From Commonwealth of Puerto Rico: Law and Religion Framework Overview (2018)
Justin Gilleland (Dorsey & Whitney)

Puerto Rico is a self-governing island commonwealth politically associated with the United States. Puerto Rico is the easternmost island of the Greater Antilles island chain within the Caribbean Sea, lying approximately 50 miles east of the Dominican Republic, 40 miles west of the Virgin Islands, and 1,000 miles southeast of Florida. As an archipelago, the country includes the main island of Puerto Rico as well as a number of smaller ones, including Mona, Culebra, and Vieques. Extending about 111 miles from east to west and about 39 miles from north to south, Puerto Rico is one-fifth as large as the Dominican Republic, one-third the size of Haiti, and slightly smaller than Jamaica.

Though populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, Puerto Rico was originally claimed by Spain in 1493 following Christopher Columbus’ second voyage to the Americas. Under 400 years of Spanish colonial rule, the indigenous population of Puerto Rico was nearly exterminated and African slave labor was introduced. In 1898, during the Spanish-American War, the United States invaded Puerto Ricoand as a result of the war, it was ceded to the United States. It was not until 1917 that Puerto Ricans were granted U.S. citizenship. Today, people born in Puerto Rico are considered natural-born U.S. citizens.As explained more fully below, Puerto Rico operates under a local constitution, and Puerto Ricans elect their own governor. As a commonwealth, however, Puerto Rico lacks voting members in Congress and is subject to the plenary jurisdiction of the United States under the territorial clause of the U.S. Constitution. As of late, the vast majority of Puerto Rican voters favor permanent union with the United States, with a greater number favoring the current commonwealth relationship rather than statehood. A small but persistent minority has advocated independence.

According to 2016 census data, Puerto Rico has an estimated population of 3.6 million, with approximately 75.8% of the population identifying as white, 12.4% identifying as African American, and 11.8% identifying as American Indian, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, or mixed ethnicity. Notwithstanding, 99% of the population is Latino. Due to historical ties to Spain and the United States, Puerto Ricans have an intermingled Spanish, U.S., and Afro-Caribbean culture. At least partly due to a strong U.S. economic and military presence, Puerto Rico’s social and economic conditions are generally advanced by Latin American standards. Since 2005, Puerto Rico has experienced a net population loss as large numbers of residents continue to move to the United States mainland due to economic problems within Puerto Rico.

Religious Context

According to census data, Puerto Rico is predominantly Christian. In particular, sources indicate that approximately 85% of the population is Roman Catholic, with 10% identifying with other Christian faiths, 2.8% being agnostic, 0.7% being spiritists, 0.4% being atheists, and 0.1% being Hindu. From the 2001 World Values Survey, 70.2% of survey respondents indicated they attended religious services at least once a month, and 93.7% of survey respondents indicated they considered religion important

In general, religious liberties enjoyed by Puerto Ricans are broad, with Puerto Rican citizens guaranteed all civil liberties, including religious freedom, granted in the United States by virtue of being U.S. citizens. In addition to the provisions of applicable U.S. law, Puerto Rico’s own constitution and other laws and policies provide specifically for religious freedom, including, without limitation, the freedom from religious discrimination and establishment and free exercise clauses similar to those of the United States Constitution. Though the majority of Puerto Ricans are Roman Catholic, religious freedom is guaranteed regardless of faith or belief

This is a partial entry from the source document, with notes and many sections of the report omitted. For more information please see the entire Law and Religion Framework document: