Overview:
Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean
region. Industry has surpassed agriculture as the primary sector of
economic activity and income. Encouraged by duty free access to the US
and by tax incentives, US firms have invested heavily in Puerto Rico
since the 1950s. US minimum wage laws apply. Important industries
include pharmaceuticals, electronics, textiles, petrochemicals, and
processed foods. Sugar production has lost out to dairy production and
other livestock products as the main source of income in the
agricultural sector. Tourism has traditionally been an important
source of income for the island, with estimated arrivals of nearly 3
million tourists in 1989. Unemployment remains a severe problem at
18%.
National product:
GNP - purchasing power equivalent - $26.8 billion (1992 est.)
National product real growth rate:
NA%
National product per capita:
$7,100 (1992 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.1% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate:
18% (1993 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
$5.8 billion
expenditures:
$5.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $258 million (1989
est.)
Exports:
$21.8 billion (1992)
commodities:
pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage
concentrates, medical equipment, instruments
partners:
US 88.3% (1990)
Imports:
$14.8 billion (1992)
commodities:
chemicals, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products
partners:
US 68.8% (1990)
External debt:
$NA
Industrial production:
growth rate 1.2% (FY92)
Electricity:
capacity:
5,040,000 kW
production:
16.1 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
4,260 kWh (1992)
Industries:
manufacturing accounts for 55.5% of GDP: manufacturing of
pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, instruments;
tourism
Agriculture:
accounts for only 3% of labor force and less than 2% of GDP: crops -
sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas; livestock - cattle,
chickens; imports a large share of food needs (1992)
Economic aid:
none
Currency:
1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
US currency is used
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
@Puerto Rico, Communications
Railroads:
96 km rural narrow-gauge system for hauling sugarcane; no passenger
railroads
Highways:
total:
13,762 km
paved:
13,762 km (1982)
Ports:
San Juan, Ponce, Mayaguez, Arecibo
Airports:
total:
30
usable:
23
with permanent-surface runways:
19
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
3
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
5
Telecommunications:
modern system, integrated with that of the US by high capacity
submarine cable and INTELSAT with high-speed data capability; digital
telephone system with about 1 million lines; cellular telephone
service; broadcast stations - 50 AM, 63 FM, 9 TV; cable television
available with US programs (1990)
@Puerto Rico, Defense Forces
Branches:
paramilitary National Guard, Police Force
Note:
defense is the responsibility of the US
@Qatar, Geography
Location:
Middle East, peninsula jutting into the central Persian Gulf, between
Iran and Saudi Arabia
Map references:
Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
11,000 sq km
land area:
11,000 sq km
comparative area:
slightly smaller than Connecticut
Land boundaries:
total 60 km, Saudi Arabia 60 km
Coastline:
563 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf:
not specified
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
territorial dispute with Bahrain over the Hawar Islands; maritime
boundary with Bahrain
Climate:
desert; hot, dry; humid and sultry in summer
Terrain:
mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, fish
Land use:
arable land:
0%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
5%
forest and woodland:
0%
other:
95%
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Environment:
current issues:
limited freshwater resources are increasing dependence on large-scale
desalination facilities
natural hazards:
haze, dust storms, sandstorms common
international agreements:
signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Law of the Sea
Note:
strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum
deposits
@Qatar, People
Population: 512,779 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 2.56% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 18.83 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 3.53 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: 10.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 21.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.64 years male: 70.08 years female: 75.09 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.74 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Qatari(s) adjective: Qatari Ethnic divisions: Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14% Religions: Muslim 95% Languages: Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1986) total population: 76% male: 77% female: 72% Labor force: 104,000 (85% non-Qatari in private sector) (1983)
@Qatar, Government