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Motto: |
Joannes Est Nomen Eius (John is his name) |
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History |
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. |
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Geography |
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Location: |
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean
Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic .
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Geographic
coordinates: |
18 15 N, 66 30
W |
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Area: |
total: 13,790 sq km
land: 8,870 sq km
water: 4,921 sq km |
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Coastline |
501 km
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Maritime
claims: |
Territorial
sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
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Climate |
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tropical marine, mild;
little seasonal temperature variation |
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Terrain: |
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: |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,339 m
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Natural Resources: |
Some
copper and
nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil |
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Land
use: |
Arable land: 3.69%
permanent crops: 5.59%
other: 90.72% (2005)
Irrigated 400 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural
hazards: |
Periodic
droughts; hurricanes |
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Environment - current issues: |
erosion; occasional drought causing water
shortages |
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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 |
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People |
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Population: |
3,971,020 (July 2009 est.) |
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Nationality: |
Noun:
Puerto Rican (s) (US citizens)
adjective: Puerto Rican |
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Age structure: |
0-14 years: 19.9% (male 404,635/female
386,733)
15-64 years: 66% (male 1,260,114/female 1,361,193)
65 years and over: 14.1% (male 240,318/female 318,027) (2009 est.)
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Population growth rate: |
0.34% (2009 est. |
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Birth rate: |
12.12 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) |
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Death rate: |
7.75 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009
est.) |
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Net migration rate: |
-0.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009
est.) |
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Urbanization: |
urban population: 98% of total population
(2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.) |
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Sex ratio: |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2009 est.) |
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Nationality: |
noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens)
adjective: Puerto Rican |
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Ethnic Groups: |
White
(mostly Spanish origin) 80.5%, black 8%, Amerindian 0.4%, Asian 0.2%,
mixed and other 10.9% |
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Religion: |
white (mostly Spanish origin) 76.2%, black
6.9%, Asian 0.3%, Amerindian 0.2%, mixed 4.4%, other 12% (2007) |
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Languages: |
Spanish, English
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Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and over can read and
write
total population: 94.1%
male: 93.9%
female: 94.4% (2002 est.)
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Government |
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Country Name: |
Conventional long form:
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico .conventional short form: Puerto Rico
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Dependency Status: |
Commonwealth associated with
the US
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Government Type: |
Commonwealth |
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Capital: |
San Juan
geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 66 07 W |
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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 |
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Independence: |
none (territory of the US with commonwealth
status) |
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National holidays: |
US Independence Day, 4 July
(1776); Puerto Rico Constitution Day, 25 July (1952) |
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Constitution: |
Ratified 3 March 1952;
approved by US Congress 3 July 1952; effective 25 July 1952 |
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Legal
system: |
Based on Spanish civil code
and within the US Federal system of justice. |
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Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal;
island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential
elections |
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Executive branch: |
chief of state: President Barack H. OBAMA
(since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20
January 2009)
head of government: Governor Luis FORTUNO (since 2 January 2009)
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 party presidential primary elections; governor elected by
popular vote for a four-year term (no term limits); election last held 4
November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012)
election results: Luis FORTUNO elected governor with 52.8% of the vote
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Legislative branch: |
bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of
the Senate (at least 27 seats; members are directly elected by popular
vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (51
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held November
2012); House of Representatives - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be
held in November 2012)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PNP 81.5%, PPD
18.5%; seats by party - PNP 22, PPD 5; House of Representatives -
percent of vote by party - PNP 72.5%, PPD 27.5%; seats by party - PNP
37, PPD 1
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; elections last held 4 November 2008
(next to be held in November 2012); results - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - PNP 1 |
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Judicial branch: |
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)
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Political parties and leaders: |
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) |
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International organization participation:
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Caricom (observer), Interpol (subbureau),
IOC, ITUC, UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WFTU |
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Flag
description: |
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 |
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Economy |
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Overview: |
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, but slowly recovered in 2004-5, but declined again in 2006-7. |
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GDP
Purchasing power parity
(PPP): |
$70.23 billion (2008 est.) |
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GDP -
real growth rate: |
-2.5% (2008 est.) |
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GDP (official exchange rate): |
$88 billion (2008 est.) |
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GDP -
per capita: |
$17,700 (2008 est.) |
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GDP -
composition by sector: |
agriculture: 1% industry:
45% services: 54% (2005 est.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
6.5% (2003 est.) |
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Labor
force: |
1.479 million (2007) |
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Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture: 2.1%
industry: 19%
services: 79% (2005) |
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Unemployment rate: |
12% (2002) |
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Budget: |
Revenues: $6.7 billion
expenditures: $9.6 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (FY99/00)
Agriculture & Industrial products: |
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Agriculture: |
sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains,
bananas; livestock products, chickens |
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Industries: |
pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food
products, tourism |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA% |
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Exports: |
$46.9 billion f.o.b. (2001)
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Exports
- commodities: |
chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned
tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment |
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Imports: |
$29.1 billion c.i.f. |
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Imports -
commodities: |
chemicals, machinery and equipment,
clothing, food, fish, petroleum products |
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Currency: |
US dollar (USD) |
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Communications |
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Telephones - main lines in use: |
1.038 million (2008) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular: |
3.354 million (2005) |
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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; cellular telephone service
international: country code - 1-787, 939; submarine cables provide
connectivity to the US, Caribbean, Central and South America; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat |
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Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 74, FM 53, shortwave 0 (2008) |
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Television broadcast stations: |
34 (2008) |
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Internet country code: |
.pr |
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Internet hosts: |
404 (2008) |
Internet country code:
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.pr |
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Internet users: |
1 million (2007) |
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Transportation |
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Railways: |
Total: 96 km |
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Highways: |
Total: 26,186 km
paved: 24,877 km (includes 427 km of expressways)
unpaved: 1,309 km (2007) |
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Ports
and harbors: |
Guayanilla, Mayaguez, San
Juan |
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Merchant marine: |
total: 3
by type: roll on/roll off 3
foreign-owned: 3 (US 3)
registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1)
(2008) |
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Airports: |
29 (2009) Main airport is Luis Munoz Marin
International Airport |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 17
over 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 5 (2009) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 12
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 10 (2009) |
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Military |
no regular indigenous military forces;
paramilitary National Guard, Police Force
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US |
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Items of Interest |
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National Anthem: |
Since Puerto
Rico is a Commonwealth of the United States, the "official" anthem is "The
Star Spangled Banner", but the local anthem entitled "La
Borinqueña" is
more often heard on the island and is more identified with / by the
people. "La Borinqueña was officially adopted in 1952 when Puerto Rico
became a Commonwealth. LYRICS
La tierra de Borinquén
donde he nacido yo,
es un jardín florido
de mágico fulgor.
Un cielo siempre nítido
le sirve de dosel
y dan arrullos plácidos
las olas a sus pies.
Cuando a sus playas llegó Colón;
Exclamó lleno de admiración;
"Oh!, oh!, oh!, esta es la linda
tierra que busco yo".
Es Borinquén la hija,
la hija del mar y el sol,
del mar y el sol,
del mar y el sol,
del mar y el sol,
del mar y el sol.
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
The land of Borinquen,
where I was born,
is a flower-garden
of magical brilliance.
An ever-clear sky
is its canopy,
and the waves sing lullabies
at its feet.
When Columbus reached these beaches,
full of awe he exclaimed,
"This is the lovely land
that I seek."
Borinquén is the daughter
of the sea and the sun.
the sea and the sun.
the sea and the sun.
the sea and the sun.
the sea and the sun. |
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Favourite Local Cuisine: |
Aroz con Gandulez and Pernil (a dish made
with rice and pigeon peas and pork shoulder) |
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