Statistical information Costa Rica 1995Costa%20Rica

Map of Costa Rica | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
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Costa Rica in the World
Costa Rica in the World

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Costa Rica - Introduction 1995
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Background: Costa Rica declared its independence from Spain in 1821. After a turbulent beginning it inaugurated an era of peaceful democracy in 1889, subsequently interrupted only twice, by a dictatorial interlude in 1917-19 and an armed uprising in 1948. Increasing the role of the private sector while maintaining the government's social safety net and keeping under control the budget deficit, unemployment, and inflation are key current issues.


Costa Rica - Geography 1995
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Location: Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama

Geographic coordinates

Map referenceCentral America and the Caribbean

Area
Total area total: 51,100 km²
Land: 50,660 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia
Note: includes Isla del Coco

Land boundaries: total 639 km, Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km

Coastline: 1,290 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

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

Terrain: coastal plains separated by rugged mountains

Elevation

Natural resources: hydropower potential
Land use

Land use
Arable land: 6%
Permanent crops: 7%
Meadows and pastures: 45%
Forest and woodland: 34%
Other: 8%

Irrigated land: 1,180 km² (1989 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


Costa Rica - People 1995
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Population: 3,419,114 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 2.24% (1995 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Costa Rican(s)
Adjective: Costa Rican

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

Languages: Spanish (official), English; spoken around Puerto Limon

Religions: Roman Catholic 95%

Demographic profile
Age structure

Age structure
0-14 years: 35% (female 585,976; male 617,456)
15-64 years: 60% (female 1,013,491; male 1,036,195)
65 years and over: 5% (female 88,050; male 77,946) (July 1995 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.24% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 24.88 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 3.47 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.02 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: deforestation, largely a result of the clearing of land for cattle ranching; soil erosion
Current issues natural hazards: occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season; active volcanoes
Current issues international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Marine Life Conservation

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 10.3 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.11 years
Male: 76.21 years
Female: 80.1 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.01 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1984)
Total population: 93%
Male: 93%
Female: 93%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


Costa Rica - Government 1995
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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

Government type: democratic republic

Capital: San Jose

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

Dependent areas

Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution: 9 November 1949

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch
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); election last held 6 February 1994 (next to be held February 1998); results - President FIGUERES (PLN party) 49.7%, Miquel Angel RODRIGUEZ (PUSC party) 47.5%
Cabinet: Cabinet; selected by the president

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

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: AG (observer), BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, 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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Sonia PICADO
In the us chancery: 2,114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 234-2,945
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 265-4,795
In the us consulates general: Albuquerque, Atlanta, Chicago, Durham, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
In the us consulates: Austin
From the us chief of mission: US Ambassador to Costa Rica Peter DE VOS
From the us embassy: Pavas Road, San Jose
From the us mailing address: APO AA 34,020
From the us telephone: [506] 220-3,939
From the us FAX: [506] 220-2,305

Flag descriptionflag of Costa%20Rica: 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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


Costa Rica - Economy 1995
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Economy overview: Costa Rica's basically stable and progressive economy depends especially on tourism and export of bananas, coffee, and other agricultural products. In 1994 the economy grew at an estimated 4.3%, compared with 6.5% in 1993, 7.7% in 1992, and 2.1% in 1991. Inflation in 1993 dropped to 9% from 17% in 1992 and 25% in 1991, an indication of basic financial stability. Unemployment is officially reported at only 4.0%, but there is much underemployment. Costa Rica signed a free trade agreement with Mexico in 1994.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 4.3% (1994 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $5,050 (1994 est.)

Gross national saving
Gdp composition by sector of origin

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: accounts for 19% of GDP and 70% of exports; cash commodities - coffee, beef, bananas, sugar; other food crops include corn, rice, beans, potatoes; normally self-sufficient in food except for grain; depletion of forest resources resulting in lower timber output

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

Industrial production growth rate: 10.5% (1992; accounts for 22% of GDP

Labor force: 868,300
By occupation industry and commerce: 35.1%
By occupation governmentand services: 33%
By occupation agriculture: 27%
By occupation other: 4.9% (1985est.)
Labor force

Unemployment rate: 4% (1993; much underemployment

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

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

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $2.1 billion (f.o.b., 1993)
Commodoties: coffee, bananas, textiles, sugar
Partners: US, Germany, Italy, Guatemala, El Salvador, Netherlands, UK, France

Imports: $2.9 billion (c.i.f., 1993)
Commodoties: raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum
Partners: US, Japan, Mexico, Guatemala, Venezuela, Germany

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $3.2 billion (1991)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Costa Rican colones (C) per US$1 - 164.39 (December 1994), 157.07 (1994), 142.17 (1993), 134.51 (1992), 122.43 (1991), 91.58 (1990)


Costa Rica - Energy 1995
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Electricity
Capacity: 1,040,000 kW
Production: 4.1 billion kWh
Production consumption per capita: 1,164 kWh (1993)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


Costa Rica - Communication 1995
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Telephones

Telephone system: 292,000 telephones; very good domestic telephone service
Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: connection into Central American Microwave System; 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


Costa Rica - Military 1995
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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $22 million, 0.5% of GDP (1989)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


Costa Rica - Transportation 1995
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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 174
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 17
With paved runways under 914 m: 117
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2438 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 36

Heliports

Pipelines: petroleum products 176 km

Railways

Roadways

Waterways: about 730 km, seasonally navigable

Merchant marine: none

Ports and terminals


Costa Rica - Transnational issues 1995
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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

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


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