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The [[Spanish immigration to Puerto Rico|Spanish]] conquered the island, assuming government in 1508, colonized it, and enslaved the natives. The Taíno population dwindled due to disease, warfare, and forced labor, and the Spanish began importing large numbers of [[slaves]] from Africa. Spanish men arrived on the island disproportionately to Spanish women; Taíno women were sometimes forced to marry them, resulting in a [[mestizo]], or "mixed" ethnicity.
The [[Spanish immigration to Puerto Rico|Spanish]] conquered the island, assuming government in 1508, colonized it, and enslaved the natives. The Taíno population dwindled due to disease, warfare, and forced labor, and the Spanish began importing large numbers of [[slaves]] from Africa. Spanish men arrived on the island disproportionately to Spanish women; Taíno women were sometimes forced to marry them, resulting in a [[mestizo]], or "mixed" ethnicity.


From the late 17th century up until about 1850, African slaves made up the majority of Puerto Rico's population{{Citation needed|date=September 2010}}. During the late 19th century, thousands of European ([[Italian people|Italian]], [[French immigration to Puerto Rico|French]], [[German immigration to Puerto Rico|German]], [[Irish immigration to Puerto Rico|Irish]], [[Portugal|Portuguese]], [[Scotland|Scottish]], [[Greeks|Greek]], and others), Arab (such as [[Lebanon|Lebanese]]), Mediterranean (such as [[Maltese people|Maltese]] and [[Corsican immigration to Puerto Rico|Corsica]]n), and [[Asia]]n ([[Chinese immigration to Puerto Rico|mostly Chinese]]) families immigrated to the island{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}. Large numbers of immigrants from Spain (mainly from [[Catalonia]], [[Asturias]], [[Galicia (Spain)|Galicia]], the [[Balearic Islands]], [[Andalusia]], and the [[Canary Islands]]), as well as numerous Spanish living in former colonies in South America, also arrived in Puerto Rico (See [[Spanish immigration to Puerto Rico]]). European Catholics (and [[Arab Christians|Christian Arabs]]) who were granted land from Spain during the ''Real Cedula de Gracias de 1815'' ([[Royal Decree of Graces of 1815]]), were allowed to settle in the island with a certain amount of free land and enslaved persons.
From the late 17th century up until about 1850, [[African immigration to Puerto Rico|African slaves]] made up the majority of Puerto Rico's population.<ref>{{cite news | title=African Amnesia in Puerto Rico | publisher=Medgar Evers College | url =http://www.stewartsynopsis.com/racial_amnesia.htm |accessdate = 2010-05-13 }}</ref> During the late 19th century, thousands of European ([[Italian people|Italian]], [[French immigration to Puerto Rico|French]], [[German immigration to Puerto Rico|German]], [[Irish immigration to Puerto Rico|Irish]], [[Portugal|Portuguese]], [[Scotland|Scottish]], [[Greeks|Greek]], and others), Arab (such as [[Lebanon|Lebanese]]), Mediterranean (such as [[Maltese people|Maltese]] and [[Corsican immigration to Puerto Rico|Corsica]]n), and [[Asia]]n ([[Chinese immigration to Puerto Rico|mostly Chinese]]) families immigrated to the island{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}. Large numbers of immigrants from Spain (mainly from [[Catalonia]], [[Asturias]], [[Galicia (Spain)|Galicia]], the [[Balearic Islands]], [[Andalusia]], and the [[Canary Islands]]), as well as numerous Spanish living in former colonies in South America, also arrived in Puerto Rico (See [[Spanish immigration to Puerto Rico]]). European Catholics (and [[Arab Christians|Christian Arabs]]) who were granted land from Spain during the ''Real Cedula de Gracias de 1815'' ([[Royal Decree of Graces of 1815]]), were allowed to settle in the island with a certain amount of free land and enslaved persons.


This mass immigration during the 19th century helped the population grow from 155,000 in 1800 to almost a million at the close of the century. During the early 20th century [[Jewish immigration to Puerto Rico|Jews]] began to settle in Puerto Rico. The first large group of Jews to settle in Puerto Rico were European refugees fleeing [[German–occupied Europe]] in the 1930s. Puerto Rico's economic boom of the 1950s attracted a considerable number of Jewish families from the U.S. mainland, who were joined after 1959 by an influx of Jewish emigres from Castro's Cuba.<ref name="JVL">[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vjw/Puerto_Rico.html The Virtual Jewish History Tour Puerto Rico]</ref>
This mass immigration during the 19th century helped the population grow from 155,000 in 1800 to almost a million at the close of the century. During the early 20th century [[Jewish immigration to Puerto Rico|Jews]] began to settle in Puerto Rico. The first large group of Jews to settle in Puerto Rico were European refugees fleeing [[German–occupied Europe]] in the 1930s. Puerto Rico's economic boom of the 1950s attracted a considerable number of Jewish families from the U.S. mainland, who were joined after 1959 by an influx of Jewish emigres from Castro's Cuba.<ref name="JVL">[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vjw/Puerto_Rico.html The Virtual Jewish History Tour Puerto Rico]</ref>

Revision as of 15:57, 19 January 2011

This article is about the demographic features of the population of Puerto Rico, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

Demographics of Puerto Rico
Population Change Timeline
Population Density
Population 3,927,776
Male population 1,887,087
Female population 2,040,689
Population growth 0.47%
Birth rate 13.93/1,000
Death rate 7.86/1,000
Infant mortality rate 8.24/1,000
Life expectancy 78.29 years
Nationality Puerto Rican
Demographic bureaus 2000, United States Census

The population of Puerto Rico has been shaped by Amerindian settlement, European colonization, slavery, economic migration, and Puerto Rico's status as a United States Commonwealth.

History of migration

The inhabitants of Puerto Rico immediately before the first European contact were part of the Arawak group of Amerindians. They called the island, Borikén (alt. Borinquén) and themselves "Boricuas". They were named by Christopher Columbus in 1493 as the Taíno.

Immigration

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1765 44,883—    
1775 70,250+56.5%
1800 155,426+121.2%
1815 220,892+42.1%
1832 350,051+58.5%
1846 447,914+28.0%
1860 583,308+30.2%
1877 731,648+25.4%
1887 798,565+9.1%
1899 953,243+19.4%
1910 1,118,012+17.3%
1920 1,299,809+16.3%
1930 1,543,913+18.8%
1940 1,869,255+21.1%
1950 2,210,703+18.3%
1960 2,349,544+6.3%
1970 2,712,033+15.4%
1980 3,196,520+17.9%
1990 3,522,037+10.2%
2000 3,808,610+8.1%
2010 3,725,789−2.2%
The United States War Department took the census in 1899.
Immigration to Puerto Rico

The Spanish conquered the island, assuming government in 1508, colonized it, and enslaved the natives. The Taíno population dwindled due to disease, warfare, and forced labor, and the Spanish began importing large numbers of slaves from Africa. Spanish men arrived on the island disproportionately to Spanish women; Taíno women were sometimes forced to marry them, resulting in a mestizo, or "mixed" ethnicity.

From the late 17th century up until about 1850, African slaves made up the majority of Puerto Rico's population.[1] During the late 19th century, thousands of European (Italian, French, German, Irish, Portuguese, Scottish, Greek, and others), Arab (such as Lebanese), Mediterranean (such as Maltese and Corsican), and Asian (mostly Chinese) families immigrated to the island[citation needed]. Large numbers of immigrants from Spain (mainly from Catalonia, Asturias, Galicia, the Balearic Islands, Andalusia, and the Canary Islands), as well as numerous Spanish living in former colonies in South America, also arrived in Puerto Rico (See Spanish immigration to Puerto Rico). European Catholics (and Christian Arabs) who were granted land from Spain during the Real Cedula de Gracias de 1815 (Royal Decree of Graces of 1815), were allowed to settle in the island with a certain amount of free land and enslaved persons.

This mass immigration during the 19th century helped the population grow from 155,000 in 1800 to almost a million at the close of the century. During the early 20th century Jews began to settle in Puerto Rico. The first large group of Jews to settle in Puerto Rico were European refugees fleeing German–occupied Europe in the 1930s. Puerto Rico's economic boom of the 1950s attracted a considerable number of Jewish families from the U.S. mainland, who were joined after 1959 by an influx of Jewish emigres from Castro's Cuba.[2]

In recent years, over 100,000 legal immigrants from Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Colombia and Venezuela, have also settled in Puerto Rico. Together they represent about 5% of the population.[citation needed]

Royal Decree of Graces, 1815

Emigration

Emigration has been a major part of Puerto Rico's recent history as well. Starting in the post-World War II period, due to poverty, cheap airfares, their U.S. citizenship, and promotion by the island government, waves of Puerto Ricans moved to the continental United States, particularly to New York City; Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, and Camden, New Jersey; Chicago; Providence, Rhode Island; Springfield and Boston, Massachusetts; Orlando, Miami and Tampa, Florida; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Hartford, Connecticut; Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles, California. This continued even as Puerto Rico's economy improved and its birth rate declined. Emigration continues at the present time, and this, combined with Puerto Rico's slumping below-replacement birth rate, suggests that the island's population will age rapidly and start to decline sometime within the next couple of decades. The 2010 Census in fact recorded Puerto Rico's first population drop in history. Other than the United States, there's Puerto Rican populations growing in Canada and the Dominican Republic.[3]

The word Nuyorican is sometimes used to describe Puerto Rican New Yorkers. The Spanish word for "Puerto Rican" is puertorriqueño.

Further information: [[:Puerto Ricans in the United States]]

Race and ethnic groups

Race - Puerto Rico [4][5]
Year White % Non-White %
1802 48.0 52.0
1812 46.8 53.2
1820 44.4 55.6
1830 50.1 49.9
1877 56.3 43.7
1887 59.5 40.5
1897 64.3 35.7
1899 61.8 38.2
1910 65.5 34.5
1920 73.0 27.0
1930 74.3 25.7
1935 76.2 23.8
1940 76.5 23.5
1950 79.7 20.3
2000 80.5 19.5
Racial composition of the Puerto Rican
population, by the census, 1802-2000

Racial demographic history

The first census by the United States in 1899 reported a population of 953,243 inhabitants, 61.8% of them classified as white, 31.9% as mixed, and 6.3% as black.

A strong European immigration wave and large importation of slaves from Africa helped increase the population of Puerto Rico over thirteenfold during the 19th century, no doubt significantly diluting the Amerindian portion of the Puerto Rican gene pool. No major immigration wave occurred during the 20th century. [6]

The federal Naturalization Act, signed into law on March 26, 1790, by President Washington, explicitly barred anyone not of the White "race" from applying for U.S. citizenship. This law remained in effect until the 1950s, although its enforcement was tightened in the late 19th century regarding Asian immigrants, and by the Johnson-Reed act of 1924 imposing immigration quotas. In short, until late in the 20th century, only immigrants of the White "race" could hope to become naturalized citizens. This is how Puerto Rico came about being forced to become U.S citizens in 1917.[7][8]

Until 1950 the U.S. Bureau of the Census attempted to quantify the racial composition of the island's population, while experimenting with various racial taxonomies. In 1960 the census dropped the racial identification question for Puerto Rico but included it again in the year 2000. The only category that remained constant over time was white, even as other racial labels shifted greatly—from "colored" to "Black", "mulatto" and "other". Regardless of the precise terminology, the census reported that the bulk of the Puerto Rican population was white from 1899 to 2000.[5]

An interesting anecdote to consider was that during this whole period, Puerto Rico had laws like the Regla del Sacar or Gracias al Sacar where a person of mixed ancestry could be considered legally white so long as they could prove that at least one person per generation in the last four generations had also been legally white. Therefore people of mixed ancestry with known white lineage were classified as white, the opposite of the "one-drop rule" in the United States.[9][10]

According to the 1920 Puerto Rican census, 2,505 individuals immigrated to Puerto Rico between 1910 and 1920. Of these, 2,270 were classified as "white" in the 1920 census (1,205 from Spain), (280 from Venezuela), (180 from Cuba), & (135 from the Dominican Republic). Although, in the same decade 7,873 Puerto Ricans emigrated to the U.S, out of these 6,561 were "white" on the U.S mainland census, 909 as "Spanish white" and 403 as "black".[11]

The statistics show Puerto Rican's responses to the 2000/census, asking which race(s) they identify with. (The U.S. Census does not consider Hispanic a race, and asks if a person considers himself Hispanic in a separate question.) Although, the term "Hispanic" specifically refers to a person residing in the United States or Latin America of Spanish descent.

Genetic studies

A recent study of Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from 800 individuals found that patrilineal input, as indicated by the Y chromosome, showed over 70% of Puerto Ricans could trace their ancestry to male European ancestors, 20% could trace it to male African ancestors, and less than 10% could trace it to male Native American ancestors.[17]

As for maternal DNA, 61.1% of those sampled were found as having Amerindian maternal mtDNA. This means that if you could trace back in time from daughter to mother, you would eventually reach women who lived in Puerto Rico in Pre-Columbian time. The rest divides between 26.4% with female African ancestors and 12.5% with female European ancestors.[17]

Both of these findings are consistent with the popular belief from historical record that male European immigrants took for themselves wives from among the native Indian and, later, black slave populations.[18]

Dr. Juan Martinez Cruzado, a geneticist from the University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez who participated in the design of the mDNA study, said accounts of life on Puerto Rico in the 17th and 18th centuries "describe many aspects that are totally derived from Taino modus vivendi, not just the hammocks but the way they fished, their methods of farming, etc....It is clear that the influence of Taino culture was very strong up to about 200 years ago. If we could conduct this same study on the Puerto Ricans from those times, the figure would show that 80 percent of the people had Indian heritage."

Women in the diaspora

In a study done on Puerto Rican women born on the island but living in New York by Carolina Bonilla, Mark D. Shriver and Esteban Parra in 2004, the ancestry proportions corresponding to the three parental populations were found to be 53.3±2.8% European, 29.1±2.3% West African, and 17.6±2.4% Native American based on autosomal ancestry informative markers. Although autosomal markers tests seem to draw a more broad picture than that of single, gender-based mtDNA and Y-Chromosome tests, the problem with autosomnal DNA is in the archaic cateogries used: "European", "Sub-Saharan African", "East Asian" & "Native American". "Asian" (South, North or East) & "North African" are not included. These generalised categories may not take into account the complexity of migratory patterns across the Old World.

More interesting was to see how much of the population showed any markers of each region. From the women sampled, 98% had European ancestry markers, 87% had African ancestry markers, 84% had Native American ancestry markers, 5% showed only African and European markers, 4% showed mostly Native American and European markers, 2% showed only African markers, and 2% showed mostly European markers.[19]

These findings are consistent with the historical record that the native male Taino population was virtually wiped out shortly after the arrival of the European settlers to the Island.[18]

Religion

Islamic Center at Ponce: There are many religious beliefs represented in the island

Religious breakdown in Puerto Rico (2006)[20]:

Religion Adherents % of Population
Christian 3,752,544 97.00%
Non-religious/other 76,598 1.98%
Spiritist 27,080 0.70%
Muslim 5,029 0.13%
Hindu 3,482 0.09%
Jewish 2,708 0.07%
Buddhist 1,161 0.03%

Christians

Christian Denominational Breakdown (2006)[21]:

Denomination Adherents
Catholic 1,650,000
Other Pentecostal 229,814
Pentecostal Church of God 100,000
Assemblies of God 56,000
Seventh-day Adventist 31,524
Jehovah's Witnesses 25,778
Baptist Convention 35,000
Defenders of the Faith 17,500
Church of God (Cleveland) 17,500
Latter-day Saints (Mormon) 16,084
United Methodist 10,000
Disciples of Christ 10,778
Christian and Missionary Alliance 6,500
Boriquen Presby Synod 8,300
Church of the Nazarene 2,994
Other 130,400

Catholics

The Roman Catholic Church has been historically the most dominant religion of the majority of Puerto Ricans, with Puerto Rico having the first dioceses in the Americas.[22]

Protestants

The presence of various Protestant denominations has increased under American sovereignty, making modern Puerto Rico an interconfessional country. Protestantism was suppressed under the Spanish regime, but encouraged under American rule of the island. An example of this was with the Holy Trinity Anglican church in Ponce, which was prevented from ringing its bell until 1898, when American troops landed there.[23]

Muslims

In 2007, there were over 5,000 Muslims in Puerto Rico, representing about 0.13% of the population.[24][25] There are eight Islamic mosques spread throughout the island, with most Muslims living in Río Piedras.[26][27] Puerto Rican converts to Islam continues to occur.[28] "Ties between Latinos and Islam are more than just spiritual, but date back to Spanish history. Many people do not realize that Muslims ruled Spain for more than 700 years".[29] And at times not just individuals, but whole families convert. However, lack of Muslim education in the Island forces some Puerto Rican Muslims to migrate to the States.[29] Many Latino Muslims who claim Islamic roots point out that Islam's influence on Latin America is not new. They point to the African/Islamic influence evident in Spanish literature, music and thought. Thousands of Spanish words, for example, are derived from Arabic. In Latino culture, especially language, there are lots of Arabisms.[30] Islam was brought into Puerto Rico mainly via the Palestinian migration of the 1950s and '60s.[31] Thus, today there is a strong Palestinian presence among Muslims in Puerto Rico. "They are economically strong and are thus able to pay for a full time Imaam".[32]

Jews

Puerto Rico is also home to the largest and richest Jewish community in the Caribbean with 3,000 Jewish inhabitants. Some Puerto Ricans have converted, not only as individuals but as entire families. Puerto Rico is the only Caribbean island in which the Conservative, Reform and Orthodox Jewish movements are represented.[2][33]

Pagans

Taíno religious practices have to a degree been rediscovered/reinvented by a handful of advocates. Various African religious practices have been present since the arrival of enslaved Africans. In particular, the Yoruba beliefs of Santería and/or Ifá, and the Kongo-derived Palo Mayombe (sometimes called an African belief system, but rather a way of Bantu lifestyle of Congo origin) find adherence among very few individuals who practice some form of African traditional religion.

CIA World Factbook demographic statistics

Demographics of Puerto Rico, Data of FAO, year 2005 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands.

The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.

Population: 3,916,632 (July 2005 est.)

Gender:[34]

  • Men: 1,845,154
  • Women: 2,020,126

Age structure:
0–14 years: 22% (male 441,594; female 421,986)
15–64 years: 65.5% (male 1,228,583; female 1,337,066)
65 years and over: 12.4% (male 211,283; female 276,120) (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.47% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 13.93 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 7.86 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 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: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 8.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.29 years
male: 74.35 years
female: 82.43 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.91 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Nationality:
noun: American (US citizens) (Puerto Rican is akin to Pennsylvanian or Floridian or Hawaiian)
adjective: Puerto Rican

Ethnic Groups (2007):[35]

  • White 76.2%; (mostly Spanish origin)
  • Black 6.9%;
  • Asian 0.3%;
  • Amerindian 0.2%;
  • Mixed 4.4%;
  • other 12%

Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%

Languages: Spanish (main language), English

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.1%
male: 93.9%
female: 94.4% (2002 est.)

See also

References

  1. ^ "African Amnesia in Puerto Rico". Medgar Evers College. Retrieved 2010-05-13.
  2. ^ a b The Virtual Jewish History Tour Puerto Rico
  3. ^ "Growing Puerto Rican population in the Dominican Republic". Universidad Central del Este. Retrieved 2010-07-19.
  4. ^ Puerto Rico's History on race
  5. ^ a b Representation of racial identity among puerto ricans and in the u.s. mainland
  6. ^ Ancestry in Puerto Rico
  7. ^ Vision of America
  8. ^ History: The Racialisation of Puerto Ricans and Mexican Americans
  9. ^ Jay Kinsbruner, Not of Pure Blood, Duke University Press 1996
  10. ^ Jay Kinsbruner, Not of Pure Blood, Duke University Press Preview
  11. ^ How Puerto Rico became white
  12. ^ Ethnicity 2000 census
  13. ^ "Island Identity 2000 census
  14. ^ 2006-2008 Three Year Estimate. Puerto Rico Community Survey;Hispanic or Latino Origin by Race. Path: U.S. Census Bureau > Fact Sheet > United States > Puerto Rico > 2006-2008 tab > ACS Demographic Estimates. Retrieved June 19, 2010.
  15. ^ Ancestry ACS 2006
  16. ^ B03001. HISPANIC OR LATINO ORIGIN BY SPECIFIC ORIGIN
  17. ^ a b Martínez Cruzado, Juan C. (2002). "The Use of Mitochondrial DNA to Discover Pre-Columbian Migrations to the Caribbean: Results for Puerto Rico and Expectations for the Dominican Republic". KACIKE: The Journal of Caribbean Amerindian History and Anthropology [On-line Journal], Special Issue, Lynne Guitar, Ed. Available at: http://www.kacike.org/MartinezEnglish.pdf [Date of access: 25 September 2006]
  18. ^ a b Documenting the Myth of Taino Extinction. Dr. Lynne Guitar. KACIKE: Journal of Caribbean Amerindian History and Anthropology. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
  19. ^ Bonilla et al., Ancestral proportions and their association with skin pigmentation and bone mineral density in Puerto Rican women from New York City. Hum Gen (2004) 115: 57-58 Available at: http://onedroprule.org/forum/index.php?file=bonilla-2004-pigmnt-bmd-pr-women.pdf [Date of access: 30 May 2008]
  20. ^ Religions Retrieved June 9, 2009.
  21. ^ Denominations Retrieved June 9, 2009.
  22. ^ Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Porto Rico" . Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  23. ^ Iglesia Anglicana Santa Trinidad de Ponce
  24. ^ Institute of Islamic Information and Education: Number of Muslims and Percentage in Puerto Rico Retrieved June 11, 2009. Corrected October 6, 2009.
  25. ^ Percent Puerto Rican population that are Muslims Retrieved June 8, 2009.
  26. ^ Muslim mosques in Puerto Rico Retrieved June 8, 2009.
  27. ^ Muslims concentrated in Rio Piedras Retrieved June 8, 2009.
  28. ^ Puerto Rican Converts to Islam Retrieved June 8, 2009.
  29. ^ a b Reshaping One Nation Under God Retrieved June 8, 2009.
  30. ^ Islam influence on Puerto Rican culture Retrieved June 8, 2009.
  31. ^ Palestinian migration Retrieved June 8, 2009.
  32. ^ Palestinians in PR Retrieved June 8, 2009.
  33. ^ Luxner News
  34. ^ "2006 Survey
  35. ^ CIA World Factbook Found at: CIA World Factbook > Central America and Caribbean > Puerto Rico > People > Ethnic Groups. Retrieved June 8, 2009. Confirmed June 19, 2010.

External links

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