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.

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

18 15 N, 66 30 W

Central America and the Caribbean

slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island

0 km

501 km

tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature variation

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

some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil

400 sq km (2003)

periodic droughts; hurricanes

erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages

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

3,977,663 (July 2010 est.)

0.279% (2010 est.)

11.65 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

7.96 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

-0.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

1.65 children born/woman (2010 est.)

NA

7,397 (1997)

NA

white (mostly Spanish origin) 76.2%, black 6.9%, Asian 0.3%, Amerindian 0.2%, mixed 4.4%, other 12% (2007)

Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%

Spanish, English

NA

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

commonwealth

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

none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)

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

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

based on Spanish civil code and within the US Federal system of justice

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

bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (at least 27 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (51 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

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)

National Democratic Party [Roberto PRATS]; National Republican Party of Puerto Rico [Dr. Tiody FERRE]; New Progressive Party or PNP [Pedro ROSSELLO] (pro-US statehood); Popular Democratic Party or PPD [Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA] (pro-commonwealth); Puerto Rican Independence Party or PIP [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez] (pro-independence)

Boricua Popular Army or EPB (a revolutionary group also known as Los Macheteros); note - the following radical groups are considered dormant by Federal law enforcement: Armed Forces for National Liberation or FALN, Armed Forces of Popular Resistance, Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution

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

none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)

none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)

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 initially influenced by the US flag, but similar to the Cuban flag, with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed

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 more than 3.6 million tourists in 2008. Growth fell off in 2001-03, largely due to the slowdown in the US economy, recovered in 2004-05, but declined again in 2006-08.

$68.14 billion (2009 est.)

$70.91 billion (2008 est.)

$72.72 billion (2007 est.)

$87.79 billion (2009 est.)

-3.9% (2009 est.)

-2.5% (2008 est.)

-2% (2007 est.)

$17,200 (2009 est.)

$17,900 (2008 est.)

$18,500 (2007 est.)

1.479 million (2007)

12% (2002)

NA%

6.5% (2003 est.)

$NA

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

pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, tourism

NA%

23.72 billion kWh (2007 est.)

22.06 billion kWh (2007 est.)

0 kWh (2008 est.)

0 kWh (2008 est.)

1,354 bbl/day (2008 est.)

185,300 bbl/day (2008 est.)

16,520 bbl/day (2007 est.)

225,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

806.6 million cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

806.6 million cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

$46.9 billion (2001)

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

$29.1 billion c.i.f. (2001)

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

$NA

the US dollar is used

1.038 million (2008)

3.354 million (2005)

AM 74, FM 53, shortwave 0 (2008)

34 (2008)

.pr

700 (2009)

1 million (2008)

29 (2009)

Guayanilla, Mayaguez, San Juan

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

defense is the responsibility of the US

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