1 : Puerto Rico
2 : Status
3 : History
4 : Politics
5 : Municipalities
6 : Geography
7 : Economy
8 : Demographics
9 : Colleges and universities
10 : Culture
11 : Miscellaneous topics
12 : External links
12.1 : Official sites
12.2 : Others
13 : References
14 : Notes
Puerto Rico is a self-governing unincorporated organized territory of the United States, in the eastern Caribbean, consisting of the island of Puerto Rico and some smaller islands. Its official name is The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or '''Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico's ultimate legal status is a subject of continuing debate.
Puerto Rico is part of the Greater Antilles, located to the east of the Dominican Republic and to the west of the Lesser Antilles. It consists of the main island, commonly called by Puerto Ricans as "the Great Island" (La Isla Grande) and a number of smaller islands, of which only Vieques, Isla de Culebra and Isla Mona are inhabited. It is divided in 78 municipalities and its U.S. postal abbreviation is PR.
Puerto Rico was called Borikén by the indigenous Taínos before Christopher Columbus named it San Juan Bautista (after John the Baptist). The name Puerto Rico means "rich port" in Spanish.
Status
Puerto Rico is a US territory which has been given self-governing "commonwealth" status. (The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, located in the western Pacific Ocean, has a similar relationship to the United States.) What this means has never been absolutely clear; however, Puerto Rico has more latitude over its internal affairs than the US territories of Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or American Samoa.
Puerto Rico's current constitutional arrangements are the result of a treaty signed in 1952, so presumably it could become independent in the same way - a right not possessed by the states of the United States. Alternatively, it could be admitted as a state of the United States by a vote of the Congress, in the same way that Hawaii was in 1959.
Puerto Rico has approximately the same degree of authority over its internal affairs as an American state. The United States federal government controls interstate trade, foreign commerce, customs, aviation and navigation, immigration, currency, all military and naval matters, radio and television communications, mining and minerals, highways, the postal system, social security, and other areas generally controlled by the federal government in the United States. United States courts have the final say over the constitutionality of Puerto Rican laws. Puerto Rico may not conclude treaties with other sovereign states, although it does belong to some international bodies.
Puerto Rico's elected governor and legislature control all other internal affairs. The major differences between Puerto Rico and the states are greater financial autonomy (it levies its own taxes and is exempt from the Internal Revenue Code), its lack of voting representation in either house of the Congress and the ineligibility of Puerto Ricans to vote in presidential elections.
History
Main article: History of Puerto Rico
The island of Puerto Rico was originally inhabited by a group of Arawak Indians known as Tainos. European discovery was made by Christopher Columbus on his second voyage on November 19, 1493. It was the main stronghold of the Spanish empire in the Caribbean during the first years of the colonization of the Americas.
Since most Puerto Ricans wanted freedom but not independence from Spain, there was never a violent revolution against Spanish rule on the island; the only attempted uprising, in 1868 in the small mountain town of Lares, collapsed almost immediately due to lack of popular support. The Puerto Rican goal was to achieve personal freedom, the abolition of slavery, and full self-government, but without breaking the bonds with Spain. Champions of this autonomist movement were such political leaders as Ramon Baldorioty de Castro, and towards the end of the century, Luis Muñoz Rivera. In 1897, Muñoz Rivera persuaded a liberal Spanish government to agree to an Autonomic Charter for the island. The following year Puerto Rico's first autonomous government was organized with Muñoz Rivera as leader.
Within a year, Puerto Rico was invaded by the United States in the Spanish-American War on July 25, 1898 with a landing at Guánica Bay. Spain was forced to cede Puerto Rico to the U.S. under the Treaty of Paris during the same year.
Politics
Main article: Politics of Puerto Rico
The government is composed of 3 branches: the Executive branch headed by the Governor, the Legislative branch consisting of a bicameral Legislative Assembly (a Senate and a House of Representatives) and the Judicial branch. The legal system is based on the Spanish civil code.
The Constitution of Puerto Rico was approved through refendum in 1952, and ratified by the U.S. Congress, which maintains ultimate sovereignty over Puerto Rico. Under this constitution, Puerto Rico is a territorial commonwealth of the United States and is permitted a high degree of autonomy. Although Puerto Rico does not have representation in the U.S. Electoral College or U.S. Congress, it is permitted a non-voting Resident Commissioner in the U.S. House of Representatives and Puerto Ricans pay no federal income tax. Citizens of Puerto Rico are also U.S. citizens.
Municipalities
Main article: List of municipalities in Puerto Rico
As a commonwealth associated with the United States, Puerto Rico does not have any first-order administrative divisions as defined by the U.S. Government, but there are 78 municipalities at the second order. Each municipality has a Mayor and a Council elected for a 4 year term.
Geography
Main article: Geography of Puerto Rico
The archipelago of Puerto Rico consists of the main island of Puerto Rico and various smaller islands, including Vieques, Culebra, and Mona. The mainland measures some 170 km by 60 km (105 miles by 35 miles). It has a population of approximately 4 million. The capital city, San Juan, is located on the main island's north coast and has a population of approximately 430,000.
Economy
Main article: Economy of Puerto Rico
The economic conditions in Puerto Rico have improved dramatically since the Great Depression due to external investment in capital-intensive industry such as petrochemicals pharmaceuticals and technology. Once the beneficiary of special tax treatment from the US government, today local industries must compete with those in more economically depressed parts of the world where wages are not subject to US minimum wage legislation.
Demographics
Main article: Demographics of Puerto Rico
Puertoricans are a mixture of European, African and Native Americans.
Puerto Rico is said to comprise a spanish european majority, an extinct Amerindian population, mixed to a lesser degree with Africans. Recent genetic research, however, contradicts that information. The highest ethnic group are Europeans (mostly Mediterraneans from southern Spain and the Canary Islands). These Europeans are also said to be highly mixed, again in varying degrees, with Amerindian bloodlines. Closly behind are descendents of African slaves from the Yoruba, Bantu, and Congolese tribes of west Africa.
Later, Corsican, Italian, and French immigrants arrived along with numerous Spanish loyalists from Spain's former colonies in South America. Other settlers have included Irish, Germans and in recent years, immigrants from Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Venezuela, but represent less than 5% of the population. According to the 2000 census, 95% of the population consider themselves of Puerto Rican descent, making Puerto Rico one of the most homogeneous societies in the world.
Puerto Rico has over 100,000 legal residents who came from Spain, Mexico, Central or South America, in addition to the Cubans and Dominicans.
The Roman Catholic religion is dominant, although there is a notable Protestant presence. Puerto Rico has its own Olympic team and has international representation in many events including the Summer Olympics, the Pan-American Games, the Central American Games, and the Caribbean World Series.
Colleges and universities
Culture
Main article: Culture of Puerto Rico
Miscellaneous topics
External links
Official sites
Others
References
# Central Intelligence Agency (USA). The (2003). United States of America.
# United Nations. General (1953). United States of America.
Notes
[1] See http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/8/ares8.htm
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