2000 Edition

Background

Discovered by Columbus in 1493, the island was ceded by Spain to the US in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. A popularly elected governor has served since 1948. In plebiscites held in 1967 and 1993, voters chose to retain commonwealth status.

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

Climate

tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature variation

Coastline

501 km

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

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

390 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

4%

forests and woodland

16%

other

49% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

5%

permanent pastures

26%

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

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 24% (male 480,100; female 457,684) 15-64 years: 66% (male 1,234,065; female 1,336,848) 65 years and over: 10% (male 174,383; female 232,718) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

15.47 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

7.74 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

NA

Infant mortality rate

9.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

Spanish, English

Life expectancy at birth

female

80.3 years (2000 est.)

male

71.05 years

total population

75.55 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

88% (1980 est.)

male

90%

total population

89%

Nationality

adjective

Puerto Rican

noun

Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens)

Net migration rate

-2.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

3,915,798 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

0.56% (2000 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

total population

0.93 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.9 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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

Capital

San Juan

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

Data code

RQ

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)

Executive branch

cabinet

NA

chief of state

President William Jefferson CLINTON of the US (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993)

election results

Pedro ROSSELLO reelected governor; percent of vote - 51.1%

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 5 November 1996 (next to be held 7 November 2000)

head of government

Governor Pedro ROSSELLO (since 2 January 1993)

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 based on the US flag

Government type

commonwealth

Independence

none (commonwealth associated with the US)

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, justices appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate; Superior Courts, justices appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate; Municipal Courts, justices appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate

Legal system

based on Spanish civil code

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 (54 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 - PNP 19, PPD 8, PIP 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PNP 37, PPD 16, PIP 1

elections

Senate - last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held 7 November 2000); House of Representatives - last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held 7 November 2000)

note

Puerto Rico elects one nonvoting representative to the US House of Representatives; elections last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held 7 November 2000); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PNP 1 (Carlos Romero BARCELO)

National holiday

US Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

Political parties and leaders

National Democratic Party [William MIRANDA]; National Republican Party of Puerto Rico ; New Progressive Party or PNP ; Popular Democratic Party or PPD ; Puerto Rican Independence Party or PIP

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

Suffrage

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

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

expenditures

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

revenues

$6.7 billion

Currency

1 US dollar (US$) = 100 cents

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 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 for the island, with estimated arrivals of nearly 5 million tourists in 1999. Prospects for 2000 are good, assuming continued strength in the tourism and construction sectors and continuation of the US boom.

Electricity - consumption

16.521 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

17.765 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

98.06%

hydro

1.94%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

US currency is used

Exports

$34.9 billion (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

US 88% (1999)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP

purchasing power parity - $38.1 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

1%

industry

45%

services

54% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $9,800 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4.2% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$25.3 billion (c.i.f., 1999)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

US 60% (1999)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products; tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.2% (1999 est.)

Labor force

1.3 million (1996)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 3%, industry 20%, services 77% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

13% (FY97/98 est.)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

18 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 72, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

2.7 million (1997)

Telephone system

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

satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat; submarine cable to US

Telephones - main lines in use

1.196 million (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular

171,000 (1995)

Television broadcast stations

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

Televisions

1.021 million (1997)

Airports

30 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

21 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 6 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

9 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 7 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

14,400 km

total

14,400 km

unpaved

0 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

roll-on/roll-off 1 (1999 est.)

total

1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 17,513 GRT/14,976 DWT

Ports and harbors

Guanica, Guayanilla, Guayama, Playa de Ponce, San Juan

Railways

narrow gauge

96 km 1.000-m gauge, rural, narrow-gauge system for hauling sugarcane; no passenger service

total

96 km

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Military branches

paramilitary National Guard, Police Force

Disputes - international

none

QATAR