1996 Edition

Description

five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white disk on the hoist side of the red band

Location

10 00 N, 84 00 W -- Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly smaller than West Virginia

land area

50,660 sq km

note

includes Isla del Coco

total area

51,100 sq km

Climate

tropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November)

Coastline

1,290 km

Environment

current issues

deforestation, largely a result of the clearing of land for cattle ranching; soil erosion

international agreements

party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation

natural hazards

occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season; active volcanoes

Geographic coordinates

10 00 N, 84 00 W

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

1,180 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km

total

639 km

Land use

arable land

6%

forest and woodland

34%

meadows and pastures

45%

other

8%

permanent crops

7%

Location

Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural resources

hydropower potential

Terrain

coastal plains separated by rugged mountains

highest point

Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 35% (male 612,624; female 582,566) 15-64 years: 61% (male 1,061,703; female 1,038,403) 65 years and over: 4% (male 77,773; female 90,014) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

23.84 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

4.14 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

white (including mestizo) 96%, black 2%, Indian 1%, Chinese 1%

Infant mortality rate

13.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon

Life expectancy at birth

female

78.24 years (1996 est.)

male

73.31 years

total population

75.72 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

female

95%

male

94.7%

total population

94.8%

Nationality

adjective

Costa Rican

noun

Costa Rican(s)

Net migration rate

0.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

3,463,083 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

2.06% (1996 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 95%

Sex ratio

all ages

1.02 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

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: 0.86 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

2.9 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose

Capital

San Jose

Constitution

9 November 1949

Data code

CS

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Sonia PICADO

telephone

[1] (202) 234-2945

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet selected by the president

chief of state and head of government

President Jose Maria FIGUERES Olsen (since 8 May 1994), First Vice President Rodrigo OREAMUNO Blanco (since 8 May 1994), Second Vice President Rebeca GRYNSPAN Mayufis (since 8 May 1994) were elected for four-year terms by universal suffrage; election last held 6 February 1994 (next to be held NA February 1998); results - President FIGUERES (PLN) 49.7%, Miquel Angel RODRIGUEZ (PUSC) 47.5%

FAX

[1] (202) 265-4795

[506] 220-2305

consulate(s)

Austin

consulate(s) general

Albuquerque, Atlanta, Chicago, Durham, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Flag

five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white disk on the hoist side of the red band

Independence

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

International organization participation

AG (observer), BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly

Legal system

based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa)

elections last held 6 February 1994 (next to be held NA February 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (61 total) PLN 28, PUSC 29, minority parties 4

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

conventional long form

Republic of Costa Rica

conventional short form

Costa Rica

local long form

Republica de Costa Rica

local short form

Costa Rica

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

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); Federation of Public Service Workers (FTSP)

Political parties and leaders

National Liberation Party (PLN), Rolando ARAYA; Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC), Rafael Angel CALDERON Fournier; Marxist Popular Vanguard Party (PVP), Humberto VARGAS Carbonell; New Republic Movement (MNR), Sergio Erick ARDON Ramirez; People's Party of Costa Rica (PPC), Lenin CHACON Vargas; Radical Democratic Party (PRD), Juan Jose ECHEVERRIA Brealey; Democratic Force Party (FD), Isaac Felipe AZOFEIFA Bolanos

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Type of government

democratic republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission

Ambassador Peter Jon DE VOS

embassy

Pavas Road, San Jose

mailing address

APO AA 34020

telephone

[506] 220-3939

Agriculture

coffee, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber (depletion of forest resources has resulted in declining timber output)

Budget

expenditures

$1.34 billion, including capital expenditures of $110 million (1991 est.)

revenues

$1.1 billion

Currency

1 Costa Rican colon (C) = 100 centimos

Economic aid

recipient

ODA, $NA

Economic overview

Costa Rica's basically stable and progressive economy depends especially on tourism and the export of bananas, coffee, and other agricultural products. Recent trends have been disappointing. Economic growth slipped from 4.3% in 1994 to 2.5% in 1995, the lowest rate of growth since 1991's 2.1%. Inflation rose dramatically to 22.5% from 13.5% in 1994, well above the government's own projection of 18%. Unemployment rose from 4.0% in 1994 to 5.2% in 1995, and substantial underemployment continues. These economic woes are likely to be exacerbated in 1996 by a standby arrangement reached with the IMF on 29 November 1995. To restore fiscal balance, the government agreed to curb inflation, reduce the fiscal deficit, increase domestic savings, and improve public sector efficiency while increasing the role of the private sector. Costa Rica signed a free trade agreement with Mexico in 1994.

Electricity

capacity

1,040,000 kW

consumption per capita

1,164 kWh (1993)

production

4.1 billion kWh

Exchange rates

Costa Rican colones (C) per US$1 - 193.93 (December 1995), 179.73 (1995), 157.07 (1994), 142.17 (1993), 134.51 (1992), 122.43 (1991)

Exports

$2.4 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)

commodities

coffee, bananas, textiles, sugar

partners

US, Germany, Italy, Guatemala, El Salvador, Netherlands, UK, France

External debt

$4 billion (1995 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $18.4 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

GDP per capita

$5,400 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

2.5% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America; illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered plots

Imports

$3 billion (c.i.f., 1995 est.)

commodities

raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum

partners

US, Japan, Mexico, Guatemala, Venezuela, Germany

Industrial production growth rate

10.5% (1992)

Industries

food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

22.5% (1995 est.)

Labor force

868,300

by occupation

industry and commerce 35.1%, government and services 33%, agriculture 27%, other 4.9% (1985 est.)

Unemployment rate

5.2% (1995 est.); much underemployment

Branches

Civil Guard, Coast Guard, Air Section, Rural Assistance Guard; note - the Constitution prohibits armed forces

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $55 million, 2.0% of GDP (1995)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

917,566

males fit for military service

616,420

males reach military age (18) annually

33,504 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 71, FM 0, shortwave 13

Radios

NA

Telephone system

very good domestic telephone service

domestic

NA

international

connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones

281,042 (1983 est.)

Television broadcast stations

18

Televisions

340,000 (1993 est.) Defense

Airports

total

145

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

1

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

2

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

16

with paved runways under 914 m

97

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

29 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

5,608 km

total

35,560 km

unpaved

29,952 km (1992 est.)

Merchant marine

none

Pipelines

petroleum products 176 km

Ports

Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas

Railways

narrow gauge

950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified)

note

the entire system was scheduled to be shut down on 31 June 1995 because of insolvency

total

950 km

Waterways

about 730 km, seasonally navigable