Factbook dossier
Background
Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, Puerto Rico was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 after Christopher 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 that provided for internal self-government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and 1998, voters chose not to alter the existing political status with the US, but the results of a 2012 vote left open the possibility of American statehood. A referendum held in late 2020 showed a narrow preference for statehood. Economic recession on the island has led to a net population loss since about 2005, as large numbers of residents moved to the US mainland. In 2017, Hurricane Maria was the worst storm to hit the island in eight decades, and damage was estimated in the tens of billions of dollars.
Location
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic
Area
total : 9,104 sq km land: 8,959 sq km water: 145 sq km
Natural resources
some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil
Natural hazards
periodic droughts; hurricanes
Population
total: 2,984,841 (2025 est.) male: 1,400,771 female: 1,584,070
Ethnic groups
White 75.8%, Black/African American 12.4%, other 8.5% (includes American Indian, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian, other Pacific Islander, and others), mixed 3.3% (2010 est.) note: 99% of the population is Latino
Languages
Spanish, English major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de informaci n b sica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Roman Catholic 56%, Protestant 33% (largely Pentecostal), other 2%, atheist 1%, none 7% (2014 est.)
Environmental issues
soil erosion; occasional droughts cause water shortages; industrial pollution
Government type
unincorporated organized territory of the US with local self-government; republican form of territorial government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches; note - reference Puerto Rican Federal Relations Act, 2 March 1917, as amended by Public Law 600, 3 July 1950
Capital
name: San Juan geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 66 07 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: Spanish explorer Juan PONCE de Leon named the city in 1511 both for himself and for his name saint, Saint John
Executive branch
chief of state: President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2025) head of government: Governor Jenniffer GONZ LEZ-COL N (since 2 January 2025) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by governor with the consent of the Legislative Assembly election/appointment process: president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by an Electoral College of electors chosen from each state; president and vice president serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); under the US Constitution, residents of Puerto Rico do not vote in elections for US president and vice president, but they can vote in Democratic and Republican party presidential primary elections; governor directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 4-year term (no term limits) most recent election date: 5 November 2024 election results: 2024: Jenniffer GONZ LEZ-COL N elected governor; percent of vote - Jenniffer GONZ LEZ-COL N (PNP) 39.4%, Juan DALMAU Ram rez (PIP) 32.7%, Jes s Manuel ORTIZ (PPD) 21.1%, Javier JIM NEZ (PD) 6.7%, other 0.1% 2020: Pedro PIERLUISI elected governor; percent of vote - Pedro PIERLUISI (PNP) 32.9%, Carlos DELGADO (PPD) 31.6%, Alexandra LUGARO (independent) 14.2%, Juan DALMAU (PIP) 13.7%, other 7.6% expected date of next election: 7 November 2028
Legislative branch
legislature name: Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa) legislative structure: bicameral term in office: 4 years note: Puerto Rico directly elects 1 member by simple majority vote to serve a 4-year term as a commissioner to the US House of Representatives; the commissioner can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House but not when legislation is submitted for a 'full floor' House vote; election of commissioner last held on 6 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2022)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$141.344 billion (2024 est.) $136.926 billion (2023 est.) $136.247 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP per capita
$44,100 (2024 est.) $42,700 (2023 est.) $42,300 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.3% (2022 est.) 2.4% (2021 est.) -0.5% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Exports - partners
Italy 15%, Netherlands 15%, Belgium 9%, Japan 8%, Germany 8%, Austria 8%, Spain 7%, China 5% (2019)
Imports - partners
Ireland 38%, Singapore 9%, Switzerland 8%, South Korea 5% (2019)
Military and security forces
Puerto Rico Police; Puerto Rico (US) National Guard (Guardia Nacional de Puerto Rico or GNPR) (2025) note: the GNPR was created by order of the US Congress in June 1919; the organization traces its lineage and history to Spanish militias created in 1511 and is one of the oldest organizations in the US National Guard system