eader

Affiliation:
(commonwealth associated with the US)

*Puerto Rico, Geography

Location:
in the North Atlantic Ocean, between the Dominican Republic and the Virgin
Islands group
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total area:
9,104 km2
land area:
8,959 km2
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)
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 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
many small rivers and high central mountains ensure land is well watered;
south coast relatively dry; fertile coastal plain belt in north
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

*Puerto Rico, People

Population:
3,797,082 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.13% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
16.93 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
7.88 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
-7.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
14 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
73.84 years
male:
70.25 years
female:
77.61 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.08 children born/woman (1993 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