Barranquitas is a small mountain municipality located in the central region of Puerto Rico, south of Corozal and Naranjito; north of Coamo and Aibonito; west of Comerío and Cidra; and east of Orocovis. Barranquitas is spread over 6 wards and Barranquitas Pueblo (the downtown area and the administrative center of the city). It is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.Barranquitas is about one hour by winding roads from San Juan, the capital. It is nestled amid hills and mountains, and nearby, between Barranquitas and Aibonito, is located the "cañón de San Cristóbal" (Canyon of Saint Cristopher); one of the deepest canyons in the Indies. For years, the overlook was used as a municipal garbage; in the last decade, the refuse was removed and the site restored.HistoryBarranquitas's local Taino Indian Cacique was called Orocobix and his yucayeque or tribe was known as the Jatibonicu Taino.The town was founded in 1803 by Antonio Aponte Ramos.Early in the 20th century, Barranquitas residents, known as Barranquiteños, had a short but legendary territory war with residents of the city of Comerío.