The Corporation’s total assets at December 31, 2001 amounted to $8,198 million, $2,278 million over the $5,920 million at December 31, 2000. The following table presents the composition of the loan portfolio at year- end for each of the last five years. Assets >. % of % of % of % of % of December 31, 2001 Total 2000 Total 1999 Total 1998 Total 1997 Total (Dollars in thousands) Residential real estate loans  $1,011,908 23 $ 746,792 21 $ 473,563 17 $ 303,011 14 $ 292,604 15 Commercial real  estate loans 688,922 16 438,321 13 371,643 14 332,219 16 306,734 15 Construction loans 219,396 5 203,955 6 132,068 5 62,963 3 9,279 1 Commercial loans 1,238,173 29 947,709 27 655,417 24 368,549 17 235,571 12 Total commercial 2,146,491 50 1,589,985 46 1,159,128 43 763,731 36 551,584 28 Finance leases 127,935 3 122,883 3 85,692 3 52,214 3 42,500 2 Consumer loans 1,022,445 24 1,038,538 30 1,026,985 37 1,001,098 47 1,072,613 55 Total $4,308,779 100 $3,498,198 100 $2,745,368 100 $2,120,054 100 $1,959,301 100 Total loans receivable increased by $811 million in 2001 when compared with 2000. During 2001 the Corporation continued its strategy of diver- sifying its loan portfolio composition through the origination and purchase of commercial loans and residential real estate loans, while maintaining its investment in consumer loans at approximately $1.0 billion.This resulted in a significant increase of $557 million in the commercial loan portfolio and of $265 million in residential real estate loans. Finance leases, which are mostly composed of loans to individuals to finance the acquisition of an auto, increased by $5 million, and consumer loans decreased by $16 million in 2001. The Corporation’s investment portfolio at December 31, 2001 amounted to $3,716 million, an increase of $1,483 million when compared with the investment portfolio of $2,233 million at December 31, 2000. First BanCorp.> 2001 0 36