Puerto Rico

Internet country code

.pr

Internet hosts

404 (2006)

Internet users

1 million (2005)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 74, FM 53, shortwave 0 (2006)

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

Telephones - main lines in use

1,111,900 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular

2.682 million (2004)

Television broadcast stations

32 (2006)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

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

Currency (code)

US dollar (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, and has recovered in 2004-2005.

Electricity - consumption

21.42 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - production

23.03 billion kWh (2003)

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% (2004)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP (official exchange rate)

NA

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$73.27 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 1% industry: 45% services: 54% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$18,700 (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2.5% (2005 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% (2004)

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.)

Natural gas - consumption

740 million cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

630 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

218,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Oil - production

436.1 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

12% (2002)

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

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 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 (no term limits); 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%

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

Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WToO (associate)

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 - 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

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 (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

Suffrage

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

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.

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Military branches

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

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.)

Birth rate

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

Death rate

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

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

7,397 (1997)

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.)

Languages

Spanish, English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.4 years male: 74.46 years female: 82.54 years (2006 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: 34.7 years male: 33 years female: 36.4 years (2006 est.)

Nationality

noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens) adjective: Puerto Rican

Net migration rate

-1.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Population

3,927,188 (July 2006 est.)

Population growth rate

0.4% (2006 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 (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.75 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Disputes - international

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

Airports

30 (2006)

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 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 10 (2006)

Merchant marine

total: 3 ships (1000 GRT or over) 77,177 GRT/50,138 DWT by type: roll on/roll off 3 foreign-owned: 3 (US 3) registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals

Las Mareas, Mayaguez, San Juan

Railways

total: 96 km narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Roadways

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