Puerto Rico

Commonwealth associated with the U.S.

Puerto Rico 

Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic

Area

Land Boundaries

0 km

Coastline

501 km

Maritime Claims

International Disputes

None

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
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,338 m

Natural Resources

Land Use

Irrigated Land

390 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment

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

PEOPLE

Population

3,819,023 (July 1996 est.)
3,812,569 (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

25% (male 484,038; female 461,175) (July 1996 est.)
25% (male 489,127; female 466,596) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 Years

65% (male 1,201,841; female 1,279,707) (July 1996 est.)
65% (male 1,195,785; female 1,274,765) (July 1995 est.)

65 Years and Over

10% (male 174,274; female 217,988) (July 1996 est.) 10% (male 172,580; female 213,716) (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

0.18% (1996 est.)
0.16% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

15.56 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
15.92 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

7.46 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
7.47 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

-6.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
-6.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.95 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

12.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
12.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total Fertility Rate

1.94 children born/woman (1996 est.)
1.98 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic Divisions

Religions

Languages

Spanish, English

Literacy

Age 15 and over that can read and write (1980)

Labor Force

1.2 million (1993)

By occupation:

GOVERNMENT

Names

Digraph

RQ

Type

Commonwealth associated with the U.S.

Capital

San Juan

Administrative Divisions

None (commonwealth associated with the U.S.); note - there are 78 municipalities

Independence

None (commonwealth associated with the U.S.)

National Holiday

U.S. Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

Constitution

Ratified 3 March 1952; approved by U.S. Congress 3 July 1952; effective 25 July 1952

Legal System

Based on Spanish civil code

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are U.S. citizens but do not vote in U.S. presidential elections

Executive Branch

Legislative Branch

Bicameral Legislative Assembly

Senate

Elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held 5 November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (29 total) PNP 20, PPD 8, PIP 1

House of Representatives

Elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (53 total) PNP 36, PPD 16, PIP 1

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held 5 November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) PNP 1 (Carlos Romero BARCELO); note - Puerto Rico elects one representative to the U.S. House of Representatives

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court, justices appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate; Superior Courts, justices appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate; Municipal Courts, justices appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate

Political Parties and Leaders

National Republican Party of Puerto Rico, Luis FERRE; Popular Democratic Party (PPD), Hector ACEVEDO; New Progressive Party (PNP), Pedro ROSSELLO; Puerto Rican Socialist Party (PSP) has been disbanded (1994); Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP), Ruben BERRIOS Martinez; Puerto Rican Communist Party (PCP), leader(s) unknown

Other Political or Pressure Groups

Armed Forces for National Liberation (FALN); Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution; Boricua Popular Army (also known as the Macheteros); Armed Forces of Popular Resistance

Member of

Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), FAO (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, WCL, WFTU, WHO (associate), WToO (associate)

Flag

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; design based on the U.S. flag

ECONOMY

Overview

Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region. Industry has surpassed agriculture as the primary sector 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. Important industries include pharmaceuticals, electronics, textiles, petrochemicals, and processed foods. 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 for the island, with estimated arrivals of nearly 3.9 million tourists in 1993.

National Product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $29.7 billion (1995 est.); $26.8 billion (1994 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

3.3% (1995 est.)
2.6% (1994 est.)

National Product Per Capita

$7,800 (1995 est.)
$7,050 (1994 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

2.9% (1994)

Unemployment Rate

16% (1994)

Budget

Exports

$21.8 billion (1994)

Commodities:

Partners:

Imports

$16.7 billion (1994)

Commodities:

Partners:

External Debt

NA

Industrial Production

Growth rate 5% (1994 est.)

Electricity

Industries

Agriculture

Accounts for only 3% of labor force and just over 1% of GDP; crops - sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas; livestock - cattle, chickens; imports a large share of food needs (1993)

Economic Aid

None

Currency

1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Exchange Rates

U.S. currency is used

Fiscal Year

1 July - 30 June

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

Highways

Ports

Guanica, Guayanilla, Guayama, Playa de Ponce, San Juan

Merchant Marine

None

Airports

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

1,166,231 telephones (1992 est.); modern system, integrated with that of the U.S. by high capacity submarine cable and INTELSAT with high-speed data capability; digital telephone system with about 1 million lines; cellular telephone service (1990)

Radio

Television

DEFENSE FORCES

Branches

Paramilitary National Guard, Police Force

Note: Defense is the responsibility of the U.S.

History
World Atlas

Last modified: 3 january 1998