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Communications

Airports [time series]

30 total; 24 usable; 19 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 5 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

13,762 km paved (1982)

Ports [time series]

San Juan, Ponce, Mayaguez, Arecibo

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

96 km rural narrow-gauge system for hauling sugarcane; no passenger railroads

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

900,000 or 99% of total households have TV; 1,067,787 telephones (1988); broadcast stations - 50 AM, 63 FM, 9 TV (1990)

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

paramilitary National Guard, Police Force

Manpower availability [time series]

males 15-49, 830,133; NA fit for military service

Note [time series]

defense is the responsibility of the US

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 3% of labor force; crops - sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas; livestock - cattle, chickens; imports a large share of food needs

Budget [time series]

revenues $5.8 billion; expenditures $5.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $258 million (FY89)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

US currency is used

Economic aid [time series]

none

Electricity [time series]

4,149,000 kW capacity; 14,844 million kWh produced, 4,510 kWh per capita (1990)

Exchange rates [time series]

US currency is used

Exports [time series]

NA commodities: pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment, instruments partners: US 87% (FY90)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$NA

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July - 30 June

GNP [time series]

purchasing power equivalent - $21.6 billion, per capita $6,600; real growth rate 2.2% (FY90)

Imports [time series]

NA commodities: chemicals, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products partners: US 68% (FY90)

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 3.8% (FY90)

Industries [time series]

manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, instruments; tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

1.3% (October 1990-91)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region. Industry has surpassed agriculture as the primary sector 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. Important new industries include pharmaceuticals, electronics, textiles, petrochemicals, and processed foods. 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 for the island. The economy has largely recovered from the disruptions caused by Hurricane Hugo in September 1989. The tourism infrastructure has been especially hard hit.

Unemployment rate [time series]

15.5% (October 1991)

Geography

Climate [time series]

tropical marine, mild, little seasonal temperature variation

Coastline [time series]

501 km

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island

Disputes - international (Disputes) [time series]

none

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

many small rivers and high central mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast relatively dry; fertile coastal plain belt in north

Area (Land area) [time series]

8,959 km2

Land boundaries [time series]

none

Land use [time series]

arable land 8%; permanent crops 9%; meadows and pastures 41%; forest and woodland 20%; other 22%

Maritime claims [time series]

Contiguous zone: 12 nm Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore crude oil

Note [time series]

important location between the Dominican Republic and the Virgin Islands group 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

Terrain [time series]

mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north; mountains precipitous to sea on west coast

Area (Total area) [time series]

9,104 km2

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Capital [time series]

San Juan

Constitution [time series]

ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US Congress 3 July 1952; effective 25 July 1952

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

Governor: last held 8 November 1988 (next to be held 3 November 1992); results - Rafael HERNANDEZ Colon (PPD) 48.7%, Baltasar CORRADA Del Rio (PNP) 45.8%, Ruben BERRIOS Martinez (PIP) 5.5% Senate: last held 8 November 1988 (next to be held 3 November 1992); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (27 total) PPD 18, PNP 8, PIP 1 US House of Representatives: last held 8 November 1988 (next to be held 3 November 1992); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) seats by party NA; note - Puerto Rico elects one nonvoting representative to the US House of Representatives, Jaime B. FUSTER House of Representatives: last held 8 November 1988 (next to be held 3 November 1992); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (53 total) PPD 36, PNP 15, PIP 2

Executive branch [time series]

US president, US vice president, governor

Flag [time series]

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 based on the US flag

Independence [time series]

none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

Chief of State: President George BUSH (since 20 January 1989); Vice President Dan QUAYLE (since 20 January 1989) Head of Government: Governor Rafael HERNANDEZ Colon (since 2 January 1989)

Legal system [time series]

based on Spanish civil code

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

CARICOM (observer), ECLAC, ICFTU, IOC, WCL, WFTU, WTO (associate)

National holiday [time series]

Constitution Day, 25 July (1952)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

all have engaged in terrorist activities - Armed Forces for National Liberation (FALN), Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution, Boricua Popular Army (also known as the Macheteros), Armed Forces of Popular Resistance

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

National Republican Party of Puerto Rico, Freddy VALENTIN; Popular Democratic Party (PPD), Rafael HERNANDEZ Colon; New Progressive Party (PNP), Carlos ROMERO Barcelo; Puerto Rican Socialist Party (PSP), Juan MARI Bras and Carlos GALLISA; Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP), Ruben BERRIOS Martinez; Puerto Rican Communist Party (PCP), leader(s) unknown; Puerto Rican Renewal Party (PRP, breakaway group from PNP), leader (vacant); Puerto Rico Democratic Party, Richard MACHADO

Suffrage [time series]

universal at age 18; citizens of Puerto Rico are also US citizens, but do not vote in US presidential elections

Government type (Type) [time series]

commonwealth associated with the US

People

Birth rate [time series]

17 births/1,000 population (1992)

Death rate [time series]

8 deaths/1,000 population (1992)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

almost entirely Hispanic

Infant mortality rate [time series]

14 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)

Labor force [time series]

1,068,000; government 28%, manufacturing 15%, trade 14%, agriculture 3%, other 40% (1990)

Languages [time series]

Spanish (official); English is widely understood

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

70 years male, 78 years female (1992)

Literacy [time series]

89% (male 90%, female 88%) age 15 and over can read and write (1980)

Nationality [time series]

noun - Puerto Rican(s); adjective - Puerto Rican

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)

Organized labor [time series]

115,000 members in 4 unions; the largest is the General Confederation of Puerto Rican Workers with 35,000 members (1983)

Population [time series]

3,776,654 (July 1992), growth rate 1.0% (1992)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant denominations and other 15%

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.1 children born/woman (1992)