Puerto Rico

§1. 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.

§2. Puerto Rico Geography

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

Geographic coordinates:
  18 15 N, 66 30 W

Map references:
  Central_America_and_the_Caribbean

Area:
  total: 9,104 km²
  land: 8,959 km²
  water: 145 km²

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island

Land boundaries:
  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 belt in north; mountains precipitous to
  sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal areas

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

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

Land use:
  arable land: 3.69%
  permanent crops: 5.59%
  other: 90.72% (2005)

Irrigated land:
  400 km² (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic droughts; hurricanes

Environment - current issues:
  erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages

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

§3. Puerto Rico 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 growth rate:
  0.4% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.77 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  7.65 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

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 mortality rate:
  total: 9.14 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 10.32 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.4 years
  male: 74.46 years
  female: 82.54 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.75 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  7,397 (1997)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

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.)

§4. Puerto Rico Government

Country name:
  conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
  conventional short form: Puerto Rico

Dependency status:
  unincorporated, organized territory of the US with commonwealth status;
  policy relations between Puerto Rico and the US conducted under the
  jurisdiction of the Office of the President

Government type:
  commonwealth

Capital:
  San Juan

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:
  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 branch:
  chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (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; 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 branch:
  bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (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 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 [Celeste BENITEZ]; National Republican Party of
  Puerto Rico [Dr. Tiody FERRE]; New 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 pressure groups and leaders:
  Boricua Popular Army or EPB (a revolutionary group also known as Los
  Macheteros); note - the following radical groups
  are considered dormant by Federal law enforcement: Armed Forces for
    National Liberation or FALN, Armed Forces of Popular Resistance,
    Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution

International organization participation:
  Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WToO (associate)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)

Diplomatic representation 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; design initially influenced by the US
  flag, but similar to the Cuban flag, with the colors of the bands and
  triangle reversed

§5. Puerto Rico Economy

Economy - overview:
  Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in 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 (purchasing power parity):
  $72.52 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  NA

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.5% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $18,500 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 45%
  services: 54% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  1.3 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 3%, industry 20%, services 77% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  12% (2002)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  6.5% (2003 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $6.7 billion
  expenditures: $9.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  23.03 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
  21.42 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  436.1 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  218,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
  NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  740 million m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 m³ (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  630 million m³ (2001 est.)

Exports:
  $46.9 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities:
  chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates,
  medical equipment

Exports - partners:
  US 90.3%, UK 1.6%, Netherlands 1.4%, Dominican Republic 1.4% (2004)

Imports:
  $29.1 billion c.i.f. (2001)

Imports - commodities:
  chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food, fish, petroleum
  products

Imports - partners:
  US 55.0%, Ireland 23.7%, Japan 5.4% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency (code):
  US dollar (USD)

Exchange rates:
  the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

§6. Puerto Rico Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1,111,900 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2.682 million (2004)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern system integrated with that 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 broadcast stations:
  AM 74, FM 53, shortwave 0 (2006)

Television broadcast stations:
  32 (2006)

Internet country code:
  .pr

Internet hosts:
  132 (2005)

Internet users:
  1 million (2005)

§7. Puerto Rico Transportation

Airports:
  30 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 17
  over 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 5 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 13
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 10 (2005)

Railways:
  total: 96 km
  narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Roadways:
  total: 25,645 km
  paved: 24,363 km (including 426 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 1,282 km (2004)

Merchant marine:
  total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 45,662 GRT/32,223 DWT
  by type: roll on/roll off 2
  foreign-owned: 2 (US 2)
  registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1)
    (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  Las Mareas, Mayaguez, San Juan

§8. Puerto Rico Military

Military branches:
  no regular indigenous military forces; paramilitary National Guard, Police
  Force

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the US

§9. Puerto Rico Transnational Issues

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


<Factbook 2006>
