Puerto Rico
The history of Islam in Puerto Rico dates back to the late 15th century when the region was occupied by the Spanish. Since then, it is assumed that a large number of Muslims were among the people brought from various parts of the world, especially Africa, through the slave trade and forced to work in the colonies there.
Modern-day Muslims first arrived in Puerto Rico after the Israeli occupation of Palestine, through immigration from Palestine and Jordan. Following these migrations in the 1950s, Muslims from other countries such as Egypt and Pakistan continued to come to Puerto Rico. Today, it is estimated that between 5,000 and 10,000 Muslims, mostly Palestinians, live in Puerto Rico, which is less than 1% of the total population. However, in Puerto Rico, as in other parts of the Caribbean and Latin geography, the interest of the local population in Islam is growing every year.
There are a total of nine mosques on the island, the first of which opened for worship in 1981. These mosques are located in various parts of the island, some of which are merely places of worship, while others are small cultural centers that serve the social and cultural needs of Muslims.
