Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 50, FM 63, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

2.565 million (1992 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

modern system, integrated with that of the US by high-capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with high-speed data capability domestic: digital telephone system with about 1 million lines (1990 est.); cellular telephone service international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat; submarine cable to US

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

1,166,231 (1992 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

9 note: cable television available with US programs (1990 est.)

Televisions [time series]

952,000 (1992 est.)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

livestock products, chickens; sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas

Budget [time series]

revenues : $5.1 billion expenditures: $5.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY94/95)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 US dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Debt - external [time series]

$NA

Economic aid [time series]

none

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region. A diverse industrial sector has surpassed agriculture as the primary locus 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. 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 3.9 million tourists in 1993.

Electricity - capacity [time series]

4.47 million kW (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita [time series]

4,231 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

16.82 billion kWh (1994)

Exchange rates [time series]

US currency is used

Exports [time series]

total value : $22.9 billion (f.o.b. 1996) commodities: pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment partners: US 88% (1995 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July - 30 June

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

purchasing power parity - $31.6 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $8,200 (1996 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

3% (1996 est.)

Imports [time series]

total value: $19.1 billion (c.i.f. 1996) commodities: chemicals, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products partners : US 62% (1995 est.)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

5% (1994 est.)

Industries [time series]

pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products; tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices) (Inflation rate - consumer price index) [time series]

5.1% (1996 est.)

Labor force [time series]

total: 1.3 million (1996) by occupation: government 22%, manufacturing 17%, trade 20%, construction 6%, communications and transportation 5%, other 30% (1993)

Unemployment rate [time series]

14% (FY95/96 est.)

Area [time series]

total: 9,104 sq km land: 8,959 sq km water: 145 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

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

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,338 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

the recent drought has caused water levels in reservoirs to drop and prompted water rationing for more than one-half of the population

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geographic coordinates [time series]

18 15 N, 66 30 W

Geography - 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

Irrigated land [time series]

390 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 4% permanent crops : 5% permanent pastures: 26% forests and woodland: 16% other: 49% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims [time series]

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea : 12 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

periodic droughts

Natural resources [time series]

some copper and nickel, potential for onshore and offshore oil

Terrain [time series]

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

Administrative divisions [time series]

none (commonwealth associated with the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 78 municipalities

Constitution [time series]

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

Country name [time series]

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

Data code [time series]

RQ

Dependency status [time series]

commonwealth associated with the US

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President of the US William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993) head of government : Governor Pedro ROSSELLO (since 2 January 1993) cabinet: NA elections : governor of Puerto Rico elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held NA November 2000) election results: Pedro ROSSELLO reelected governor of Puerto Rico; percent of vote - NA

Flag (Flag description) [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

Government type [time series]

commonwealth

Independence [time series]

none (commonwealth associated with the US)

International organization participation [time series]

Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), FAO (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, WCL, WFTU, WHO (associate), WToO (associate)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court, justices appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate; Superior Courts, justices appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate; Municipal Courts, justices appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate

Legal system [time series]

based on Spanish civil code

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (28 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (54 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections : Senate - last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held 7 November 2000); House of Representatives - last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held 7 November 2000) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PNP 19, PPD 8, PIP 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PNP 37, PPD 16, PIP 1 note: Puerto Rico elects one representative to the US House of Representatives; elections last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held 7 November 2000); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PNP 1 (Carlos Romero BARCELO)

Capital (National capital) [time series]

San Juan

National holiday [time series]

US Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

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

National Republican Party of Puerto Rico, Luis FERRE; Popular Democratic Party (PPD), Hector ACEVEDO; New Progressive Party (PNP), Pedro ROSSELLO; Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP), Ruben BERRIOS Martinez; Puerto Rican Communist Party (PCP), leader(s) unknown

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

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

Suffrage [time series]

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

Military - note [time series]

defense is the responsibility of the US

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

paramilitary National Guard, Police Force

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 25% (male 485,782; female 463,226) 15-64 years: 65% (male 1,192,306; female 1,298,256) 65 years and over : 10% (male 170,170; female 218,766) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

17.21 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate [time series]

7.87 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Hispanic

Infant mortality rate [time series]

11.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages [time series]

Spanish, English

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 74.49 years male : 70.04 years female: 79.22 years (1997 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens) adjective: Puerto Rican

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population [time series]

3,828,506 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.93% (1997 est.)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant denominations and other 15%

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth : 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.08 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

none QATAR

Airports [time series]

22 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 20 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m : 7 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1996 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 14,100 km paved : 14,100 km unpaved: 0 km (1995 est.

Merchant marine [time series]

none

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Guanica, Guayanilla, Guayama, Playa de Ponce, San Juan

Railways [time series]

total: 96 km narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge, rural, narrow-gauge system for hauling sugarcane; no passenger service