Part 680

Area - comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 501 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea : 12 nm

Climate: tropical marine, mild, little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north; mountains precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal areas

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,338 m

Natural resources: some copper and nickel, potential for onshore and offshore oil

Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops : 5% permanent pastures: 26% forests and woodland: 16% other: 49% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 390 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: the recent drought has caused water levels in reservoirs to drop and prompted water rationing for more than one-half of the population

Environment - international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography - note: important location along the Mona Passage - a key shipping lane to the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggest and best natural harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and high central mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast relatively dry; fertile coastal plain belt in north

@Puerto Rico:People

Population: 3,828,506 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 25% (male 485,782; female 463,226) 15-64 years: 65% (male 1,192,306; female 1,298,256) 65 years and over : 10% (male 170,170; female 218,766) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.93% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 17.21 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 7.87 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth : 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 11.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.49 years male : 70.04 years female: 79.22 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.08 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens) adjective: Puerto Rican

Ethnic groups: Hispanic

Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant denominations and other 15%