Ciales (ˈθjales) is a municipality

Municipality

A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...

 of Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...

, located on the Central Mountain Range, northwest of Orocovis

Orocovis, Puerto Rico

Orocovis is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the Central Mountain Range, north of Villalba and Coamo; south of Morovis and Corozal; southeast of Ciales; east of Jayuya; and west of Barranquitas...

; south of Florida

Florida, Puerto Rico

Florida is a municipality of Puerto Rico located north of Ciales, south of Barceloneta, east of Arecibo, and west of Manatí. Florida is spread over one ward and Florida Pueblo...

 and Manatí

Manatí, Puerto Rico

Manatí is a municipality of Puerto Rico in the northern coast, north of Morovis and Ciales; east of Florida and Barceloneta; and west of Vega Baja. Manatí is spread over 8 wards and Manatí Pueblo...

; east of Utuado

Utuado, Puerto Rico

Utuado is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the central-western mountainous region of the island known as La Cordillera Central. It is located north of Adjuntas and Ponce; south of Hatillo and Arecibo; east of Lares; and west of Ciales and Jayuya. In land area it is the third-largest...

 and Jayuya

Jayuya, Puerto Rico

Jayuya is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the mountainous center region of the island, north of Ponce; east of Utuado; and west of Ciales. Jayuya is spread over 18 wards and Jayuya Pueblo...

; and west of Morovis

Morovis, Puerto Rico

Morovis is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the central region of the island, north of Orocovis, south of Manatí, Vega Baja and Vega Alta; east of Ciales, and west of Corozal. Morovis is spread over 13 wards and Morovis Pueblo...

. Ciales is spread over eight wards and Ciales Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Flag

The flag is divided into seven unequal stripes described in sequence: yellow, red, yellow, purple, yellow, red, and yellow.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms consists of a gold shield with a lion standing on its rear legs and silverplated nails grasping a silver coiled parchment between its front claws. The lion also shows a red tongue. Above the lion in the superior part of the shield are located three heraldic roses arranged horizontally with red petals and green leaves. A golden crown of three towers rests on the shield. The three towers are united by walls, simulating masonry blocks. The shield is surrounded by a crown of coffee tree branches with their berries, all in natural colors.

Barrios (Districts/Wards)

• Ciales Pueblo
• Cialitos
• Cordillera
• Frontón
• Guavas
• Hato Viejo
• Jaguas
• Pesas
• Pozas
• Toro Negro

Geo/Topography

• Toro Negro Forest Reserve
• Rivers are: Río Cialitos
  Río Cialitos
  -See also:*List of rivers of Puerto Rico-References:*USGS Hydrologic Unit Map – Caribbean Region *...
  
  , Río Grande de Manatí
  Río Grande de Manatí
  -See also:*List of rivers of Puerto Rico-References:*USGS Hydrologic Unit Map – Caribbean Region *...
  
  , Río Toro Negro
  Río Toro Negro
  -See also:*List of rivers of Puerto Rico-References:*USGS Hydrologic Unit Map – Caribbean Region *...
  
  , and Río Yunes
  Río Yunes
  -See also:*List of rivers of Puerto Rico-References:*USGS Hydrologic Unit Map – Caribbean Region *...
  
  .

Zip Code 00638

Landmarks and places of interest

• Hacienda Negrón
• Las Archillas Cavern
• Las Golondrinas Cavern
• Parada Choferil
• Toro Negro Forest Reserve
• Yuyú cueva
• El choro de Doña Juana

Festivals and events

Cantata Corretjer - March 19

Agua Dulce Festival - August

Frontón Festival - July

San Elías Festival - July

Matron Festivities - October

Sports

Ciales is the home town of Juan "Pachín" Vicens - Puerto Rico's undisputed national basketball star, named Best Player in the World at the 1959 World Basketball Championship, Santiago de Chile (a.k.a., Juan "Pachín" Vicens, "Astro del Balón", "El Jeep"; younger brother of Puerto Rico's National Poet, Nimia Vicens, who also hailed from Ciales). Their middle brother, Enrique "Coco" Vicens

Enrique A. Vicéns

Enrique "Coco" Alberto Vicéns Sastre was born in Ciales, Puerto Rico. His brother was Juan "Pachín" Vicéns. He was a senator-at-large in the Puerto Rico State Legislature from 1973 until 1978. He is a member of Phi Sigma Alpha fraternity. He played for the Leones de Ponce basketball team.By 1952...

, a former Puerto Rico Senator, was a track and field athlete in his own right.