Legend:
 Definition
 Field Listing
 Rank Order
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Background:
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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 to retain commonwealth status.
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Population:
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3,916,632 (July 2005 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 22% (male 441,594/female 421,986)
15-64 years: 65.5% (male 1,228,583/female 1,337,066)
65 years and over: 12.4% (male 211,283/female 276,120) (2005 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 34.23 years
male: 32.5 years
female: 35.87 years (2005 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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0.47% (2005 est.)
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Birth rate:
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13.93 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
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Death rate:
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7.86 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
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Net migration rate:
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-1.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 8.24 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.52 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 78.29 years
male: 74.35 years
female: 82.43 years (2005 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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1.91 children born/woman (2005 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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7,397 (1997)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA
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Nationality:
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noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens)
adjective: Puerto Rican
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Ethnic groups:
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white (mostly Spanish origin) 80.5%, black 8%, Amerindian 0.4%, Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9%
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%
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Languages:
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Spanish, English
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Literacy:
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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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Country name:
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conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
conventional short form: Puerto Rico
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Dependency status:
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commonwealth associated with the US
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Government type:
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commonwealth
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Capital:
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San Juan
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Administrative divisions:
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none (commonwealth associated with the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 78 municipalities (municipios, singular - municipio) at the second order; Adjuntas, Aguada, Aguadilla, Aguas Buenas, Aibonito, Anasco, Arecibo, Arroyo, Barceloneta, Barranquitas, Bayamon, Cabo Rojo, Caguas, Camuy, Canovanas, Carolina, Catano, Cayey, Ceiba, Ciales, Cidra, Coamo, Comerio, Corozal, Culebra, Dorado, Fajardo, Florida, Guanica, Guayama, Guayanilla, Guaynabo, Gurabo, Hatillo, Hormigueros, Humacao, Isabela, Jayuya, Juana Diaz, Juncos, Lajas, Lares, Las Marias, Las Piedras, Loiza, Luquillo, Manati, Maricao, Maunabo, Mayaguez, Moca, Morovis, Naguabo, Naranjito, Orocovis, Patillas, Penuelas, Ponce, Quebradillas, Rincon, Rio Grande, Sabana Grande, Salinas, San German, San Juan, San Lorenzo, San Sebastian, Santa Isabel, Toa Alta, Toa Baja, Trujillo Alto, Utuado, Vega Alta, Vega Baja, Vieques, Villalba, Yabucoa, Yauco
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Independence:
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none (commonwealth associated with the US)
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National holiday:
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US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico Constitution Day, 25 July (1952)
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Constitution:
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ratified 3 March 1952, approved by US Congress 3 July 1952, effective 25 July 1952
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Legal system:
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based on Spanish civil code and within the US Federal system of justice
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal; island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001)
head of government: Governor Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (since 2 January 2005)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the legislature
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008)
election results: Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (PPD) elected governor; percent of vote - 48.4%
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Legislative branch:
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bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (at least 27 seats - currently 29; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (51 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008); House of Representatives - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PNP 43.4%, PPD 40.3%, PIP 9.4%; seats by party - PNP 17, PPD 9, PIP 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PNP 46.3%, PPD 43.1%, PIP 9.7%; seats by party - PNP 32, PPD 18, PIP 1
note: Puerto Rico elects, by popular vote, a resident commissioner to serve a four-year term as a nonvoting representative in the US House of Representatives; aside from not voting on the House floor, he enjoys all the rights of a member of Congress; elections last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008); results - percent of vote by party - PNP 48.6%; seats by party - PNP 1; Luis FORTUNO elected resident commissioner
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court; Appellate Court; Court of First Instance composed of two sections: a Superior Court and a Municipal Court (justices for all these courts appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate)
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Political parties and leaders:
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National Democratic Party [Celeste BENITEZ]; National Republican Party of Puerto Rico [Dr. Tiody FERRE]; New Progressive Party or PNP (pro-US statehood) [Pedro ROSSELLO]; Popular Democratic Party or PPD (pro-commonwealth) [Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA]; Puerto Rican Independence Party or PIP (pro-independence) [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez]
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Armed Forces for National Liberation or FALN; Armed Forces of Popular Resistance; Boricua Popular Army (also known as the Macheteros); Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution
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International organization participation:
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ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WToO (associate)
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none (commonwealth associated with the US)
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none (commonwealth associated with the US)
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Flag description:
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five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bears a large, white, five-pointed star in the center; design initially influenced by the US flag, but similar to the Cuban flag, with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed
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Economy - overview:
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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 1999. Growth fell off in 2001-03, largely due to the slowdown in the US economy, and has recovered in 2004.
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$68.95 billion (2004 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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2.7% (2004 est.)
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $17,700 (2004 est.)
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 1%
industry: 45%
services: 54% (2002 est.)
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Labor force:
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1.3 million (2000)
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 3%, industry 20%, services 77% (2000 est.)
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Unemployment rate:
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12% (2002)
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Population below poverty line:
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NA
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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6.5% (2003 est.)
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Budget:
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revenues: $6.7 billion
expenditures: $9.6 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (FY99/00)
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Agriculture - products:
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sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas, livestock products, chickens
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Industries:
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pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, tourism
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA%
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Electricity - production:
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22.09 billion kWh (2002)
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Electricity - consumption:
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20.54 billion kWh (2002)
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2002)
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2002)
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
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Oil - consumption:
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190,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
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Oil - exports:
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NA
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Oil - imports:
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NA
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Natural gas - production:
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0 cu m (2001 est.)
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Natural gas - consumption:
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630 million cu m (2001 est.)
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Natural gas - exports:
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0 cu m (2001 est.)
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Natural gas - imports:
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630 million cu m (2001 est.)
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Exports:
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$46.9 billion f.o.b. (2001)
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Exports - commodities:
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chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment
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Exports - partners:
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US 90.3%, UK 1.6%, Netherlands 1.4%, Dominican Republic 1.4% (2002 est.)
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Imports:
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$29.1 billion c.i.f. (2001)
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Imports - commodities:
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chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products
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Imports - partners:
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US 55.0%, Ireland 23.7%, Japan 5.4% (2002 est.)
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Debt - external:
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NA
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Economic aid - recipient:
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NA (2001)
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Currency (code):
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US dollar (USD)
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Exchange rates:
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the US dollar is used
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Fiscal year:
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1 July - 30 June
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Railways:
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total: 96 km
narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)
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Highways:
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total: 25,328 km
paved: 23,665 km (including 426 km of expressways)
unpaved: 1,363 km (2004)
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Ports and harbors:
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Las Mareas, Mayaguez, San Juan
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Merchant marine:
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total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 36,728 GRT/37,048 DWT
by type: roll on/roll off 2
foreign-owned: 2 (United States 2)
registered in other countries: 1 (2005)
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Airports:
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30 (2004 est.)
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 17
over 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 13
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)
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Disputes - international:
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increasing numbers of illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage to Puerto Rico each year looking for work
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This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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