Puerto Rico (2002) | Tonga (2006) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (commonwealth associated with the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 78 municipalities (municipios, singular - municipio) at the second order; Adjuntas, Aguada, Aguadilla, Aguas Buenas, Aibonito, Anasco, Arecibo, Arroyo, Barceloneta, Barranquitas, Bayamon, Cabo Rojo, Caguas, Camuy, Canovanas, Carolina, Catano, Cayey, Ceiba, Ciales, Cidra, Coamo, Comerio, Corozal, Culebra, Dorado, Fajardo, Florida, Guanica, Guayama, Guayanilla, Guaynabo, Gurabo, Hatillo, Hormigueros, Humacao, Isabela, Jayuya, Juana Diaz, Juncos, Lajas, Lares, Las Marias, Las Piedras, Loiza, Luquillo, Manati, Maricao, Maunabo, Mayaguez, Moca, Morovis, Naguabo, Naranjito, Orocovis, Patillas, Penuelas, Ponce, Quebradillas, Rincon, Rio Grande, Sabana Grande, Salinas, San German, San Juan, San Lorenzo, San Sebastian, Santa Isabel, Toa Alta, Toa Baja, Trujillo Alto, Utuado, Vega Alta, Vega Baja, Vieques, Villalba, Yabucoa, Yauco | 3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 23.5% (male 476,726; female 453,782)
15-64 years: 65.8% (male 1,249,850; female 1,353,438) 65 years and over: 10.7% (male 180,053; female 244,139) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 35.3% (male 20,679/female 19,843)
15-64 years: 60.5% (male 34,399/female 34,964) 65 years and over: 4.2% (male 2,059/female 2,745) (2006 est.) |
Agriculture - products | sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas; livestock products, chickens | squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish |
Airports | 30 (2001) | 6 (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 19
over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 5 (2002) |
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 10 (2002) |
total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2006) |
Area | total: 9,104 sq km
land: 8,959 sq km water: 145 sq km |
total: 748 sq km
land: 718 sq km water: 30 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island | four times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the island was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following Columbus' second voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial rule that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and African slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a result of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship in 1917 and popularly elected governors have served since 1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted providing for internal self-government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and 1998 voters chose to retain commonwealth status. | Tonga - unique among Pacific nations - never completely lost its indigenous governance. The archipelagos of "The Friendly Islands" were united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. Tonga became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900; it withdrew from the protectorate and joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970. Tonga remains the only monarchy in the Pacific. |
Birth rate | 15.04 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 25.37 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $6.7 billion
expenditures: $9.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00) |
revenues: $56.97 million
expenditures: $83.88 million; including capital expenditures of $1.9 million (FY99/00 est.) |
Capital | San Juan | name: Nuku'alofa
geographic coordinates: 21 08 S, 175 12 W time difference: UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature variation | tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December) |
Coastline | 501 km | 419 km |
Constitution | ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US Congress 3 July 1952; effective 25 July 1952 | 4 November 1875; revised 1 January 1967 |
Country name | conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
conventional short form: Puerto Rico |
conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga
conventional short form: Tonga local long form: Pule'anga Tonga local short form: Tonga former: Friendly Islands |
Currency | US dollar (USD) | - |
Death rate | 7.82 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 5.28 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $80.7 million (2004) |
Dependency status | commonwealth associated with the US | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (commonwealth associated with the US) | the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (commonwealth associated with the US) | chief of mission: Ambassador Fekitamoeloa 'UTOIKAMANU
chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022 telephone: [1] (917) 369-1025 FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024 consulate(s) general: San Francisco |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $19.3 million Australia $5.5 million, New Zealand $2.3 million (FY01/02) |
Economy - overview | Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region. A diverse industrial sector has surpassed agriculture as the primary locus 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. 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, with estimated arrivals of nearly 5 million tourists in 1999. Growth fell off in 2001, largely due to the slowdown in the US economy. | Tonga, a small, open, South Pacific island economy, has a narrow export base in agricultural goods. Squash, coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans are the main crops, and agricultural exports make up two-thirds of total exports. The country must import a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. The country remains dependent on external aid and remittances from Tongan communities overseas to offset its trade deficit. Tourism is the second-largest source of hard currency earnings following remittances. The government is emphasizing the development of the private sector, especially the encouragement of investment, and is committing increased funds for health and education. Tonga has a reasonably sound basic infrastructure and well-developed social services. High unemployment among the young, a continuing upturn in inflation, pressures for democratic reform, and rising civil service expenditures are major issues facing the government. |
Electricity - consumption | 19.062 billion kWh (2000) | 31.62 million kWh (2003) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production | 20.497 billion kWh (2000) | 34 million kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 99%
hydro: 1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,338 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m |
Environment - current issues | erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages | deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared for agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from starfish and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting threatens native sea turtle populations |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | white (mostly Spanish origin) 80.5%, black 8%, Amerindian 0.4%, Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9% | Polynesian, Europeans |
Exchange rates | the US dollar is used | pa'anga per US dollar - 1.96 (2005), 1.9716 (2004), 2.142 (2003), 2.1952 (2002), 2.1236 (2001) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)
head of government: Governor Sila M. CALDERON (since 2 January 2001) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the legislature elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2 November 2004) election results: Sila M. CALDERON (PPD) elected governor; percent of vote - 48.6% note: residents of Puerto Rico do not vote for US president and vice president |
chief of state: King George TUPOU V (since 11 September 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Feleti SEVELE (since 11 February 2006); Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Viliami TANGI (since 16 May 2006) cabinet: Cabinet currently consists of 14 members, 10 appointed by the monarch for life; 4 appointed from among the elected members of the Legislative Assembly, including 2 each from the nobles and peoples representatives serving three year terms note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch, the cabinet, and two governors elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the monarch |
Exports | $38.5 billion f.o.b. (2000) | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment | squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops |
Exports - partners | US 88% (2000) | Japan 41.5%, US 33.1%, NZ 6.3% (2005) |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bears a large, white, five-pointed star in the center; design initially influenced by the US flag, but similar to the Cuban flag, with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed | red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $43.9 billion (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 1%
industry: 45% services: 54% (1999 est.) |
agriculture: 23%
industry: 27% services: 50% (FY03/04 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $11,200 (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 2.2% (2001 est.) | 2.4% (2005 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 18 15 N, 66 30 W | 20 00 S, 175 00 W |
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 | archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited) |
Highways | total: 14,400 km
paved: 14,400 km unpaved: 0 km (1996) |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $27 billion c.i.f. (2000) | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products | foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals |
Imports - partners | US 60% (2000) | NZ 33.4%, Fiji 26.7%, Australia 10.5%, US 8.4% (2005) |
Independence | none (commonwealth associated with the US) | 4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 1% (2003 est.) |
Industries | pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products; tourism | tourism, fishing |
Infant mortality rate | 9.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 12.3 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 13.63 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5.7% (2000 est.) | 11.1% (2005 est.) |
International organization participation | Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), FAO (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, WCL, WFTU, WHO (associate) | ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 76 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 400 sq km (1998 est.) | NA |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Appellate Court; Court of First Instance composed of two sections: a Superior Court and a Municipal Court (justices for all these courts appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate) | Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal (Chief Justice and high court justices from overseas chosen and approved by Privy Council) |
Labor force | 1.3 million (2000) (2000) | 33,910 (2003) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 3%, industry 20%, services 77% (2000 est.) | agriculture: 65%
industry and services: 35% (1997 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 3.72%
permanent crops: 5.07% other: 91.21% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 14.67% other: 65.33% (2005) |
Languages | Spanish, English | Tongan, English |
Legal system | based on Spanish civil code and adapted US state laws | based on English law |
Legislative branch | bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (28 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (51 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2 November 2004); House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2 November 2004) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PPD 19, PNP 8, PIP 1, other 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PPD 30, PNP 20, PIP 1 note: Puerto Rico elects, by popular vote, a resident commissioner to serve a four-year term as a nonvoting representative in the US House of Representatives; aside from not voting on the House floor, he enjoys all the rights of a member of Congress; elections last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2 November 2004); results - percent of vote by party - PPD 49.3%; seats by party - PPD 1; Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA elected resident commissioner |
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (32 seats - 14 reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, 9 for nobles selected by the country's 33 nobles, and 9 elected by popular vote; members serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 21 March 2005 (next to be held in 2008) election results: Peoples Representatives: percent of vote - HRDMT 70%; seats - HRDMT 7, independents 2 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 75.96 years
male: 71.5 years female: 80.66 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 69.82 years
male: 67.32 years female: 72.45 years (2006 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89% male: 90% female: 88% (1980 est.) |
definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English
total population: 98.9% male: 98.8% female: 99% (1999 est.) |
Location | Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic | Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Oceania |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
Merchant marine | total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 19,046 GRT/22,582 DWT
ships by type: container 1 (2002 est.) |
total: 16 ships (1000 GRT or over) 62,185 GRT/72,960 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 10, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1 foreign-owned: 4 (Australia 1, Norway 1, Switzerland 1, UK 1) (2006) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the US | - |
Military branches | no regular indigenous military forces; paramilitary National Guard, Police Force | Tonga Defense Services: Land Force (Royal Guard), Naval Force (includes Royal Marines, Air Wing) (2006) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | NA |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | NA |
National holiday | US Independence Day, 4 July (1776) | Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970) |
Nationality | noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens)
adjective: Puerto Rican |
noun: Tongan(s)
adjective: Tongan |
Natural hazards | periodic droughts; hurricanes | cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou |
Natural resources | some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil | fish, fertile soil |
Net migration rate | -2.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | National Democratic Party [Celeste BENITEZ]; National Republican Party of Puerto Rico [Luis FERRE]; New Progressive Party or PNP (pro-US statehood) [Carlos PESQUERA]; Popular Democratic Party or PPD (pro-commonwealth) [Sila M. CALDERON]; Puerto Rican Independence Party or PIP (pro-independence) [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez] | People's Democratic Party [Tesina FUKO] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Armed Forces for National Liberation or FALN; Armed Forces of Popular Resistance; Boricua Popular Army (also known as the Macheteros); Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution | Human Rights and Democracy Movement Tonga or HRDMT [Rev. Simote VEA, chairman]; Public Servant's Association [Finau TUTONE] |
Population | 3,957,988 (July 2002 est.) | 114,689 (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 24% NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.51% (2002 est.) | 2.01% (2006 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Guanica, Guayanilla, Guayama, Playa de Ponce, San Juan | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 72, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2004) |
Radios | 2.7 million (1997) | - |
Railways | total: 96 km
narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge, note: rural, narrow-gauge system for hauling sugarcane; no passenger service (2001) |
- |
Religions | Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15% | Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections | 21 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: modern system, integrated with that of the US by high-capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with high-speed data capability
domestic: digital telephone system; cellular telephone service international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat; submarine cable to US |
general assessment: competition between Tonga Telecommunications Corporation (TCC) and Shoreline Communications Tonga (SCT) is accelerating expansion of telecommunications; SCT recently granted authority to develop high-speed digital service for telephone, Internet, and television
domestic: fully automatic switched network international: country code - 676; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2004) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 1.322 million (1997) | 11,200 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 169,265 (1996) | 16,400 (2004) |
Television broadcast stations | 18 (plus three stations of the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service) (1997) | 3 (2004) |
Terrain | mostly mountains, with coastal plain belt in north; mountains precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal areas | most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base |
Total fertility rate | 1.9 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 3 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 9.5% (2000) (2000) | 13% (FY03/04 est.) |
Waterways | none | - |