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Background:
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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 to retain commonwealth status.
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Location:
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Caribbean, island
between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east
of the Dominican Republic |
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Geographic coordinates:
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18 15 N, 66 30 W |
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Map references:
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Central
America and the Caribbean |
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Area:
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total:
9,104 sq km
water: 145 sq km
land: 8,959 sq km |
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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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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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Land use:
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arable land:
3.7%
permanent crops: 5.1%
other: 91.2% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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400 sq km (1998
est.) |
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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:
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3,897,960 (July
2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
22.4% (male 446,474; female 426,585)
15-64 years: 65.4% (male 1,220,721; female 1,329,936)
65 years and over: 12.2% (male 205,933; female 268,311)
(2004 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
33.8 years
male: 32.1 years
female: 35.4 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.49% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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14.1 births/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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7.77 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-1.46 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
8.37 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 77.49 years
male: 73.49 years
female: 81.68 years (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA% |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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7,397 (1997) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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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% (2002) |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
conventional short form: Puerto Rico |
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Dependency status:
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commonwealth
associated with the US |
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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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none
(commonwealth associated with the US); 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:
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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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Executive branch:
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chief of
state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20
January 2001)
election results: Sila M. CALDERON (PPD) elected
governor; percent of vote - 48.6%
elections: US president and vice president elected on
the same ticket for four-year terms; governor elected by
popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 7
November 2000 (next to be held 2 November 2004)
head of government: Governor Sila M. CALDERON (since 2
January 2001)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the
consent of the legislature |
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Legislative branch:
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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)
elections: Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to
be held 2 November 2004); House of Representatives - last held
7 November 2000 (next to be held 2 November 2004)
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 7 November 2000 (next
to be held 2 November 2004); results - percent of vote by
party - PPD 49.3%; seats by party - PPD 1; Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA
elected resident commissioner
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - PPD 20, PNP 8, PIP 1; House of
Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - PPD 30, PNP 20, PIP 1 |
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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) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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National
Democratic Party [Celeste BENITEZ]; National Republican Party
of Puerto Rico [Luis FERRE]; New Progressive Party or PNP
(pro-US statehood) [Pedro ROSSELLO]; Popular Democratic Party
or PPD (pro-commonwealth) [Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA]; Puerto Rican
Independence Party or PIP (pro-independence) [Ruben BERRIOS
Martinez] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Armed Forces for
National Liberation or FALN; Armed Forces of Popular
Resistance; Boricua Popular Army (also known as the Macheteros);
Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none
(commonwealth associated with the US) |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none
(commonwealth associated with the US) |
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Economy - overview:
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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 1999.
Growth fell off in 2001-03, largely due to the slowdown in the
US economy. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power
parity - $65.28 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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1.6% (2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power
parity - $16,800 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
1%
industry: 42%
services: 57% (2002 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% (2001 est.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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6.5% (2003 est.) |
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Labor force:
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1.3 million
(2002) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 3%,
industry 20%, services 77% (2000 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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12% (2002) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$6.7 billion
expenditures: $9.6 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (FY99/00) |
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Industries:
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pharmaceuticals,
electronics, apparel, food products, tourism |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA% |
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Electricity - production:
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20.9 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
99.2%
hydro: 0.8%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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19.44 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2001
est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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190,000 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - production:
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0 cu m (2001
est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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630 million cu m
(2001 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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sugarcane,
coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas, livestock products,
chickens |
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Exports:
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$46.22 billion
f.o.b. (2002) |
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Exports - commodities:
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chemicals,
electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates,
medical equipment |
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Exports - partners:
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US 90.3%, UK
1.6%, Netherlands 1.4%, Dominican Republic 1.4% (2002) |
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Imports:
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$26.46 billion
c.i.f. (2002) |
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Imports - commodities:
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chemicals,
machinery and equipment, clothing, food, fish, petroleum
products |
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Imports - partners:
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US 55.0%, Ireland
23.7%, Japan 5.4% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$NA (2001 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$NA (2001) |
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Currency:
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US dollar (USD) |
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Currency code:
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USD |
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Exchange rates:
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the US dollar is
used |
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Fiscal year:
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1 July - 30 June |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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1,329,500 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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1,211,111 (2001) |
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Telephone system:
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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; satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat; submarine cable to US |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 72, FM 17,
shortwave 0 (1998) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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6 (19 relay
stations) (2004) |
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Internet country code:
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.pr |
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Internet users:
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600,000 (2002) |
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Railways:
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total: 96
km
narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge (2002) |
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Highways:
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total:
14,400 km
paved: 14,400 km
unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.) |
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Waterways:
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none |
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Ports and harbors:
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Aguadilla,
Arecibo, Fajardo, Guanica, Guayanilla, Guayama, Mayaguez,
Playa de Ponce, San Juan |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 2
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 36,728 GRT/37,048 DWT
registered in other countries: 5 (2003 est.)
foreign-owned: United States 2
by type: container 1, roll on/roll off 1 |
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Airports:
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30 (2003 est.) |
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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 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 13
1,524 to 2, 437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 10 (2003 est.) |
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Military branches:
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no regular
indigenous military forces; paramilitary National Guard,
Police Force |
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Military - note:
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defense is the
responsibility of the US |
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Disputes - international:
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none |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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