TERRITORY PORTRAIT · THE WORLD ATLAS

Puerto Rico

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Photo: J. Amill Santiago on Unsplash · Unsplash License

AT A GLANCE

Puerto Rico in facts

  • CapitalSan Juan
  • Population3.2 m2025 · 3,184,835
  • Area9,104 km²slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island
  • CurrencyUnited States dollar
Map: Natural Earth (public domain) · Open in the world map
All geographic & statistical details (38)
Density
350 people per km²
Official name
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
Government
unincorporated organized territory of the US with local self-government; republican form of territorial government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches; note - reference Puerto Rican Federal Relations Act, 2 March 1917, as amended by Public Law 600, 3 July 1950
World region
Americas · Latin America and the Caribbean · Caribbean
Official languages
Spanish, English
People are called
Puerto Rican
Founded
1898
Time zone
UTC−04:00
Calling code
+1787, +1939
Drives on the
right
Land borders
None
Coastline
501 km
Topographic elevation profile
Cerro de Punta 1,338 m
0 mCaribbean Sea261 mMean▲ 1,338 mSummit
Climate
Tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature variation
Economy (GDP)
US$129.4 billion (2025)
Terrain
Mostly mountains with coastal plain in north; precipitous mountains to the sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal areas
Land use
Agri 19%Forest 50.3%Other 30.6%
GDP per person
US$40,620 (2025)
Natural resources
some copper and nickel, potential for onshore and offshore oil
Unemployment
6% (2025)
Life expectancy
81.9 years (2024)
Median age
46.7 years (2025 est.)
Literacy
92.4% (2017 est.)
Urban population
Urban 93.6%Rural 6.4%(2023)
Major urban areas
San Juan (capital) (2.440 m)
Ethnic groups
White 75.8%, Black/African American 12.4%, other 8.5% (includes American Indian, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian, other Pacific Islander, and others), mixed 3.3% (2010 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 56%, Protestant 33% (largely Pentecostal), other 2%, atheist 1%, none 7% (2014 est.)
Administrative subdivisions
78 first-order regions
UNESCO World Heritage
1 (cultural); note - excerpted from the US entry
Railways & airports
20 airports
Plug types
NEMA 5-15, NEMA 1-15
Mains voltage
120 V
Emergency numbers
911
Internet domain
.pr
ISO & UN codes
PR · PRI · M49 630
Name origin
Christopher Columbus originally named the island San Juan Bautista (Saint John the Baptist) and the capital city and main port Cuidad de Puerto Rico (Rich Port City); over time, the names were shortened and transposed
Names in other languages
Porto Rico, Puerto Rico, بورتوريكو, পুয়ের্তো রিকো, پورتوریکو, પ્યુએર્ટો રિકો
+ 17 moreShow lessपोर्टो रीको, Puerto Riko, プエルトリコ, ಪೋರ್ಟೊ ರಿಕೊ, 푸에르토리코, പോർട്ടോ റിക്കോ, पोर्तो रिको, ਪੁਏਰਤੋ ਰੀਕੋ, Portoryko, Пуэрто-Рико, புவேர்ட்டோ ரிக்கோ, ఫ్యూర్టో రికో, ปวยร์โตรีโก, Porto Riko, Пуерто-Рико, پورٹو ریکو, 波多黎各
Capital location
18.5°N, 66.1°W

Facts: Wikidata Q1183, World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0: population, economy, life expectancy) and the CIA World Factbook (public domain: geography, demographics, borders, coastline and symbols), retrieved 1 November 2026. Figures can change; check the source for the latest.

FLAG & SYMBOLS

The flag and symbols of Puerto Rico

The flag

Five equal horizontal bands of red alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the left side has a large five-pointed white star in the center.

What it means

The star stands for the country; the three sides of the triangle stand for the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the government; blue stands for the sky and the coastal waters, red for the blood shed by warriors, and white for liberty, victory, and peace.

National coloursRedWhiteBlue
Coat of arms
Coat of arms or emblem of Puerto Rico

Image: Wikimedia Commons contributor / Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

National animals and emblems
Puerto Rican Spindalis (Bird)Frog
CoquiFrog
Motto
“Juan yw ei enw”
National anthem

"The Star-Spangled Banner"
Francis Scott Key/John Stafford Smith

Recording: Wikimedia Commons contributor / Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

National day

US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico Constitution Day, 25 July (1952)

Independence

none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)

Flag description and meaning, colours, symbols, anthem details, national day and independence: CIA World Factbook (public domain). Coat of arms, motto and recording: Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons (credited above). Flag artwork: flag-icons (MIT), retrieved 1 November 2026.

There is more to explore.Discover the regions of Puerto RicoExplore regions
ON THE ATLAS · CHRONICLE IN PREPARATION

Discover Puerto Rico

This is a sourced directory entry. A researched regional chronicle and verified location photography are in preparation.

US territory

US territorial association: United States. Status & relationship source ↗

A CLOSER LOOK

Explore the regions

78 entries

Explore the first-order regions in this GeoNames snapshot. Local names and levels vary.

Names and immediate parent assignments: GeoNames, CC BY 4.0, 28 October 2026. Unspecified code 00 excluded. This is not an exhaustive list of districts, counties or municipalities. Photographs are credited individually beneath each image; one pictured place does not represent every landscape in its region.

FROM THE JOURNAL

Stories from Puerto Rico

Our editorial journey here is still ahead. No researched stories have been published for this place yet.

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Directory: UN M49 countries or areas, with 193 UN members, 2 observers and 53 other areas. Subdivisions: GeoNames, CC BY 4.0; filtered to this catalogue. Flags/symbols: flag-icons (MIT). Snapshot: 28 October 2026. Geographic groups are statistical. Associated-country links describe the cited relationship and do not settle sovereignty claims.

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