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 Travel Tips Puerto
Rico
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Find important informations
about Puerto Rico
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| OVERVIEW |
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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. |
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| HISTORY |
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The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is located in the Caribbean Sea, about 1,000 mi east-southeast of Miami, Fla. A possession of the United States, it consists of the island of Puerto Rico plus the adjacent islets of Vieques, Culebra, and Mona. Puerto Rico has a mountainous, tropical ecosystem with very little flat land and few mineral resources.
Puerto Rico's governor is elected directly for a four-year term. A bicameral legislature consists of a 27-member Senate and a 51-member House of Representatives, all elected for four-year terms. From 1940 to 1968, Puerto Rican politics was dominated by a party advocating voluntary association with the U.S. Since then, the New Progressive Party, a party favoring U.S. statehood, has won five of the last eight gubernatorial elections. Puerto Ricans have twice voted to determine their political status. In 1967, the outcome was Commonwealth 60%; statehood 39%; independence 1%. In 1993, Commonwealth dropped to 48.6%; statehood rose to 46.3%; independence polled 4.4%; and 0.6% of the ballots were blank or spoiled.
Under the Commonwealth formula, residents of Puerto Rico lack voting representation in Congress and do not participate in presidential elections. As U.S. citizens, Puerto Ricans are subject to military service and most federal laws. Residents of the Commonwealth pay no federal income tax on locally generated earnings, but Puerto Rican government income-tax rates are set at a level that closely parallels federal-plus-state levies on the mainland.
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| GEOGRAPHY |
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Location: |
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic |
Coordinates: |
18 15 N, 66 30 W |
Area: |
total: 9,104 sq km
water: 145 sq km
land: 8,959 sq km |
Area comparative: |
slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island |
Land boundaries: |
0 km |
Coastline: |
501 km |
Maritime claims: |
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 |
Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,338 m |
Natural resources: |
some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil |
Natural hazards: |
periodic droughts; hurricanes |
Environment current issues: |
erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages |
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 |
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| POPULATION |
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Population: |
3,927,188 (July 2006 est.) |
Age structure: |
0-14 years: 21.3% (male 428,610/female 409,484)
15-64 years: 65.8% (male 1,239,255/female 1,345,519)
65 years and over: 12.8% (male 218,045/female 286,275) |
Median age: |
34.7 years |
Growth rate: |
0.4% |
Infant mortality: |
9.14 deaths/1,000 live births |
Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 78.4 years
male: 74.46 years
female: 82.54 years |
Fertility rate: |
1.75 children born/woman |
Nationality: |
noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens)
adjective: Puerto Rican |
Ethnic groups: |
white (mostly Spanish origin) 80.5%, black 8%, Amerindian 0.4%, Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9% |
Religions: |
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15% |
Languages: |
Spanish, English |
Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.1%
male: 93.7%
female: 94.4% (2002) |
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| ECONOMY |
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GDP: |
$72.7 billion (2005 est.) |
GDP growth rate: |
2.5% |
GDP per capita: |
$18,600 |
GDP composition by sector: |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 45%
services: 54% |
Inflation rate: |
6.5% |
Labor force: |
1.3 million |
Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture 3%, industry 20%, services 77% |
Unemployment: |
12% |
Budget: |
revenues: $6.7 billion
expenditures: $9.6 billion |
Electricity production by source: |
fossil fuel: 99.2%
hydro: 0.8%
other: 0% (2001) |
Industries: |
pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, tourism |
Agriculture: |
sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas, livestock products, chickens |
Exports: |
chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment |
Export partners: |
US 90.3%, UK 1.6%, Netherlands 1.4%, Dominican Republic 1.4% |
Imports: |
chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products |
Import partners: |
US 55.0%, Ireland 23.7%, Japan 5.4% |
Currency: |
US dollar (USD) |
| Communications: |
Telephones: main lines in use: 1.322 million (1997); mobile cellular: 169,265 (1996).
Radio broadcast stations: AM 72, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998).
Radios: 2.7 million (1997).
Television broadcast stations: 18 (plus three stations of the U.S. Armed Forces Radio and Television Service) (1997).
Televisions: 1.021 million (1997).
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 76 (2002).
Internet users: 600,000 (2002). |
| Transportation: |
Railways: total: 96 km (2002).
Highways: total: 14,400 km; paved: 14,400 km; unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.).
Ports and harbors: Guanica, Guayanilla, Guayama, Playa de Ponce, San Juan.
Airports: 31 (2002). |
| International disputes: |
none. |
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| GOVERNMENT |
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Country name: |
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico |
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 |
Government type: |
commonwealth |
Capital: |
San Juan |
Administrative divisions: |
there are 78 municipalities (municipios, singular - municipio) |
Independence: |
none (commonwealth associated with the US) |
National holiday: |
US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico Constitution Day, 25 July (1952) |
Constitution: |
ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US Congress 3 July 1952; effective 25 July 1952 |
Legal system: |
based on Spanish civil code and within the US Federal system of justice |
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; Vice President Richard B. CHENEY
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 Consitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as Puerto Rico, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; governor elected by popular vote for a four-year term (no term limits) |
Legislative branch: |
bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (at least 27 seats - currently 29; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (51 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
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 |
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) |
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