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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 30 usable: 23 with permanent-surface runways: 19 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 5

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 13,762 km paved: 13,762 km (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]

modern system, integrated with that of the US by high capacity submarine cable and INTELSAT with high-speed data capability; digital telephone system with about 1 million lines; cellular telephone service; broadcast stations - 50 AM, 63 FM, 9 TV; cable television available with US programs (1990)

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

paramilitary National Guard, Police Force

Note [time series]

defense is the responsibility of the US

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for only 3% of labor force and less than 2% of GDP: crops - sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas; livestock - cattle, chickens; imports a large share of food needs (1992)

Budget [time series]

revenues: $5.8 billion expenditures: $5.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $258 million (1989 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Economic aid [time series]

none

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 5,040,000 kW production: 16.1 billion kWh consumption per capita: 4,260 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates [time series]

US currency is used

Exports [time series]

$21.8 billion (1992) commodities: pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment, instruments partners: US 88.3% (1990)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$NA

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July - 30 June

Imports [time series]

$14.8 billion (1992) commodities: chemicals, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products partners: US 68.8% (1990)

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

growth rate 1.2% (FY92)

Industries [time series]

manufacturing accounts for 55.5% of GDP: manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, instruments; tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

2.1% (1992 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GNP - purchasing power equivalent - $26.8 billion (1992 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$7,100 (1992 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

NA%

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. US minimum wage laws apply. Important 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, with estimated arrivals of nearly 3 million tourists in 1989. Unemployment remains a severe problem at 18%.

Unemployment rate [time series]

18% (1993 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 9,104 sq km land area: 8,959 sq km comparative area: slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island

Climate [time series]

tropical marine, mild, little seasonal temperature variation

Coastline [time series]

501 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

current issues: NA natural hazards: NA international agreements: NA

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

390 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

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

Location [time series]

Caribbean, in the North Caribbean Sea, between the Dominican Republic and the Virgin Islands group

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims [time series]

contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth of exploitation 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 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

Terrain [time series]

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

none (commonwealth associated with the US), note: there are 78 municipalities

Capital [time series]

San Juan

Constitution [time series]

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

Digraph [time series]

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

none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993) head of government: Governor Pedro ROSSELLO (since NA January 1993); election last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - Pedro ROSSELLO (PND) 50%, Victoria MUNOZ (PPD) 46%, Fernando MARTIN (PIP) 4%

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

Legislative branch (House of Representatives) [time series]

elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (53 total) seats by party NA

Independence [time series]

none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court

Legal system [time series]

based on Spanish civil code

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Legislative Assembly

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

CARICOM (observer), ECLAC (associate), FAO (associate), ICFTU, INTERPOL (subbureau), IOC, WCL, WFTU, WHO (associate), WTO (associate)

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico conventional short form: Puerto Rico

National holiday [time series]

US Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

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

Legislative branch (Senate) [time series]

elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (27 total) seats by party NA

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Government type (Type) [time series]

commonwealth associated with the US

Legislative branch (US House of Representatives) [time series]

elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) seats by party NA; note - Puerto Rico elects one representative to the US House of Representatives, Carlos Romero BARCELO

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

none (commonwealth associated with the US)

People

Birth rate [time series]

16.5 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate [time series]

7.93 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Hispanic

Infant mortality rate [time series]

13.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force [time series]

1.17 million (1992) by occupation: government 20%, manufacturing 14%, trade 17%, construction 5%, communications and transportation 5%, other 39% (1992)

Languages [time series]

Spanish (official), English widely understood

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 73.95 years male: 70.42 years female: 77.65 years (1994 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Puerto Rican(s) adjective: Puerto Rican

Net migration rate [time series]

-7.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population [time series]

3,801,977 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.13% (1994 est.)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant denominations and other 15%

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.04 children born/woman (1994 est.)