Economy
Economy overview: According to sunglassestracker, Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean. The diversified industrial sector has far surpassed agriculture as a field of economic activity and a source of income. Encouraged by US duty-free imports and tax breaks, US firms have made large investments in Puerto Rico’s economy since the 1950s. US minimum wage laws apply. Sugar production has given way to the production of dairy products and other livestock products as the main source of income for the agricultural sector. Tourism remains a traditional source of income; in 1999, approximately 5 million tourists arrived. The outlook for 2001 is clouded by a likely slowdown in the tourism and construction sectors and rising inflation, especially in energy and food prices;
GDP: at purchasing power parity – $39 billion (2000 est.).
Real GDP growth rate: 2.8% (2000 est.).
GDP per capita: at purchasing power parity – $10,000 (2000 est.).
The composition of GDP by sectors of the economy: agriculture: 1%; industry: 45%; services: 54% (1999 est.).
Proportion of the population below the poverty line: no data available.
Percentage distribution of household income or consumption: 10% of the poorest households account for: n/a; 10% of the wealthiest families account for: no data.
Inflation rate at consumer prices: 5.7% (2000 est.).
Labor force: 1.3 million people (2000).
Employment structure: agriculture 3%, industry 20%, services 77% (2000 est.).
Unemployment rate: 9.5% (2000).
Budget: revenues: $6.7 billion; expenditures: $9.6 billion, including capital expenditures – NA (FY99-2000).
Spheres of economy: pharmaceutical industry, electronic industry, clothing, food production; tourism.
Growth in industrial production: no data available.
Electricity generation: 16.76 billion kWh (1999)
Sources of electricity generation: fossil fuels: 98.45%; hydropower: 1.55%; nuclear fuel: 0%; others: 0% (1999).
Electricity consumption: 15.587 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity export: 0 kWh (1999).
Electricity import: 0 kWh (1999).
Agricultural products: sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, bananas; livestock, chickens.
Export: $38.5 billion (free on board, 2000)
Exports: medicines, electronics, clothing, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment.
Export partners: USA 88% (2000).
Imports: $27 billion (s.i. f “2000).
Imports: chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products.
Import partners: USA 60% (2000).
External debt: no data. Recipient of economic assistance: no data.
Economic aid donor:
Currency: US dollar.
Currency code: USD.
Exchange rate: US dollar is used.
Fiscal year: July 1-June 30.
Population
Population: 3,937,316 (July 2001 est.).
Age structure: under 14: 23.73% (male 478,441; female 455,800); 15 to 64 years old: 65.72% (male 1,242,245; female 1,345,421); over 65: 10.55% (male 177,083 female 238,326) (2001 est.).
Population growth: 0.54% (2001 est.).
Birth rate: 15.26 newborns / 1000 people. (2001 est.).
Mortality: 7.77 deaths / 1000 people. (2001 est.).
Migration: -2.13 people /1000 people (2001 est.).
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male/female; under 15: 1.05 male/female; from 15 to 64 years old: 0.92 male/female; over 65: 0.74 male/female; for the general population: 0.93 male/female (2001 est.);
Child mortality: 9.51 deaths/1000 live births (2001 est.).
Life expectancy: for the general population: 75.76 years; men: 71.28 years; women: 80.48 years (2001 est.).
General birth rate: 1.9 children/wives. (2001 est.).
Proportion of the adult population infected with HIV: no data available.
Number of people infected with HIV: no data.
Mortality due to AIDS: no data available.
Nationality: noun: Puerto Rican (US citizen); adjective: Puerto Rican.
Ethnic groups: no data.
Believers: Catholics 85%, Protestants and others 15%.
Language(s): Spanish, English.
Literacy: definition: persons aged 15 and over who can read and write; for the general population: 89%; men: 90%; women: 88% (1980 est.).
Telecommunications
Telecommunications Telephone lines: 1.322 million (1997).
Mobile Cell Phones: 169,265 (1996).
Telephone system: State of the art system integrated with US telephone system via high bandwidth submarine cable and Intelsat high speed data transmission system; internal: digital telephone system; cellular mobile service; international: ground satellite station – 1 Intelsat; submarine cable to the USA.
Broadcast stations: AM – 72, FM – 17, shortwave – 0 (1998).
Radio receivers: 2.7 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 18 (and 3 U.S. military radio and television stations) (1997).
Televisions: 1.021 million (1997)
Internet Country Code: pr
Internet Service Providers: 76 (2000).
Number of users: 110,000 (2000).
Transport
Transport Railways: total: 96 km; narrow gauge: 96 km (1,000 m gauge), roads in rural areas are used for the transport of sugar cane; passenger transportation is not carried out.
Roads: total: 14,400 km; coated: 14,400 km; unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.).
Ports and harbours: Guanica, Guayama, Guayanilla, Playa de Ponce, San Juan.
Merchant fleet: none (2000 est.).
Airports: 28 (2000 est.).
Airports with paved runways: total: 19; over 3,047 m: 3; from 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3; from 914 to 1523 m:7; less than 914 m: 6 (2000 est.).
Airports with unpaved runways: total: 9; from 914 to 1523 m:2; less than 914 m: 7 (2000 est.).
Armed forces
Branches of the armed forces: paramilitary national guard, police forces. Military – note: US is responsible for defense.
