast trade winds]], coupled with the [[Canary Current|canary]] and [[North Equatorial Current|north equatorial]] [[Ocean current|ocean currents]], naturally made the main island the first major location to encounter en route to the [[Caribbean]], [[North America]], [[Central America]], and [[South America]], regions where the [[Spanish Empire|Spanish]] established their territories, often simply called the [[Council of the Indies|''Indias'' (Indies)]].  

In 1640, [[Philip IV of Spain|King Philip IV of Spain]] described Puerto Rico as:

{{quote box|width=30em|"…siendo frente y vanguardia de todas mis Indias Occidentales, y respecto de sus consecuencias la más apreciada de ellas, y codiciada de los enemigos."|''Rey Felipe IV de España, 16 de Mayo de 1640''<ref name="MightyPR"/>}} 

which, translated in [[English language|English]], reads as:   

{{quote box|width=30em|"…being the front and vanguard of all my West Indies, and with respect to its consequences, the most appreciated of them and coveted by the enemies."|''King Phillip IV of Spain, May 16, 1640''<ref name="MightyPR"/>}}

In 1643, the king reiterated the importance of Puerto Rico to the [[Spanish Empire]] as:   

{{quote box|width=30em|"…primera de las pobladas y principal custodia y llave de todas…"|''Rey Felipe IV de España, 20 de Agosto de 1643''<ref name="MightyPR"/>}}

which, translated in [[English language|English]], reads as: 

{{quote box|width=30em|"…first of the populated ones and principal custodian and key of all…"|''King Philip IV of Spain, August 20, 1643''<ref name="MightyPR"/>}}

As an [[Territories of the United States#Incorporated vs. unincorporated territories|unincorporated territory]] of the [[United States]], the [[Geostrategy|geostrategic]] location of Puerto Rico was paramount in the construction of the [[Panama Canal]], and the defense of the [[Western Hemisphere|Western Hemesphere]] against [[Nazi Germany|Nazi]] [[Operation Neuland]] in the [[Battle of the Caribbean]] during [[World War II|WWII]]. Puerto Rico is known as an American [[Gibraltar]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Puerto Rico to Be Our Gibraltar In Caribbean, Says Admiral Leahy; Bases There Will Make 'Extreme Hazards' for Invader--He Consults Roosevelt, May Be Made Defense Coordinator |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1940/05/25/archives/puerto-rico-to-be-our-gibraltar-in-caribbean-says-admiral-leahy.html |access-date=January 19, 2024 |website=New York Times}}</ref> or the ''Gibraltar of the Caribbean'', as it stands guard over the entrance to the [[Caribbean Sea]], itself a passageway into [[North America|North]], [[Central America|Central]], and [[South America]], just as [[British Empire|British]] [[Gibraltar]] stands guard over the [[Strait of Gibraltar]], the entrance to the [[Mediterranean Sea]] from the Atlantic Ocean. Like [[Hawaii]] in the middle of the [[Pacific Ocean]], [[Puerto Rico]] in the middle of the [[Atlantic Ocean]] is an important part for the continuation of [[American Century|American power abroad]].