2005 Edition

Administrative divisions

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 28.9% (male 593,540/female 566,361) 15-64 years: 65.5% (male 1,330,481/female 1,300,664) 65 years and over: 5.6% (male 104,564/female 120,563) (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

149 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

30 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

119 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 95 (2004 est.) Military Costa Rica

Area

land

50,660 sq km

total

51,100 sq km

water

440 sq km note: includes Isla del Coco

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than West Virginia

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 expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism sectors. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread. Geography Costa Rica

Birth rate

18.6 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$3.094 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)

revenues

$2.497 billion

Capital

San Jose

Climate

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

Coastline

1,290 km

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

Currency (code)

Costa Rican colon (CRC)

Currency code

CRC

Current account balance

$-980.3 million (2004 est.)

Death rate

4.33 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Debt - external

$5.962 billion (2004 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Douglas M. BARNES

embassy

Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose

FAX

[506] 519-2305

mailing address

APO AA 34020

telephone

[506] 220-3939

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Tomas DUENAS

consulate(s)

Austin

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Tampa

FAX

[1] (202) 265-4795

telephone

[1] (202) 234-2945

Disputes - international

legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on the border with Nicaragua remains unresolved

Distribution of family income - Gini index

45.9 (1997)

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. Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and high education levels, and tourism continues to bring in foreign exchange. Low prices for coffee and bananas have hurt the agricultural sector. The government continues to grapple with its large deficit and massive internal debt. The reduction of inflation remains a difficult problem because of rises in the price of imports, labor market rigidities, and fiscal deficits. The country also needs to reform its tax system and its pattern of public expenditure. Costa Rica recently concluded negotiations to participate in the US-Central American Free Trade Agreement, which, if ratified by the Costa Rican Legislature, would result in economic reforms and an improved investment climate.

Electricity - consumption

5.733 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports

477 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports

59 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production

6.614 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

1.5%

hydro

81.9%

nuclear

0%

other

16.6% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

deforestation and land use change, largely a result of the clearing of land for cattle ranching and agriculture; soil erosion; coastal marine pollution; fisheries protection; solid waste management; air pollution

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Ethnic groups

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

Exchange rates

Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 437.91 (2004), 398.66 (2003), 359.82 (2002), 328.87 (2001), 308.19 (2000)

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet selected by the president

chief of state

President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since 8 May 2002); Second Vice President (vacant); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

election results

Abel PACHECO elected president; percent of vote - Abel PACHECO (PUSC) 58%; Rolando ARAYA (PLN) 42%

elections

president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 February 2002; run-off election held 7 April 2002 (next to be held February 2006)

head of government

President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since 8 May 2002); Second Vice President (vacant); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

Exports

$6.184 billion (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment

Exports - partners

US 46.9%, Netherlands 5.3%, Guatemala 4.4% (2004)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Costa Rica

Flag description

five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical disk on the hoist side of the red band; above the coat of arms a light blue ribbon contains the words, AMERICA CENTRAL, and just below it near the top of the coat of arms is a white ribbon with the words, REPUBLICA COSTA RICA Economy Costa Rica

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

8.5%

industry

29.7%

services

61.8% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $9,600 (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3.9% (2004 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$37.97 billion (2004 est.)

Geographic coordinates

10 00 N, 84 00 W

Geography - note

four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital of San Jose in the center of the country; one of the volcanoes, Irazu, erupted destructively in 1963-65 People Costa Rica

Government type

democratic republic

Highways

paved

4,236 km

total

35,303 km

unpaved

31,067 km (2002)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.6% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

900 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

12,000 (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.1% highest 10%: 36.8% (2002)

Illicit drugs

transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America; illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered plots; domestic cocaine consumption, particularly crack cocaine, is rising This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005 ======================================================================

Imports

$7.842 billion (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum

Imports - partners

US 46.1%, Japan 5.9%, Mexico 5.1%, Brazil 4.2% (2004)

Independence

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Industrial production growth rate

3.1% (2004 est.)

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

female

9 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

male

10.85 deaths/1,000 live births

total

9.95 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

11.5% (2004 est.)

International organization participation

BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Internet country code

.cr

Internet hosts

10,826 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

3 (of which only one is legal) (2000)

Internet users

800,000 (2002) Transportation Costa Rica

Investment (gross fixed)

19.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Irrigated land

1,260 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)

Labor force

1.81 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Land boundaries

border countries

Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km

total

639 km

Land use

arable land

4.41%

other

89.71% (2001)

permanent crops

5.88%

Languages

Spanish (official), English

Legal system

based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has 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 - NA%; seats by party - PUSC 19, PLN 17, PAC 14, PML 6, PRC 1; note - seats by party as of January 2005 - PUSC 19, PLN 16, PAC 8, PML 5, PRC 1, Patriotic Union 3, Homeland First 1, Authentic Member from Heredia 1, Democratic National Alliance 1, independent 2

elections

last held 3 February 2002 (next to be held 3 February 2006)

Life expectancy at birth

female

79.55 years (2005 est.)

male

74.26 years

total population

76.84 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

96.1% (2003 est.) Government Costa Rica

male

95.9%

total population

96%

Location

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

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49: 997,690 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49: 829,874 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males

41,097 (2005 est.)

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

continental shelf

200 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Median age

female

26.5 years (2005 est.)

male

25.59 years

total

26.03 years

Merchant marine

by type

passenger/cargo 2 (2005)

total

2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,716 GRT/ DWT

Military branches

no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security, Government, and Police

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$64.2 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

0.4% (2003) Transnational Issues Costa Rica

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age (2004)

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Nationality

adjective

Costa Rican

noun

Costa Rican(s)

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

hydropower

Net migration rate

0.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption

37,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA

Oil - imports

NA

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Pipelines

refined products 242 km (2004)

Political parties and leaders

Authentic Member from Heredia [Jose SALAS]; Citizen Action Party or PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC [Justo OROZCO]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Juan Carlos CHAVES Mora]; Democratic National Alliance [Emilia RODRIGUEZ]; General Union Party or PUGEN [Carlos Alberto FERNANDEZ Vega]; Homeland First [Juan Jose VARGAS]; Independent Worker Party or PIO [Jose Alberto CUBERO Carmona]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth]; National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Victor GONZALEZ]; National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National Liberation Party or PLN [Francisco Antonio PACHECO]; National Patriotic Party or PPN [Daniel Enrique REYNOLDS Vargas]; National Rescue Party or PRN [Carlos VARGAS Solano]; Patriotic Union [Humberto ARCE]; Popular Vanguard [Trino BARRANTES Araya]; Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Lorena VASQUEZ Badilla]

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; National Association for Economic Development or ANFE; National Association of Educators or ANDE; Rerum Novarum or CTRN (PLN affiliate) [Gilbert Brown]

Population

4,016,173 (July 2005 est.)

Population below poverty line

18% (2004 est.)

Population growth rate

1.48% (2005 est.)

Ports and harbors

Caldera, Puerto Limon

Public debt

58% of GDP (2004 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 65, FM 51, shortwave 19 (2002)

Radios

980,000 (1997)

Railways

narrow gauge

278 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)

total

278 km

Religions

Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.736 billion (2004 est.)

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 (2005 est.)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Telephone system

domestic

point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave, fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is available

general assessment

good domestic telephone service in terms of breadth of coverage; restricted cellular telephone service

international

country code - 506; connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); two submarine cables (1999)

Telephones - main lines in use

1.132 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

528,047 (2002)

Television broadcast stations

20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002)

Televisions

525,000 (1997)

Terrain

coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes

Total fertility rate

2.28 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate

6.6% (2004 est.)

Waterways

730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2004)