1986 Edition

Agriculture

main products — coffee, bananas, sugarcane, rice, corn, cocoa, livestock products; an illegal producer of cannabis for the international drug trade

Aid

Australia (1980-83), $2.0 million; Australia and New Zealand (1977), $6.5 million

economic bilateral commitments — US authorized (FY70-84), including Ex-Im, $603 million, other Western countries ODA and OOF (1970-83), $333 million, Communist countries (1971-84), $27 million; military commitments— US (FY70-84), $21 million

Airfields

7 total, 6 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

221 total, 212 usable; 28 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 9 with runways 1, 220-2,439 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

consolidated public sector (1983) $1,009 million total revenues; total expenditures including debt amortization, $1,058 million

Capital

San Jose

Civil air

no major transport aircraft

9 major transport aircraft

Coastline

1,290km People

Communists

7,500 members and sympathizers

Elections

every four years; last held in February 1986 Political parties and leaders: National Liberation Party (PLN), Luis Alberto Monge, Daniel Oduber, Jose "Pepe" Figueres, Oscar Arias Sanchez; the new United Social Christian Party (PUSC) comprises the four Unity Coalition (UNIDAD) parties — Republican Calderonista Party (PRC), Rafael Angel Calderon Fournier; Democratic Renovation Party (PRO), leader unknown; Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Rafael Grille Rivera; Popular Union Party (PUP), Christian Tallenbach Iglesias; the Popular Alliance (PA) is a coalition comprising two parties — Marxist Popular Vanguard Party (PVP), Humberto Vargas Carbonell, and Leftist Broad Democratic Front (FAD), Rodrigo Gutierrez; the United People (PU) is a leftist coalition comprising four parties — New Republic Movement (MNR), Sergio Erick Ardon; Socialist Party (PS), Alvaro Montero Mejia; People's Party of Costa Rica (PPC), Manuel Mora Valverde; and Radical Democratic Party (PRD), Juan Jose Echeverria Brealey

Electric power

820,000 kW capacity (1985); 2.8 billion kWh produced (1985), 1,055 kWh per capita

Ethnic divisions

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

Exports

$956 million (f.o.b., 1984); coffee, bananas, beef, sugar, cocoa

Fiscal year

calendar year . ^ • .- Communications

Fishing

catch 10,902 metric tons (1982)

GDP

$3.4 billion (1984 est), $1,280 per capita; 62% private consumption, 16% public consumption, 23% gross domestic investment, — 1% net foreign balance; 6% real growth rate (1984)

Government budget

$121 million (1977)

Government leader

Oscar Arias SANCHEZ, President-elect (to be inaugurated May 1986)

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

$1,101 million (c.i.f., 1984); manufactured products, machinery, transportation equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs, fertilizer

Infant mortality rate

18.8/1,000(1983)

Inland waterways

none

about 730 km, seasonally navigable

Labor force

868,300 (1985 est); 34% industry and commerce, 27% agriculture, 21% government and services, 8% other; 6% unemployment (1985 official); 10% unemployment (1985 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 in 1949; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; legal education at University of Costa Rica; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Life expectancy

men 67.5, women 71.9

Limits of territorial waters (claimed)

12 nm (200 nm exclusive economic zone)

Literacy

93%

Major industries

food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer

Major trade partners

exports — 47% US, 18% CACM, 9% FRG; imports— 40% US, 12% Japan, 11% CACM, 4% FRG (1983)

Member of

CACM, Central American Democratic Community, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IDE — Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ITU, IWC— International Wheat Council, OAS, ODECA, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPEB, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO Economy

Military budget

for fiscal year ending 31 December 1985, $17.0 million for Ministry of Public Security, including the Civil Guard; about 3.0% of total central government budget; $19.5 million for Ministry of Government and Police; 3.4% of total central government budget

Military manpower

males 15-49, 727,000; 494,000 fit for military service; about 33,000 reach military age (18) annually

Monetary conversion rate

1.88 New Zealand$=US$l (5 February 1986) Communications

54 colones=US$l (December 1985)

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September

Nationality

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

Natural resources

hydroelectric power

Official name

Republic of Costa Rica

Organized labor

about 15. 1 % 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), Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers (CATD; 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, 95 km

Political subdivisions

1 provinces divided into 80 cantons and districts

Population

2,7 14,000 (July 1986), average annual growth rate 2.6%

Ports

2 minor

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

Railroads

none

800 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 lOOpopl.) North Pacific Ocean Set re|ional map 111 Land 50,700km2; smaller than West Virginia; 60% forest; 30% agricultural (22% meadow and pasture, 8% cultivated); 10% waste, urban, and other

very good domestic telephone service; 292,000 telephones (11.8 per 100 popl.); connection into Central American microwave net; 62 AM stations, 17 TV stations; 1 Atlantic Ocean satellite station Defense Forces

Type

democratic republic

Voting strength

(1986 election) PLN, 29 seats; UNIDAD, 25 seats; PVP, 1 seat; PPC, 1 seat; other, 1 seat