Puerto Rico
conventional short form:
Puerto Rico
Digraph:
RQ
Type:
commonwealth associated with the US
Capital:
San Juan
Administrative divisions:
none (commonwealth associated with the US), note: there are 78
municipalities
Independence:
none (commonwealth associated with the US)
National holiday:
US Independence Day, 4 July (1776)
Constitution:
ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US Congress 3 July 1952; effective
25 July 1952
Legal system:
based on Spanish civil code
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 William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Vice
President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993)
head of government:
Governor Pedro ROSSELLO (since NA January 1993); election last held 3
November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - Pedro
ROSSELLO (PND) 50%, Victoria MUNOZ (PPD) 46%, Fernando MARTIN (PIP) 4%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Legislative Assembly
Senate:
elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November
1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (27 total) seats
by party NA
House of Representatives:
elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November
1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (53 total) seats
by party NA
US House of Representatives:
elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November
1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) seats
by party NA; note - Puerto Rico elects one representative to the US
House of Representatives, Carlos Romero BARCELO
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
National Republican Party of Puerto Rico, Freddy VALENTIN; Popular
Democratic Party (PPD), Rafael HERNANDEZ Colon; New Progressive Party
(PNP), Carlos ROMERO Barcelo; Puerto Rican Socialist Party (PSP), Juan
MARI Bras and Carlos GALLISA; Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP),
Ruben BERRIOS Martinez; Puerto Rican Communist Party (PCP), leader(s)
unknown
Other political or pressure groups:
all have engaged in terrorist activities - Armed Forces for National
Liberation (FALN); Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution; Boricua
Popular Army (also known as the Macheteros); Armed Forces of Popular
Resistance
Member of:
CARICOM (observer), ECLAC (associate)