2003 Edition

Administrative divisions

none (commonwealth associated with the US); 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

Age structure

0-14 years: 22.9% (male 454,908; female 434,555) 15-64 years: 65.2% (male 1,212,764; female 1,322,356) 65 years and over: 11.9% (male 200,669; female 260,625) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas; livestock products, chickens

Airports

31 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 8

total

19

under 914 m

5 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

12 914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m

10 (2002) Military Puerto Rico

Area

land

8,959 sq km

total

9,104 sq km

water

145 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island

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 and 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 to retain commonwealth status. Geography Puerto Rico

Birth rate

15 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$9.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY 99/00)

revenues

$6.7 billion

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

Country name

conventional long form

Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

conventional short form

Puerto Rico

Currency

US dollar (USD)

Currency code

USD

Death rate

7.68 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$NA

Dependency status

commonwealth associated with the US

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Disputes - international

none This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Economic aid - recipient

$NA

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 1999. Growth fell off in 2001-02, largely due to the slowdown in the US economy.

Electricity - consumption

19.44 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

20.9 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

99.2%

hydro

0.8%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Cerro de Punta 1,338 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

Environment - current issues

erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages

Ethnic groups

white (mostly Spanish origin) 80.5%, black 8%, Amerindian 0.4%, Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9%

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the legislature

chief of state

President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)

election results

Sila M. CALDERON (PPD) elected governor; percent of vote - 48.6%

elections

US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2 November 2004)

head of government

Governor Sila M. CALDERON (since 2 January 2001)

note

residents of Puerto Rico do not vote for US president and vice president

Exports

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

Exports - commodities

chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment

Exports - partners

US 88.2%, UK 1.5%, Dominican Republic 1.4% (2001)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June Communications Puerto Rico

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 Economy Puerto Rico

GDP

purchasing power parity - $43.01 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

1%

industry

45%

services

54% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $11,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-0.2% (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

18 15 N, 66 30 W

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 People Puerto Rico

Government type

commonwealth

Highways

paved

14,400 km

total

14,400 km

unpaved

0 km (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

7,397 (1997)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Imports

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

Imports - commodities

chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products

Imports - partners

US 53.5%, Ireland 16.3%, Japan 4.5% (2001)

Independence

none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products; tourism

Infant mortality rate

female

8.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

10.3 deaths/1,000 live births

total

9.38 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

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

Internet country code

.pr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

76 (2000)

Internet users

600,000 (2002) Transportation Puerto Rico

Irrigated land

400 sq km (1998 est.)

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)

Labor force

1.3 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 3%, industry 20%, services 77% (2000 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

3.72%

other

91.21% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

5.07%

Languages

Spanish, English

Legal system

based on Spanish civil code and within the US Federal system of justice

Legislative branch

bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (28 seats; 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)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PPD 19, PNP 8, PIP 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PPD 30, PNP 20, PIP 1

elections

Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2 November 2004); House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2 November 2004)

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 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2 November 2004); results - percent of vote by party - PPD 49.3%; seats by party - PPD 1; Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA elected resident commissioner

Life expectancy at birth

female

81.44 years (2003 est.)

male

73.27 years

total population

77.26 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

94% (2001) Government Puerto Rico

male

93.7%

total population

93.8%

Location

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

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 NM

territorial sea

12 NM

Median age

female

34.9 years (2002)

male

31.6 years

total

33.3 years

Merchant marine

ships by type

container 1 (2002 est.)

total

1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) 19,203 GRT/20,904 DWT

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US Transnational Issues Puerto Rico

Military branches

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

National holiday

US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico Constitution Day, 25 July (1952)

Nationality

adjective

Puerto Rican

noun

Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens)

Natural gas - consumption

630 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

630 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural hazards

periodic droughts; hurricanes

Natural resources

some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil

Net migration rate

-1.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

190,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Political parties and leaders

National Democratic Party [Celeste BENITEZ]; National Republican Party of Puerto Rico [Luis FERRE]; New Progressive Party or PNP (pro-US statehood) [Carlos PESQUERA]; Popular Democratic Party or PPD (pro-commonwealth) [Sila M. CALDERON]; Puerto Rican Independence Party or PIP (pro-independence) [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez]

Political pressure groups and leaders

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

Population

3,885,877 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

0.58% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

Aguadilla, Arecibo, Fajardo, Guanica, Guayanilla, Guayama, Mayaguez, Playa de Ponce, San Juan

Radio broadcast stations

AM 72, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

2.7 million (1997)

Railways

narrow gauge

96 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

total

96 km

Religions

Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.93 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

Suffrage

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

Telephone system

domestic

digital telephone system; cellular telephone service

general assessment

modern system, integrated with that of the US by high-capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with high-speed data capability

international

satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat; submarine cable to US

Telephones - main lines in use

1.322 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

169,265 (1996)

Television broadcast stations

18 (plus three stations of the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service) (1997)

Televisions

1.021 million (1997)

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

2.02 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

12% (2002)

Waterways

none