Puerto Rico

unincorporated organized territory of the US with local self-government; republican form of territorial government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches; note - reference Puerto Rican Federal Relations Act, 2 March 1917, as amended by Public Law 600, 3 July 1950

name: San Juan geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 66 07 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: Spanish explorer Juan PONCE de Leon named the city in 1511 both for himself and for his name saint, Saint John

chief of state: President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2025) head of government: Governor Jenniffer GONZ LEZ-COL N (since 2 January 2025) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by governor with the consent of the Legislative Assembly election/appointment process: 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, but they can 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) most recent election date: 5 November 2024 election results: 2024: Jenniffer GONZ LEZ-COL N elected governor; percent of vote - Jenniffer GONZ LEZ-COL N (PNP) 39.4%, Juan DALMAU Ram rez (PIP) 32.7%, Jes s Manuel ORTIZ (PPD) 21.1%, Javier JIM NEZ (PD) 6.7%, other 0.1% 2020: Pedro PIERLUISI elected governor; percent of vote - Pedro PIERLUISI (PNP) 32.9%, Carlos DELGADO (PPD) 31.6%, Alexandra LUGARO (independent) 14.2%, Juan DALMAU (PIP) 13.7%, other 7.6% expected date of next election: 7 November 2028

legislature name: Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa) legislative structure: bicameral term in office: 4 years 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 2018 (next to be held in November 2022)

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

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

AOSIS (observer), Caricom (observer), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNWTO (associate), UPU, WFTU (NGOs)

Puerto Rico Police; Puerto Rico (US) National Guard (Guardia Nacional de Puerto Rico or GNPR) (2025) note: the GNPR was created by order of the US Congress in June 1919; the organization traces its lineage and history to Spanish militias created in 1511 and is one of the oldest organizations in the US National Guard system

defense is the responsibility of the US

$141.344 billion (2024 est.) $136.926 billion (2023 est.) $136.247 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

$44,100 (2024 est.) $42,700 (2023 est.) $42,300 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

3.2% (2024 est.) 0.5% (2023 est.) 3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

4.3% (2022 est.) 2.4% (2021 est.) -0.5% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

50.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

$65.368 billion (2024 est.) $63.563 billion (2023 est.) $59.712 billion (2022 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars

$53.898 billion (2024 est.) $56.889 billion (2023 est.) $52.15 billion (2022 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars

5.5% (2024 est.) 5.8% (2023 est.) 6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

revenues: $9.268 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: $9.974 billion (2017 est.)

pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, tourism

milk, plantains, bananas, tomatoes, chicken, oranges, mangoes/guavas, pineapples, eggs, pumpkins/squash (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

total: 2,984,841 (2025 est.) male: 1,400,771 female: 1,584,070

-1.1% (2025 est.)

0-14 years: 12.5% (male 191,649/female 184,597) 15-64 years: 62.6% (male 904,406/female 986,778) 65 years and over: 24.9% (2024 est.) (male 322,698/female 429,322)

7.78 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

10.48 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

-8.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

total population: 82.1 years (2024 est.) male: 78.9 years female: 85.5 years

urban population: 93.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -0.12% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

White 75.8%, Black/African American 12.4%, other 8.5% (includes American Indian, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian, other Pacific Islander, and others), mixed 3.3% (2010 est.) note: 99% of the population is Latino

Spanish, English major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de informaci n b sica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Roman Catholic 56%, Protestant 33% (largely Pentecostal), other 2%, atheist 1%, none 7% (2014 est.)

total population: 92.4% (2017 est.) male: 92.4% (2017 est.) female: 92.4% (2017 est.)

some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil

IDPs: 146 (2024 est.)

20 (2025)

total subscriptions: 4.1 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 126 (2024 est.)

percent of population: 87% (2022 est.)