2000 Edition

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 achieved a relatively high standard of living. Land ownership is widespread. Tourism is a rapidly expanding industry.

Area

land

50,660 sq km

note

includes Isla del Coco

total

51,100 sq km

water

440 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than West Virginia

Climate

tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands

Coastline

1,290 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

deforestation, largely a result of the clearing of land for cattle ranching; soil erosion; water pollution (rivers); fisheries protection; solid waste management

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, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation

Geographic coordinates

10 00 N, 84 00 W

Irrigated land

1,200 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km

total

639 km

Land use

arable land

6%

forests and woodland

31%

other

12% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

5%

permanent pastures

46%

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

Terrain

coastal plains separated by rugged mountains

Age structure

0-14 years: 32% (male 609,051; female 581,302) 15-64 years: 63% (male 1,177,262; female 1,150,673) 65 years and over: 5% (male 89,541; female 102,729) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

20.69 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1%

Infant mortality rate

11.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon

Life expectancy at birth

female

78.47 years (2000 est.)

male

73.3 years

total population

75.82 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

95% (1995 est.)

male

94.7%

total population

94.8%

Nationality

adjective

Costa Rican

noun

Costa Rican(s)

Net migration rate

0.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

3,710,558 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

1.69% (2000 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 85%, Evangelical Protestant, approximately 14%, other less than 1%

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 (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.52 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

San Jose

Constitution

7 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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Thomas J. DODD

embassy

Pavas Road, San Jose

mailing address

APO AA 34020

telephone

220-3939

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Jaime DAREMBLUM

telephone

(202) 234-2945

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet selected by the president

chief of state

President Miguel Angel RODRIGUEZ (since 8 May 1998); First Vice President Astrid FISCHEL Volio (since 8 May 1998), Second Vice President Elizabeth ODIO Benito (since 8 May 1998); note - president is both the chief of state and head of government

election results

Miguel Angel RODRIGUEZ elected president; percent of vote - Miguel Angel RODRIGUEZ (PUSC) 46.6%, Jose Miguel CORRALES (PLN) 44.6%

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 2 February 2002)

head of government

President Miguel Angel RODRIGUEZ (since 8 May 1998); First Vice President Astrid FISCHEL Volio (since 8 May 1998), Second Vice President Elizabeth ODIO Benito (since 8 May 1998); note - president is both the chief of state and head of government

FAX

(202) 265-4795

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, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Tampa

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

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, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, 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 branch

unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (57 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - PUSC 41%, PLN 35%, minority parties 24%; seats by party - PUSC 27, PLN 23, minority parties 7

elections

last held 1 February 1998 (next to be held 2 February 2002)

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Political parties and leaders

Agriculture Labor Action or PALA ; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC ; Democratic Force Party or PFD ; Libertarian Movement Party or PML ; National Christian Alliance Party or ANC ; National Independent Party or PNI ; National Integration Party or PIN ; National Liberation Party or PLN ; Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Luis Manuel CHACON]

note

mainly a two-party system - PUSC and PLN; numerous small parties share less than 25% of population's support

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; Free Costa Rica Movement or MCRL (rightwing militants); National Association for Economic Development or ANFE; National Association of Educators or ANDE

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Agriculture - products

coffee, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber

Budget

expenditures

$2.27 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

revenues

$1.93 billion

Currency

1 Costa Rican colon (C) = 100 centimos

Debt - external

$3.9 billion (1998 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$107.1 million (1995)

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. Economic growth has rebounded from -0.9% in 1996 to 4% in 1997, 6% in 1998, and 7% in 1999. Inflation rose to 22.5% in 1995, dropped to 11.1% in 1997, 12% in 1998, and 11% in 1999. Large government deficits - fueled by interest payments on the massive internal debt - have undermined efforts to maintain the quality of social services. Curbing inflation, reducing the deficit, and improving public sector efficiency remain key challenges to the government. Political resistance to privatization has stalled liberalization efforts.

Electricity - consumption

5.267 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

77 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

4 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

5.742 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

9.28%

hydro

80.62%

nuclear

0%

other

10.1% (1998)

Exchange rates

Costa Rican colones (C) per US$1 - 299.63 (February 2000), 285.68 (1999), 257.23 (1998), 232.60 (1997), 207.69 (1996), 179.73 (1995)

Exports

$6.4 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities

coffee, bananas, sugar; textiles, electronic components, electricity

Exports - partners

US 49%, EU 22%, Central America 10% (1999)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $26 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

14%

industry

22%

services

64% (1998)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $7,100 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

7% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.3% highest 10%: 34.7% (1996)

Imports

$6.5 billion (c.i.f., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities

raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum, electricity

Imports - partners

US 41%, Japan 8.1%, Mexico 7.3%, Venezuela 4% (1998)

Industrial production growth rate

24.5% (1999)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

10.8% (1999 est.)

Labor force

1.377 million (1998)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 20%, industry 22%, services 58% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

5.6% (1998 est.); 7.5% underemployment

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

2 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 50, FM 43, shortwave 19 (1998)

Radios

980,000 (1997)

Telephone system

very good domestic 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

connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); two submarine cables (1999)

Telephones - main lines in use

451,000 (525,700 main lines installed) (yearend 1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular

46,500 (December 1996)

Television broadcast stations

6 (plus 11 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

525,000 (1997)

Airports

155 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

28 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 7 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

127 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 98 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

7,827 km

total

37,273 km

unpaved

29,446 km (1998 est.)

Merchant marine

none (1999 est.)

Pipelines

petroleum products 176 km

Ports and harbors

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

Railways

narrow gauge

950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified)

total

950 km

Waterways

about 730 km, seasonally navigable

Military branches

Coast Guard, Air Section, Ministry of Public Security Force (Fuerza Publica);

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$55 million (FY95)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2% (FY95)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,010,087 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 676,691 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

38,043 (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

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

COTE D

CROATIA