World Facts Index > Puerto Rico > San Juan
 Populated
for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the island was claimed by the Spanish Crown
in 1493 following 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.
Geography of Puerto Rico
|
Location:
|
Caribbean, island between
the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican
Republic |
|
Coordinates:
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18 15 N, 66 30 W |
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Area:
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total: 9,104 sq km
water: 145 sq km
land: 8,959 sq km |
|
Area comparative:
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slightly less than three
times the size of Rhode Island |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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501 km |
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Maritime claims:
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exclusive economic zone:
200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
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Climate:
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tropical marine, mild;
little seasonal temperature variation |
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Terrain:
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mostly mountains, with
coastal plain belt in north; mountains precipitous to sea on west coast;
sandy beaches along most coastal areas |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,338 m |
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Natural resources:
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some copper and nickel;
potential for onshore and offshore oil |
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Natural hazards:
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periodic droughts;
hurricanes |
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Environment current issues:
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erosion; occasional drought
causing water shortages |
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Geography - note:
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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
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Population of Puerto Rico
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Population:
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3,958,128 (July 2008 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 21.3% (male 428,610/female 409,484)
15-64 years: 65.8% (male 1,239,255/female 1,345,519)
65 years and over: 12.8% (male 218,045/female 286,275) |
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Median age:
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34.7 years |
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Growth rate:
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0.4% |
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Infant mortality:
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9.14 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 78.4 years
male: 74.46 years
female: 82.54 years |
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Fertility rate:
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1.75 children born/woman |
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Nationality:
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noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens)
adjective: Puerto Rican |
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Ethnic groups:
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white (mostly Spanish origin) 80.5%, black
8%, Amerindian 0.4%, Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9% |
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other
15% |
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Languages:
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Spanish, English |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 94.1%
male: 93.7%
female: 94.4%
|
Government
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Commonwealth
of Puerto Rico |
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Dependency status:
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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 |
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Government type:
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commonwealth |
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Capital:
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San Juan |
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Administrative divisions:
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there are 78 municipalities (municipios, singular - municipio) |
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Independence:
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none (commonwealth associated with the US) |
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National holiday:
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US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto
Rico Constitution Day, 25 July (1952) |
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Constitution:
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ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US
Congress 3 July 1952; effective 25 July 1952 |
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Legal system:
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based on Spanish civil code and within the
US Federal system of justice |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal; island
residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the
US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January
2001)
head of government: Governor Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (since 2 January 2005)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the legislature
elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories,
such as Puerto Rico, do not vote in elections for US president and vice
president; however, they may vote in Democratic and Republican presidential
primary elections; governor elected by popular vote for a four-year term (no
term limits). |
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Legislative branch:
|
bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (at
least 27 seats - currently 29; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (51 seats; members are directly elected
by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
note: Puerto Rico elects, by popular vote, a resident commissioner to serve a
four-year term as a nonvoting representative in the US House of Representatives; aside
from not voting on the House floor, he enjoys all the rights of a member of Congress |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court; Appellate Court; Court of First Instance
composed of two sections: a Superior Court and a Municipal Court (justices for all these
courts appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate) |
Economy
Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region.
A diverse industrial sector has far 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, with estimated arrivals of nearly 5 million tourists in 2004. Growth
fell off in 2001-03, largely due to the slowdown in the US economy, recovered
in 2004-05, but declined again in 2006-07.
|
GDP:
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$72.61 billion (2007 est.) |
|
GDP growth rate:
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2.5% |
|
GDP per capita:
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$18,600 |
|
GDP composition by sector:
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agriculture: 1%
industry: 45%
services: 54% |
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Inflation rate:
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6.5% |
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Labor force:
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1.3 million |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 3%, industry 20%, services 77% |
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Unemployment:
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12% |
|
Budget:
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revenues: $6.7 billion
expenditures: $9.6 billion |
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Electricity production by source:
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fossil fuel: 99.2%
hydro: 0.8%
other: 0% (2001) |
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Industries:
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pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food
products, tourism |
|
Agriculture:
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sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains,
bananas, livestock products, chickens |
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Exports:
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chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned
tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment |
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Export partners:
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US 90.3%, UK 1.6%, Netherlands 1.4%, Dominican Republic
1.4% |
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Imports:
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chemicals, machinery and equipment,
clothing, food, fish, petroleum products |
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Import partners:
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US 55.0%, Ireland 23.7%, Japan 5.4% |
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Currency:
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US dollar (USD) |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
Copyright 2004 - 2008 worldfacts.us |