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 U.S. as a result of the Spanish-American War.

Puerto Ricans were granted U.S. 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 not to alter the existing political status.

Source: CIA World Fact Book

Population: 3,944,259 (July 2007 est.)

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Age structure: 0-14 years: 21% (male 422,635/female 403,887) 15-64 years: 65.9% (male 1,247,314/female 1,352,139) 65 years and over: 13.1% (male 223,508/female 294,776) (2007 est.)

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Median age: total: 35.1 years male: 33.4 years female: 36.8 years (2007 est.)

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Population growth rate: 0.393% (2007 est.)

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Birth rate: 12.79 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Death rate: 7.78 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Net migration rate: -1.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.046 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.922 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.758 male(s)/female total population: 0.923 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

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Infant mortality rate: total: 7.81 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.71 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

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Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.54 years male: 74.6 years female: 82.67 years (2007 est.)

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Total fertility rate: 1.77 children born/woman (2007 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA

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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 7,397 (1997)

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HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

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Nationality: noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens) adjective: Puerto Rican

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Ethnic groups: white (mostly Spanish origin) 80.5%, black 8%, Amerindian 0.4%, Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9%

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Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%

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Languages: Spanish, English

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Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.1% male: 93.9% female: 94.4% (2002 est.)

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 2004. Growth fell off in 2001-03, largely due to the slowdown in the US economy, recovered in 2004-05, but declined again in 2006.

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GDP (purchasing power parity): $75.82 billion (2006 est.)

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GDP (official exchange rate): NA (2006 est.)

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GDP - real growth rate: 0.5% (2006 est.)

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GDP - per capita (PPP): $19,300 (2006 est.)

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GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 45% services: 54% (2002 est.)

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Labor force: 1.3 million (2000)

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Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 3% industry: 20% services: 77% (2000 est.)

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Unemployment rate: 12% (2002)

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Population below poverty line: NA%

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Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

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Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.5% (2003 est.)

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Budget: revenues: $6.7 billion expenditures: $9.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00)

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Agriculture - products: sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas; livestock products, chickens

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Industries: pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, tourism

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Industrial production growth rate: NA%

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Electricity - production: 24.14 billion kWh (2004)

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Electricity - consumption: 22.45 billion kWh (2004)

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Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2004)

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Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2004)

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Oil - production: 721.8 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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Oil - consumption: 234,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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Oil - exports: NA bbl/day

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Oil - imports: NA bbl/day

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Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl

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Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - consumption: 680 million cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - imports: 680 million cu m (2004 est.)

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Exports: $46.9 billion f.o.b. (2001) Exports - commodities: chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment

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Exports - partners: US 90.3%, UK 1.6%, Netherlands 1.4%, Dominican Republic 1.4% (2006)

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Imports: $29.1 billion c.i.f. (2001)

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Imports - commodities: chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products

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Imports - partners: US 55.0%, Ireland 23.7%, Japan 5.4% (2006)

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Debt - external: $NA

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Economic aid - recipient: $NA

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Currency (code): US dollar (USD)

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Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

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Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June