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Costa Rica Facts
Costa Rica Facts on Background, Geography, People, Government, Economy, Communications,
Transportation, Issues and Military Facts On Costa Rica.
| Introduction
- Costa Rica Facts |
| Background: |
Costa Rica is
a Central American success story: since the late 19th century,
only two brief periods of violence have marred its democratic
development. Although still a largely agricultural country,
it has expanded its economy to include strong technology and
tourism sectors. The standard of living is relatively high.
Land ownership is widespread.
|
| Geography
- Costa Rica Facts |
| Location: |
Central America,
bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean,
between Nicaragua and Panama |
Geographic
coordinates: |
10 00 N, 84
00 W |
| Map
references: |
Central America
and the Caribbean |
| Area: |
total:
51,100 sq km
land: 50,660 sq km
water:
440 sq km
note: includes Isla del Coco |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly smaller
than West Virginia |
| Land
boundaries: |
total:
639 km
border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama
330 km |
| Coastline: |
1,290 km |
| Maritime
claims: |
territorial
sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm |
| Climate: |
tropical and
subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season
(May to November); cooler in highlands |
| Terrain: |
coastal plains
separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic
cones, of which several are major volcanoes |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro Chirripo
3,810 m |
| Natural
resources: |
hydropower |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
4.41%
permanent crops: 5.88%
other:
89.71% (2001) |
| Irrigated
land: |
1,260 sq km
(1998 est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
occasional earthquakes,
hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands
at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes
|
| Environment
- current issues: |
deforestation
and land use change, largely a result of the clearing of land
for cattle ranching and agriculture; soil erosion; coastal
marine pollution; fisheries protection; solid waste management;
air pollution |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
Marine Life Conservation |
| Geography
- note: |
four volcanoes,
two of them active, rise near the capital of San Jose in the
center of the country; one of the volcanoes, Irazu, erupted
destructively in 1963-65
|
| People
- Costa Rica Facts |
| Population: |
4,016,173 (July
2005 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
28.9% (male 593,540/female 566,361)
15-64 years:
65.5% (male 1,330,481/female 1,300,664)
65 years and
over: 5.6% (male 104,564/female 120,563) (2005 est.) |
| Median
age: |
total:
26.03 years
male: 25.59 years
female:
26.5 years (2005 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
1.48% (2005
est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
18.6 births/1,000
population (2005 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
4.33 deaths/1,000
population (2005 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
0.5 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: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years
and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population:
1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
total:
9.95 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 10.85 deaths/1,000
live births
female: 9 deaths/1,000 live births
(2005 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population:
76.84 years
male: 74.26 years
female:
79.55 years (2005 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
2.28 children
born/woman (2005 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.6% (2003 est.)
|
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
12,000 (2003
est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
900 (2003 est.)
|
| Nationality: |
noun:
Costa Rican(s)
adjective: Costa Rican |
| Ethnic
groups: |
white (including
mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1%
|
| Religions: |
Roman Catholic
76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other
Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2% |
| Languages: |
Spanish (official),
English |
| Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
96%
male: 95.9%
female: 96.1% (2003
est.)
|
| Government
- Costa Rica Facts |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: Republic of Costa Rica
conventional
short form: Costa Rica
local long form: Republica
de Costa Rica
local short form: Costa Rica |
| Government
type: |
democratic republic
|
| Capital: |
San Jose |
| Administrative
divisions: |
7 provinces
(provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste,
Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose |
| Independence: |
15 September
1821 (from Spain) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence
Day, 15 September (1821) |
| Constitution: |
7 November 1949
|
| Legal
system: |
based on Spanish
civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the
Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of
age; universal and compulsory |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of
state: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First
Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since 8 May 2002); Second Vice
President Luis FISHMAN (since 8 May 2002); note - the president
is both the chief of state and head of government
head
of government: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002);
First Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since 8 May 2002); Second
Vice President Luis FISHMAN (since 8 May 2002); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president
elections: president and vice presidents elected on
the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election
last held 3 February 2002; run-off election held 7 April 2002
(next to be held February 2006)
election results:
Abel PACHECO elected president; percent of vote - Abel PACHECO
(PUSC) 58%; Rolando ARAYA (PLN) 42% |
| Legislative
branch: |
unicameral Legislative
Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (57 seats; members are elected
by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections:
last held 3 February 2002 (next to be held 3 February 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - PUSC 19, PLN 17, PAC 14, PML 6, PRC 1; note
- seats by party as of January 2005 - PUSC 19, PLN 16, PAC
8, PML 5, PRC 1, Patriotic Union 3, Homeland First 1, Authentic
Member from Heredia 1, Democratic National Alliance 1, independent
2 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court
or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms
by the Legislative Assembly) |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Authentic Member
from Heredia [Jose SALAS]; Citizen Action Party or PAC [Otton
SOLIS]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC [Justo OROZCO];
Democratic Force Party or PFD [Juan Carlos CHAVES Mora]; Democratic
National Alliance [Emilia RODRIGUEZ]; General Union Party
or PUGEN [Carlos Alberto FERNANDEZ Vega]; Homeland First [Juan
Jose VARGAS]; Independent Worker Party or PIO [Jose Alberto
CUBERO Carmona]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA
Guth]; National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Victor GONZALEZ];
National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes];
National Liberation Party or PLN [Francisco Antonio PACHECO];
National Patriotic Party or PPN [Daniel Enrique REYNOLDS Vargas];
National Rescue Party or PRN [Carlos VARGAS Solano]; Patriotic
Union [Humberto ARCE]; Popular Vanguard [Trino BARRANTES Araya];
Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Lorena VASQUEZ Badilla]
|
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
Authentic Confederation
of Democratic Workers or CATD (Communist Party affiliate);
Chamber of Coffee Growers; Confederated Union of Workers or
CUT (Communist Party affiliate); Costa Rican Confederation
of Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party affiliate);
Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP; National Association
for Economic Development or ANFE; National Association of
Educators or ANDE; Rerum Novarum or CTRN (PLN affiliate) [Gilbert
Brown] |
| International
organization participation: |
BCIE, CACM,
FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS,
OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Tomas DUENAS
chancery:
2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 234-2945
FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los
Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San
Juan (Puerto Rico), and Tampa
consulate(s): Austin
|
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Douglas
M. BARNES
embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas,
San Jose
mailing address: APO AA 34020
telephone:
[506] 220-3939
FAX: [506] 519-2305 |
| Flag
description: |
five horizontal
bands of blue (top), white, red (double width), white, and
blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical disk on
the hoist side of the red band; above the coat of arms a light
blue ribbon contains the words, AMERICA CENTRAL, and just
below it near the top of the coat of arms is a white ribbon
with the words, REPUBLICA COSTA RICA
|
| Economy
- Costa Rica Facts |
| Economy
- overview: |
Costa Rica's
basically stable economy depends on tourism, agriculture,
and electronics exports. Poverty has been substantially reduced
over the past 15 years, and a strong social safety net has
been put into place. Foreign investors remain attracted by
the country's political stability and high education levels,
and tourism continues to bring in foreign exchange. Low prices
for coffee and bananas have hurt the agricultural sector.
The government continues to grapple with its large deficit
and massive internal debt. The reduction of inflation remains
a difficult problem because of rises in the price of imports,
labor market rigidities, and fiscal deficits. The country
also needs to reform its tax system and its pattern of public
expenditure. Costa Rica recently concluded negotiations to
participate in the US-Central American Free Trade Agreement,
which, if ratified by the Costa Rican Legislature, would result
in economic reforms and an improved investment climate. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $37.97 billion (2004 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
3.9% (2004 est.)
|
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $9,600 (2004 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
8.5%
industry: 29.7%
services: 61.8%
(2004 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
1.81 million
(2004 est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture
20%, industry 22%, services 58% (1999 est.) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
6.6% (2004 est.)
|
| Population
below poverty line: |
18% (2004 est.)
|
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
1.1%
highest 10%: 36.8% (2002) |
| Distribution
of family income - Gini index: |
45.9 (1997)
|
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
11.5% (2004
est.) |
| Investment
(gross fixed): |
19.2% of GDP
(2004 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$2.497 billion
expenditures: $3.094 billion, including
capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.) |
| Public
debt: |
58% of GDP (2004
est.) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
coffee, pineapples,
bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber
|
| Industries: |
microprocessors,
food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials,
fertilizer, plastic products |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
3.1% (2004 est.)
|
| Electricity
- production: |
6.614 billion
kWh (2002) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
1.5%
hydro: 81.9%
nuclear: 0%
other: 16.6% (2001) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
5.733 billion
kWh (2002) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
477 million
kWh (2002) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
59 million kWh
(2002) |
| Oil
- production: |
0 bbl/day (2001
est.) |
| Oil
- consumption: |
37,000 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
| Oil
- exports: |
NA |
| Oil
- imports: |
NA |
| Current
account balance: |
$-980.3 million
(2004 est.) |
| Exports: |
$6.184 billion
(2004 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
coffee, bananas,
sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical
equipment |
| Exports
- partners: |
US 23.7%, Netherlands
7.7%, UK 6.6% (2004) |
| Imports: |
$7.842 billion
(2004 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
raw materials,
consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum |
| Imports
- partners: |
US 35.5%, Japan
4.8%, Mexico 3.7% (2004) |
| Reserves
of foreign exchange and gold: |
$1.736 billion
(2004 est.) |
| Debt
- external: |
$5.962 billion
(2004 est.) |
| Currency
(code): |
Costa Rican
colon (CRC) |
| Currency
code: |
CRC |
| Exchange
rates: |
Costa Rican
colones per US dollar - 437.91 (2004), 398.66 (2003), 359.82
(2002), 328.87 (2001), 308.19 (2000) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year
|
| Communications
- Costa Rica Facts |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
1.132 million
(2002) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
528,047 (2002)
|
| Telephone
system: |
general assessment:
good domestic telephone service in terms of breadth of coverage;
restricted cellular telephone service
domestic:
point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave, fiber-optic,
and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is available
international: country code - 506; connected to
Central American Microwave System; satellite earth stations
- 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); two submarine cables (1999)
|
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 65, FM 51,
shortwave 19 (2002) |
| Radios: |
980,000 (1997)
|
| Television
broadcast stations: |
20 (plus 43
repeaters) (2002) |
| Televisions: |
525,000 (1997)
|
| Internet
country code: |
.cr |
| Internet
hosts: |
10,826 (2003)
|
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
3 (of which
only one is legal) (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
800,000 (2002)
|
| Transportation
- Costa Rica Facts |
| Railways: |
total:
278 km
narrow gauge: 278 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)
|
| Highways: |
total:
35,303 km
paved: 4,236 km
unpaved:
31,067 km (2002) |
| Waterways: |
730 km (seasonally
navigable by small craft) (2004) |
| Pipelines: |
refined products
242 km (2004) |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Caldera, Puerto
Limon |
| Merchant
marine: |
total:
2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,716 GRT/ DWT
by type:
passenger/cargo 2 (2005) |
| Airports: |
149 (2004 est.)
|
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
30
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437
m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 18
under 914
m: 8 (2004 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
119
914 to 1,523 m: 24
under 914 m:
95 (2004 est.)
|
| Military
- Costa Rica Facts |
| Military
branches: |
no regular military
forces; Ministry of Public Security, Government, and Police
|
| Military
manpower - military age and obligation: |
18 years of
age (2004) |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
18-49: 997,690 (2005 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
18-49: 829,874 (2005 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
41,097 (2005 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$64.2 million
(2004) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
0.4% (2003)
|
| Transnational
Issues - Costa Rica Facts |
| Disputes
- international: |
legal dispute
over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on the border with
Nicaragua remains unresolved |
| Illicit
drugs: |
transshipment
country for cocaine and heroin from South America; illicit
production of cannabis on small, scattered plots; domestic
cocaine consumption, particularly crack cocaine, is rising
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All Rights Reserved Email
Costa Rica Facts.
Info facts on geography facts, people facts,
government facts, economy facts, communications facts, transportation
facts, transnatinal issues facts and military facts. Costa Rica
Facts. Info on geography facts, people facts, government facts,
economy facts, communications facts, transportation facts, transnatinal
issues facts and military facts. Costa Rica Facts. Info on geography
facts, people facts, government facts, economy facts, communications
facts, transportation facts, transnatinal issues facts and military
facts. Costa Rica Facts.
Info on geography facts, people facts, government
facts, economy facts, communications facts, transportation facts,
transnatinal issues facts and military facts. Costa Rica Facts.
Info on geography facts, people facts, government facts, economy
facts, communications facts, transportation facts, transnatinal
issues facts and military facts. Costa Rica Facts. Info on geography
facts.
People facts, government facts, economy facts,
communications facts, transportation facts, transnatinal issues
facts and military facts. Costa Rica Facts. Info on geography
facts, people facts, government facts, economy facts, communications
facts, transportation facts, transnatinal issues facts and military
facts. Costa Rica Facts. Info on geography facts, people facts.
Government facts, economy facts, communications
facts, transportation facts, transnatinal issues facts and military
facts. Costa Rica Facts. Info on geography facts, people facts,
government facts, economy facts, communications facts, transportation
facts, transnatinal issues facts and military facts. Costa Rica
Facts. Info on geography facts, people facts, government facts,
economy facts, communications facts, transportation facts, transnatinal
issues facts and military facts. Costa Rica Facts. Info on geography
facts, people facts, government facts.
Economy facts, communications facts, transportation
facts, transnatinal issues facts and military facts. Costa Rica
Facts. Info on geography facts, people facts, government facts,
economy facts, communications facts, transportation facts, transnatinal
issues facts and military facts. Costa Rica Facts. Info on geography
facts, people facts, government facts, economy facts, communications
facts, transportation facts, transnatinal issues facts and military
facts.
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