The Facts

COMMONWEALTH OF PUERTO RICO

Status: Commonwealth

Governor: Aníbal Acevedo Vilá (2005)

Capital and largest city (2002 est.): San Juan, 433,412

Other large cities: Bayamón, 224,670; Ponce, 186,112; Carolina, 187,468

Land area: 3,459 sq mi (8,959 sq km); total area: 3,515 sq mi (9,104 sq km)

Population (2006 est.): 3,927,188 (growth rate: 0.4%); birth rate: 12.8/1000; infant mortality rate: 9.1/1000; life expectancy: 78.4; density per sq mi: 1,135. Monetary unit: U.S. dollar

Languages: Spanish and English (both official)

Ethnicity/race: white (mostly Spanish origin) 80.5%, black 8%, Amerindian 0.4%, Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9%

Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%

Literacy rate: 94.1% (2002)

Economic summary:

GDP/PPP(2007 est.): $77.41 billion; per capita $19,600

Real growth rate:1.2%.

Inflation: 6.5% (2003 est.).

Unemployment: 12% (2002).

Arable land: 4%.

Agriculture:sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas; livestock products, chickens.

Labor force:1.3 million (2000); agriculture 3%, industry 20%, services 77% (2000 est.). Industries: pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, tourism.

Natural resources: some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil.

Exports:$46.9 billion (f.o.b., 2001): chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment.

Imports: $29.1 billion (c.i.f., 2001): chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products.

Major trading partners: U.S., UK, Netherlands, Dominican Republic, Ireland, Japan (2004).

Communications:

Telephones:main lines in use: 1.038 million (2005); mobile cellular: 3.354 million (2005).

Radio broadcast stations: AM 74, FM 53, shortwave 0 (2005).

Radios: 2.7 million (1997).

Television broadcast stations: 32 (2006).

Televisions:1.021 million (1997).

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 413 (2007).

Internet users: 915,600 (2005).