Outline Map of The West Indies Islands
Facts and Figures on the West Indies
Map/Info. on Puerto Rico (short version)
Full CIA information on Puerto Rico
The
West Indies
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The West Indies is comprised of some 3,000 islands and reefs. They are grouped into 5 major groups.
Listed below are the groups and some of the Islands in
each group.
The Bahamas
Grand Bahama Island
Great Abaco Island
Andros Island
Eleuthera Island
Long Island
Crooked Island
Acklins Island
The Greater Antilles
Cuba
Haiti/Dominican Republic
Puerto Rico
Grand Cayman
The Lesser Antilles
Aruba Jamaica
Willemstad Guyana
Bonaire
Barbados
Trinidad
Tobago
The Windward Islands
Guadeloupe
Dominica
Martinique
St. Lucia
St. Vincent
Grenada
The Leeward Islands
Virgin Islands (U.S. & British)
St. Croix
Barbuda
St. Thomas
Antigua
St. Kitts
Nevis
Saba
St. Bartholomew
The West Indies islands cover an area of the Atlantic Ocean equal to about
1/3 that of the contiguous United States. They reach from just off the
coast of Florida eastward and southward toward South America forming the
area known as the Caribbean.
Over 40 million people inhabit the West Indies islands.
The West Indies islands range in size from 42,804-square miles (Cuba) to 5-square miles (Saba - on which live 1,500 souls.)
Many of the islands of the West Indies have
NO Gospel preaching, Independent
Baptist church; the predominant religion throughout the West Indies
Islands is Roman Catholicism; however, there is a wide diversity of religions
and cults throughout the islands:
Voodooism
Satanism
Mormonism
Jehovah's (false) Witnesses
Charismatic Movement
Ecumenical Movement
(Just to name a few)
Hurricanes are a common occurrence in the West Indies; some years produce only a couple of storms per year. However, the hurricane season of 2004 has been unusually active, producing (at the time of this writing) 7 storms.
Friend, in the time it will take you to read through
this page, as many as 9 souls in the West Indies islands
will have DIED AND GONE TO HELL without
knowing the truth about the saving grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ.
It's time there was a greater presence in the West Indies Islands than there has been in the past!
1. Plant an Independent, Fundamental, Bible believing,
Bible preaching indigenous Baptist Churches on the islands of
the West Indies.
2. Preach & teach the wonderful precepts of Salvation, Christian living,
Christian service, and Soul-winning which are taught in the Scriptures.
3. Train young, Godly men to be leaders within the church and to go forth
& plant new Independent Baptist churches throughout the islands.
4. Establish a Bible Institute for Ministry training.
5. Evangelize the West Indies through hard work, aggressive soul-winning
and discipling men and women - giving them the tools with which to reach
the world for Christ.
If you would like to help us reach the West Indies islands for Christ, please contact me via one of the addresses listed on the Contact Information page. We have a tremendous task with which we have been comissioned; we can use all the help (physical, prayer, financial) we can get!
On the island of Puerto Rico, live over 5,000,000 people. The predominant culture is Latin American, and the official/native language is Spanish. However, since Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States, many people are able to speak English. Puerto Rico is a key Island within the West Indies chain due to its central proximity, the freedoms of religion which are guaranteed through the constitution of the United States, and the large (comparatively speaking) cities on the island such as: San Juan (capitol), Ponce (a major shipping port), Mayaguez and Arecibo.
The key to reaching a region for Christ is to start in a large enough (key) city which will provide ample opportunity for reaching more people within, with the Gospel and thus creating a base of operation for branching out, replicating the work, and evangelizing the world.
Full CIA information on Puerto Rico
Puerto
Rico 
Introduction Puerto Rico
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.
Geography Puerto Rico
Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic
Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N, 66 30 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 9,104 sq km
water: 145 sq km
land: 8,959 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 501 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: mostly mountains, with coastal plain belt in north; mountains
precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal areas
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,338 m
Natural resources: some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore
oil
Land use: arable land: 3.72%
permanent crops: 5.07%
other: 91.21% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 400 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic droughts; hurricanes
Environment - current issues: erosion; occasional drought causing water
shortages
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
People Puerto Rico
Population: 3,885,877 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 22.9% (male 454,908; female 434,555)
15-64 years: 65.2% (male 1,212,764; female 1,322,356)
65 years and over: 11.9% (male 200,669; female 260,625) (2003 est.)
Median age: total: 33.3 years
male: 31.6 years
female: 34.9 years (2002)
Population growth rate: 0.58% (2003 est.)
Birth rate: 15 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate: 7.68 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
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: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 9.38 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 10.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.26 years
male: 73.27 years
female: 81.44 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.02 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 7,397 (1997)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens)
adjective: Puerto Rican
Ethnic groups: white (mostly Spanish origin) 80.5%, black 8%, Amerindian
0.4%, Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9%
Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%
Languages: Spanish, English
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.8%
male: 93.7%
female: 94% (2001)
Government Puerto Rico
Country name: conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
conventional short form: Puerto Rico
Dependency status: commonwealth associated with the US
Government type: commonwealth
Capital: San Juan
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
Independence: none (commonwealth associated with the US)
National holiday: US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico Constitution
Day, 25 July (1952)
Constitution: ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US Congress 3 July 1952;
effective 25 July 1952
Legal system: based on Spanish civil code and within the US Federal system
of justice
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 George W. BUSH of the US (since
20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)
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
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)
head of government: Governor Sila M. CALDERON (since 2 January 2001)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the legislature
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)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party
- PPD 19, PNP 8, PIP 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
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)
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)
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]
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
International organization participation: Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate),
FAO (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, WCL, WFTU, WHO (associate),
WToO (associate)
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (commonwealth associated with
the US)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (commonwealth associated with
the US)
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
Economy Puerto Rico
Economy - overview: Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies
in the Caribbean region. A diverse industrial sector has far 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 2001-02, largely due to
the slowdown in the US economy.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $43.01 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -0.2% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $11,100 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1%
industry: 45%
services: 54% (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (2002 est.)
Labor force: 1.3 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 3%, industry 20%, services 77%
(2000 est.)
Unemployment rate: 12% (2002)
Budget: revenues: $6.7 billion
expenditures: $9.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY
99/00)
Industries: pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products; tourism
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 20.9 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.2%
hydro: 0.8%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 19.44 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: 190,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: NA (2001)
Oil - imports: NA (2001)
Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 630 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 630 million cu m (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products: sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas;
livestock products, chickens
Exports: $46.9 billion f.o.b. (2001)
Exports - commodities: chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum,
beverage concentrates, medical equipment
Exports - partners: US 88.2%, UK 1.5%, Dominican Republic 1.4% (2001)
Imports: $29.1 billion c.i.f. (2001)
Imports - commodities: chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food,
fish, petroleum products
Imports - partners: US 53.5%, Ireland 16.3%, Japan 4.5% (2001)
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - recipient: $NA
Currency: US dollar (USD)
Currency code: USD
Exchange rates: the US dollar is used
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
Communications Puerto Rico
Telephones - main lines in use: 1.322 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 169,265 (1996)
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
Radio broadcast stations: AM 72, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 2.7 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 18 (plus three stations of the US Armed
Forces Radio and Television Service) (1997)
Televisions: 1.021 million (1997)
Internet country code: .pr
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 76 (2000)
Internet users: 600,000 (2002)
Transportation Puerto Rico
Railways: total: 96 km
narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)
Highways: total: 14,400 km
paved: 14,400 km
unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Aguadilla, Arecibo, Fajardo, Guanica, Guayanilla, Guayama,
Mayaguez, Playa de Ponce, San Juan
Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) 19,203 GRT/20,904 DWT
ships by type: container 1 (2002 est.)
Airports: 31 (2002)
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)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 10 (2002)
Military Puerto Rico
Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; paramilitary
National Guard, Police Force
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues Puerto Rico
Disputes - international: none