Map of Puerto Rico | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | 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 plebiscites held in 1967 and 1993 voters chose to retain commonwealth status.


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Location: Caribbean, in the North Caribbean Sea, between the Dominican Republic and the Virgin Islands group

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total area total: 9,104 km²
Land: 8,959 km²

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 501 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth of exploitation
Exclusive 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; sandy beaches along most coastal areas

Elevation

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

Land use
Arable land: 8%
Permanent crops: 9%
Meadows and pastures: 41%
Forest and woodland: 20%
Other: 22%

Irrigated land: 390 km² (1989 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: NA

Geography
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US


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Population: 3,801,977 (July 1994 est.)
Growth rate: 0.13% (1994 est.)

Nationality: noun:Puerto Rican(s)

Ethnic groups: Hispanic

Languages: Spanish (official), English widely understood

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

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 0.13% (1994 est.)

Birth rate: 16.5 births/1000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate: 7.93 deaths/1000 population (1994 est.)

Net migration rate: -7.29 migrant(s)/1000 population (1994 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: NA
International agreements: NA

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 13.8 deaths/1000 live births (1994 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 73.95 years
Male: 70.42 years
Female: 77.65 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.04 children born/woman (1994 est.)

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: age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
Total population: 89%
Male: 90%
Female: 88%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form:

Government type: commonwealth associated with the US

Capital: San Juan

Administrative divisions: none (commonwealth associated with the US), note:there are 78 municipalities

Dependent areas

Independence: none (commonwealth associated with the US)

National holiday: US Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

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

Legal system: based on Spanish civil code

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch
Chief of state: President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993)
Head of government: Governor Pedro ROSSELLO (since NA January 1993); election last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - Pedro ROSSELLO (PND) 50%, Victoria MUNOZ (PPD) 46%, Fernando MARTIN (PIP) 4%

Legislative branch: paramilitary National Guard, Police Force
Senate: elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (27 total) seats by party NA
House of Representatives: elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (53 total) seats by party NA
US House of Representatives: elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) seats by party NA; note - Puerto Rico elects one representative to the US House of Representatives, Carlos Romero BARCELO

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: CARICOM (observer), ECLAC (associate), FAO (associate), ICFTU, INTERPOL (subbureau), IOC, WCL, WFTU, WHO (associate), WTO (associate)

Diplomatic representation
From 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 Puerto Rico since the 1950s. US minimum wage laws apply. Important 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, with estimated arrivals of nearly 3 million tourists in 1989. Unemployment remains a severe problem at 18%.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: accounts for only 3% of labor force and less than 2% of GDP:crops - sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas; livestock - cattle, chickens; imports a large share of food needs (1992)

Industries: manufacturing accounts for 55.5% of GDP:manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, instruments; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 1.2% (FY92)

Labor force: 1.17 million (1992)
By occupation government: 20%
By occupation manufacturing: 14%
By occupation trade: 17%
By occupation construction: 5%
By occupation communicationsandtransportation: 5%
By occupation other: 39% (1992)

Unemployment rate: 18% (1993 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues:$5.8 billion

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Current account balance

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: $21.8 billion (1992)
Commodities: pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment, instruments
Partners: US 88.3% (1990)

Imports: $14.8 billion (1992)
Commodities: chemicals, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products
Partners: US 68.8% (1990)

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 access

Electricity production: 16.1 billion kWh

Electricity consumption
Per capita: 4,260 kWh (1992)

Electricity exports

Electricity imports

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

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: 30
Usable: 23
With permanentsurface runways: 19
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 3
With runways 1220-2439 m: 5

Airports with paved runways

Airports with unpaved runways

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs