1998 Edition

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

Climate

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

Coastline

1,290 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m

Environment-current issues

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

Environment-international agreements

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

Geographic coordinates

10 00 N, 84 00 W

Irrigated land

1,200 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 639 km border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km

Land use

arable land: 6% permanent crops: 5% permanent pastures: 46% forests and woodland: 31% other: 12% (1993 est.)

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 hazards

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

Natural resources

hydropower potential

Terrain

coastal plains separated by rugged mountains

Age structure

0-14 years: 34% (male 620,496; female 591,299) 15-64 years: 61% (male 1,120,118; female 1,093,099) 65 years and over: 5% (male 82,893; female 96,737) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

22.89 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

4.15 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

13.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.93 years male: 73.5 years female: 78.48 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.8% male: 94.7% female: 95% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: Costa Rican(s) adjective: Costa Rican

Net migration rate

0.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

3,604,642 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

1.95% (1998 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 95%

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: 0.86 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.81 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Administrative divisions

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

Constitution

9 November 1949

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

Data code

CS

Executive branch

chief of state: President Miguel Angel RODRIGEUZ (since 8 May 1998); First Vice President Astrid FISCHEL (since 8 May 1998), Second Vice President Elizabeth ODIO (since 8 May 1998); note-president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Miguel Angel RODRIGUEZ (since 8 May 1998); First Vice President Astrid FISCHEL (since 8 May 1998), Second Vice President Elizabeth ODIO (since 8 May 1998); note-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 1 February 1998 (next to be held NA February 2002) election results: Miguel Angel RODRIGUEZ elected president; percent of vote-Miguel Angel RODRIGUEZ (PUSC) 46.6%, Jose Miguel CORRALES (PLN) 44.6%

FAX

[1] (202) 265-4795 consulate(s) general: Albuquerque, Atlanta, Chicago, Durham, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Tampa consulate(s): Austin Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas J. DODD embassy: Pavas Road, San Jose mailing address: APO AA 34020 telephone: [506] 220-3939

[506] 220-2305

Flag 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

Government type

democratic republic

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, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jose THOMPSON chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly Political parties and leaders: Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Miguel Angel RODRIGUEZ Echeverria]; National Liberation Party or PLN [Jose Miguel CORRALES Bolanos]; National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National Independent Party or PNI [Jorge GONZALEZ Marten]; People United Party or PPU [Norma VARGAS Duarte]; National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Alejandro MADRIGAL Benavides]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Vladimir DE LA CRUZ de Lemos]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Federico MALAVASI Calvo]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC [Sherman Thomas JACKSON]; New Democratic Party or PDN [Rodrigo GUTIERREZ Schwanhauser]; National Rescue Party or PRN [Marina VOLIO Brenes]; Democratic Party or PD [Alvaro GONZALEZ Espinoza]; Independent Party or PI [Yolanda GUTIERREZ Ventura] note: mainly a two-party system-PUSC and PLN; small parties share only 5% of population's support Political pressure groups and leaders: Costa Rican Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party affiliate); Confederated Union of Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate); Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD (Communist Party affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers; National Association for Economic Development or ANFE; Free Costa Rica Movement or MCRL (rightwing militants); National Association of Educators or ANDE; Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP

Legal system

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

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 1 February 1998 (next to be held NA February 2002) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-PUSC 27, PLN 23, minority parties 7

National capital

San Jose

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Agriculture-products

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

Budget

revenues: $1.1 billion expenditures: $1.34 billion, including capital expenditures of $110 million (1991 est.)

Currency

1 Costa Rican colon (C) = 100 centimos

Debt-external

$3.2 billion (October 1996 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economy-overview

Costa Rica's basically stable and progressive economy depends especially on tourism and the export of bananas, coffee, and other agricultural products. Poverty has been substantially reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social safety net has been put in place. Recent trends, however, have been disappointing. Economic growth slipped from 4.3% in 1994 to 2.5% in 1995, and to 0.9% in 1996, and then rebounded in 1997 to 3%. Inflation rose to 22.5% in 1995 from 13.5% in 1994, receded to 17.5% in 1996, then dropped to 11.2% in 1997. Unemployment appears moderate at 5.7%, but substantial underemployment continues. Furthermore, substantial government deficits have undermined efforts to maintain the quality of social services. The government thus faces a formidable set of problems: to curb inflation, reduce the deficit, encourage domestic savings, and improve public sector efficiency while increasing the role of the private sector, all this in harmony with IMF agreements. One important positive development-the infusion of more than $200 million in 1997 by microchip giant Intel and the anticipated attraction of other high-tech firms to Costa Rica will help stimulate growth and employment over the next several years.

Electricity-capacity

1.094 million kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

1,323 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

4.53 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

Costa Rican colones (C) per US$1-243.55 (December 1997), 232.60 (1997), 207.69 (1996), 179.73 (1995), 157.07 (1994), 142.17 (1993)

Exports

total value: $2.9 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: coffee, bananas, textiles, sugar partners: US, Germany, Italy, Guatemala, El Salvador, Netherlands, UK, France

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$19.6 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 18% industry: 24% services: 58% (1995)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$5,500 (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

3% (1997 est.)

Imports

total value: $3.4 billion (c.i.f., 1996) 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 price index

11.2% (1997 est.)

Labor force

total: 868,300 by occupation: industry and commerce 35.1%, government and services 33%, agriculture 27%, other 4.9% (1985 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.)

Unemployment rate

5.7% (1997 est.); much underemployment

Airports

158 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 27 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 6 (1997 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 131 914 to 1,523 m: 31 under 914 m: 100 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 35,597 km paved: 6,051 km unpaved: 29,546 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

none

Pipelines

petroleum products 176 km Ports and harbors: Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas

Railways

total: 950 km narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) note: the entire system was shut down in June 1995 because of insolvency; most of system maintained in good order to facilitate transfer in 1997 to private sector concessionaires

Waterways

about 730 km, seasonally navigable

Military branches

Coast Guard, Air Section, Ministry of Public Security Force (Fuerza Publica); note-during 1996, the Ministry of Public Security reorganized and eliminated the Civil Guard, Rural Assistance Guard, and Frontier Guards as separate entities; they are now under the Ministry and operate on a geographic command basis performing ground security, law enforcement, counternarcotics, and national security (border patrol) functions; the constitution prohibits armed forces

Military expenditures-dollar figure

$55 million (1995)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP

2% (1995)

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 964,405 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 646,873 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-military age

18 years of age

Military manpower-reaching military age annually

males: 35,513 (1998 est.)

Disputes-international

none

Illicit drugs

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