Rincón (Spanish pronunciation: [riŋˈkon]) is a municipality of Puerto Rico (U.S.) founded in 1771 by Don Luis de Añasco, who later founded Añasco in 1733. It is located in the Western Coastal Valley, west of Añasco and Aguada. Rincón is spread over 9 wards and Rincón Pueblo (the downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the Aguadilla-Isabela-San Sebastián Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The municipality is home to many of the surfing beaches in Puerto Rico, including Domes, Marias,^[1] Tres Palmas, Sandy Beach, Pools Beach, and Rincón Town Beach Plaza. It is also home to Caribbean beaches including Córcega Beach.

The word "Rincón" means corner. Rincón is on the northwestern part of Puerto Rico.^[2]

Rincón was founded in 1771 by Don Luis de Añasco.

Rincón^[3] is located on the western coast.

Updated flood zone maps (as of 2019) show that Rincón is extremely vulnerable to flooding, along with Humacao, Toa Baja, Barceloneta, and Corozal. For its high levels of erosion, Rincón is vulnerable in the case of a major hurricane.^[4]

Hurricane Maria on September 20, 2017 triggered numerous landslides in Rincón with the significant amount of rainfall.^[5][6]

Like all municipalities of Puerto Rico, Rincón is subdivided into barrios. The municipal buildings, central square and large Catholic church are located in a barrio referred to as "el pueblo".^{[7][8][9][10]}

The 1968 World Surfing Championship was held at Domes Beach in Rincón. Since then, surfers from around the world have been visiting Rincón.

Rincón has a tourism economy which also boasts scuba diving, snorkeling, and sunsets.^[11] Rincón has also been an area for internet-based companies to set up shop.

In 2007, Rincón was the site for the ISA World Masters where local surfer Juan Ashton won 1st place in the Masters division.

Fruits and sugar canes are the primary sources of agriculture in Rincón. Cattle ranching also is popular.

In Rincón the major industry is tourism.^[12]

The Boiling Nuclear Superheater (BONUS) Reactor Facility, also known to the locals as "Domes", is a decommissioned nuclear plant in Rincón, Puerto Rico. The construction of BONUS started in 1960, and the reactor had its first controlled nuclear chain reaction on April 13, 1964, achieving full power operation in September 1965. Operation of the BONUS reactor was terminated in June 1968 because of technical difficulties and the ensuing need for high-cost modifications.^[13] General decontamination of the reactor was performed with the goal of meeting unrestricted use criteria in all accessible areas of the building. Residual radioactive materials remaining in the structure were isolated or shielded to protect site visitors and workers. During subsequent years, more radioactive contamination was identified in portions of the building, and additional clean-up and shielding activities were conducted in the 1990s and early 2000s.^[13] It was Puerto Rico's only nuclear reactor.

In 2001, law 1-2001 was passed^[14] to identify communities with high levels of poverty in Puerto Rico.^[15] In 2017, Governor Rosello created a new government agency to work with the Special Communities of Puerto Rico Program.^[16][17] Of the 742 places on the list of Comunidades Especiales de Puerto Rico, the following barrios, communities, sectors, or neighborhoods are in Rincón: La Playa Sector in Barrero, Cerro Los Pobres, El Pico in Atalaya, Hoyo Caliente, and Parcelas Stella.^[18]

"Art Walk", a community initiative to build the social fabric of Rincón, takes places every Thursday. Locals and tourists mingle in the Plaza de recreo in downtown Rincón to enjoy food, drinks, music and local art.^[24]

Rincón is well known as a surfing destination. Rincón rose to international recognition through the 1968 World Surfing Championship, which was held at Domes and Maria's Beaches. The winter surf along Rincón's coast is some of the best in the region. Generally regarded as one of the best surf spots across the globe, Rincón draws surfers from around the world and is the center of the island's surf scene. Dubbed the "Caribbean's Hawaii," winter waves here can approach 25–30 feet (6.7m) in height, sometimes equaling the force of the surf on Oahu's north shore. Famed surfing beaches in town include Little Malibu, Tres Palmas, Maria's, Indicators, Domes, Pools, Sandy Beach and Antonio's. The best time to surf is from November through March, but summer storms can also kick up the surf during the late summer.

Like all municipalities in Puerto Rico, Rincón is administered by a mayor. The current mayor is Carlos López Bonilla, from the Popular Democratic Party (PPD). López was elected at the 2000 general election.

The city belongs to the Puerto Rico Senatorial district IV, which is represented by two senators. In 2016, Luis Daniel Muñiz Cortés and Evelyn Vázquez were elected as District Senators.^[26]

There are 8 bridges in Rincón.^[27]

Created and designed by Evaristo Cardona Moreno and art performed by Jose Luis Cardona Martinez (his eldest son). The central white star represents the urban zone. The surrounding nine stars represent the nine wards of the municipality. The red and orange colors symbolize the vigor and the vitality of the city. The yellow represents Christianity. The green represents vegetation and the hope of the progress of the municipality. Finally, the white represents purity and the unity between the wards and the urban zone.

Created and designed by Angel L. Cardona Moreno, the shield consists of a green and orange Spanish blazon, with a yellow band inclined left to right. To the right and on a green background a cross, symbol of Christendom. To the left and on an orange background a Spanish ship, symbol of the discovery of Puerto Rico, in the coasts of Rincón (this is greatly disputed, as the towns of Aguada, Rincón, and Añasco all claim entry-point status).