Executive power is held by the Governor, who is elected by universal adult suffrage for a four-year term, assisted by a 15-member Cabinet staffed by appointees. A bicameral assembly, a scaled-down version of the US Congress, is responsible for legislation. The House of Representatives has 54 members; the Senate has 28.

Self-governing US Commonwealth Territory (incorporated). Gained internal autonomy in 1951. Head of State: President George W Bush since 2001. Head of Government: Governor Anibal Acevedo Vila since 2004. Recent history: In December 1998, the third referendum in 30 years was held on the issue of whether voters wished Puerto Rico to become the 51st state of the USA, become independent, enter a compact of Free Association (similar to that which operates in a number of Pacific micro-territories) or retain the status quo. By a narrow majority, they voted for the status quo. There is still a strong lobby for full independence for Puerto Rico, and the issue remains a sensitive issue on the island: its advocates received a boost in 2003 when the US military ended its use of the island of Vieques for military exercises after 60 years.
Executive power is held by the Governor, who is elected by universal adult suffrage for a four-year term, assisted by a 15-member Cabinet staffed by appointees. A bicameral Assembly, a scaled-down version of the US Congress, is responsible for legislation. The House of Representatives has 54 members; the Senate has 28.
Puerto Rico has a representative in the US House of Representatives; the inhabitants of the island are US citizens, but they may not vote in Presidential elections. The latest election for Governor, held in November 2000, was a three-way fight between PNP candidate Carlos Pesquera, Sila Maria Calderón of the PPD and Ruben Berrios Martine of the small Partido Independentista. Calderon won with just under half the total poll. Elections to the Senate and the House of Representatives on the same day gave the PPD a small majority in both houses. At the end of 2004, Calderón was opposed by Anibal Acevedo Vila. After two months of wrangling and recounts, the leader of the pro-Commonwealth Popular Democratic Party was confirmed as the new Head of Government.

Spanish and English are the official languages.

Roman Catholic 85 per cent; the remainder are other Christian denominations and Jews.

Handshaking is the customary form of greeting. Casual dress is acceptable, but shorts should not be worn in hotel dining rooms or casinos, where formal dress is required after 2000. Spanish and American manners and conventions exist side by side on the island. Some hotels require formal dress.

110 volts AC, 60Hz.