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Background: |
Discovered by Columbus in 1493,
the island was ceded by Spain to the US in 1898 following the
Spanish-American War. A popularly elected governor has served since 1948. In
plebiscites held in 1967 and 1993, voters chose to retain commonwealth
status. |
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Location: |
Caribbean, island between the
Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic
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Geographic coordinates: |
18 15 N, 66 30 W |
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Map references: |
Central America and the
Caribbean. To see maps of Puerto Rico, click
here. |
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Area: |
total: 9,104 sq km
land: 8,959 sq km
water: 145 sq km |
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Area - comparative: |
slightly less than three times
the size of Rhode Island |
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Maritime claims: |
exclusive economic zone:
200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
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Climate: |
tropical marine, mild; little
seasonal temperature variation |
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Terrain: |
mostly mountains, with coastal
plain belt in north; mountains precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy
beaches along most coastal areas |
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Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Caribbean
Sea 0 m
highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,338 m |
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Natural resources: |
some copper and nickel;
potential for onshore and offshore oil |
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Land use: |
arable land: 4%
permanent crops: 5%
permanent pastures: 26%
forests and woodland: 16%
other: 49% (1993 est.) |
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Irrigated land: |
390 sq km (1993 est.)
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Natural hazards: |
periodic droughts; hurricanes
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Environment - current issues: |
erosion; occasional drought
causing water shortages |
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Geography - note: |
important location along the
Mona Passage - a key shipping lane to the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of
the biggest and best natural harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and
high central mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast relatively
dry; fertile coastal plain belt in north |
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Population: |
3,937,316 (July 2001 est.)
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Age structure: |
0-14 years: 23.73%
(male 478,441; female 455,800)
15-64 years: 65.72% (male 1,242,245; female 1,345,421)
65 years and over: 10.55% (male 177,083; female 238,326) (2001 est.)
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Population growth rate: |
0.54% (2001 est.) |
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Birth rate: |
15.26 births/1,000 population
(2001 est.) |
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Death rate: |
7.77 deaths/1,000 population
(2001 est.) |
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Net migration rate: |
-2.13 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
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Sex ratio: |
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate: |
9.51 deaths/1,000 live births
(2001 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 75.76
years
male: 71.28 years
female: 80.48 years (2001 est.) |
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Total fertility rate: |
1.9 children born/woman (2001
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
NA% |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
NA |
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Nationality: |
noun: Puerto Rican(s)
(US citizens)
adjective: Puerto Rican |
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Ethnic groups: |
white (mostly Spanish origin)
80.5%, black 8%, Amerindian 0.4%, Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9%
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Religions: |
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant
and other 15% |
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Languages: |
Spanish, English |
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Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and
over can read and write
total population: 89%
male: 90%
female: 88% (1980 est.) |
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Country name: |
conventional long form:
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
conventional short form: Puerto Rico |
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Dependency status: |
commonwealth associated with
the US |
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Government type: |
commonwealth |
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Administrative divisions: |
none (commonwealth associated
with the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined
by the US Government, but there are 78 municipalities (municipios, singular
- municipio) at the second order; Adjuntas, Aguada, Aguadilla, Aguas Buenas,
Aibonito, Anasco, Arecibo, Arroyo, Barceloneta, Barranquitas, Bayamon, Cabo
Rojo, Caguas, Camuy, Canovanas, Carolina, Catano, Cayey, Ceiba, Ciales,
Cidra, Coamo, Comerio, Corozal, Culebra, Dorado, Fajardo, Florida, Guanica,
Guayama, Guayanilla, Guaynabo, Gurabo, Hatillo, Hormigueros, Humacao,
Isabela, Jayuya, Juana Diaz, Juncos, Lajas, Lares, Las Marias, Las Piedras,
Loiza, Luquillo, Manati, Maricao, Maunabo, Mayaguez, Moca, Morovis, Naguabo,
Naranjito, Orocovis, Patillas, Penuelas, Ponce, Quebradillas, Rincon, Rio
Grande, Sabana Grande, Salinas, San German, San Juan, San Lorenzo, San
Sebastian, Santa Isabel, Toa Alta, Toa Baja, Trujillo Alto, Utuado, Vega
Alta, Vega Baja, Vieques, Villalba, Yabucoa, Yauco |
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Independence: |
none (commonwealth associated
with the US) |
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National holiday: |
US Independence Day, 4 July
(1776) |
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Constitution: |
ratified 3 March 1952; approved
by US Congress 3 July 1952; effective 25 July 1952 |
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Legal system: |
based on Spanish civil code
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Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal;
indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential
elections |
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Executive branch: |
chief of state:
President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President
Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)
head of government: Governor Sila M. CALDERON (since NA January
2001)
cabinet: appointed by the governor with the consent of the
legislature
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
ticket for four-year terms; governor elected by popular vote for a four-year
term; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004)
election results: Sila M. CALDERON (PDP) elected governor; percent
of vote - 48.8% |
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Legislative branch: |
bicameral Legislative Assembly
consists of the Senate (28 seats; members are directly elected by popular
vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (54 seats;
members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA
November 2004); House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2000 (next
to be held NA November 2004)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - PNP 19, PPD 7, PIP 1, other 1; House of Representatives - percent of
vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PNP 30, PPD 20, PIP 1, other 3
note: Puerto Rico elects one nonvoting representative to the US
House of Representatives; elections last held 7 November 2000 (next to be
held NA November 2004); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - PPD 1 (Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA) |
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Judicial branch: |
Supreme Court; Superior Courts;
Municipal Courts (justices for all these courts appointed by the governor
with the consent of the Senate) |
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Political parties and leaders: |
National Democratic Party
[Celeste BENITEZ]; National Republican Party of Puerto Rico [Luis FERRE];
New Progressive Party or PNP [Pedro ROSSELLO]; Popular Democratic Party or
PPD [Hector Luis ACEVEDO]; Puerto Rican Independence Party or PIP [Ruben
BERRIOS Martinez] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders: |
Armed Forces for National
Liberation or FALN; Armed Forces of Popular Resistance; Boricua Popular Army
(also known as the Macheteros); Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution
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International organization participation: |
Caricom (observer), ECLAC
(associate), FAO (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, WCL, WFTU,
WHO (associate) |
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Diplomatic representation in the US: |
none (commonwealth associated
with the US) |
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Diplomatic representation from the US: |
none (commonwealth associated
with the US) |
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Flag description: |
five equal horizontal bands of
red (top and bottom) alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based
on the hoist side bears a large, white, five-pointed star in the center;
design influenced by the US flag, but based on the Cuban flag |
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Economy - overview: |
Puerto Rico has one of the most
dynamic economies in the Caribbean region. A diverse industrial sector has
surpassed agriculture as the primary locus of economic activity and income.
Encouraged by duty-free access to the US and by tax incentives, US firms
have invested heavily in Puerto Rico since the 1950s. US minimum wage laws
apply. Sugar production has lost out to dairy production and other livestock
products as the main source of income in the agricultural sector. Tourism
has traditionally been an important source of income, with estimated
arrivals of nearly 5 million tourists in 1999. Prospects for 2001 are
clouded by a probable slowing down in both the construction and tourist
sectors and by increasing inflation, particularly in energy and food prices;
estimated growth will be 2%. |
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GDP: |
purchasing power parity - $39
billion (2000 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate: |
2.8% (2000 est.) |
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GDP - per capita: |
purchasing power parity -
$10,000 (2000 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 45%
services: 54% (1999 est.) |
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Population below poverty line: |
NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
5.7% (2000 est.) |
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Labor force: |
1.3 million (2000) |
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Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture 3%, industry 20%,
services 77% (2000 est.) |
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Unemployment rate: |
9.5% (2000) |
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Budget: |
revenues: $6.7 billion
expenditures: $9.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY99/00) |
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Industries: |
pharmaceuticals, electronics,
apparel, food products; tourism |
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Industrial production growth rate: |
NA% |
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Electricity - production: |
16.76 billion kWh (1999)
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Electricity - production by source: |
fossil fuel: 98.45%
hydro: 1.55%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999) |
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Electricity - consumption: |
15.587 billion kWh (1999)
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Electricity - exports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
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Electricity - imports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
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Agriculture - products: |
sugarcane, coffee, pineapples,
plantains, bananas; livestock products, chickens |
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Exports: |
$38.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
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Exports - commodities: |
pharmaceuticals, electronics,
apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment
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Exports - partners: |
US 88% (2000) |
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Imports: |
$27 billion (c.i.f., 2000)
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Imports - commodities: |
chemicals, machinery and
equipment, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products |
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Imports - partners: |
US 60% (2000) |
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Economic aid - recipient: |
$NA |
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Currency: |
US dollar (USD) |
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Exchange rates: |
the US dollar is used
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Fiscal year: |
1 July - 30 June |
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Telephones - main lines in use: |
1.322 million (1997)
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Telephones - mobile cellular: |
169,265 (1996) |
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Telephone system: |
general assessment:
modern system, integrated with that of the US by high-capacity submarine
cable and Intelsat with high-speed data capability
domestic: digital telephone system; cellular telephone service
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat; submarine cable
to US |
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Radio broadcast stations: |
AM 72, FM 17, shortwave 0
(1998) |
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Radios: |
2.7 million (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations: |
18 (plus three stations of the
US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service) (1997) |
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Televisions: |
1.021 million (1997)
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Internet country code: |
.pr |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs): |
76 (2000) |
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Internet users: |
110,000 (2000) |
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Railways: |
total: 96 km
narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge, rural, narrow-gauge system for
hauling sugarcane; no passenger service |
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Highways: |
total: 14,400 km
paved: 14,400 km
unpaved: 0 km (1996) |
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Ports and harbors: |
Guanica, Guayanilla, Guayama,
Playa de Ponce, San Juan |
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Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 19
over 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 6 (2000 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 7 (2000 est.) |
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Military branches: |
paramilitary National Guard,
Police Force |
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Military - note: |
defense is the responsibility
of the US |
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Disputes - international: |
none |
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