Skip Navigation
El Morro

Puerto Rico: Fast Facts

Quick Overview
Puerto Rico is a Caribbean island and U.S. territory with 78 municipalities, two official languages, U.S. dollar currency, and San Juan as its capital.

Use this quick reference guide to learn essential facts about Puerto Rico, including its geography, people, government, culture, economy, and travel information.

Where is Puerto Rico?

Puerto Rico is the smallest and most eastern of the Greater Antilles Islands which include, Cuba, Hispaniola (Republica Dominicana and Haiti), and Jamaica. Located between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean.

Puerto Rico is also known as:

  1. Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico,
  2. Porto Rico,
  3. San Juan Bautista,
  4. Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or
  5. Borinquen

Summary

  • Location: Caribbean Sea, east of the Dominican Republic
  • Area: 3,515 sq mi (9,104 sq km)
  • Population: ~3.2 million
  • Capital: San Juan
  • Currency: U.S. Dollar (USD)
  • Languages: Spanish and English
  • Government: U.S. territory with elected governor
  • Municipalities: 78
  • Time Zone: Atlantic Standard Time (AST)

Geography

Puerto Rico is an archipelago in the northeastern Caribbean. The main island is mountainous in the interior and surrounded by coastal plains, beaches, reefs, and smaller islands and cays.

Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic.

Geographic coordinates: 18°15'N, 66°30'W

Region: North America

Subregion: Caribbean

Map References: Central America and the Caribbean

Total Area: 3,508 sq mi (9,104 sq km)

Land Area: 3,459 sq mi (8,959 sq km)
Comparative area: approximately three times the size of Rhode Island.

Water Area: 56 sq mi (145 sq km)

Land boundaries: 0 km

Limits: To the west by Haití and the Dominican Republic, separated by the Mona Passage, to the east by the Virgin Islands, to the north by the Atlantic Ocean, and to the south by the Caribbean Sea.

Borders: Puerto Rico is under the U.S. customs jurisdiction. Borders are open between P.R. and the U.S., allowing for free movement of people and merchandise.

Coastline: 311 mi (501 km)

Maritime claims:
Exclusive Economic Zone - 200 NM (230 mi / 370 km)
Territorial Sea - 12 NM (13.8 mi / 22.2 km)
Elevation:
Lowest point - Caribbean Sea - 0 m (0 ft)
Highest point - Cerro de Punta - 1,338 m (4,390 ft)
Mean elevation - 261 m (856 ft)

Longest river: Río de la Plata

Major offshore islands: Vieques, Culebra and Mona

Climate:
Tropical Marine, with warm temperatures year-round. Average temperatures are near 80°F (26.7°C) at lower elevations and 70°F (21.1°C) in the mountains.

Time Zone: Atlantic Standard (AST).

Daylight: Approximately 11–13 hours throughout the year.


Map of Puerto Rico
Source: National Georgraphic

People

Puerto Rico is home to about 3.2 million people. Its culture reflects centuries of Taíno, Spanish, African, Caribbean, and other influences that have shaped the island's language, food, music, traditions, and identity.

Languages: Spanish and English

Population: 3,231,071 (2026 est.)
3,184,835 (2025 est.)
3,019,450 (2024 est.)

Population density: About 930 persons per sq mi / 359 persons per sq km

Population growth rate: -3.1% from April 2020 to July 2025

Age:
Under 18 years: 14.2%
65 years and over: 26.0% (2025 est.)

Median age: 45.4 years (2024 ACS)

Sex:
Male: 47.4%
Female: 52.6% (2024 ACS)

Nationality: Noun Puerto Rican(s). Adjective Puerto Rican.

Demonym: Puerto Rican; commonly Boricua

Hispanic or Latino: About 98.9% of the population (2024 ACS)

Heritage: Puerto Rican culture reflects centuries of Taíno, Spanish, African, Caribbean, and other influences.

Religion: Puerto Rico has a strong Roman Catholic heritage, alongside Protestant and evangelical Christian communities and people of other faiths or no religious affiliation.

History

Taíno Indians who inhabited the territory, called the island Boriken or Borinquen which means: "the great land of the valiant and noble Lord" or "land of the great lords". On November 19, 1493 Christopher Columbus discovered the island in his second voyage to the New World. Originally the newcomers called the island San Juan Bautista, for St. John the Baptist and the town Puerto Rico because of its obvious excellent potentialities. It was not until later that the two names were switched. Thanks in part to the enthusiasm of ambitious Juan Ponce de León, quickly became Spain's most important military outpost in the Caribbean.

On December 10, 1898, the Treaty of Paris is signed, treaty concluding the Spanish-American War. Spain renounced all claim to Cuba, ceded Guam and Puerto Rico and its dependent islets to United States, and transferred sovereignty over the Phillipines to the United States for $20,000,000.

On March 2, 1917, United States granted Puerto Ricans U.S. statutory citizenship.

Economy

Puerto Rico has been one of the most dynamic and competitive economies in Latin America and the Caribbean region until recent years, Puerto Rico's economy relies mainly on federal aid from the United State government.

Currency: United States dollar (USD)

Real GDP Growth: 3.0% (2023, latest BEA estimate)

GDP per capita: purchasing power parity - $43,000 (2023 est.)

Population Below Poverty Level: 37.3% (2020–2024)

Inflation Rate (consumer prices): -1.60% (August of 2020)

Sales and Use Tax (IVU):
Puerto Rico's general sales and use tax is 11.5% on many taxable transactions, consisting of a 10.5% central government tax and a 1% municipal tax.

Income Taxes:
Puerto Rico has its own income tax system. Bona fide residents generally pay Puerto Rico income tax on their worldwide income. Puerto Rico-source income is generally not subject to U.S. federal income tax for bona fide residents, although federal taxes and filing requirements may apply to income from outside Puerto Rico and in certain other situations.

Labor Force Participation:
46.2% of persons age 16 and older (2020–2024)

Unemployment Rate:
6.1% (August 2026, seasonally adjusted)

Export Commodities:
Pharmaceuticals and medicines, medical devices, navigational, measuring, electromedical and control instruments, and electrical equipment. (FY 2025)

Export Partners:
United States 68.1%, Spain 7.5%, Netherlands 5.5%, Japan 3.6%, and Italy 3.5%. (FY 2025)

Import Commodities:
harmaceuticals and medicines, petroleum and coal products, motor vehicles, medical devices, and other manufactured goods. (FY 2025)

Import Partners:
United States 63.5%, Ireland 5.8%, Singapore 3.2%, Portugal 2.1%, and Italy 2.1%. (FY 2025)

Tourism:
Visitors: 8.1 million (2025)
Nonresident visitor spending: $7.6 billion (2024)

Goverment

Puerto Rico is a self-governing commonwealth in association with the United States. The chief of state is the President of the United States of America. The head of government is an elected Governor. There are two legislative chambers: the House of Representatives, 51 seats, and the Senate, 27 seats.

Capital: San Juan

Chief of State: President Donald J. Trump, Vicepresident J.D. Vance (since January 20, 2025)

Head of Government: Governor Jenniffer Gonzalez Colon

Major political parties are: Popular Democratic Party (PPD), New Progressive Party (PNP) and Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP).

Digraph: PR/QR

Type: Commonwealth associated with the US.

Constitution: ratified 3 March 1952; approved by U.S. Congress 3 July 1952; effective 25 July 1952.

Administrative divisions: None (Commonwealth associated with the U.S.); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the U.S. Government, but there are 78 municipalities. Municipalities are further subdivided into barrios, and those into sectors. Other territories include: Mona, Monito, Desecheo, and Caja de Muertos.

Political Division: 8 senatorial districts, 40 representative districts, and 78 municipalities.

Voter Participation: 52.8% (2020)

National Holiday: November 19 (The Discovery of Puerto Rico date).

National Hymn (Anthem): "La Borinqueña"

Culture

Puerto Rican culture is somewhat complex - others will call it colorful. Culture is a series of visual manifestations and interactions with the environment that make a region and/or a group of people different from the rest of the world.

Lets consider that the people of Puerto Rico represent a cultural and racial mix. During the early 18-century, the Spaniard in order to populate the country took Taino Indian women as brides. Later on as labor was needed to maintain crops and build roads, African slaves were imported, followed by the importation of Chinese immigrants, then continued with the arrival of Italians, French, German, and even Lebanese people. American expatriates came to the island after 1898. Long after Spain had lost control of Puerto Rico, Spanish immigrants continued to arrive on the island. The most significant new immigrant population arrived in the 1960s, when thousands of Cubans fled from Fidel Castro's Communist state. The latest arrivals to Puerto Rico have come from the economically depressed Dominican Republic.

Tourist Information

Most popular city destinations: San Juan, Ponce, Mayagüez, Bayamón, Fajardo, San Germán, Cayey, and Caguas.

Customs and Immigration: There are no passports or visas necessary for United States citizens. Citizens of other countries have the same requirements as for entering the USA.

Communications and Internet: Phone cards or calling cards and IDD service are readily available. Long-distance services from AT&T, MCI, and Sprint make calling home relatively convenient and let you avoid hotel surcharges.

Airmail to Western Europe takes up to a week.

The San Juan Star (English-language newspaper), El Vocero de Puerto Rico and El Nuevo Día.

To connect to the Internet visitors must call their service provider in the USA or Europe, and pay the long distance rates, or establish a temporary account with a local service provider.

Health and Medical Facilities: Health standards in Puerto Rico are generally comparable with those of the United States, its medical facilities are among the finest in the Caribbean. There are physicians and hospitals in all cities. "Departamento de Salud" (Department of Health), (787) 766-1616.

Electricity: The electrical current in Puerto Rico is 110 volts/60 cycles, exactly the same as in the continental U.S. and Canada.

Accommodations: Puerto Rico offers a huge variety of lodgings that will appeal to a multiplicity of personalities and pocketbooks.

Casinos: Casinos are located in many hotels around the Island. Proper dressing should be observed by men and women. People under 18 are not allowed.

Courtesy and dress: Light and loose cotton clothing is the best bet year-round for Puerto Rico's warm tropical climate.

Banking hours: 9am to 3:30pm.

Relative Costs:
Budget meal: US $10–20
Moderate restaurant meal: US $20–40
Upscale restaurant meal: US $40 and up
Budget lodging: US $75–150
Mid-range hotel: US $150–300
Upscale/luxury hotel: US $300 and up

Prices are approximate and can vary significantly by location, season, and type of accommodation.

Transportation: You can get to Puerto Rico by air, or by sea. Once you arrive on the Island, there's a full menu of choices for getting around. You can rent a car or use their public transportation system.

Driving: Driving is on the right-hand side of the road. All the same rules as any part of the United States, except that the signs are in Spanish, the distance markers in kilometers and the gas sold in liters.

Liquor laws: You must be 18 years old to purchase liquor in stores or buy drinks in hotels, bars, and restaurants.

Helplines and Agencies




Did You Know?

Puerto Rico has one of the highest life expectancies in the Caribbean.