2005 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% (male 441,594/female 421,986) 15-64 years: 65.5% (male 1,228,583/female 1,337,066) 65 years and over: 12.4% (male 211,283/female 276,120) (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

30 (2004 est.)

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 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.) 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. 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

13.93 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$9.6 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (FY99/00)

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 (code)

US dollar (USD)

Currency code

USD

Death rate

7.86 deaths/1,000 population (2005 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

increasing numbers of illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage to Puerto Rico each year looking for work This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005 ======================================================================

Economic aid - recipient

NA (2001)

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 2001-03, largely due to the slowdown in the US economy, and has recovered in 2004.

Electricity - consumption

20.54 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - production

22.09 billion kWh (2002)

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)

election results

Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (PPD) elected governor; percent of vote - 48.4%

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 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008)

head of government

Governor Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (since 2 January 2005)

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% (2002 est.)

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 - composition by sector

agriculture

1%

industry

45%

services

54% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $17,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2.7% (2004 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$68.95 billion (2004 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

23,665 km (including 426 km of expressways)

total

25,328 km

unpaved

1,363 km (2004)

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

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA

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% (2002 est.)

Independence

none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, tourism

Infant mortality rate

female

6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

male

9.52 deaths/1,000 live births

total

8.24 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6.5% (2003 est.)

International organization participation

ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WCL, WFTU, 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

3.95%

other

90.53% (2001)

permanent crops

5.52%

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 (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)

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); results - percent of vote by party - PNP 48.6%; seats by party - PNP 1; Luis FORTUNO elected resident commissioner

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)

Life expectancy at birth

female

82.43 years (2005 est.)

male

74.35 years

total population

78.29 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

94.4% (2002 est.) Government Puerto Rico

male

93.9%

total population

94.1%

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

35.87 years (2005 est.)

male

32.5 years

total

34.23 years

Merchant marine

by type

roll on/roll off 2

foreign-owned

2 (United States 2)

registered in other countries

1 (2005)

total

2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 36,728 GRT/37,048 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

-1.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption

190,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA

Oil - imports

NA

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

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

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

3,916,632 (July 2005 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA

Population growth rate

0.47% (2005 est.)

Ports and harbors

Las Mareas, Mayaguez, 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 (2004)

total

96 km

Religions

Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%

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 (2005 est.)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal; island residents 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

country code - 1-787, 939; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat; submarine cable to US

Telephones - main lines in use

1,329,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1,211,111 (2001)

Television broadcast stations

6 (19 relay stations) (2004)

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

1.91 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate

12% (2002)