Puerto Rico
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
commonwealth
Puerto Rico as the 2015 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 138 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 Christopher 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 with the US, but the results of a 2012 vote left open the possibility of American statehood. Economic recession on the island has led to a net population loss since about 2005, as large numbers of residents moved to the US mainland. The trend has accelerated since 2010; in 2014, Puerto Rico experienced a net population loss to the mainland of 64,000, more than double the net loss of 26,000 in 2010.
Geography
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic
17 fieldsLocation
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic
Terrain
- mostly mountains with coastal plain in north;
- precipitous mountains to the sea on west coast;
- sandy beaches along most coastal areas
Land use
- agricultural land:
- 22%;
- arable land 6.6%;
- permanent crops 5.6%;
- permanent pasture 9.8%
- forest:
- 63.2%
- other:
- 14.8% (2011 est.)
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 and Society
28 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2015 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2015 est.)
Male · female
Ethnic groups(2010 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.02 male(s)/female
- 0-14 years:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 15-24 years:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 25-54 years:
- 0.92 male(s)/female
- 55-64 years:
- 0.83 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.76 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.92 male(s)/female (2015 est.)
Government
Commonwealth; President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009); Governor Alejandro GARCIA Padilla (since 2 January 2013)
22 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Senate, 51 seats, elected 6 November 2012one dot, one seat
Dependency 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
Constitution
- previous 1900 (Organic Act, or Foraker Act);
- latest ratified 3 March 1952, approved 3 July 1952, effective 25 July 1952;
- note - constitutional amendments introduced in 2012 were rejected in a referendum (2015)
Legal system
civil law system based on the Spanish civil code and within the framework of the US federal system
Suffrage
- 18 years of age;
- universal;
- note - island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009)
- head of government:
- Governor Alejandro GARCIA Padilla (since 2 January 2013)
- cabinet:
- Cabinet appointed by governor with the consent of the Legislative Assembly
- elections/appointments:
- president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by an Electoral College of 'electors' chosen from each state;
- president and vice president serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term);
- under the US Constitution, residents of Puerto Rico do not vote in elections for US president and vice president;
- however, they may vote in Democratic and Republican party presidential primary elections;
- governor directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 4-year term (no term limits);
- election last held on 6 November 2012 (next to be held in November 2016)
- election results:
- Alejandro GARCIA Padilla elected governor; percent of vote - Alejandro GARCIA Padilla (Democratic Party) 48.2%, Luis FORTUNO (PNP) 47.1%, other 4.7%
Legislative branch
- description:
- bicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa consists of the Senate or Senado (27 seats; 16 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 11 at-large members directly elected by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms);
- the House of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (51 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms)
- elections:
- Senate - last held on 6 November 2012 (next to be held on 8 November 2016);
- House of Representatives - last held on 6 November 2012 (next to be held on 8 November 2016)
- election results:
- Senate - percent of vote by party - NA;
- seats by party - PPD 18, PNP 8, PIP 1;
- House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA;
- seats by party - PPD 28, PNP 23
note: Puerto Rico directly elects 1 member by simple majority vote to serve a 4-year term as a commissioner to the US House of Representatives; the commissioner can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House, but not when legislation is submitted for a “full floor” House vote;
election of commissioner last held on 6 November 2012 (next to be held on 8 November 2016)
Judicial branch
- highest court(s):
- Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 8 associate justices)
- judge selection and term of office:
- justices appointed by the governor and confirmed by majority Senate vote; judges serve until compulsory retirement at age 70
- subordinate courts:
- Court of Appeals; First Instance Court comprised of superior and municipal courts
note: the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Judiciary Act of 2003 reformed the judicial system
Political parties and leaders
- National Democratic Party [Roberto PRATS]
- National Republican Party of Puerto Rico [Carlos MENDEZ]
- New Progressive Party or PNP [Pedro PIERLUISI] (pro-US statehood)
- Popular Democratic Party or PPD [Alejandro Garcia PADILLA] (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)
International organization participation
AOSIS (observer), Caricom (observer), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNWTO (associate), UPU, WFTU (NGOs)
Flag description
- five equal horizontal bands of red (top, center, and bottom) alternating with white;
- a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bears a large, white, five-pointed star in the center;
- the white star symbolizes Puerto Rico;
- the three sides of the triangle signify the executive, legislative and judicial parts of the government;
- blue stands for the sky and the coastal waters;
- red symbolizes the blood shed by warriors, while white represents liberty, victory, and peace
note: design initially influenced by the US flag, but similar to the Cuban flag, with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed
National anthem
- name:
- "La Borinquena" (The Puerto Rican)
- lyrics/music:
- Manuel Fernandez JUNCOS/Felix Astol ARTES
note: music adopted 1952, lyrics adopted 1977; the local anthem's name is a reference to the indigenous name of the island, Borinquen; the music was originally composed as a dance in 1867 and gained popularity in the early 20th century;
there is some evidence that the music was written by Francisco RAMIREZ; as a commonwealth of the United States, "The Star-Spangled Banner" is official (see United States)
Economy
Puerto Rico had one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region until 2006, however, growth has been negative for each of the last nine years.
29 fieldsGDP - composition, by sector of origin(2014 est.)
By end use% of GDP
Economy - overview
Puerto Rico had one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region until 2006, however, growth has been negative for each of the last nine years. The down-turn coincided with the phase-out of tax preferences that had led US firms to invest heavily in the Commonwealth since the 1950s, and a steep rise in the price of oil, which generates most of the island's electricity.
Diminished job opportunities prompted a sharp rise in outmigration, as many Puerto Ricans sought jobs on the US mainland. Unemployment reached 16% in 2011, but declined to 13.7% in December 2014. US minimum wage laws apply in Puerto Rico, hampering job expansion. Per capita income is about half that of the US mainland.
The industrial sector greatly exceeds agriculture as the locus of economic activity and income. Tourism has traditionally been an important source of income with estimated arrivals of more than 3.6 million tourists in 2008. Puerto Rico's merchandise trade surplus is exceptionally strong, with exports nearly 50% greater than imports, and its current account surplus amounts to about 10% of GDP. Closing the budget deficit while restoring economic growth and employment remain the central concerns of the government.
The gap between revenues and expenditures narrowed to 0.2% of GDP in 2014, although analysts believe that not all expenditures have been accounted for in the budget and a better accounting of costs would yield an overall deficit of roughly 5% of GDP in 2014. Public debt rose to nearly 94% of GDP in 2014, the equivalent of $15,600 per person, or nearly three times the per capita debt of the State of Connecticut, the highest in the US. Much of that debt was issued by state-run schools and public corporations, including water and electric utilities.
In June 2015, Governor Alejandro GARCIA Padilla announced that the island could not pay back at least $73 billion in debt and that it would seek a deal with its creditors.
Agriculture - products
sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas; livestock products, chickens
Unemployment rate
13.7% (December 2014 est.) · 15% (December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 145
Commercial bank prime lending rate
3.3% (31 December 2014 est.) · 3.3% (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 168
Exports - commodities
chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment
Debt - external
$56.82 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $52.98 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 62
Energy
23 fieldsInstalled generating capacity, 5.616 million kW(2012 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
26.81 million Mt (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 77
Communications
8 fieldsPer 100 inhabitants(2014 est.)
Telephone 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; mobile-cellular services
- international:
- country code - 1-787, 939;
- submarine cables provide connectivity to the US, Caribbean, Central and South America;
- satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (2011)
Broadcast media
- more than 30 TV stations operating;
- cable TV subscription services are available;
- roughly 125 radio stations (2007)
Transportation
5 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Roadways
total: 26,862 km (includes 454 km of expressways) (2012) country comparison to the world: 99
Ports and terminals
- major seaport(s):
- Ensenada Honda, Mayaguez, Playa de Guayanilla, Playa de Ponce, San Juan
- container port(s) (TEUs):
- San Juan (1,484,595)
- LNG terminal(s) (import):
- Guayanilla Bay
Military
No regular indigenous military forces; paramilitary National Guard, Police Force
4 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 2015. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/puerto-rico/2015.