Photo: derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 06 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Puerto Rico: Development & Human Capital
Is a country turning its resources into better lives?
Puerto Rico is placed 63rd of 196 countries on development & human capital in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 3 key statistics. Readings behind it: Social Protection Coverage 58.9 (2025); Maternal Mortality Ratio 11.03 (2023).
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Development & Human Capital
63rd
of 196 countries placed
Placed from 2 of 3 key statistics
Not placed in the Country Index 2026 overall: measured on too few topics.
01The evidence
The 3 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Puerto Rico on development & human capital — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 2 of 3
Maternal Mortality Ratio
UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG)
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
11.03
Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births
Lower is better
Puerto Rico: 11.03. Across the 195 countries in this edition, values run from 0.11 (Cook Islands) to 992.83 (Nigeria); the world median is 46.65.
- World median
- 46.65
- Best in Caribbean
- 11.03 Puerto Rico
Key 3 of 3
Human Development Index
UNDP Human Development Report Office
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
No reading
HDI score (0–1)
Higher is better
UNDP Human Development Report Office publishes no 2023 figure for Puerto Rico, so the standing rests on the other keys.
Across the 193 countries in this edition, values run from 0.388 (South Sudan) to 0.972 (Iceland); the world median is 0.762.
- World median
- 0.762
- Best in Caribbean
- 0.851 Antigua and Barbuda
02Over time
Which way Puerto Rico is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Maternal Mortality Ratio
Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births · lower is better
Puerto RicoWorld median
Puerto Rico fell from 21.8 in 2000 to 11.03 in 2023; the world median went from 70.99 to 46.65.
Every year’s figures
Year Puerto Rico World median 2023 11.0 46.7 2022 55.3 53.0 2021 49.8 76.6 2020 10.5 56.0 2019 13.1 48.4 2018 14.0 49.3 2017 16.5 47.2 2016 15.4 50.6 2015 15.2 51.9 2014 16.0 52.8 2013 15.8 53.3 2012 16.9 54.6 2011 17.3 55.0 2010 17.5 56.1 2009 17.6 56.3 2008 18.1 55.8 2007 18.5 56.8 2006 18.8 58.1 2005 20.2 60.1 2004 19.9 63.0 2003 19.6 66.8 2002 19.4 66.0 2001 20.8 68.1 2000 21.8 71.0
03In context
Puerto Rico beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 196 countries on development & human capital, never a place within the region.
Puerto Rico and Caribbean
Puerto Rico has no land border, so the table compares it with its sub-region. Standing among all 196; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Social Protection CoveragePopulation covered by at least one social protection benefit (%) | Maternal Mortality RatioMaternal deaths per 100,000 live births | Human Development IndexHDI score (0–1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puerto Rico | 63rd | 58.9 | 11.03 | — |
 Antigua and Barbuda | 66th | 65.4 | 34.57 | 0.851 |
 Saint Kitts and Nevis | 67th | 90.2 | 73.52 | 0.84 |
 Barbados | 79th | 56.7 | 34.88 | 0.811 |
 Cuba | 83rd | 63.9 | 34.79 | 0.762 |
 Trinidad and Tobago | =85th | 57.2 | 54.08 | 0.807 |
 Grenada | 92nd | 54.3 | 48.25 | 0.791 |
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 95th | 52 | 55.84 | 0.798 |
 Dominica | 96th | 53.2 | 35.55 | 0.761 |
 Bahamas | 99th | 49.1 | 75.95 | 0.82 |
 Dominican Republic | =106th | 61 | 124.47 | 0.776 |
 Saint Lucia | =110th | 40.1 | 43.96 | 0.748 |
 Jamaica | 132nd | 32.6 | 130.14 | 0.72 |
 Haiti | 177th | 6.6 | 327.56 | 0.554 |
 Anguilla | not placed | 68.9 | — | — |
 Aruba | not placed | 94.3 | — | — |
 British Virgin Islands | not placed | 78.3 | — | — |
 Cayman Islands | not placed | 94.2 | — | — |
 Curaçao | not placed | 47.9 | — | — |
 Montserrat | not placed | 81.2 | — | — |
 Saint Martin | not placed | — | — | — |
 Sint Maarten | not placed | — | — | — |
 Turks and Caicos Islands | not placed | 52.1 | — | — |
 United States Virgin Islands | not placed | 66.7 | — | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Caribbean
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 196.
- Puerto Rico63rd
- Antigua and Barbuda66th
- Saint Kitts and Nevis67th
- Barbados79th
- Cuba83rd
- Trinidad and Tobago=85th
- Grenada92nd
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines95th
- Dominica96th
- Bahamas99th
- Dominican Republic=106th
- Saint Lucia=110th
- Jamaica132nd
- Haiti177th
- Anguillanot placed
- Arubanot placed
- British Virgin Islandsnot placed
- Cayman Islandsnot placed
- Curaçaonot placed
- Montserratnot placed
- Saint Martinnot placed
- Sint Maartennot placed
- Turks and Caicos Islandsnot placed
- United States Virgin Islandsnot placed
Placed either side on development & human capital
The countries immediately above and below Puerto Rico in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Puerto Rico is ahead of the world, and behind
12 more statistics filed under development & human capital, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median7
Statistics on which Puerto Rico does better than the middle country measured.
Disability Benefit CoverageILO · 2025 · world median 43.910043.9No earlier reading
Puerto Rico: 100 · world median 43.9 · People with severe disabilities receiving disability benefits (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.
Life Expectancy at BirthUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 74.6381.6974.63No real change since 2013
Puerto Rico: 81.69 · world median 74.63 · Years a newborn would live at current death rates. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 54.46 to 86.37; higher is better.
Position 37th of 222 · derived.
Historical GDP per Capita (Maddison)GGDC · 2022 · world median 12,89035,28112,890No real change since 2012
Puerto Rico: 35,281 · world median 12,890 · GDP per capita (2011 international $). Maddison Project, Groningen Growth and Development Centre (GGDC), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 596.39 to 149,171; higher is better.
Position 32nd of 166 · derived.
Employment Injury Protection CoverageILO · 2024 · world median 45.986.945.9No earlier reading
Puerto Rico: 86.9 · world median 45.9 · Labour force covered in the event of a work injury (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.
GDP per Capita (PPP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 17,26544,60317,265No real change since 2015
Puerto Rico: 44,603 · world median 17,265 · GDP per capita (constant 2021 international $, PPP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1,067 to 139,593; higher is better.
Position 41st of 185 · derived.
Unemployment Benefit CoverageILO · 2024 · world median 012.70No earlier reading
Puerto Rico: 12.7 · world median 0 · Unemployed people receiving unemployment benefits (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.
Cereal YieldFAO · 2023 · world median 3,0723,6123,072▲ Improved since 2013
Puerto Rico: 3,612 · world median 3,072 · Cereal yield (kg per hectare). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 23 to 29,147; higher is better.
Position 75th of 179 · derived.
Behind the world median1
Statistics on which Puerto Rico does worse than the middle country measured.
Child and Family Benefit CoverageILO · 2024 · world median 23.7513.223.75No earlier reading
Puerto Rico: 13.2 · world median 23.75 · Children or households with children receiving child or family cash benefits (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.
Level with the median, or no median to compare3
Access to ElectricityWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 100100100▼ Worsened since 2014
Puerto Rico: 100 · world median 100 · Population with electricity access (%). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 5.4 to 100; higher is better.
Access to Electricity, RuralWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 100100100▼ Worsened since 2014
Puerto Rico: 100 · world median 100 · Rural population with electricity access (%). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.7 to 100; higher is better.
Old-Age Pension CoverageILO · 2025 · world median 80.880.880.8No earlier reading
Puerto Rico: 80.8 · world median 80.8 · People above statutory pensionable age receiving an old-age pension (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.
No better end1
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Manufacturing Value Added (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 11.2643.9711.26No real change since 2015
Puerto Rico: 43.97 · world median 11.26 · Manufacturing value added (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.481 to 43.97.
Position 1st of 132 · derived, counted from the highest value.
No current reading for Puerto Rico
Account Ownership at a Financial Institution (last 2014), Adequacy of Social Protection and Labour Benefits, Child Marriage, Children with Functional Difficulties, Coefficient of Human Inequality, Completeness of Birth Registration, Comprehensive Wealth per Capita, Country Policy and Institutional Assessment, Exclusive Breastfeeding Under Six Months, Expected Years of Schooling, Foundational ID Ownership, Gender Development Index, Gender Inequality Index, Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, GNI per Capita (PPP) (last 2021), Human Capital Index, Human Capital Wealth per Capita, Human Development Index, Immunisation Coverage, DTP3, Immunisation Coverage, Measles First Dose (MCV1), Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index, Infant Mortality Rate, Low Birthweight Prevalence, Malaria Incidence (P. falciparum), Malaria Incidence (P. vivax), Malaria Mortality (P. falciparum), Mean Years of Schooling, Mortality Rate, Ages 5–14, Multidimensional Poverty Measure, Neonatal Mortality Rate, Net Official Development Assistance Received, Official Development Assistance Given (% of GNI), Planetary pressures-adjusted HDI, Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day, Poverty Headcount at $3.00 a Day, Line-up Estimates, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $4.20 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a Day, Poverty Severity (Squared Poverty Gap) at $3.00 a Day, Productive Capacities Index, Prosperity Gap, Statistical Performance Indicators, Stillbirth Rate, Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five, Under-Five Mortality Rate, Violent Discipline of Children and Wasting Prevalence in Children Under Five. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Development & Human Capital among Puerto Rico’s 5 topics
Development & Human Capital is Puerto Rico’s best-placed topic of 5. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Development & Human Capital63rd of 1962/3 keys
- Work & Labourjoint 72nd of 1824/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge118th of 1983/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade106th of 1772/4 keys
- Energyjoint 144th of 1652/3 keys
No standing on Governance & Institutions, Economy & Innovation, Health & Wellbeing, Environment & Sustainability, Gender & Equality, Democracy & Civil Liberties, Peace & Security, Risk & Resilience, Food & Agriculture, Poverty & Inequality, Digital & Technology: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on development & human capital
The three countries placed highest of 196, and the leaders Puerto Rico can most readily be measured against.
1
Cook IslandsPolynesia
1st of 196 · 2 of 3 keys
Photo: Benedict Adam · CC BY 2.0, greyscale
2
NorwayNorthern Europe
2nd of 196 · 3 of 3 keys
Photo: Ximonic , Simo Räsänen · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3
DenmarkNorthern Europe
3rd of 196 · 3 of 3 keys
Photo: User:Aconcagua · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Americas
Canada=27th3/3 keysHighest in Caribbean
Puerto Rico63rd2/3 keys
Positions out of 196 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about Puerto Rico and development & human capital
On development & human capital
Global Hunger Index 2025: Countries with the Most Alarming Hunger Crisis
Thirteen countries scored across four editions — 2000, 2008, 2016 and 2025 — and five the report could not score at all. DR Congo and South Sudan share 121st place on 37.5.
On development & human capital
India vs Pakistan 2025: Comparison of Hunger Index, Happiness, HDI, Rule of Law, Literacy & GDP
India and Pakistan on six published measures: hunger, happiness, human development, rule of law, literacy and GDP per capita, each from its own publisher and year.
08Questions
Puerto Rico on development & human capital: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Puerto Rico rank on development & human capital?
Puerto Rico is placed 63rd of 196 countries on Development & Human Capital in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 3 key statistics (Social Protection Coverage and Maternal Mortality Ratio). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Social Protection Coverage figure for Puerto Rico?
58.9 in 2025 (population covered by at least one social protection benefit (%)), according to International Labour Organization (ILO). The world median in the same edition was 52.1.
What is the latest Maternal Mortality Ratio figure for Puerto Rico?
11.03 in 2023 (maternal deaths per 100,000 live births), according to UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG). The world median in the same edition was 46.65.
How have Puerto Rico’s development & human capital figures changed?
Maternal Mortality Ratio fell from 21.8 in 2000 to 11.03 in 2023.
Which development & human capital statistics are missing for Puerto Rico?
No current reading is published for Puerto Rico on Account Ownership at a Financial Institution, Adequacy of Social Protection and Labour Benefits, Child Marriage, Children with Functional Difficulties, Coefficient of Human Inequality, Completeness of Birth Registration, Comprehensive Wealth per Capita, Country Policy and Institutional Assessment, Exclusive Breastfeeding Under Six Months, Expected Years of Schooling, Foundational ID Ownership, Gender Development Index, Gender Inequality Index, Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, GNI per Capita (PPP), Human Capital Index, Human Capital Wealth per Capita, Human Development Index, Immunisation Coverage, DTP3, Immunisation Coverage, Measles First Dose (MCV1), Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index, Infant Mortality Rate, Low Birthweight Prevalence, Malaria Incidence (P. falciparum), Malaria Incidence (P. vivax), Malaria Mortality (P. falciparum), Mean Years of Schooling, Mortality Rate, Ages 5–14, Multidimensional Poverty Measure, Neonatal Mortality Rate, Net Official Development Assistance Received, Official Development Assistance Given (% of GNI), Planetary pressures-adjusted HDI, Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day, Poverty Headcount at $3.00 a Day, Line-up Estimates, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $4.20 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a Day, Poverty Severity (Squared Poverty Gap) at $3.00 a Day, Productive Capacities Index, Prosperity Gap, Statistical Performance Indicators, Stillbirth Rate, Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five, Under-Five Mortality Rate, Violent Discipline of Children and Wasting Prevalence in Children Under Five. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
09Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Poverty lines, inequality and aid received are published here as context rather than as keys, often because they cover fewer countries or are measured too rarely. Development is also not the same as economic size or growth, which belong to Economy & Innovation.
How the Development & Human Capital standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 3 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 3 keys to be placed.
The development & human capital method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Social Protection Coverage — International Labour Organization (ILO), CC BY 4.0
- Maternal Mortality Ratio — UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG), CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Human Development Index — UNDP Human Development Report Office, CC BY 3.0 IGO
The other 12 statistics on this page come from 5 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Puerto Rico’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Puerto Rico (banner) — derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Cook Islands — Benedict Adam, CC BY 2.0
- Norway — Ximonic , Simo Räsänen, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Denmark — User:Aconcagua, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Puerto Rico: Development & Human Capital — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/puerto-rico/development