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.

Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N 66 30 W

Area
Rank: 163
Comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 501 km

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

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

Irrigated land: 220 km² (2003)

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

Population: 3,690,923 (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 129
Growth rate: -0.44% (2012 est.)
Growth rate rank: 218
Below poverty line: NA%

Ethnic groups: white (mostly Spanish origin) 76.2% black 6.9% Asian 0.3% Amerindian 0.2% mixed 4.4% other 12% (2007)

Languages: Spanish English

Religions: Roman Catholic 85% Protestant and other 15%

Population growth rate: -0.44% (2012 est.)
Rank: 218

Birth rate: 11.3 births/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 171

Death rate: 8 deaths/1000 population (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 100

Net migration rate: -0.82 migrant(s)/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 148

Environment
Current issues: erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 157

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 44

Total fertility rate: 1.64 children born/woman (2012 est.)
Rank: 177

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: 7,397 (1997)
People living with hivaids rank: 110
Deaths: NA

Education expenditures: NA

Government type: commonwealth

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

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

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

Legislative branch: bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (at least 27 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (51 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

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 UNWTO (associate) UPU

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 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

National symbols: Puerto Rican spindalis (bird); coqui (frog)

Economy overview: Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region however growth has been negative for the past four years and unemployment rose to nearly 16% in 2011. The industrial sector has surpassed agriculture as the primary locus of economic activity and income. Mainland 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 more than 3.6 million tourists in 2008. Closing the budget deficit while restoring economic growth and employment remain the central concerns of the government.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 86

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 213

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 76

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

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 1.286 million (March 2012)
Rank: 137

Unemployment rate: 12% (2002 est.)
Rank: 152

Population below poverty line: NA%

Budget
Surplus or deficit: -3.1% of GDP (FY99/00)
Surplus or deficit rank: 107

Taxes and other revenues: 7.2% of GDP (FY99/00)
Rank: 212

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.9% (2011 est.)
Rank: 12

Market value of publicly traded shares: $N/A

Exports: $64.88 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 56
Commodities: chemicals electronics apparel canned tuna rum beverage concentrates medical equipment

Imports: $44.67 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 57
Commodities: chemicals machinery and equipment clothing food fish petroleum products

Debt external: $52.98 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 56

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used 1 (2012 est.)

Electricity
Production: 20.71 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Production rank: 70
Consumption: 19.26 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 69
Exports: 0 kWh (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 122
Imports: 0 kWh (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 125
Installed generating capacity: 5.515 million kW (2009 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 73
Generation sources fossil fuels: 97.2% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 63
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 168
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 2.8% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 132
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 179

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 180
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 175
Crude oil imports: 40,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 62
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 179

Refined petroleum
Products production: 37,450 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products production rank: 87
Products consumption: 151,600 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 67
Products exports: 8,440 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products exports rank: 89
Products imports: 149,100 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products imports rank: 38

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Production rank: 183
Consumption: 768.9 million m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 94
Exports: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 140
Imports: 768.9 million m³ (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 64
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2012 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 186

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 30.86 million Mt (2010 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 76

Telephones
Main lines in use: 826,100 (2011)
Main lines in use rank: 87
Mobile cellular: 3.108 million (2011)
Mobile cellular rank: 125

Broadcast media: more than 30 TV stations operating; cable TV subscription services are available; roughly 125 radio stations (2007)

Internet
Country code: .pr
Hosts: 469 (2012)
Hosts rank: 185
Users: 1 million (2009)
Users rank: 99

Airports: 29 (2012)
Rank: 117

Roadways
Rank: 100

Ports and terminals: Ensenada Honda Mayaguez Playa de Guayanilla Playa de Ponce San Juan

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