Background:

Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N, 66 30 W

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total: 9,104 km²
Land: 8,959 km²
Water: 145 km²
Comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island
Country comparison total: 0 km

Land boundaries
Total: 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
Highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,338 m
Lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Mean elevation: 261 m

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 22% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 6.6% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 5.6% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 9.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 63.2% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 14.8% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 220 km² (2012)

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 800 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 2.37 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 110 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 7.1 billion m³ (2020 est.)

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
Distribution: population clusters tend to be found along the coast, the largest of these is found in and around San Juan; an exception to this is a sizeable population located in the interior of the island immediately south of the capital around Caguas; most of the interior, particularly in the western half of the island, is dominated by the Cordillera Central mountains, where population density is low
Total: 3,019,450
Male: 1,418,753
Female: 1,600,697 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: -1.2% (2024 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens)
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% (2010 est.)
Note: 99% of the population is Latino

Languages: Spanish, English
Major-language samples: La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish); Gheos World Guide, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions: Roman Catholic 56%, Protestant 33% (largely Pentecostal), other 2%, atheist 1%, none 7% (2014 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 12.5% (male 191,649/female 184,597)
15-64 years: 62.6% (male 904,406/female 986,778)
65 years and over: 24.9% (2024 est.) (male 322,698/female 429,322)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 56.3
Youth dependency ratio: 21.3
Elderly dependency ratio: 34.9
Potential support ratio: 2.9 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 46.1 years (2024 est.)
Male: 44.2 years
Female: 47.8 years

Population growth rate: -1.2% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 7.8 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 10.2 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: -9.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: population clusters tend to be found along the coast, the largest of these is found in and around San Juan; an exception to this is a sizeable population located in the interior of the island immediately south of the capital around Caguas; most of the interior, particularly in the western half of the island, is dominated by the Cordillera Central mountains, where population density is low

Urbanization
Urban population: 93.6% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: -0.12% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 2.440 million SAN JUAN (capital) (2023)

Environment
Current issues: soil erosion; occasional droughts cause water shortages; industrial pollution

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 34 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 5.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 6.4 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 5.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 82.1 years (2024 est.)
Male: 78.9 years
Female: 85.5 years

Total fertility rate: 1.26 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

Drinking water source
Improved urban: NA
Unimproved rural: NA
Unimproved total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: NA

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: NA
Improved rural: NA
Improved total: 100% of population
Unimproved urban: NA
Unimproved rural: NA
Unimproved total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA

Education expenditures: 3.6% of GDP (2021 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 92.4%
Male: 92.4%
Female: 92.4% (2021)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 16 years
Male: 15 years
Female: 18 years (2018)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 13.7% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 14.9% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 10.5% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Country name
Conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
Conventional short form: Puerto Rico; abbreviation: PR
Etymology: Christopher COLUMBUS named the island San Juan Bautista (Saint John the Baptist) and the capital city and main port Cuidad de Puerto Rico (Rich Port City); over time, however, the names were shortened and transposed and the island came to be called Puerto Rico and its capital San Juan

Government type: unincorporated organized territory of the US with local self-government; republican form of territorial government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches
Note: reference Puerto Rican Federal Relations Act, 2 March 1917, as amended by Public Law 600, 3 July 1950

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)
Etymology: the name dates to 1521 and the founding of the city under the name 'Ciudad de San Juan Bautista de Puerto Rico' (City of Saint John the Baptist of Puerto Rico)

Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US); 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
History: previous 1900 (Organic Act, or Foraker Act); latest ratified by referendum 3 March 1952, approved 3 July 1952, effective 25 July 1952
Amendments: proposed by a concurrent resolution of at least two-thirds majority by the total Legislative Assembly membership; approval requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both houses and approval by a majority of voters in a special referendum; if passed by at least three-fourths Assembly vote, the referendum can be held concurrently with the next general election; constitutional articles such as the republican form of government or the bill of rights cannot be amended; amended 1952

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

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 Joseph R. BIDEN Jr. (since 20 January 2021)
Head of government: Governor Jenniffer GONZÁLEZ-COLÓN (since 2 January 2025)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by governor with the consent of the Legislative Assembly
Elections/appointments: 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 (eligible for a second 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 5 November 2024 (next to be held on 7 November 2,028)
Election results: 2024: Jenniffer GONZÁLEZ-COLÓN elected governor; percent of vote - Jenniffer GONZÁLEZ-COLÓN (PNP) 39.4%, Juan DALMAU Ramírez (PIP) 32.7%, Jesús Manuel ORTIZ (PPD) 21.1%, Javier JIMÉNEZ (PD) 6.7%, other 0.1%; 2020: Pedro PIERLUISI elected governor; percent of vote - Pedro PIERLUISI (PNP) 32.9%, Carlos DELGADO (PPD) 31.6%, Alexandra LUGARO (independent) 14.2%, Juan DALMAU (PIP) 13.7%, other 7.6%

Legislative branch: description: bicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa consists of: Senate or Senado (30 seats statutory, 27 current; 16 members directly elected in 8 2-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 11 at-large members directly elected by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms), 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 3 November 2020 (next to be held on 5 November 2024), House of Representatives - last held on 3 November 2020 (next to be held on 5 November 2024)
Elections results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPD 12, NP 10, MVC 2, PD 1, PIP 1, independent 1; composition - men 14, women 13, percentage women 48.1%, House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPD 26, PNP 21, MVC 2, PIP 1, PD 1; composition - men 41, women 10, percentage women 19.6%; total Legislative Assembly percentage women 29.5%
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 2018 (next to be held in November 2022)

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 8 associate justices)
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

Political parties and leaders: Citizens' Victory Movement (Movimiento Victoria Ciudadana) or MVC, Democratic Party of Puerto Rico, New Progressive Party or PNP (pro-US statehood), Popular Democratic Party or PPD (pro-commonwealth), Project Dignity (Projecto Dignidad) or PD, Puerto Rican Independence Party or PIP (pro-independence), Republican Party of Puerto Rico

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 embassy: 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' (The Puerto Rican)
Lyrics/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 US, 'The Star-Spangled Banner' is official (see United States)

National heritage
Total world heritage sites: 1 (cultural)
Note: excerpted from the US entry
Selected world heritage site locales:

Economy overview: US Caribbean island territorial economy; hit hard by COVID-19 and hurricanes; declining labor force and job growth after a decade of continuous recession; capital-based industry and tourism; high poverty; energy import-dependent

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $137.828 billion (2023 est.); $137.056 billion (2022 est.); $132.334 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 0.56% (2023 est.); 3.57% (2022 est.); 0.39% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $43,000 (2023 est.); $42,600 (2022 est.); $40,600 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 80% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 7.1% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 13.7% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.5% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 53.9% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -47.8% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0.7% (2023 est.)
Industry: 49.1% (2023 est.)
Services: 50.6% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: milk, plantains, bananas, chicken, tomatoes, mangoes/guavas, eggs, oranges, pumpkins/squash, papayas (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries: pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 4.3% (2014 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 1.154 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 5.96% (2023 est.); 6% (2022 est.); 7.9% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 13.7% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 14.9% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 10.5% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $9.268 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: $9.974 billion (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 8.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Public debt: 51.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

Revenue
From forest resources: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Inflation rate consumer prices: 1.8% (2017 est.); -0.3% (2016 est.)

Current account balance: $0 (2017 est.); $0 (2016 est.)

Exports: $59.787 billion (2022 est.); $57.916 billion (2021 est.); $62.237 billion (2020 est.)
Note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: Italy 15%, Netherlands 15%, Belgium 9%, Japan 8%, Germany 8%, Austria 8%, Spain 7%, China 5% (2019)
Commodities: packaged medicines, medical cultures/vaccines, hormones, orthopedic and medical appliances, sulfur compounds (2019)

Imports: $51.509 billion (2022 est.); $45.052 billion (2021 est.); $44.513 billion (2020 est.)
Note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: Ireland 38%, Singapore 9%, Switzerland 8%, South Korea 5% (2019)
Commodities: nitrogen compounds, sulfur compounds, refined petroleum, medical cultures/vaccines, cars (2019)

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 6.601 million kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 18.1 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 1.224 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 97.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 1.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources wind: 0.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Consumption: 1.299 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Exports: 3 metric tons (2022 est.)
Imports: 1.299 million metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 80,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

Natural gas
Consumption: 1.409 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Imports: 1.409 billion m³ (2022 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 17.26 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 2.935 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 11.561 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 2.763 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 76.228 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 739,000 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 23 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 3.896 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 120 (2022 est.)

Military and security forces: Puerto Rico Police Bureau (Negociado de la Policía de Puerto Rico); Puerto Rico (US) National Guard (Guardia Nacional de Puerto Rico or GNPR)
Note: the GNPR was created by order of the US Congress in June 1919; the organization traces its lineage and history to Spanish militias created in 1511 and is one of the oldest organizations in the US National Guard system

Airports: 20 (2024)

Heliports: 38 (2024)

Roadways
Total: 26,862 km (2012) (includes 454 km of expressways)