from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Puerto Rico
Introduction
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.
Geography
Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the
North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic
Geographic 18 15 N, 66 30 W
coordinates:
Map Central America and the Caribbean
references:
Area: total: 13,790 sq km
land: 8,870 sq km
water: 4,921 sq km
Area - slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island
comparative:
Land 0 km
boundaries:
Coastline: 501 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: 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 lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
extremes: highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,339 m
Natural some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and
resources: offshore oil
Land use: arable land: 3.69%
permanent crops: 5.59%
other: 90.72% (2005)
Irrigated 400 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural periodic droughts; hurricanes
hazards:
Environment - erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages
current
issues:
Geography - important location along the Mona Passage - a key
note: 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
People
Population: 3,927,188 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 21.3% (male 428,610/female 409,484)
15-64 years: 65.8% (male 1,239,255/female 1,345,519)
65 years and over: 12.8% (male 218,045/female 286,275)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 34.7 years
male: 33 years
female: 36.4 years (2006 est.)
Population 0.4% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 12.77 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 7.65 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration -1.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 9.14 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 10.32 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 7.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 78.4 years
expectancy at male: 74.46 years
birth: female: 82.54 years (2006 est.)
Total 1.75 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 7,397 (1997)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - NA
deaths:
Nationality: noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens)
adjective: Puerto Rican
Ethnic groups: white (mostly Spanish origin) 80.5%, black 8%,
Amerindian 0.4%, Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9%
Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%
Languages: Spanish, English
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.1%
male: 93.9%
female: 94.4% (2002 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
conventional short form: Puerto Rico
Dependency unincorporated, organized territory of the US with
status: commonwealth status; policy relations between Puerto
Rico and the US conducted under the jurisdiction of the
Office of the President
Government commonwealth
type:
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 none (territory of the US with commonwealth status);
divisions: 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 US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico
holiday: 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
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; island residents are US
citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Executive chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US
branch: (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 Consitution, residents of
unincorporated territories, such as Puerto Rico, do not
vote in elections for US president and vice president;
governor elected by popular vote for a four-year term
(no term limits); election last held 2 November 2004
(next to be held November 2008)
election results: Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (PPD) elected
governor; percent of vote - 48.4%
Legislative bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate
branch: (at least 27 seats - currently 29; members are directly
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and
the House of Representatives (51 seats; members are
directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year
terms)
elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to
be held November 2008); House of Representatives - last
held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party -
PNP 43.4%, PPD 40.3%, PIP 9.4%; seats by party - PNP
17, PPD 9, PIP 1; House of Representatives - percent of
vote by party - PNP 46.3%, PPD 43.1%, PIP 9.7%; seats
by party - PNP 32, PPD 18, PIP 1
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
2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008); Luis
FORTUNO elected resident commissioner; results -
percent of vote by party - PNP 48.6%; seats by party -
PNP 1
Judicial Supreme Court; Appellate Court; Court of First Instance
branch: 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 National Democratic Party [Celeste BENITEZ]; National
parties and Republican Party of Puerto Rico [Dr. Tiody FERRE]; New
leaders: Progressive Party or PNP (pro-US statehood) [Pedro
ROSSELLO]; Popular Democratic Party or PPD
(pro-commonwealth) [Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA]; Puerto Rican
Independence Party or PIP (pro-independence) [Ruben
BERRIOS Martinez]
Political Boricua Popular Army or EPB (a revolutionary group also
pressure known as Los Macheteros); note - the following radical
groups and groups are considered dormant by Federal law
leaders: enforcement: Armed Forces for National Liberation or
FALN, Armed Forces of Popular Resistance, Volunteers of
the Puerto Rican Revolution
International Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WToO
organization (associate)
participation:
Diplomatic none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)
representation
in the US:
Diplomatic none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)
representation
from the US:
Flag five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom)
description: 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
Economy
Economy - Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in
overview: 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, and has
recovered in 2004-2005.
GDP $73.27 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official NA
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 2.5% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $18,700 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 1%
composition by industry: 45%
sector: services: 54% (2002 est.)
Labor force: 1.3 million (2000)
Labor force - agriculture: 3%
by occupation: industry: 20%
services: 77% (2000 est.)
Unemployment 12% (2002)
rate:
Population NA%
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: NA%
income or highest 10%: NA%
consumption by
percentage
share:
Inflation rate 6.5% (2003 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Budget: revenues: $6.7 billion
expenditures: $9.6 billion; including capital
expenditures of $NA (FY99/00)
Agriculture - sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas;
products: livestock products, chickens
Industries: pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products,
tourism
Industrial NA%
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 23.03 billion kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 99.2%
production by hydro: 0.8%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 21.42 billion kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 436.1 bbl/day (2003 est.)
production:
Oil - 218,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 740 million cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2001 est.)
exports:
Natural gas - 630 million cu m (2001 est.)
imports:
Exports: $46.9 billion f.o.b. (2001)
Exports - chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum,
commodities: beverage concentrates, medical equipment
Exports - US 90.3%, UK 1.6%, Netherlands 1.4%, Dominican Republic
partners: 1.4% (2004)
Imports: $29.1 billion c.i.f. (2001)
Imports - chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food,
commodities: fish, petroleum products
Imports - US 55.0%, Ireland 23.7%, Japan 5.4% (2004)
partners:
Debt - $NA
external:
Economic aid - $NA
recipient:
Currency US dollar (USD)
(code):
Currency code: USD
Exchange the US dollar is used
rates:
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
Communications
Telephones - 1,111,900 (2004)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 2.682 million (2004)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: modern system integrated with that
system: 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; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat; submarine cable to US
Radio AM 74, FM 53, shortwave 0 (2006)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 2.7 million (1997)
Television 32 (2006)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 1.021 million (1997)
Internet .pr
country code:
Internet 404 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 76 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 1 million (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 30 (2006)
Airports - total: 17
with paved over 3,047 m: 3
runways: 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 5 (2006)
Airports - total: 13
with unpaved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
runways: 914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 10 (2006)
Railways: total: 96 km
narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Roadways: total: 25,645 km
paved: 24,363 km (including 426 km of expressways)
unpaved: 1,282 km (2004)
Merchant total: 3 ships (1000 GRT or over) 77,177 GRT/50,138 DWT
marine: by type: roll on/roll off 3
foreign-owned: 3 (US 3)
registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines 1) (2006)
Ports and Las Mareas, Mayaguez, San Juan
terminals:
Military
Military no regular indigenous military forces; paramilitary
branches: National Guard, Police Force
Military - defense is the responsibility of the US
note:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - increasing numbers of illegal migrants from the
international: Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage to Puerto
Rico each year looking for work