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 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 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: 3,971,020 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

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Age structure: 0-14 years: 19.9% (male 404,635/female 386,733) 15-64 years: 66% (male 1,260,114/female 1,361,193) 65 years and over: 14.1% (male 240,318/female 318,027) (2009 est.)

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Median age: total: 36.2 years male: 34.5 years female: 37.9 years (2009 est.)

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Population growth rate: 0.34% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 171

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Birth rate: 12.12 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 167

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Death rate: 7.75 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

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Net migration rate: -0.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

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Urbanization: urban population: 98% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

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Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

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Infant mortality rate: total: 8.42 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 162 male: 9.69 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

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Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.53 years country comparison to the world: 42 male: 74.85 years female: 82.39 years (2009 est.)

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Total fertility rate: 1.71 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 171

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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA

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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 7,397 (1997) country comparison to the world: 115

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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) 76.2%, black 6.9%, Asian 0.3%, Amerindian 0.2%, mixed 4.4%, other 12% (2007)

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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.)

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Education expenditures: NA

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 2006-07.

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GDP (purchasing power parity): $70.23 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79 $72.03 billion (2007 est.) $73.35 billion (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

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GDP (official exchange rate): $88 billion (2008 est.)

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GDP - real growth rate: -2.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 213 -1.8% (2007 est.) 0.5% (2006 est.)

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GDP - per capita (PPP): $17,700 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70 $18,300 (2007 est.) $18,700 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

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GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 45% services: 54% (2005 est.)

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Labor force: 1.479 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 130

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Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 2.1% industry: 19% services: 79% (2005)

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Unemployment rate: 12% (2002) country comparison to the world: 137

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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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Budget: revenues: $6.7 billion expenditures: $9.6 billion (FY99/00)

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Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.5% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

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Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA

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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: 23.84 billion kWh (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

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Electricity - consumption: 22.17 billion kWh (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

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Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.)

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Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2007 est.)

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Oil - production: 1,354 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

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Oil - consumption: 215,000 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

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Oil - exports: 10,610 bbl/day (2005) country comparison to the world: 93

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Oil - imports: 230,700 bbl/day (2005) country comparison to the world: 43

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Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

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Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

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Natural gas - consumption: 736.2 million cu m (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

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Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

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Natural gas - imports: 736.2 million cu m (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

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Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

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Exports: $46.9 billion (2001) country comparison to the world: 58

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Exports - commodities: chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment

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Imports: $29.1 billion c.i.f.

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

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Debt - external: $NA

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Exchange rates: the US dollar is used