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 Christopher 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 with the US but the results of a 2012 vote left open the possibility of American statehood. Economic recession on the island has led to a net population loss since about 2005 as large numbers of residents moved to the US mainland. The trend has accelerated since 2010; in 2014 Puerto Rico experienced a net population loss to the mainland of 64,000 more than double the net loss of 26,000 in 2010.


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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: 13,791 km²
Land: 8,870 km²
Water: 4,921 km²
Rank: 163
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 in north; precipitous mountains to the sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal areas

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Cerro de Punta 1338 m

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 22%
Forest: 63.2%
Other: 14.8%

Irrigated land: 220.4 km² (2005)

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: 3,598,357 (July 2015 est.)
Rank: 131
Growth rate: -0.6% (2015 est.)
Growth rate rank: 227
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Puerto Rican
Adjective: Puerto Rican

Ethnic groups: white 75.8% black/African American 12.4% other 8.5% (includes American Indian Alaskan Native Native Hawaiian other Pacific Islander and others) mixed 3.3%
Note: 99% of the population is Latino

Languages: Spanish English

Religions: Roman Catholic 85% Protestant and other 15%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 17.72%
15-24 years: 14.3%
25-54 years: 38.39%
55-64 years: 12.1%
65 years and over: 17.5% (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 50%
Youth dependency ratio: 28.3%
Elderly dependency ratio: 21.7%
Potential support ratio: 4.6%

Median age
Total: 39.1 years
Male: 37.1 years
Female: 41 years

Population growth rate: -0.6% (2015 est.)
Rank: 227

Birth rate: 10.86 births/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 180

Death rate: 8.67 deaths/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 73

Net migration rate: -8.15 migrant(s)/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 208

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 93.6% of total population
Rate of urbanization: -0.21% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: SAN JUAN (capital) 2.463 million (2015)

Environment
Current issues: erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.02 male/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male/female
15-24 years: 1.05 male/female
25-54 years: 0.92 male/female
55-64 years: 0.83 male/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male/female
Total population: 0.92 male/female

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 7.57 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 8.38 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 6.75 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 157

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.25 years
Male: 75.62 years
Female: 82.94 years
Rank: 48

Total fertility rate: 1.64 children born/woman (2015 est.)
Rank: 176

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: NA
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: 93.3%
Male: 92.8%
Female: 93.8%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 15 years
Male: 14 years
Female: 15 years

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

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: previous 1900 (Organic Act or Foraker Act); latest ratified 3 March 1952 approved 3 July 1952 effective 25 July 1952; note - constitutional amendments introduced in 2012 were rejected in a referendum (2015)

Legal system: civil law system based on the Spanish civil code and within the framework of the US federal system

International law organization participation

Citizenship: see United States

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

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Barack H. OBAMA ; Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009)
Head of government: Governor Alejandro GARCIA Padilla
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by governor with the consent of the Legislative Assembly
Electionsappointments: president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by an Electoral College of 'electors' chosen from each state; president and vice president serve a 4-year term ; under the US Constitution residents of Puerto Rico do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however they may vote in Democratic and Republican party presidential primary elections; governor directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 4-year term (no term limits); election last held on 6 November 2012 (next to be held in November 2016)
Election results: Alejandro GARCIA Padilla elected governor; percent of vote - Alejandro GARCIA Padilla 48.2% Luis FORTUNO (PNP) 47.1% other 4.7%

Legislative branch
Description: bicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa consists of the Senate or Senado ; the House of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (51 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms)
Elections: Senate - last held on 6 November 2012 ; House of Representatives - last held on 6 November 2012 (next to be held on 8 November 2016)
Election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPD 18 PNP 8 PIP 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPD 28 PNP 23
Note: Puerto Rico directly elects 1 member by simple majority vote to serve a 4-year term as a commissioner to the US House of Representatives; the commissioner can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House but not when legislation is submitted for a “full floor” House vote; election of commissioner last held on 6 November 2012

Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court
Judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the governor and confirmed by majority Senate vote; judges serve until compulsory retirement at age 70
Subordinate courts: Court of Appeals; First Instance Court comprised of superior and municipal courts
Note: the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Judiciary Act of 2003 reformed the judicial system

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: AOSIS (observer) Caricom (observer) Interpol (subbureau) IOC UNWTO (associate) UPU WFTU (NGOs)

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

Flag description: five equal horizontal bands of red (top center and bottom) alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bears a large white five-pointed star in the center; the white star symbolizes Puerto Rico; the three sides of the triangle signify the executive legislative and judicial parts of the government; blue stands for the sky and the coastal waters; red symbolizes the blood shed by warriors while white represents liberty victory and peace
Note: design initially influenced by the US flag but similar to the Cuban flag with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed

National symbols: Puerto Rican spindalis (bird) coqui (frog); national colors: red white blue

National anthem
Name: 'La Borinquena'
Lyrics and music: Manuel Fernandez JUNCOS/Felix Astol ARTES
Note: music adopted 1952 lyrics adopted 1977; the local anthem's name is a reference to the indigenous name of the island Borinquen; the music was originally composed as a dance in 1867 and gained popularity in the early 20th century; there is some evidence that the music was written by Francisco RAMIREZ; as a commonwealth of the United States 'The Star-Spangled Banner' is official

National heritage


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Economy overview: Puerto Rico had one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region until 2006 however growth has been negative for each of the last nine years. The down-turn coincided with the phase-out of tax preferences that had led US firms to invest heavily in the Commonwealth since the 1950s and a steep rise in the price of oil which generates most of the island's electricity. Diminished job opportunities prompted a sharp rise in outmigration as many Puerto Ricans sought jobs on the US mainland. Unemployment reached 16% in 2011 but declined to 13.7% in December 2014. US minimum wage laws apply in Puerto Rico hampering job expansion. Per capita income is about half that of the US mainland. The industrial sector greatly exceeds agriculture as the locus of economic activity and income. Tourism has traditionally been an important source of income with estimated arrivals of more than 3.6 million tourists in 2008. Puerto Rico's merchandise trade surplus is exceptionally strong with exports nearly 50% greater than imports and its current account surplus amounts to about 10% of GDP. Closing the budget deficit while restoring economic growth and employment remain the central concerns of the government. The gap between revenues and expenditures narrowed to 0.2% of GDP in 2014 although analysts believe that not all expenditures have been accounted for in the budget and a better accounting of costs would yield an overall deficit of roughly 5% of GDP in 2014. Public debt rose to nearly 94% of GDP in 2014 the equivalent of $15,600 per person or nearly three times the per capita debt of the State of Connecticut the highest in the US. Much of that debt was issued by state-run schools and public corporations including water and electric utilities. In June 2015 Governor Alejandro GARCIA Padilla announced that the island could not pay back at least $73 billion in debt and that it would seek a deal with its creditors.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars
Rank: 101

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 209

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars
Rank: 62

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 90.1%
Government consumption: 15.8%
Investment in fixed capital: 12.9%
Investment in inventories: 0.2%
Exports of goods and services: 108.4%
Imports of goods and services: -127.4%: (2014 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0.8%
Industry: 50.7%
Services: 48.3%

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

Industries: pharmaceuticals electronics apparel food products tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 1.5% (2014 est.)
Rank: 123

Labor force: 1.139 million (December 2014 est.)
Rank: 141
By occupation agriculture: 2.1%
By occupation industry: 19%
By occupation services: 79%

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 145

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

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

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $8.733 billion
Expenditures: $9.128 billion
Surplus or deficit: -0.6% of GDP (2014 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 64

Taxes and other revenues: 14.2% of GDP (2014 est.)
Rank: 201

Public debt:
Rank: 17

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 55

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 168

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares: $N/A

Current account balance

Exports:
Rank: 50
Commodities: chemicals electronics apparel canned tuna rum beverage concentrates medical equipment

Imports:
Rank: 54
Commodities: chemicals machinery and equipment clothing food fish petroleum products

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external:
Rank: 62

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: 20.03 billion kWh (2012 est.)
Production rank: 75
Consumption: 18.62 billion kWh (2012 est.)
Consumption rank: 72
Exports: 0 kWh (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 188
Imports: 0 kWh (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 194
Installed generating capacity: 5.616 million kW (2012 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 75
Generation sources fossil fuels: 96.4% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 61
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 172
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 1.8% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 137
Generation sources other renewable sources: 1.8% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 83

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 183
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 180
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 117
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2014 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 181

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products production rank: 124
Products consumption: 133,700 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products consumption rank: 72
Products exports: 2,520 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products exports rank: 103
Products imports: 149,700 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products imports rank: 37

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2014 est.)
Production rank: 121
Consumption: 1.663 billion m³ (2014 est.)
Consumption rank: 82
Exports: 0 m³ (2014 est.)
Exports rank: 169
Imports: 1.663 billion m³ (2014 est.)
Imports rank: 52
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 186

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 26.81 million Mt (2012 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 77

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 820,000
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 23
Fixed lines rank: 86
Mobile cellular total: 3.2 million
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 89
Mobile cellular rank: 137

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; mobile-cellular services
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: more than 30 TV stations operating; cable TV subscription services are available; roughly 125 radio stations (2007)

Internet
Country code: .pr
Users total: 2 million
Users percent of population: 55.0%
Users rank: 98

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 (2013)
Rank: 119
With paved runways total: 17
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 7
With paved runways under 914 m: 5
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: 10 (2013)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 26,862 km (2012)
Rank: 99

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Ensenada Honda Mayaguez Playa de Guayanilla Playa de Ponce San Juan
Container port: San Juan (1,484,595)
LNG terminal: Guayanilla Bay


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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