🇵🇷 Puerto Rico
Quick Facts
Status
Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States
Puerto Ricans have been U.S. citizens since 1917, and can move freely between the island and the rest of the U.S.
Currency
United States Dollar
Population
3,285,874, which is slightly more than Utah, the 30th most populous state
The population reached its peak in 2004 at 3.827M, and is now in decline at a rate of -1.46% per year
Key cities include the capital, San Juan, Buyamon, Carolina, Ponce, Caguas, Guaynabo and Mayaguez.
GDP Per Capita
$31,651, which is slightly less than Mississippi, the poorest U.S. state
When compared to nations in Latin America, Puerto Rico has the highest GDP per capita
Land
5,325 square miles, which is slightly smaller than Connecticut, the 48th largest state
The island is 100 miles from east to west and 35 miles from north to south
Highest Elevation: Cerro Punta at 4,390 feet
Puerto Rico is part of an archipelago that includes over 143 islands, cays, islets, and atolls
Other than the main island, Culebra and Vieques are the only other inhabited islands
Location
Puerto Rico is 1,000 miles southeast of Miami and 75 miles east of Dominican Republic
Life Expectancy
79.8 years which is equivalent to the life-expectancy in Vermont (15th on the life-expectancy list)
Language
Both Spanish and English are official languages of Puerto Rico
94.3% of adults speak only Spanish at home
Public school instruction is conducted almost entirely in Spanish
Name
Puerto Rico is Spanish for “rich port”
Its official English name is Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
The island is also popularly known in Spanish as la isla del encanto which means “the island of enchantment”
Notable Puerto Rican Athletes
Roberto Clemente – Hall of Fame Baseball Player
Roberto Alomar – Hall of Fame Baseball Player
Iván “Pudge” Rodríguez – Hall of Fame Baseball Player
Yadier Molina – 2-time World Series Champion
Carlos Beltrán – Professional Baseball Player with Three Gold Glove Awards and Two Silver Slugger Awards
Chi-Chi Rodríguez – Hall of Fame Golfer
Monica Puig – Olympic Gold Medalist in Tennis
Félix “Tito” Trinidad – World Champion Boxer
Notable Puerto Rican Performing Artists
Rita Moreno – Winner of an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy and Tony
Lin-Manuel Miranda – Creator of ‘Hamilton’
Benicio del Toro Academy Award-winning actor
Erik Estrada – Actor
Joaquin Phoenix – Actor
Rosie Perez – Actor
Notable Puerto Rican Singers
Ricky Martin – Singer
Jennifer Lopez – Singer
Marc Anthony – Singer
José Feliciano – Singer
Other Notable Puerto Ricans
Sonia Sotomayor – US Supreme Court Justice
Orlando Bravo – Co-founder of Thoma Bravo Private Equity firm
Government
Puerto Rico has its own governor and government, but is ultimately controlled by the United States.
Puerto Ricans vote in their own local elections, but cannot vote in U.S. national elections.
Puerto Rico does not have any Senators or House Representatives; it is represented in Congress by a non-voting resident commissioner.
Notable Places
El Yunque National Forest is the only tropical rain forest in the United States and has remarkable biodiversity. The forest covers 45 square miles, and receives 120 inches of annual rainfall per year. It is one of the oldest natural reserves, first set aside in 1876.
Old San Juan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with buildings that date back to the 16th and 17th centuries.
The Arecibo Telescope was the world's largest single-aperture telescope from 1963 to 2016. The massive structure collapsed in 2020 and is no longer used.
Puerto Rico Anthem
This Puerto Rico quick guide is maintained by Denis Grosz