Missing Piece · Map quiz · Series
Missing Piece #14: name the country in 3 clues
Three clues, four options, one piece of the world: its people have been US citizens since 1917, it has the only tropical rainforest in the US National Forest System, and its capital is guarded by a fort begun in 1539. Watch the film and lock in your answer before the piece drops. The answer is below. Spoilers from here on.
The places in this film
- 1
The answer: Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is a Caribbean island and a territory of the United States. The Jones-Shafroth Act of 1917 made Puerto Ricans US citizens. El Yunque, in the east of the island, is the only tropical rainforest in the US National Forest System.
- 2
San Juan
San Juan is the capital. Old San Juan's colourful streets, plazas and city walls sit on a small island at the mouth of the bay, and its forts form part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- 3
El Morro
Castillo San Felipe del Morro guards the entrance to San Juan Bay. Construction began in 1539 on the orders of King Charles V of Spain. Its walls, lawns and sentry boxes overlook the Atlantic.
Plan it
- Best time
- December to April, the drier season. June to November is hurricane season.
- How long
- Four to five days for San Juan, El Yunque and a beach.
- Getting around
- Old San Juan is walkable. Rent a car for El Yunque and the rest of the island.
Good to know
- US citizens do not need a passport to visit Puerto Rico.
- Visit El Morro in the morning before the heat.
- Check whether El Yunque's popular trails need a timed reservation.
Frequently asked
What is Missing Piece? +
Missing Piece is a short 3D map quiz by Drift Vistas. A country is lifted out of the globe, you get three clues and four options, and the piece drops back into place to reveal the answer. Then the film cuts to real footage of the country.
Do you need a passport for Puerto Rico? +
Not if you are a US citizen travelling from the mainland, because Puerto Rico is a US territory. Other visitors follow the same entry rules as for the United States.
When was El Morro built? +
Construction of Castillo San Felipe del Morro began in 1539 on the orders of King Charles V of Spain, and the fort was expanded over the following centuries.
