Puerto Rico

Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

commonwealth associated with the USIndependence none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Puerto Rico as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 73 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalSan Juan
Area9,104 km2
Locationin the North Atlantic Ocean, between the Dominican Republic and the Virgin
1993

Every edition of Puerto Rico

Populationas each edition published it
3.8 million July 1993 est. · 3.29m in 1990
Population growth% a year
0.13% 1993 est. · -1.1% in 2025
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 33.3 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
73.84 years 1993 est. · 82.1 yrs in 2025
Fertility ratechildren per woman
2.08 children per woman 1993 est. · 2.2 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
14 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 17 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$6,200 1991 · $44,100 in 2025
GDP real growth% a year
2.2% 3.2% in 2025

Geography

In the North Atlantic Ocean, between the Dominican Republic and the Virgin | Islands group

14 fields

Land useshare of 9,104 km2

arable land 8%permanent crops 9%meadows and pastures 41%forest and woodland 20%other 22%irrigated 390 km2 (1989 est.)
Area
9,104km2
land area: 8,959 km2comparative area: slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island
Coastline
501km
land boundaries: 0 kmcontiguous zone: 24 nmcontinental shelf: 200 m (depth)exclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Location

in the North Atlantic Ocean, between the Dominican Republic and the Virgin Islands group

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Climate

tropical marine, mild, little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain

  • mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north;
  • mountains precipitous to sea on west coast;
  • sandy beaches along most coastal areas

Natural resources

some copper and nickel, potential for onshore and offshore crude oil

Environment

  • many small rivers and high central mountains ensure land is well watered;
  • south coast relatively dry;
  • fertile coastal plain belt in north

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

People

14 fields
Population
3,797,082
(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 0.13% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth
16.93Death
7.88Net migration
-7.75

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years73.84
70.25 · 77.61
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy89%
90% · 88%
MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
Labor force
1.17million
(1992)by occupation: government 20%, manufacturing 14%, trade 17%, construction 5%, communications and transportation 5%, other 39% (1992)

Infant mortality rate

14 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.08 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Puerto Rican(s)
adjective:
Puerto Rican

Religions

Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant denominations and other 15%

Languages

Spanish (official), English widely understood

Government

Commonwealth associated with the US

20 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

50%
Pedro ROSSELLO (PND) 50%Victoria MUNOZ (PPD) 46%Fernando MARTIN (PIP) 4%

Names

conventional long form:
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
conventional short form:
Puerto Rico

Type

commonwealth associated with the US

Capital

San Juan

Administrative divisions

none (commonwealth associated with the US), note: there are 78 municipalities

Independence

none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Constitution

  • ratified 3 March 1952;
  • approved by US Congress 3 July 1952;
  • effective 25 July 1952

National holiday

US Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

Political parties and leaders

  • National Republican Party of Puerto Rico, Freddy VALENTIN;
  • Popular Democratic Party (PPD), Rafael HERNANDEZ Colon;
  • New Progressive Party (PNP), Carlos ROMERO Barcelo;
  • Puerto Rican Socialist Party (PSP), Juan MARI Bras and Carlos GALLISA;
  • Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP), Ruben BERRIOS Martinez;
  • Puerto Rican Communist Party (PCP), leader(s) unknown

Other political or pressure groups

  • all have engaged in terrorist activities - Armed Forces for National Liberation (FALN);
  • Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution;
  • Boricua Popular Army (also known as the Macheteros);
  • Armed Forces of Popular Resistance

Suffrage

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

Elections

Governor:
last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - Pedro ROSSELLO (PND) 50%, Victoria MUNOZ (PPD) 46%, Fernando MARTIN (PIP) 4%
Senate:
  • last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996);
  • results - percent of vote by party NA;
  • seats - (27 total) seats by party NA
US House of Representatives:
  • last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996);
  • results - percent of vote by party NA;
  • seats - (1 total) seats by party NA;
  • note - Puerto Rico elects one representative to the US House of Representatives, Carlos Romero BARCELO
House of Representatives:
  • last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996);
  • results - percent of vote by party NA;
  • seats - (53 total) seats by party NA

Executive branch

US president, US vice president, governor

Legislative branch

bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Leaders

Chief of State:
President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993)
Head of Government:
Governor Pedro ROSSELLO (since NA January 1993)

Member of

CARICOM (observer), ECLAC (associate), FAO (associate), ICFTU, IOC, WCL, WFTU, WHO (associate), WTO (associate)

Diplomatic representation in US

none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Flag

  • 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

Economy

Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region. | Industry has surpassed agriculture as the primary sector of economic | activity and income.

17 fields
Real growth rate
2.2%
(FY90)industrial production growth: growth rate 1.2% (FY92)
Inflation, consumer prices
1.3%
(October 1990-91)
Unemployment rate
17%
(1992 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$5.8 billionExpenditures
$5.8 billion
expenditures, including capital expenditures of $258 million (FY89)

Overview

Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region. Industry has surpassed agriculture as the primary sector 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. Important industries include pharmaceuticals, electronics, textiles, petrochemicals, and processed foods. 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 3 million tourists in 1989.

National product

GNP - purchasing power equivalent - $22.8 billion (1991)

Exports

20.4 billion (1990)

commodities:
pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment, instruments
partners:
US 87.8% (1990)

Imports

16.2 billion (1990)

commodities:
chemicals, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products
partners:
US 66.6% (1990)

Electricity

5,040,000 kW capacity; 16,100 million kWh produced, 4,260 kWh per capita (1992)

Industries

manufacturing accounts for 55.5 % of GDP: manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, instruments; tourism

Agriculture

  • accounts for only 3% of labor force and less than 2% of GDP: crops - sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas;
  • livestock - cattle, chickens;
  • imports a large share of food needs (1992)

Currency

US currency is used

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Communications

5 fields

Railroads

96 km rural narrow-gauge system for hauling sugarcane; no passenger railroads

Highways

13,762 km paved (1982)

Ports

San Juan, Ponce, Mayaguez, Arecibo

Airports

total:
30
usable:
23
with permanent-surface runways:
19
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
3
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
5

Telecommunications

  • modern system, integrated with that of the US by high capacity submarine cable and INTELSAT with high-speed data capability;
  • digital telephone system with about 1 million lines;
  • cellular telephone service;
  • broadcast stations - 50 AM, 63 FM, 9 TV;
  • cable television available with US programs (1990)

Defense Forces

Paramilitary National Guard, Police Force

3 fields

Branches

paramilitary National Guard, Police Force

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 830,133; fit for military service NA (1993 est.)

Note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Central Intelligence Agency. “Puerto Rico.” The World Factbook 1993. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/puerto-rico/1993.

How to cite ← 1992 edition 1994 edition →