Official Name: Free Associated State of Puerto Rico (), Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
Area: 34, 423 square miles
Population: Projections for the year of 2005 (Planning Board of Puerto Rico)
Total: 3, 728,727
Males: 1, 7,743,594 Median Age, males: 31.2
Females: 1,986,133 Median Age, female: 35.3
Note: 2.6 million have migrated to the U.S. since the 1940s
Political Division:
8 senatorial districts
40 representative districts
78 municipalities, including the capital
Republican form of government: executive, legislative, and judicial branches
Two spheres of government: free associated state and federal
Currency: U.S. dollar
Language: Official language is Spanish, but English is required in all federal matters
Government: The governor, who exercises executive power, is elected every four years and names his or her cabinet. Judicial system with Supreme Court, Superior Court, District Courts, and municipal judges. A resident delegation in Washington, with a voice but no vote, is elected every four years.
The U.S. government has control over more than over 30 fundamental aspects of Puerto Rican life: foreign relations; control of air, land and sea; immigration and emigration; currency; maritime laws; military service; tariffs and customs; declarati on of war; nationality and citizenship; constitutionality of laws, jurisdictions and legal procedures; treaties; foreign commerce; military bases; army navy and air force; radio and television, communications; agriculture; mining and minerals; highways; p ostal system; social security; etc. The personnel of the Federal District Court are named by the President of the U.S. The Federal Court has final authority of the ELA.
Education: Constitutional right of education, with obligatory free primary and secondary education. More than 70,000 children in primary and secondary grades; more than 10 universities and private colleges; numerous private elementary schools. University of Puerto Rico of the ELA. More than 20,000 teachers.
The school drop-out rate is massive: 20,000 minors of 5 to 17 years of age, annually. Illiteracy is 33% (10% real, 23% functional), or 1.1 million. There has been an accelerated proliferation of private schools of questionable quality.
Demography: Birth rate: 19.5%; mortality: 6.6% (1984): life expectancy: 74 years (1984). Estimated 500,000 foreigners (150,000 undocumented).
Economy: Dependent on the U.S. economy. Based on tax-protected industry (exempt under IRS Section 936), declining agriculture, livestock, private industries, banks, commercial establishments; imports much higher than exports. ELA is the major employer with almost half a million public employees. Unemployment: 17%; real, 40% to 90% in many cities. Credit is the factor of the individual economic movement. Over 1,5 million persons dependent on the Federal Nutritional Assistance Program (PAN) , with an average of $32 per individual. The Government Development Bank helps develop industrial credit.
Adapted from a report by the Instituto de Derechos Civiles
Calle Blanco Romano No. 7, Third Floor, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico
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