Country name:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
conventional short form: Puerto Rico
Dependency status:
commonwealth associated with the US
Government type:
commonwealth
Capital:
San Juan
Administrative divisions:
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
Independence:
none (commonwealth associated with the US)
National holiday:
US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico Constitution Day,
25 July (1952)
Constitution:
ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US Congress 3 July 1952;
effective 25 July 1952
Legal system:
based on Spanish civil code and within the US Federal system of
justice
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens
but do not vote in US presidential elections
Executive branch:
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20
January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January
2001)
election results: Sila M. CALDERON (PPD) elected governor; percent
of vote - 48.6%
note: residents of Puerto Rico do not vote for US president and vice
president
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 7 November 2000 (next to be held
2 November 2004)
head of government: Governor Sila M. CALDERON (since 2 January 2001)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the
legislature
Legislative branch:
bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (28 seats;
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)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - PPD 19, PNP 8, PIP 1; House of Representatives - percent of
vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PPD 30, PNP 20, 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 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2 November 2004); results -
percent of vote by party - PPD 49.3%; seats by party - PPD 1; Anibal
ACEVEDO-VILA elected resident commissioner
elections: Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2
November 2004); House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2000
(next to be held 2 November 2004)
Judicial branch:
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)
Political parties and leaders:
National Democratic Party [Celeste BENITEZ]; National Republican
Party of Puerto Rico [Luis FERRE]; New Progressive Party or PNP
(pro-US statehood) [Carlos PESQUERA]; Popular Democratic Party or
PPD (pro-commonwealth) [Sila M. CALDERON]; Puerto Rican Independence
Party or PIP (pro-independence) [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
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
International organization participation:
Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), FAO (associate), ICFTU,
Interpol (subbureau), IOC, WCL, WFTU, WHO (associate), WToO
(associate)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (commonwealth associated with the US)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (commonwealth associated with the US)
Flag description:
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