Map of Puerto Rico | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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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 a plebiscite held in 1967 voters chose to retain commonwealth status.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area

Land boundaries: none

Coastline: 501 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 12 nm
Continental shelf: 200 m
Extended economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical marine, mild, little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north; mountains precipitous to sea on west coast

Elevation

Natural resources: some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore crude oil

Land use: 8% arable land; 9% permanent crops; 51% meadows and pastures; 25% forest and woodland; 7% other

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US; paramilitary National Guard; police force of 10,050 men and women (1984)


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Population: 3,300,707 (July 1989), growth rate 0.2% (1989)

Nationality: noun - Puerto Rican(s; adjective - Puerto Rican

Ethnic groups: almost entirely Hispanic

Languages: Spanish (official; English is widely understood

Religions: mostly Christian, 85% Roman Catholic, 15% Protestant denominations and other

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate: 19 births/1000 population (1989)

Death rate: 7 deaths/1000 population (1989)

Net migration rate: - 10 migrants/1000 population (1989)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: many small rivers and high central mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast relatively dry; fertile coastal plain belt in north

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 16 deaths/1000 live births (1989)

Life expectancy at birth: 69 years male, 77 years female (1989)

Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman (1989)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: 89%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name: conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

Government type: commonwealth associated with the US

Capital: San Juan

Administrative divisions: none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Dependent areas

Independence: none (commonwealth associated with the US)

National holiday: Constitution Day, 25 July (1952)

Constitution: ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US Congress 3 July 1952; effective 25 July 1952

Legal system

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: universal, but not compulsory, over 18 years

Executive branch: Chief of State President George Herbert Walker BUSH (since 20 January 1989; Vice President James Danforth QUAYLE (since 20 January 1989; Head of Government Governor Rafael HERNANDEZ Colon (since NA)

Legislative branch: executive (governor elected by direct vote to a four-year term; bicameral legislature (Senate with 27 members and House of Representatives with 51 members, all elected by popular vote to four-year terms; judiciary (Supreme Court appointed by governor)

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (commonwealth associated with the US)

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 based on the US flag

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region. Industry has surpassed agriculture as the primary sector of economic activity and income. Encouraged by duty-free access to the US and by tax incentives, US firms have invested heavily in the nation since the 1970s. Important new industries include pharmaceuticals, electronics, textiles, petrochemicals, and processed foods. 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 for the island.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: dairy and livestock products, sugarcane, coffee, bananas, yams, pineapples, rum, plantains

Industries: tourism, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, food processing, petroleum refining

Industrial production growth rate: 5.8% (FY87)

Labor force: 1,062,000; 23% government, 20% trade, 18% manufacturing, 4% agriculture, 35% other (1988)

Unemployment rate: 12.8% (December 1988)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues $4.9 million; expenditures $4.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY88)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $13.2 billion (f.o.b., FY88)
Commodities: sugar, coffee, petroleum products, chemical, metal products, textiles, electronic equipment
Partners: US 87%

Imports: $11.8 billion (c.i.f., FY88)
Commodities: chemicals, clothing, food, fish products, crude oil
Partners: US 60%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: US currency is used


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Electricity
Capacity: 4,100,000 kW capacity; 13,759 million kWh produced, 4,180 kWh per capita (1988)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 33 total; 23 usable; 19 with permanent-surface runways; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs