Puerto Rico

Broadcast media

more than 30 TV stations operating; cable TV subscription services are available; roughly 125 radio stations (2007)

Internet country code

.pr

Internet users

total: 2,873,895 | percent of population: 80.3% (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 98

Telephone system

general assessment: modern system integrated with that of the US by high-capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with high-speed data capability | domestic: digital telephone system; mobile-cellular services | international: country code - 1-787, 939; submarine cables provide connectivity to the US, Caribbean, Central and South America; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (2016)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 813,546 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 23 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 86

Telephones - mobile cellular

total: 3,227,281 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 90 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 137

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $9.086 billion | expenditures: $9.684 billion (2016 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-0.6% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 57

Commercial bank prime lending rate

4% (31 December 2016 est.) | 3.3% (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 157

Debt - external

$56.82 billion (31 December 2010 est.) | $52.98 billion (31 December 2009 est.) | country comparison to the world: 62

Economy - overview

Puerto Rico had one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region until 2006; however, growth has been negative for each of the last 11 years. The downturn coincided with the phaseout of tax preferences that had led US firms to invest heavily in the Commonwealth since the 1950s, and a steep rise in the price of oil, which generates most of the island's electricity. | Diminished job opportunities prompted a sharp rise in outmigration, as many Puerto Ricans sought jobs on the US mainland. Unemployment reached 16% in 2011, but declined to 13.7% in December 2014. US minimum wage laws apply in Puerto Rico, hampering job expansion. Per capita income is about two-thirds that of the US mainland. | The industrial sector greatly exceeds agriculture as the locus of economic activity and income. Tourism has traditionally been an important source of income with estimated arrivals of more than 3.6 million tourists in 2008. Puerto Rico's merchandise trade surplus is exceptionally strong, with exports nearly 50% greater than imports, and its current account surplus about 10% of GDP. | Closing the budget deficit while restoring economic growth and employment remain the central concerns of the government. The gap between revenues and expenditures amounted to 0.6% of GDP in 2016, although analysts believe that not all expenditures have been accounted for in the budget and a better accounting of costs would yield an overall deficit of roughly 5% of GDP. Public debt declined to 92.5% of GDP in 2016, about $17,000 per person, or nearly three times the per capita debt of the State of Connecticut, the highest in the US. Much of that debt was issued by state-run schools and public corporations, including water and electric utilities. In June 2015, Governor Alejandro GARCIA Padilla announced that the island could not pay back at least $73 billion in debt and that it would seek a deal with its creditors.

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Exports

$73.2 billion (2016 est.) | $70.9 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 41

Exports - commodities

chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP (official exchange rate)

$105 billion (2016 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$128.7 billion (2016 est.) | $130.5 billion (2015 est.) | $130.6 billion (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 80

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 87.2% | government consumption: 12.3% | investment in fixed capital: 11.8% | investment in inventories: 0.5% | exports of goods and services: 115.8% | imports of goods and services: -127.6% (2016 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 0.8% | industry: 50.2% | services: 48.5% (2016 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$37,700 (2016 est.) | $38,100 (2015 est.) | $37,800 (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 47

GDP - real growth rate

-2.6% (2016 est.) | -1.1% (2015 est.) | -1.2% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 202

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% | highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$48.86 billion (2016 est.) | $48.8 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 50

Imports - commodities

chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products

Industrial production growth rate

-1.4% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 175

Industries

pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-0.3% (2016 est.) | -0.3% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 39

Labor force

1.139 million (December 2014 est) | country comparison to the world: 143

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 2.1% | industry: 19% | services: 79% (2005)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

NA%

Public debt

91.6% of GDP (2016 est.) | 95.1% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 23

Taxes and other revenues

9% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 215

Unemployment rate

11.8% (2016 est.) | 15% (December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 164

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

19 million Mt (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 82

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 181

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 181

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 186

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 184

Electricity - consumption

18.88 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 72

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 189

Electricity - from fossil fuels

94.8% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 56

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

1.6% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 141

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 173

Electricity - from other renewable sources

4.2% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 103

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 193

Electricity - installed generating capacity

6.118 million kW (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 75

Electricity - production

20.3 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 75

Electricity access

population without electricity: 357,805 | electrification - total population: 91% | electrification - urban areas: 91% | electrification - rural areas: 80% (2012)

Natural gas - consumption

2.24 billion cu m (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 84

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 172

Natural gas - imports

1.48 billion cu m (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 54

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 187

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 es) | country comparison to the world: 188

Refined petroleum products - consumption

155,000 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 68

Refined petroleum products - exports

6,274 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 90

Refined petroleum products - imports

158,800 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 44

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 190

Area

total: 9,104 sq km | land: 8,959 sq km | water: 145 sq km | country comparison to the world: 171

Area - comparative

slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island

Climate

tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature variation

Coastline

501 km

Elevation

mean elevation: 261 m | elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m | highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,338 m

Environment - current issues

soil erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages

Geographic coordinates

18 15 N, 66 30 W

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

Irrigated land

220 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

agricultural land: 22% | arable land 6.6%; permanent crops 5.6%; permanent pasture 9.8% | forest: 63.2% | other: 14.8% (2011 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm | exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards

periodic droughts; hurricanes

Natural resources

some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil

Population - distribution

population clusters tend to be found along the coast, the largest of these is found in and around San Juan; an exception to this is a sizeable population located in the interior of the island immediately south of the capital around Caguas; most of the interior, particularly in the western half of the island, is dominated by the Cordillera Central mountains, where population density is low

Terrain

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

Administrative divisions

none (territory of the US with commonwealth status); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 78 municipalities (municipios, singular - municipio) at the second order; Adjuntas, Aguada, Aguadilla, Aguas Buenas, Aibonito, Anasco, Arecibo, Arroyo, Barceloneta, Barranquitas, Bayamon, Cabo Rojo, Caguas, Camuy, Canovanas, Carolina, Catano, Cayey, Ceiba, Ciales, Cidra, Coamo, Comerio, Corozal, Culebra, Dorado, Fajardo, Florida, Guanica, Guayama, Guayanilla, Guaynabo, Gurabo, Hatillo, Hormigueros, Humacao, Isabela, Jayuya, Juana Diaz, Juncos, Lajas, Lares, Las Marias, Las Piedras, Loiza, Luquillo, Manati, Maricao, Maunabo, Mayaguez, Moca, Morovis, Naguabo, Naranjito, Orocovis, Patillas, Penuelas, Ponce, Quebradillas, Rincon, Rio Grande, Sabana Grande, Salinas, San German, San Juan, San Lorenzo, San Sebastian, Santa Isabel, Toa Alta, Toa Baja, Trujillo Alto, Utuado, Vega Alta, Vega Baja, Vieques, Villalba, Yabucoa, Yauco

Capital

name: San Juan | geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 66 07 W | time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

see United States

Constitution

previous 1900 (Organic Act, or Foraker Act); latest ratified 3 March 1952, approved 3 July 1952, effective 25 July 1952 (2016)

Country name

conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico | conventional short form: Puerto Rico | etymology: Christopher COLUMBUS named the island San Juan Bautista (Saint John the Baptist) and the capital city and main port Cuidad de Puerto Rico (Rich Port City); over time, however, the names were shortened and transposed and the island came to be called Puerto Rico and its capital San Juan

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (territory of the US)

Executive branch

chief of state: President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2017); Vice President Michael R. PENCE (since 20 January 2017) | head of government: Governor Ricardo ROSSELLO (since 2 January 2017) | cabinet: Cabinet appointed by governor with the consent of the Legislative Assembly | elections/appointments: 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; however, they may 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); election last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held in November 2020) | election results: Ricardo ROSSELLO elected governor; percent of vote - Ricardo ROSSELLO (PNP) 41.8%, David BERNIER (PPD) 38.9%, Alexandra LUGARO (independent) 11.1%, Manuel CIDRE (independent) 5.7%

Flag description

five equal horizontal bands of red (top, center, and bottom) alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bears a large, white, five-pointed star in the center; the white star symbolizes Puerto Rico; the three sides of the triangle signify the executive, legislative and judicial parts of the government; blue stands for the sky and the coastal waters; red symbolizes the blood shed by warriors, while white represents liberty, victory, and peace | note: design initially influenced by the US flag, but similar to the Cuban flag, with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed

Government type

presidential democracy; a self-governing commonwealth in political association with the US

Independence

none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

civil law system based on the Spanish civil code and within the framework of the US federal system

Legislative branch

description: bicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa consists of the Senate or Senado (27 seats; 16 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 11 at-large members directly elected by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms); the House of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (51 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms) | elections: Senate - last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held on 3 November 2020); House of Representatives - last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held on 3 November 2020) | election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PNP 21, PPD 7, PIP 1, Independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PNP 34, PPD 16, PIP 1 | 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 8 November 2016 (next to be held on 6 November 2018)

National anthem

name: "La Borinquena" (The Puerto Rican) | lyrics/music: Manuel Fernandez JUNCOS/Felix Astol ARTES | note: music adopted 1952, lyrics adopted 1977; the local anthem's name is a reference to the indigenous name of the island, Borinquen; the music was originally composed as a dance in 1867 and gained popularity in the early 20th century; there is some evidence that the music was written by Francisco RAMIREZ; as a commonwealth of the US, "The Star-Spangled Banner" is official (see United States)

National holiday

US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico Constitution Day, 25 July (1952)

National symbol(s)

Puerto Rican spindalis (bird), coqui (frog); national colors: red, white, blue

Political parties and leaders

National Democratic Party [Charlie RODRIGUEZ] | National Republican Party of Puerto Rico [Jenniffer GONZALEZ] | New Progressive Party or PNP [Ricardo ROSSELLO] (pro-US statehood) | Popular Democratic Party or PPD [Alejandro GARCIA Padillo] (pro-commonwealth) | Puerto Rican Independence Party or PIP [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez] (pro-independence)

Political pressure groups and leaders

Boricua Popular Army or EPB (a revolutionary group also known as Los Macheteros)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal; note - island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Background

Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the island was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following Christopher 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 with the US, but the results of a 2012 vote left open the possibility of American statehood. Economic recession on the island has led to a net population loss since about 2005, as large numbers of residents moved to the US mainland. The trend has accelerated since 2010; in 2014, Puerto Rico experienced a net population loss to the mainland of 64,000, more than double the net loss of 26,000 in 2010. Hurricane Maria struck the island on 20 September 2017 causing catastrophic damage including destruction of the electrical grid that had been cripled by Hurricane Irma just two weeks before. It was the worst storm to hit the island in eight decades and damage is estimated in the tens of billions of dollars.

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Military branches

no regular indigenous military forces; paramilitary National Guard, Police Force

Age structure

0-14 years: 15.77% (male 270,656/female 258,073) | 15-24 years: 13.71% (male 233,667/female 225,812) | 25-54 years: 38.1% (male 607,954/female 669,149) | 55-64 years: 12.93% (male 198,720/female 234,713) | 65 years and over: 19.48% (male 281,413/female 371,670) (2017 est.)

Birth rate

8.1 births/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 222

Death rate

8.6 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 76

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 49.6 | youth dependency ratio: 27.9 | elderly dependency ratio: 21.7 | potential support ratio: 4.6 (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 93.6% of population | rural: 93.6% of population | total: 93.6% of population | urban: 6.4% of population | rural: 6.4% of population | total: 6.4% of population (2001 est.)

Education expenditures

6.4% of GDP (2013)

Ethnic groups

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% | note: 99% of the population is Latino (2010 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

total: 6.4 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 7 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 5.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 166

Languages

Spanish, English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 80.9 years | male: 77.6 years | female: 84.4 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 32

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 93.3% | male: 92.8% | female: 93.8% (2015 est.)

Major infectious diseases

note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus (2016)

Major urban areas - population

SAN JUAN (capital) 2.463 million (2015)

Maternal mortality ratio

14 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 139

Median age

total: 41.5 years | male: 39.5 years | female: 43.2 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 52

Nationality

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

Net migration rate

-16.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 218

Population

3,351,827 (July 2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 134

Population distribution

population clusters tend to be found along the coast, the largest of these is found in and around San Juan; an exception to this is a sizeable population located in the interior of the island immediately south of the capital around Caguas; most of the interior, particularly in the western half of the island, is dominated by the Cordillera Central mountains, where population density is low

Population growth rate

-1.74% (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 234

Religions

Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%

Sanitation facility access

urban: 99.3% of population | rural: 99.3% of population | total: 99.3% of population | urban: 0.7% of population | rural: 0.7% of population | total: 0.7% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 14 years | male: 13 years | female: 15 years (2014)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 0.92 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.83 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female | total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.22 children born/woman (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 220

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 26.6% | male: 28.9% | female: 23.1% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 33

Urbanization

urban population: 93.5% of total population (2017) | rate of urbanization: -0.03% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Disputes - international

increasing numbers of illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage to Puerto Rico each year looking for work

Airports

29 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 119

Airports - with paved runways

total: 17 | over 3,047 m: 2 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 | 914 to 1,523 m: 7 | under 914 m: 5 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 12 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 | 914 to 1,523 m: 1 | under 914 m: 10 (2013)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Ensenada Honda, Mayaguez, Playa de Guayanilla, Playa de Ponce, San Juan | container port(s) (TEUs): San Juan (1,484,595) | LNG terminal(s) (import): Guayanilla Bay

Roadways

total: 26,862 km (includes 454 km of expressways) (2012) | country comparison to the world: 99