Background: Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, Puerto Rico was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 after 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 that provided 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. A referendum held in late 2020 showed a narrow preference for 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. In 2017, Hurricane Maria was the worst storm to hit the island in eight decades, and damage was estimated in the tens of billions of dollars.

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

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 19% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 5.7% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 1.8% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 11.6% (2023 est.)
Forest: 50.3% (2023 est.)
Other: 30.6% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 220 km² (2012)

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
Total: 3,019,450 (2024 est.)
Male: 1,418,753
Female: 1,600,697
Distribution: population clusters tend to be found along the coast, with the largest of these in and around San Juan; an exception 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
Growth rate: -1.2% (2024 est.)

Languages: Spanish, English
Major-language sample(s): ; La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish); The World Factbook, 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: 59.7 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 19.9 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 39.8 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 2.5 (2024 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.)

Population distribution: population clusters tend to be found along the coast, with the largest of these in and around San Juan; an exception 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)

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: 11 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 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.)

Drinking water source
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 5.5% (2024 est.); 5.8% (2023 est.); 6% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

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: Spanish explorer Juan PONCE de Leon named the city in 1511 both for himself and for his name saint, Saint John

Administrative divisions: no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but 78 municipalities (municipios, singular - municipio) are considered 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

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

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2025)
Head of government: Governor Jenniffer GONZÁLEZ-COLÓN (since 2 January 2025)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by governor with the consent of the Legislative Assembly
Election/appointment process: 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, but they can 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)
Most recent election date: 5 November 2024
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%
Expected date of next election: 7 November 2,028

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa)
Legislative structure: bicameral
Term in office: 4 years
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)

Flag description: five equal horizontal bands of red alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the left side has a large five-pointed white star in the center

National anthem
Title: 'The Star-Spangled Banner'
Lyrics/music: Francis Scott KEY/John Stafford SMITH
History: official anthem, as a US commonwealth

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural); note - excerpted from the US entry
Selected World Heritage Site locales:

Real gdp growth rate: 3.2% (2024 est.); 0.5% (2023 est.); 3% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 3.2% (2024 est.); 0.5% (2023 est.); 3% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 76% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 8.2% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 14.6% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.2% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 51.9% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -42.8% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0.7% (2024 est.)
Industry: 48% (2024 est.)
Services: 51.5% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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

Labor force: 1.152 million (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 5.5% (2024 est.); 5.8% (2023 est.); 6% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 5.5% (2024 est.); 5.8% (2023 est.); 6% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

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

Exports: $65.368 billion (2024 est.); $63.563 billion (2023 est.); $59.712 billion (2022 est.)
Note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: packaged medicines, medical cultures/vaccines, hormones, orthopedic and medical appliances, sulfur compounds (2019); top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $53.898 billion (2024 est.); $56.889 billion (2023 est.); $52.15 billion (2022 est.)
Note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: nitrogen compounds, sulfur compounds, refined petroleum, medical cultures/vaccines, cars (2019)

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 6.898 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 18.669 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 1.224 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 94.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 4.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources wind: 0.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Consumption: 1.124 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Exports: 500 metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 1.124 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 80,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Natural gas
Consumption: 2.315 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Exports: 15.627 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Imports: 2.331 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 18.833 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 2.49 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 11.801 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 4.542 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 86.286 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 758,000 (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 23 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 4.04 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 120 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 87% (2022 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 751,000 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 23 (2023 est.)

Airports: 20 (2025)

Heliports: 40 (2025)