home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Wayzata World Factbook 1995
/
World Factbook - 1995 Edition - Wayzata Technology (1995).iso
/
mac
/
text
/
Build
/
CIATXTpc
/
PUERTO_R.TXT
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1994-11-29
|
10KB
|
346 lines
Puerto Rico
Header
Affiliation:
(commonwealth associated with the US)
Geography
Location:
Caribbean, in the North Caribbean Sea, between the Dominican Republic
and the Virgin Islands group
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total area:
9,104 sq km
land area:
8,959 sq km
comparative area:
slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
501 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
24 nm
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
none
Climate:
tropical marine, mild, little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:
mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north; mountains
precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal
areas
Natural resources:
some copper and nickel, potential for onshore and offshore crude oil
Land use:
arable land:
8%
permanent crops:
9%
meadows and pastures:
41%
forest and woodland:
20%
other:
22%
Irrigated land:
390 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
NA
natural hazards:
NA
international agreements:
NA
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
People
Population:
3,801,977 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.13% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
16.5 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
7.93 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
-7.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
13.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
73.95 years
male:
70.42 years
female:
77.65 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.04 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Puerto Rican(s)
adjective:
Puerto Rican
Ethnic divisions:
Hispanic
Religions:
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant denominations and other 15%
Languages:
Spanish (official), English widely understood
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
89%
male:
90%
female:
88%
Labor force:
1.17 million (1992)
by occupation:
government 20%, manufacturing 14%, trade 17%, construction 5%,
communications and transportation 5%, other 39% (1992)
Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
conventional short form:
Digraph:
RQ
Type:
commonwealth associated with the US
Capital:
San Juan
Administrative divisions:
none (commonwealth associated with the US), note: there are 78
municipalities
Independence:
none (commonwealth associated with the US)
National holiday:
US Independence Day, 4 July (1776)
Constitution:
ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US Congress 3 July 1952; effective
25 July 1952
Legal system:
based on Spanish civil code
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but
do not vote in US presidential elections
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Vice
President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993)
head of government:
Governor Pedro ROSSELLO (since NA January 1993); election last held 3
November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - Pedro
ROSSELLO (PND) 50%, Victoria MUNOZ (PPD) 46%, Fernando MARTIN (PIP) 4%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Legislative Assembly
Senate:
elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November
1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (27 total) seats
by party NA
House of Representatives:
elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November
1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (53 total) seats
by party NA
US House of Representatives:
elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November
1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) seats
by party NA; note - Puerto Rico elects one representative to the US
House of Representatives, Carlos Romero BARCELO
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
National Republican Party of Puerto Rico, Freddy VALENTIN; Popular
Democratic Party (PPD), Rafael HERNANDEZ Colon; New Progressive Party
(PNP), Carlos ROMERO Barcelo; Puerto Rican Socialist Party (PSP), Juan
MARI Bras and Carlos GALLISA; Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP),
Ruben BERRIOS Martinez; Puerto Rican Communist Party (PCP), leader(s)
unknown
Other political or pressure groups:
all have engaged in terrorist activities - 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
Member of:
CARICOM (observer), ECLAC (associate), FAO (associate), ICFTU,
INTERPOL (subbureau), IOC, WCL, WFTU, WHO (associate), WTO (associate)
Diplomatic representation in US:
none (commonwealth associated with the US)
US diplomatic representation:
none (commonwealth associated with the US)
Flag:
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
Economy
Overview:
Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean
region. Industry has surpassed agriculture as the primary sector 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. Important industries
include pharmaceuticals, electronics, textiles, petrochemicals, and
processed foods. 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
million tourists in 1989. Unemployment remains a severe problem at
18%.
National product:
GNP - purchasing power equivalent - $26.8 billion (1992 est.)
National product real growth rate:
NA%
National product per capita:
$7,100 (1992 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.1% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate:
18% (1993 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
$5.8 billion
expenditures:
$5.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $258 million (1989
est.)
Exports:
$21.8 billion (1992)
commodities:
pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage
concentrates, medical equipment, instruments
partners:
US 88.3% (1990)
Imports:
$14.8 billion (1992)
commodities:
chemicals, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products
partners:
US 68.8% (1990)
External debt:
$NA
Industrial production:
growth rate 1.2% (FY92)
Electricity:
capacity:
5,040,000 kW
production:
16.1 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
4,260 kWh (1992)
Industries:
manufacturing accounts for 55.5% of GDP: manufacturing of
pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, instruments;
tourism
Agriculture:
accounts for only 3% of labor force and less than 2% of GDP: crops -
sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas; livestock - cattle,
chickens; imports a large share of food needs (1992)
Economic aid:
none
Currency:
1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
US currency is used
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
Communications
Railroads:
96 km rural narrow-gauge system for hauling sugarcane; no passenger
railroads
Highways:
total:
13,762 km
paved:
13,762 km (1982)
Ports:
San Juan, Ponce, Mayaguez, Arecibo
Airports:
total:
30
usable:
23
with permanent-surface runways:
19
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
3
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
5
Telecommunications:
modern system, integrated with that of the US by high capacity
submarine cable and INTELSAT with high-speed data capability; digital
telephone system with about 1 million lines; cellular telephone
service; broadcast stations - 50 AM, 63 FM, 9 TV; cable television
available with US programs (1990)
Defense Forces
Branches:
paramilitary National Guard, Police Force
Note:
defense is the responsibility of the US