1985 Edition

Agriculture

main products — coffee, bananas, sugarcane, rice, corn, cocoa, livestock products

Aid

economic bilateral commitments — US authorized (FY70-83), including Ex-Im, $430 million, other Western countries ODA and OOF (1970-82) $241 million, Communist countries (1971-83) $27 million; military commitments— US (FY70-83), $12 million

Airfields

6 total, 5 usable; 1 with permanentsurface runways; 2 with runways 1,2202,439 m

230 total, 224 usable; 27 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 10 with runways 1,2202,439 m

Branches

executive — President (head of government and chief of state), elected for a single four-year term; two vice presidents; legislative — 57-delegate unicameral Legislative Assembly elected at four-year intervals; judiciary — Supreme Court of Justice (17 magistrates elected by Legislative Assembly at eight-year intervals)

Civil Guard, Rural Assistance Guard

Budget

(1983) $321 million total revenues, $321 million; total expenditures including debt amortization, $544 million

Capital

San Jose

Civil air

no major transport aircraft

9 major transport aircraft

Coastline

1,290km People

Communists

10,000 members and sympathizers

Elections

every four years; last, February Political parties and leaders: National Liberation Party (PLN), Luis Alberto Monge, Daniel Oduber, Jose "Pepe" Figueres; National Movement (MN), Mario Echandi; new United Social Christian Party (PUSC) comprised of the four Unity Coalition (UNIDAD) parties — Democratic Renovation Party (PRO), Oscar Aguilar Bulgarelli; Christian Costa Rica (continued) Democratic Party (PDC), Rafael Grille Rivera; Republican Calderonista Party (PRC), Rafael Angel Calderon Fournier; Popular Union Party (PUP), Cristian Tallenbach Iglesias; three Marxist parties plus another nonregistered leftist party — Popular Vanguard Party (PVP), Humberto Vargas Carbonell; New Republic Movement (MNR), Sergio Erick Ardon; Socialist Party (PS), Alvaro Montero Mejia; Peoples' Party of Costa Rica (PPC), Manuel Mora Valverde; others — National Defense Party, J. Francisco Herrera Romero; National Republican Party, Ronaldo Rodriguez Varela; Radical Democratic Party (PRD), Juan Jose Echeverria Brealey

Electric power

820,000 kW capacity (1984); 2.7 billion kWh produced (1984), 1,040 kWh per capita .

Ethnic divisions

96% white (including mestizo), 3% black, 1% Indian

Exports

$900 million (f.o.b., 1984 est.); coffee, bananas, beef, sugar, cacao

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications

Fishing

catch 10,902 metric tons (1982)

GDP

$3.3 billion (1983 est.), $1,308 per capita; 65% private consumption, 15% public consumption, 23% gross domestic investment, 4% net foreign balance (1981); 0% real growth rate (1983 est.)

Government budget

$121 million (1977)

Government leader

Luis Alberto MONGE Alvarez, President (since May 1982)

Highways

187 km total (1980); 35 km paved, 35 km gravel, 84 km improved earth, 33 km unimproved earth

15,400 km total; 7,030 km paved, 7,010 km gravel, 1,360 km unimproved earth

Imports

$900 million (c.i.f., 1984 est.); manufactured products, machinery, transportation equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs, fertilizer

Inland waterways

none

about 730 km, seasonally navigable

La bor force

891,000(1982 est.); 40.4% industry and commerce, 32.6% agriculture, 25% government and services, 2% other; 9.5% unemployment (1984 official); 15% unemployment (1984 unofficial)

Land boundaries

670 km Water

Language

Spanish (official), with Jamaican dialect of English spoken around Puerto Limon

Legal system

based on Spanish civil law system; constitution adopted 1949; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; legal education at University of Costa Rica; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Limits of territorial waters (claimed)

12 nm (fishing 200 nm; specialized competence over living resources to 200 nm)

Literacy

93%

Major industries

food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertil-

Major trade partners

exports — 35% US, 27% CACM, 10% FRG; imports— 36% US, 17% CACM, 12% Japan, 4% FRG (1980)

Member of

CACM, Central American Democratic Community, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IDB— InterAmerican Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ITU, IWC— International Wheat Council, NAMUCAR (Caribbean Multinational Shipping Line — Naviera Multinacional del Caribe), OAS, ODECA, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPEB, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO Economy

Military budget

for fiscal year ending 31 December 1984, $18. 3 million for Ministry of Public Security, including the Civil Guard; about 2.8% of total central government budget; $18.8 million for Ministry of Government; 2.9% of total central government budget

Military manpower

males 15-49, 711,000; 483,000 fit for military service; about 32,000 reach military age (18) annually

Monetary conversion rate

1.533 New Zealand$=US$l (February 1984) Communications

44.25 colones=US$l (November 1984)

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September

Nationality

noun — Costa Rican(s); adjective— Costa Rican

Official name

Republic of Costa Rica

Organized labor

about 13.8% of labor force Government

Other political or pressure groups

Costa Rican Confederation of Democratic Workers (CCTD; Liberation Party affiliate), Confederated Union of Workers (CUT; Communist Party affiliate), Chamber of Coffee Growers, National Association for Economic Development (ANFE), Free Costa Rica Movement (MCRL; rightwing militants), National Association of Educators (ANDE)

Pipelines

refined products, 176 km

Political subdivisions

7 provinces divided into 80 cantons and districts

Population

2,655,000 (July 1985), average annual growth rate 2.5%

Ports

2 minor

1 major (Limon), 4 secondary (Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puntarenas)

Railroads

none

700 km total, all 1.067-meter gauge; 243 km electrified

Religion

95% Roman Catholic

Suffrage

universal and compulsory age 18 and over

Supply

dependent on imports from US

Telecommunications

6 AM, no FM, no TV stations; 7,000 radio receivers; 1,186 telephones (1.3 per 100 popl.) Nafth Pacific Ocean See regional mtp III Land 50,700 km2; smaller than West Virginia; 60% forest; 30% agricultural (22% meadow and pasture, 8% cultivated); 10% waste, urban, and other

very good domestic telephone service; 265, 900 telephones (11 per 100 pop!.); connection intoCentral American microwave net; 55 AM, 46 FM, 14 TV stations; 1 Atlantic Ocean satellite station Defense Forces

Type

democratic republic

Voting strength

(1982 election) PLN, 33 seats; UNIDAD, 18 seats; PVP, 2 seats; PS, 1 seat; MNR, 1 seat; MN, 1 seat; other, 1 seat