Puerto Rico
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
commonwealth
Puerto Rico as the 2008 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 115 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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.
Geography
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic
17 fieldsLand useshare of 13,790 sq km
Location
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic
Terrain
- mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north;
- mountains precipitous to sea on west coast;
- sandy beaches along most coastal areas
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
People
20 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2008 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2008 est.)
Male · female
Ethnic groups(2000 census)
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 (2008 est.)
Government
Commonwealth; President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Governor Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (since 2 January 2005)
19 fieldsDependency 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
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)
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
Suffrage
- 18 years of age;
- universal;
- island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
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 Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as Puerto Rico, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president;
- however, they may vote in Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections;
- governor elected by popular vote for a four-year term (no term limits);
- election last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012)
- election results:
- Luis FORTUNO elected governor with 52.8% of the vote, he will take office on 2 January 2009
Legislative branch
bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (at least 27 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (51 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
- elections:
- Senate - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held November 2012); House of Representatives - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012)
- election results:
- Senate - percent of vote by party - NA;
- seats by party - PNP 22, PPD 5;
- House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA;
- seats by party - NA
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 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PNP 1
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)
Political parties and leaders
- National Democratic Party [Roberto PRATS];
- National Republican Party of Puerto Rico [Dr. Tiody FERRE];
- New Progressive Party or PNP [Pedro ROSSELLO] (pro-US statehood);
- Popular Democratic Party or PPD [Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA] (pro-commonwealth);
- Puerto Rican Independence Party or PIP [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez] (pro-independence)
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
International organization participation
Caricom (observer), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ITUC, UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WFTU
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
Economy
Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region.
39 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2002 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
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, recovered in 2004-05, but declined again in 2006-07.
Agriculture - products
sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas; livestock products, chickens
Exports - commodities
chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment
Communications
8 fieldsTelephone 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;
- submarine cables provide connectivity to the US, Caribbean, Central and South America;
- satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
Transportation
7 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Networkskm
Merchant marine
- total:
- 3
- by type:
- roll on/roll off 3
- foreign-owned:
- 3 (US 3)
- registered in other countries:
- 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)
Military
No regular indigenous military forces; paramilitary National Guard, Police Force
3 fieldsTransnational Issues
1 fieldDisputes - international
increasing numbers of illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage to Puerto Rico each year looking for work
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Puerto Rico.” The World Factbook 2008. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/puerto-rico/2008.