Puerto Rico

Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

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

Puerto Rico as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 79 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 sq km

LocationCaribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North

Populationas each edition published it

3.81 million July 1995 est. · 3.29m in 1990

Population growth% a year

0.16% 1995 est. · 0.13% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 33.3 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

75.1 years 1995 est. · 73.84 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.98 children per woman 1995 est. · 2.2 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

12.8 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 17 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$7,050 1994 est. · $6,200 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

2.6% 1994 est. · 2.2% in 1993

Geography

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North | Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic

14 fields

Land useshare of 9,104 sq km

arable land 8%permanent crops 9%meadows and pastures 41%forest and woodland 20%other 22%irrigated 390 sq km (1989 est.)

Area

9,104sq km

land area: 8,959 sq kmcomparative area: slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island

Coastline

501km

land boundaries: 0 kmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Location

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic

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

current issues:: the recent drought has caused water levels in reservoirs to drop and prompted water rationing for more than one-half of the population
natural hazards:: periodic droughts
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

15 fields

Population

3,812,569

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 0.16% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

15.92Death

7.47Net migration

-6.81

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years75.1

70.78 · 79.66

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy89%

90% · 88%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1980)

Labor force

1.2million

(1993)by occupation: government 22%, manufacturing 17%, trade 20%, construction 6%, communications and transportation 5%, other 30% (1993)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 25% (female 466,596; male 489,127)
15-64 years:: 65% (female 1,274,765; male 1,195,785)
65 years and over:: 10% (female 213,716; male 172,580) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

12.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Nationality

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

Religions

Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant denominations and other 15%

Government

Commonwealth associated with the US; President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Governor Pedro ROSSELLO (since 2 January 1993)

22 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

50%

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

Legislature, 29 seatsone dot, one seat

PNP 20PPD 8PIP 1

Legislature, 53 seatsone dot, one seat

PNP 36PPD 16PIP 1

Names

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

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

Suffrage

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

Executive branch

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 2 January 1993);
election last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held 5 November 1996);
results - Pedro ROSSELLO (PNP) 50%, Victoria MUNOZ (PPD) 46%, Fernando MARTIN (PIP) 4%

Senate

elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held 5 November 1996);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (29 total) PNP 20, PPD 8, PIP 1

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) PNP 36, PPD 16, PIP 1

US House of Representatives

elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held 5 November 1996);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (1 total) PNP 1 (Carlos Romero BARCELO);
note - Puerto Rico elects one representative to the US House of Representatives

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, Superior Courts, Municipal Courts

Political parties and leaders

National Republican Party of Puerto Rico, Luis FERRE;
Popular Democratic Party (PPD), Hector ACEVEDO;
New Progressive Party (PNP), Pedro ROSSELLO;
Puerto Rican Socialist Party (PSP) has been disbanded (1994);
Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP), Ruben BERRIOS Martinez;
Puerto Rican Communist Party (PCP), leader(s) unknown

Other political or pressure groups

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.

18 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$7,050

(1994 est.)

Real growth rate

2.6%

(1994 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 5% (1994 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

2.9%

(1994)

Unemployment rate

16%

(1994)

Budget

Revenues

$5.1 billionExpenditures

$5.1 billion

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA (FY94/95)

Electricity

Electricity production

15.6 billionElectricity consumption per capita

3,819 (1993)

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 3.9 million tourists in 1993.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $26.8 billion (1994 est.)

Exports

$21.8 billion (1994)

commodities:: pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment, instruments
partners:: US 86.2% (1993)

Imports

$16.7 billion (1994)

commodities:: chemicals, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products
partners:: US 69.2% (1993)

External debt

$NA

Industries

manufacturing accounts for 39.4% of GDP;
manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, instruments;
tourism

Agriculture

accounts for only 3% of labor force and just over 1% of GDP;
crops - sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas;
livestock - cattle, chickens;
imports a large share of food needs (1993)

Transportation

5 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 31 in all

over 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,523 m

under 914 m

PavedUnpaved

Railroads

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

Highways

total:: 13,762 km
paved:: 13,762 km (1982)

Ports

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

Merchant marine

none

Communications

3 fields

Telephone system

NA telephones;
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 (1990)