Puerto Rico

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

Puerto Rico as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 108 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
LocationCaribbean, in the North Caribbean Sea, between the Dominican Republic
1994

Every edition of Puerto Rico

Populationas each edition published it
3.8 million July 1994 est. · 3.29m in 1990
Population growth% a year
0.13% 1994 est. · 0.13% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 33.3 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 73.84 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
2.04 children per woman 1994 est. · 2.2 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
13.8 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 17 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$7,100 1992 est. · $6,200 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
Not in this edition 2.2% in 1993

Geography

Caribbean, in the North Caribbean Sea, between the Dominican Republic | and the Virgin Islands group

25 fields
Coastline
501km
land boundaries: 0 km
Irrigated land
390sq km
(1989 est.)

Location

Caribbean, in the North Caribbean Sea, between the Dominican Republic and the Virgin Islands group

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

total area

9,104 sq km

land area

8,959 sq km

comparative area

slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200-m depth or to depth of exploitation

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

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

arable land

8%

permanent crops

9%

meadows and pastures

41%

forest and woodland

20%

other

22%

current issues

NA

natural hazards

NA

international agreements

NA

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

21 fields
Population
3,801,977
(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 0.13% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth
16.5Death
7.93Net migration
-7.29
Labor force
1.17million
(1992)
Literacy
15and over can read and write
age · (1980)

Infant mortality rate

13.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

73.95 years

male

70.42 years

female

77.65 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.04 children born/woman (1994 est.)

noun

Puerto Rican(s)

adjective

Puerto Rican

Religions

Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant denominations and other 15%

Languages

Spanish (official), English widely understood

total population

89%

male

90%

female

88%

by occupation

government 20%, manufacturing 14%, trade 17%, construction 5%, communications and transportation 5%, other 39% (1992)

Government

Commonwealth associated with the US

24 fields

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)

National holiday

US Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

Constitution

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

Suffrage

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

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);
  • election 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%

Legislative branch

bicameral Legislative Assembly

Senate

  • elections 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

House of Representatives

  • elections 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

US House of Representatives

  • elections 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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

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

Member of

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

Diplomatic representation in US

none (commonwealth associated with the US)

US diplomatic representation

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.

25 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$7,100
(1992 est.)
Unemployment rate
18%
(1993 est.)

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. Unemployment remains a severe problem at 18%.

National product

GNP - purchasing power equivalent - $26.8 billion (1992 est.)

revenues

$5.8 billion

expenditures

$5.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $258 million (1989 est.)

Exports

$21.8 billion (1992)

commodities

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

partners

US 88.3% (1990)

Imports

$14.8 billion (1992)

commodities

chemicals, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products

partners

US 68.8% (1990)

capacity

5,040,000 kW

production

16.1 billion kWh

consumption per capita

4,260 kWh (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

1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

US currency is used

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Communications

11 fields

Railroads

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

total

13,762 km

paved

13,762 km (1982)

Ports

San Juan, Ponce, Mayaguez, Arecibo

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

2 fields

Branches

paramilitary National Guard, Police Force

Note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Central Intelligence Agency. “Puerto Rico.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/puerto-rico/1994.

How to cite ← 1993 edition 1995 edition →