Map of Puerto Rico | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples the island was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following COLUMBUS' second voyage to the Americas. In 1898 after 400 years of colonial rule that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and African slave labor introduced Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a result of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship in 1917. Popularly-elected governors have served since 1948. In 1952 a constitution was enacted providing for internal self government. In plebiscites held in 1967 1993 and 1998 voters chose not to alter the existing political status.


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Location: Caribbean island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean east of the Dominican Republic

Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N 66 30 W

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total: 13,790 km²
Land: 8,870 km²
Water: 4,921 km²
Comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 501 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 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
Extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,339 m

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

Land use
Arable land: 3.69%
Permanent crops: 5.59%
Other: 90.72% (2005)

Irrigated land: 400 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: periodic droughts; hurricanes

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: 3,958,128 (July 2008 est.)
Growth rate: 0.369% (2008 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Puerto Rican (US citizens)
Adjective: Puerto Rican

Ethnic groups: white (mostly Spanish origin) 80.5% black 8% Amerindian 0.4% Asian 0.2% mixed 4.2% other 6.7% (2000 census)

Languages: Spanish English

Religions: Roman Catholic 85% Protestant and other 15%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 20.5% (male 415,141/female 396,782)
15-64 years: 66% (male 1,254,416/female 1,358,229)
65 years and over: 13.5% (male 229,727/female 303,833) (2008 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 35.6 years
Male: 33.8 years
Female: 37.3 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.369% (2008 est.)

Birth rate: 12.61 births/1000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate: 7.88 deaths/1000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.03 migrant(s)/1000 population (2008 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male/female
Total population: 0.92 male/female (2008 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 8.65 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 9.15 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 8.13 deaths/1000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.58 years
Male: 74.64 years
Female: 82.73 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.76 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: 7,397 (1997)
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 94.1%
Male: 93.9%
Female: 94.4% (2002 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
Conventional short form: Puerto Rico

Government type: commonwealth

Capital
Name: San Juan
Geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 66 07 W
Time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US with commonwealth status); 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

Dependent areas

Independence: none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)

National holiday: US Independence Day 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico Constitution Day 25 July (1952)

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

Legal system: based on Spanish civil code and within the US Federal system of justice

International law organization participation

Citizenship

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

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 Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (since 2 January 2005)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the legislature
Elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as Puerto Rico, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor elected by popular vote for a four-year term (no term limits); election last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012)
Election results: Luis FORTUNO elected governor with 52.8% of the vote, he will take office on 2 January 2009

Legislative branch
Elections: Senate - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held November 2012); House of Representatives - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012)
Election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PNP 22, PPD 5; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA
Note: Puerto Rico elects, by popular vote, a resident commissioner to serve a four-year term as a nonvoting representative in the US House of Representatives; aside from not voting on the House floor, he enjoys all the rights of a member of Congress; elections last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PNP 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Appellate Court; Court of First Instance composed of two sections: a Superior Court and a Municipal Court (justices for all these courts appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate)

Political parties and leaders: National Democratic Party [Roberto PRATS]; National Republican Party of Puerto Rico [Dr. Tiody FERRE]; New Progressive Party or PNP [Pedro ROSSELLO] (pro-US statehood); Popular Democratic Party or PPD [Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA] (pro-commonwealth); Puerto Rican Independence Party or PIP [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez] (pro-independence)

International organization participation: Caricom (observer) Interpol (subbureau) IOC ITUC UNWTO (associate) UPU WCL WFTU

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)
From the us: none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)

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 initially influenced by the US flag but similar to the Cuban flag with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed

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. A diverse industrial sector has far 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 2004. Growth fell off in 2001-03 largely due to the slowdown in the US economy recovered in 2004-05 but declined again in 2006-07.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $72.61 billion (2007 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: -1.2% (2007 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $18,400 (2007 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1%
Industry: 45%
Services: 54% (2002 est.)

Agriculture products: sugarcane coffee pineapples plantains bananas; livestock products chickens

Industries: pharmaceuticals electronics apparel food products tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 1.3 million (2000)
By occupation agriculture: 3%
By occupation industry: 20%
By occupation services: 77% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 12% (2002)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $6.7 billion
Expenditures: $9.6 billion (FY99/00)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 6.5% (2003 est.)

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: $NA

Current account balance

Exports: $46.9 billion f.o.b. (2001)
Commodities: chemicals electronics apparel canned tuna rum beverage concentrates medical equipment
Partners: US 90.3% UK 1.6% Netherlands 1.4% Dominican Republic 1.4% (2006)

Imports: $29.1 billion c.i.f. (2001)
Commodities: chemicals machinery and equipment clothing food fish petroleum products
Partners: US 55.0% Ireland 23.7% Japan 5.4% (2006)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used


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Electricity
Production: 23.84 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Consumption: 22.17 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2007 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2007 est.)
Consumption: 736.2 million m³ (2007 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2007 est.)
Imports: 736.2 million m³ (2007 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2006 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 1.038 million (2005)
Mobile cellular: 3.354 million (2005)

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: country code - 1-787, 939; submarine cables provide connectivity to the US, Caribbean, Central and South America; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .pr
Hosts: 404 (2008)
Users: 1 million (2007)

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: 29 (2007)
With paved runways total: 17
With paved runways over 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 7
With paved runways under 914 m: 5 (2007)
With unpaved runways total: 12
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 10 (2007)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 96 km
Narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)

Roadways
Total: 26,186 km
Paved: 24,877 km (includes 427 km of expressways)
Unpaved: 1,309 km (2007)

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 3
By type: roll on/roll off 3
Foreign owned: 3 (US 3)
Registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals: Guayanilla Mayaguez San Juan


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Disputes international: increasing numbers of illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage to Puerto Rico each year looking for work

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs