1994 Edition

Administrative divisions

none (commonwealth associated with the US), note: there are 78 municipalities

Affiliation

(commonwealth associated with the US)

Agriculture

accounts for only 3% of labor force and less than 2% of GDP: crops - sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas; livestock - cattle, chickens; imports a large share of food needs (1992)

Airports

total: 30 usable: 23 with permanent-surface runways: 19 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 5

Area

total area: 9,104 sq km land area: 8,959 sq km comparative area: slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island

Birth rate

16.5 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Branches

paramilitary National Guard, Police Force

Budget

revenues: $5.8 billion expenditures: $5.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $258 million (1989 est.)

Capital

San Juan

Climate

tropical marine, mild, little seasonal temperature variation

Coastline

501 km

Constitution

ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US Congress 3 July 1952; effective 25 July 1952

Currency

1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Death rate

7.93 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Digraph

RQ

Diplomatic representation in US

none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Economic aid

none

Electricity

capacity: 5,040,000 kW production: 16.1 billion kWh consumption per capita: 4,260 kWh (1992)

Environment

current issues: NA natural hazards: NA international agreements: NA

Ethnic divisions

Hispanic

Exchange rates

US currency is used

Executive branch

chief of state: President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993) head of government: Governor Pedro ROSSELLO (since NA January 1993); election last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - Pedro ROSSELLO (PND) 50%, Victoria MUNOZ (PPD) 46%, Fernando MARTIN (PIP) 4%

Exports

$21.8 billion (1992) commodities: pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment, instruments partners: US 88.3% (1990)

External debt

$NA

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

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 US flag

Highways

total: 13,762 km paved: 13,762 km (1982)

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) seats by party NA

Imports

$14.8 billion (1992) commodities: chemicals, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products partners: US 68.8% (1990)

Independence

none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Industrial production

growth rate 1.2% (FY92)

Industries

manufacturing accounts for 55.5% of GDP

manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, instruments; tourism

Infant mortality rate

13.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.1% (1992 est.)

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

390 sq km (1989 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Labor force

1.17 million (1992) by occupation: government 20%, manufacturing 14%, trade 17%, construction 5%, communications and transportation 5%, other 39% (1992)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 8% permanent crops: 9% meadows and pastures: 41% forest and woodland: 20% other: 22%

Languages

Spanish (official), English widely understood

Legal system

based on Spanish civil code

Legislative branch

bicameral Legislative Assembly

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 73.95 years male: 70.42 years female: 77.65 years (1994 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1980) total population: 89% male: 90% female: 88%

Location

Caribbean, in the North Caribbean Sea, between the Dominican Republic and the Virgin Islands group

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Member of

CARICOM (observer), ECLAC (associate), FAO (associate), ICFTU, INTERPOL (subbureau), IOC, WCL, WFTU, WHO (associate), WTO (associate)

Names

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

National holiday

US Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

National product

GNP - purchasing power equivalent - $26.8 billion (1992 est.)

National product per capita

$7,100 (1992 est.)

National product real growth rate

NA%

Nationality

noun: Puerto Rican(s) adjective: Puerto Rican

Natural resources

some copper and nickel, potential for onshore and offshore crude oil

Net migration rate

-7.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

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

defense is the responsibility of the US

Other political or pressure groups

all have engaged in terrorist activities - 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

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 million tourists in 1989. Unemployment remains a severe problem at 18%.

Political parties and leaders

National Republican Party of Puerto Rico, Freddy VALENTIN; Popular Democratic Party (PPD), Rafael HERNANDEZ Colon; New Progressive Party (PNP), Carlos ROMERO Barcelo; Puerto Rican Socialist Party (PSP), Juan MARI Bras and Carlos GALLISA; Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP), Ruben BERRIOS Martinez; Puerto Rican Communist Party (PCP), leader(s) unknown

Population

3,801,977 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate

0.13% (1994 est.)

Ports

San Juan, Ponce, Mayaguez, Arecibo

Railroads

96 km rural narrow-gauge system for hauling sugarcane; no passenger railroads

Religions

Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant denominations and other 15%

Senate

elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (27 total) seats by party NA

Suffrage

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

Telecommunications

modern system, integrated with that of the US by high capacity submarine cable and INTELSAT with high-speed data capability; digital telephone system with about 1 million lines; cellular telephone service; broadcast stations - 50 AM, 63 FM, 9 TV; cable television available with US programs (1990)

Terrain

mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north; mountains precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal areas

Total fertility rate

2.04 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Type

commonwealth associated with the US

Unemployment rate

18% (1993 est.)

US diplomatic representation

none (commonwealth associated with the US)

US House of Representatives

elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) seats by party NA; note - Puerto Rico elects one representative to the US House of Representatives, Carlos Romero BARCELO