2008 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2008 (Project Gutenberg)
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.
Geography
Area
total: 13,790 sq km land: 8,870 sq km water: 4,921 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island
Climate
tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline
501 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,339 m
Environment - current issues
erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages
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
Irrigated land
400 sq km (2003)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 3.69% permanent crops: 5.59% other: 90.72% (2005)
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
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Natural hazards
periodic droughts; hurricanes
Natural resources
some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil
Terrain
mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north; mountains precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal areas
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 20.5% (male 415,141/female 396,782) 15-64 years: 66% (male 1,254,416/female 1,358,229) 65 years and over: 13.5% (male 229,727/female 303,833) (2008 est.)
Birth rate
12.61 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate
7.88 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Education expenditures
NA
Ethnic groups
white (mostly Spanish origin) 80.5%, black 8%, Amerindian 0.4%, Asian 0.2%, mixed 4.2%, other 6.7% (2000 census)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
7,397 (1997)
Infant mortality rate
total: 8.65 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.15 deaths/1,000 live births female: 8.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Languages
Spanish, English
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 78.58 years male: 74.64 years female: 82.73 years (2008 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.1% male: 93.9% female: 94.4% (2002 est.)
Median age
total: 35.6 years male: 33.8 years female: 37.3 years (2008 est.)
Nationality
noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens) adjective: Puerto Rican
Net migration rate
-1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Population
3,958,128 (July 2008 est.)
Population growth rate
0.369% (2008 est.)
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 (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.76 children born/woman (2008 est.)
Government
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
Capital
name: San Juan geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 66 07 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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
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
Diplomatic representation from the US
none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)
Executive branch
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (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 Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as Puerto Rico, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor elected by popular vote for a four-year term (no term limits); election last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012) election results: Luis FORTUNO elected governor with 52.8% of the vote, he will take office on 2 January 2009
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
Government type
commonwealth
Independence
none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)
International organization participation
Caricom (observer), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ITUC, UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WFTU
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)
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; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (51 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held November 2012); House of Representatives - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PNP 22, PPD 5; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA 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 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PNP 1
National holiday
US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico Constitution Day, 25 July (1952)
Political parties and leaders
National Democratic Party [Roberto PRATS]; National Republican Party of Puerto Rico [Dr. Tiody FERRE]; New Progressive Party or PNP [Pedro ROSSELLO] (pro-US statehood); Popular Democratic Party or PPD [Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA] (pro-commonwealth); Puerto Rican Independence Party or PIP [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez] (pro-independence)
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
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal; island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Economy
Agriculture - products
sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas; livestock products, chickens
Budget
revenues: $6.7 billion expenditures: $9.6 billion (FY99/00)
Currency (code)
US dollar (USD)
Currency code
USD
Debt - external
$NA
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 2004. Growth fell off in 2001-03, largely due to the slowdown in the US economy, recovered in 2004-05, but declined again in 2006-07.
Electricity - consumption
22.17 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production
23.84 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 99.2% hydro: 0.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Exchange rates
the US dollar is used
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% (2006)
Fiscal year
1 July - 30 June
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 1% industry: 45% services: 54% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$18,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
-1.2% (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$NA (2007 est.)
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$72.61 billion (2007 est.)
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% (2006)
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
6.5% (2003 est.)
Labor force
1.3 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 3% industry: 20% services: 77% (2000 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares
$NA
Natural gas - consumption
736.2 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports
736.2 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - production
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Oil - consumption
215,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports
10,610 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports
230,700 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - production
1,354 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - proved reserves
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
12% (2002)
Communications
Internet country code
.pr
Internet hosts
404 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
76 (2000)
Internet users
1 million (2007)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 74, FM 53, shortwave 0 (2005)
Radios
2.7 million (1997)
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; submarine cables provide connectivity to the US, Caribbean, Central and South America; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
Telephones - main lines in use
1.038 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular
3.354 million (2005)
Television broadcast stations
32 (2006)
Televisions
1.021 million (1997)
Transportation
Airports
29 (2007)
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 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 10 (2007)
Merchant marine
total: 3 by type: roll on/roll off 3 foreign-owned: 3 (US 3) registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals
Guayanilla, Mayaguez, San Juan
Railways
total: 96 km narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Roadways
total: 26,186 km paved: 24,877 km (includes 427 km of expressways) unpaved: 1,309 km (2007)
Military and Security
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually
male: 30,760 female: 29,469 (2008 est.)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the US
Military branches
no regular indigenous military forces; paramilitary National Guard, Police Force
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 This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008