Long-form name: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

Type: commonwealth associated with the US

Capital: San Juan

Administrative divisions: none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Independence: none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Constitution: ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US Congress 3 July 1952; effective 25 July 1952

National holiday: Constitution Day, 25 July (1952)

Branches: executive (governor elected by direct vote to a four-year term); bicameral legislature (Senate with 27 members and House of Representatives with 51 members, all elected by popular vote to four-year terms); judiciary (Supreme Court appointed by governor)

Leader: @m5Chief of State President George Herbert Walker BUSH (since 20 January 1989); Vice President James Danforth QUAYLE (since 20 January 1989); @m5Head of Government Governor Rafael HERNANDEZ Colon (since NA)

Suffrage: universal, but not compulsory, over 18 years

Elections: November 1984, November 1988

Political parties and leaders: Popular Democratic Party (PPD), Rafael Hernandez Colon; New Progressive Party (PNP), Baltasar Corrado del Rio; 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

Voting strength: 48.75% PPD, 45.83% PNP (1988)

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

Diplomatic representation: none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Flag: 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 based on the US flag

NOTE: The information regarding Puerto Rico on this page is re-published from the 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Puerto Rico Government 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Puerto Rico Government 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.