Ponce metropolitan area
Mayagüez metropolitan area | |
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Country | United States |
Territory | Puerto Rico |
Principal cities | |
Time zone | UTC−4 |
• Summer ( DST) | AST |
The Ponce Metropolitan Statistical Area is a United States Census Bureau defined Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in south central Puerto Rico. A 1 July 2009 Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 262,414, a 0.95% decrease from the 2000 census figure of 264,919. [1]
Ponce is the third largest metropolitan area (by population) in Puerto Rico. Of the eight MSA areas in the Commonwealth, only Ponce and Mayagüez experienced population declines during the 2000-2009 period.[ citation needed]
A total of six municipalities ( Spanish: municipios) are included as part of the Ponce Metropolitan Statistical Area. [2] The Yauco Metropolitan Statistical Area was formerly a separate area in Puerto Rico, but this area was dissolved and three of its municipalities were added to the Ponce MSA. [3] The municipalities (municipios) in the newly defined area are:
The Ponce– Coamo Combined Statistical Area (CSA) includes the Coamo micropolitan statistical area; the combined statistical area has eight municipalities in total. The redefined Coamo µSA consists of the formerly separate µSAs of Coamo and Santa Isabel. [4]