vote - NA

Legislative branch: bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the
Senate (28 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (54 seats;
members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections : Senate - last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held 7
November 2000); House of Representatives - last held 5 November 1996
(next to be held 7 November 2000)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - PNP 19, PPD 8, PIP 1; House of Representatives - percent of
vote by party - NA; seats by party - PNP 37, PPD 16, PIP 1
note: Puerto Rico elects one representative to the US House of
Representatives; elections last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held
7 November 2000); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - PNP 1 (Carlos Romero BARCELO)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, justices appointed by the governor
with the consent of the Senate; Superior Courts, justices appointed by
the governor with the consent of the Senate; Municipal Courts,
justices appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate

Political parties and leaders: National Republican Party of Puerto
Rico, Luis FERRE; Popular Democratic Party (PPD), Hector ACEVEDO; New
Progressive Party (PNP), Pedro ROSSELLO; Puerto Rican Independence
Party (PIP), Ruben BERRIOS Martinez; Puerto Rican Communist Party
(PCP), leader(s) unknown

Political pressure groups and leaders: 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

International organization participation: Caricom (observer), ECLAC
(associate), FAO (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, WCL,
WFTU, WHO (associate), WToO (associate)

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (commonwealth associated
with the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (commonwealth associated
with the US)

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 based
on the US flag

Economy

Economy - overview: Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies
in the Caribbean region. A diverse industrial sector has surpassed
agriculture as the primary locus of economic activity and income.
En