Puerto Rico

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

mean elevation:

261 m

elevation extremes:

0 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea; 1338 highest point: Cerro de Punta

• population clusters tend to be found along the coast, the largest of these is found in and around San Juan;
• an exception to this is a sizeable population located in the interior of the island immediately south of the capital around Caguas;
• most of the interior, particularly in the western half of the island, is dominated by the Cordillera Central mountains, where population density is low

• soil erosion;
• occasional droughts cause water shortages;
• industrial pollution

• 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

noun:

Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens)

adjective:

Puerto Rican

0-14 years:

15.25% (male 256,866 /female 245,518)

15-24 years:

13.39% (male 224,434 /female 216,664)

25-54 years:

37.99% (male 595,818 /female 655,890)

55-64 years:

13.14% (male 198,577 /female 234,490)

65 years and over:

20.23% (male 286,630 /female 379,739) (2018 est.)

total dependency ratio:

49.6 (2015 est.)

youth dependency ratio:

27.9 (2015 est.)

elderly dependency ratio:

21.7 (2015 est.)

potential support ratio:

4.6 (2015 est.)

• population clusters tend to be found along the coast, the largest of these is found in and around San Juan;
• an exception to this is a sizeable population located in the interior of the island immediately south of the capital around Caguas;
• most of the interior, particularly in the western half of the island, is dominated by the Cordillera Central mountains, where population density is low

at birth:

1.02 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

0-14 years:

1.04 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

15-24 years:

1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

25-54 years:

0.92 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

55-64 years:

0.83 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

65 years and over:

0.76 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

total population:

0.91 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

conventional long form:

Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

conventional short form:

Puerto Rico

abbreviation:

PR

etymology:

• Christopher COLUMBUS named the island San Juan Bautista (Saint John the Baptist) and the capital city and main port Cuidad de Puerto Rico (Rich Port City);
• over time, however, the names were shortened and transposed and the island came to be called Puerto Rico and its capital San Juan

name:

San Juan

geographic coordinates:

18 28 N, 66 07 W

time difference:

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

• 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

history:

previous 1900 (Organic Act, or Foraker Act); latest ratified by referendum 3 March 1952, approved 3 July 1952, effective 25 July 1952 (2018)

amendments:

• proposed by a concurrent resolution of at least two-thirds majority by the total Legislative Assembly membership;
• approval requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both houses and approval by a majority of voters in a special referendum;
• if passed by at least three-fourths Assembly vote, the referendum can be held concurrently with the next general election;
• constitutional articles such as the republican form of government or the bill of rights cannot be amended;
• amended 1952 (2018)

• 18 years of age;
• universal;
• note - island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

highest courts:

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

chief of state:

President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2017); Vice President Michael R. PENCE (since 20 January 2017)

head of government:

Governor Ricardo ROSSELLO (since 2 January 2017)

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 8 November 2016 (next to be held in November 2020)

election results:

Ricardo ROSSELLO elected governor; percent of vote - Ricardo ROSSELLO (PNP) 41.8%, David BERNIER (PPD) 38.9%, Alexandra LUGARO (independent) 11.1%, Manuel CIDRE (independent) 5.7%

• National Democratic Party [Charlie RODRIGUEZ]
• National Republican Party of Puerto Rico [Jenniffer GONZALEZ]
• New Progressive Party or PNP [Ricardo ROSSELLO] (pro-US statehood)
• Popular Democratic Party or PPD [Alejandro GARCIA Padillo] (pro-commonwealth)
• Puerto Rican Independence Party or PIP [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez] (pro-independence)

• 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

agriculture:

2.1%

industry:

19%

services:

79% (2005 est.)

lowest 10%:

NA

highest 10%:

NA

general assessment:

modern system integrated with that of the US by high-capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with high-speed data capability (2016)

domestic:

digital telephone system; mobile-cellular services (2016)

international:

• country code - 1-787, 939;
• submarine cables provide connectivity to the US, Caribbean, Central and South America;
• satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (2016)

• more than 30 TV stations operating;
• cable TV subscription services are available;
• roughly 125 radio stations (2007)

major seaport(s):

Ensenada Honda, Mayaguez, Playa de Guayanilla, Playa de Ponce, San Juan

container port(s) (TEUs):

San Juan (1,210,503) (2015)

LNG terminal(s) (import):

Guayanilla Bay