Map of Costa Rica | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved unsuccessful due to a combination of factors, including disease from mosquito-infested swamps, brutal heat, resistance by indigenous populations, and pirate raids. It was not until 1563 that a permanent settlement of Cartago was established in the cooler, fertile central highlands. The area remained a colony for some two and a half centuries. In 1821, Costa Rica became one of several Central American provinces that jointly declared their independence from Spain. Two years later it joined the United Provinces of Central America, but this federation disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. Since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred the country's democratic development. On 1 December 1948, Costa Rica dissolved its armed forces. Although it still maintains a large agricultural sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism industries. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread.


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

Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 84 00 W

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total: 51,100 km²
Land: 51,060 km²
Water: 40 km²
Note: includes Isla del Coco
Comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries
Total: 661 km
Border countries: (2) Nicaragua 313 km; Panama 348 km

Coastline: 1,290 km

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

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

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

Elevation
Highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,819 m
Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Mean elevation: 746 m

Natural resources: hydropower

Land use
Agricultural land: 37.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 4.9% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 6.7% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 25.5% (2018 est.)
Forest: 51.5% (2018 est.)
Other: 11.4% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,015 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 830 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 230 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 2.08 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 113 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

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

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


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Population
Distribution: roughly half of the nation's population resides in urban areas; the capital of San Jose is the largest city and home to approximately one-fifth of the population: 5,256,612 (2023 est.)
Growth rate: 0.72% (2023 est.)
Below poverty line: 21% (2019 est.)

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

Ethnic groups: White or Mestizo 83.6%, Mulatto 6.7%, Indigenous 2.4%, Black or African descent 1.1%, other 1.1%, none 2.9%, unspecified 2.2% (2011 est.)

Languages: Spanish (official), English
Major-language samples:

Religions: Roman Catholic 47.5%, Evangelical and Pentecostal 19.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.4%, other Protestant 1.2%, other 3.1%, none 27% (2021 est.)

Demographic profile: Costa Rica's political stability, high standard of living, and well-developed social benefits system set it apart from its Central American neighbors. Through the government's sustained social spending - almost 20% of GDP annually - Costa Rica has made tremendous progress toward achieving its goal of providing universal access to education, healthcare, clean water, sanitation, and electricity. Since the 1970s, expansion of these services has led to a rapid decline in infant mortality, an increase in life expectancy at birth, and a sharp decrease in the birth rate. The average number of children born per women has fallen from about 7 in the 1960s to 3.5 in the early 1980s to below replacement level today. Costa Rica's poverty rate is lower than in most Latin American countries, but it has stalled at around 20% for almost two decades.

Age structure
0-14 years: 21.49% (male 577,782/female 552,041)
15-64 years: 68.59% (male 1,813,827/female 1,791,510)
65 years and over: 9.92% (2023 est.) (male 238,971/female 282,481)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 45.1
Youth dependency ratio: 29.8
Elderly dependency ratio: 15.3
Potential support ratio: 6.5 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 35 years (2023 est.)
Male: 34.4 years
Female: 35.6 years

Population growth rate: 0.72% (2023 est.)

Birth rate: 10.7 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate: 5.5 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Net migration rate: 2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution: roughly half of the nation's population resides in urban areas; the capital of San Jose is the largest city and home to approximately one-fifth of the population

Urbanization
Urban population: 82.6% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 1.462 million SAN JOSE (capital) (2023)

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
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 14.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 8.02 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 5.61 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio: 22 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 7 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
Male: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.6 years (2023 est.)
Male: 77 years
Female: 82.4 years

Total fertility rate: 1.4 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 70.9% (2018)

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 100% of population
Improved rural: 100% of population
Improved total: 100% of population
Unimproved urban: 0% of population
Unimproved rural: 0% of population
Unimproved total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

Current health expenditure: 7.9% of GDP (2020)

Physicians density: 3.3 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Hospital bed density: 1.1 beds/1,000 population (2019)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban:
Unimproved urban:

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: intermediate (2023)
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
Vectorborne diseases: dengue fever

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 25.7% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 3.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 2.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 0.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 0.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0.39 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 8.8% (2020 est.)
Male: 12.9% (2020 est.)
Female: 4.6% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 2.9% (2018)

Education expenditures: 6.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 98%
Male: 98%
Female: 98.1% (2021)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 17 years
Male: 16 years
Female: 17 years (2019)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 45.4% (2021 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 37%
Rate ages 15 24 female: 56.3%


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica
Conventional short form: Costa Rica
Local long form: República de Costa Rica
Local short form: Costa Rica
Etymology: the name means "rich coast" in Spanish and was first applied in the early colonial period of the 16th century

Government type: presidential republic

Capital
Name: San Jose
Geographic coordinates: 9 56 N, 84 05 W
Time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: named in honor of Saint Joseph

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
History: many previous; latest effective 8 November 1949
Amendments: proposals require the signatures of at least 10 Legislative Assembly members or petition of at least 5% of qualified voters; consideration of proposals requires two-thirds majority approval in each of three readings by the Assembly, followed by preparation of the proposal as a legislative bill and its approval by simple majority of the Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership; a referendum is required only if approved by at least two thirds of the Assembly; amended many times, last in 2020

Legal system: civil law system based on Spanish civil code; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: yes
Citizenship by descent only: yes
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Rodrigo CHAVES Robles (since 8 May 2022); First Vice President Stephan BRUNNER Neibig (since 8 May 2022); Second Vice President Mary Denisse MUNIVE Angermuller (since 8 May 2022); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Rodrigo CHAVES Robles (since 8 May 2022); First Vice President Stephan BRUNNER Neibig (since 8 May 2022); Second Vice President Mary Denisse MUNIVE Angermuller (since 8 May 2022)
Cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president
Elections/appointments: president and vice presidents directly elected on the same ballot by modified majority popular vote (40% threshold) for a 4-year term (eligible for non-consecutive terms); election last held on 6 February 2022 with a runoff on 3 April 2022 (next to be held in February 2,026 with a runoff in April 2,026)
Election results:

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (57 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies - corresponding to the country's 7 provinces - by closed party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 6 February 2022 (next to be held in February 2,026)
Election results: percent of vote by party - PLN 24.8%, PPSD 15%, PUSC 11.4%, PNR 10.1%, PLP 9.1%, 8.3%, other 21.3%; seats by party - PLN 19, PPSD 10, PUSC 9, PNR 7, PLP 6, PFA 6; composition - men 30, women 27, percent of women 47.4%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court of Justice (consists of 22 judges organized into 3 cassation chambers each with 5 judges and the Constitutional Chamber with 7 judges)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court of Justice judges elected by the National Assembly for 8-year terms with renewal decided by the National Assembly
Subordinate courts: appellate courts; trial courts; first instance and justice of the peace courts; Superior Electoral Tribunal

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OIF (observer), OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Catalina CRESPO SANCHO (since 19 April 2023)
In the us chancery: 2,114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 499-2,980
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 265-4,795
In the us email address and website:
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Cynthia A. TELLES (since 11 March 2022)
From the us embassy: Calle 98 Via 104, Pavas, San Jose
From the us mailing address: 3,180 St. George's Place, Washington DC 20,521-3,180
From the us telephone: [506] 2,519-2000
From the us FAX: [506] 2,519-2,305
From the us email address and website:

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 placed toward the hoist side of the red band; Costa Rica retained the earlier blue-white-blue flag of Central America until 1848 when, in response to revolutionary activity in Europe, it was decided to incorporate the French colors into the national flag and a central red stripe was added; today the blue color is said to stand for the sky, opportunity, and perseverance, white denotes peace, happiness, and wisdom, while red represents the blood shed for freedom, as well as the generosity and vibrancy of the people
Note: somewhat resembles the flag of North Korea; similar to the flag of Thailand but with the blue and red colors reversed

National symbols: yiguirro (clay-colored robin); national colors: blue, white, red

National anthem
Name: "Himno Nacional de Costa Rica" (National Anthem of Costa Rica)
Lyrics/music: Jose Maria ZELEDON Brenes/Manuel Maria GUTIERREZ
Note: adopted 1949; the anthem's music was originally written for an 1853 welcome ceremony for diplomatic missions from the US and UK; the lyrics were added in 1903

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 4 (1 cultural, 3 natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:


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Economy overview: trade-based upper middle-income economy; green economy leader, having reversed deforestation; investing in blue economy infrastructure; declining poverty until hard impacts of COVID-19; lingering inequality and growing government debts have prompted a liquidity crisis

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real gdp growth rate:

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 64.2% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 17.3% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 17.1% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 1% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 33.3% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -32.9% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 5.5% (2017 est.)
Industry: 20.6% (2017 est.)
Services: 73.9% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: sugar cane, pineapples, bananas, milk, oil palm fruit, fruit, oranges, watermelons, cassava, rice

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

Industrial production growth rate: 9.83% (2021 est.)

Labor force: 2.426 million (2021 est.)
Note: official estimate; excludes Nicaraguans living in Costa Rica

Unemployment rate:

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 45.4% (2021 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 37%
Rate ages 15 24 female: 56.3%

Population below poverty line: 21% (2019 est.)

Gini index
Coefficient distribution of family income: 49.3 (2020 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10%: 1.5%
Highest 10%: 36.9% (2014 est.)

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $9.664 billion (2019 est.)
Expenditures: $14.001 billion (2019 est.)
Surplus  or deficit: -6.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 12.32% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Public debt:

Revenue
From forest resources: 0.82% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

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:
Note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.
Partners: United States 38%, Netherlands 6%, Belgium 5%, Guatemala 5%, Panama 5% (2019)
Commodities: medical instruments, bananas, pineapples, orthopedic appliances, food preparations (2021)

Imports:
Partners: United States 41%, China 13%, Mexico 7% (2019)
Commodities: refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, cars, medical instruments, packaged medicines (2019)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

Debt external:

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification-total population: 100% (2021)
Installed generating capacity: 3.674 million kW (2020 est.)
Consumption: 10,072,472,000 kWh (2019 est.)
Exports: 712 million kWh (2019 est.)
Imports: 733 million kWh (2019 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 1,321,498,000 kWh (2019 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources wind: 12.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 71.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources geothermal: 14.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 1.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Coal
Production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 400 bbl/day (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 63,300 bbl/day (2019 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports: 51,320 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 8.115 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 1,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 8.114 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 44.899 million Btu/person (2019 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 491,613 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 7,834,435 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 152 (2021 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media: over two dozen privately owned TV stations and 1 publicly owned TV station nationwide; cable network services are widely available; more than 100 privately owned radio stations and a public radio network (2022)

Internet
Country code: .cr
Users total: 4.316 million (2021 est.)
Users percent of population: 83% (2021 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 992,725 (2020 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2020 est.)


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Military expenditures:

Military and security forces: no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security: the Public Force (Fuerza Pública (National Police)), Air Surveillance Service (Servicio de Vigilancia Aérea), National Coast Guard Service (Servicio Nacional de Guardacostas), Border Police (Policia de Fronteras); Ministry of Presidency: Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS), Special Intervention Unit (UEI) (2023)
Note: Costa Rica's armed forces were constitutionally abolished in 1949

Military service age and obligation

Space program
Overview: has a small, new program focused on promoting the use of space to develop the country’s economy and industry, including acquiring and utilizing satellites; has built a remote sensing (RS) cube satellite; has relations with the space agencies and commercial space industries of the US and members of the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (ALCE) (2023)
Overview note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in space programs

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 39
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,948,546 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 11.13 million (2018) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: TI

Airports: 161 (2021)
With paved runways: 47
With paved runways note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
With unpaved runways: 114
With unpaved runways note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Heliports

Pipelines: 662 km refined products (2013)

Railways
Total: 278 km (2014)
Narrow gauge: 278 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge
Note: the entire rail network fell into disrepair and out of use at the end of the 20th century; since 2005, certain sections of rail have been rehabilitated

Roadways
Total: 5,035 km (2017)
Paved: (2010)
Unpaved: (2010)

Waterways: 730 km (2011) (seasonally navigable by small craft)

Merchant marine
Total: 11 (2022)
By type: other 11

Ports and terminals
Major seaports: Atlantic Ocean (Caribbean) - Puerto Limon
Container ports teus:


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Disputes international: Costa Rica and Nicaragua regularly file border dispute cases over the delimitations of the San Juan River and the northern tip of Calero Island to the International Court of Justice (ICJ); in 2009, the ICJ ruled that Costa Rican vessels carrying out police activities could not use the river, but official Costa Rican vessels providing essential services to riverside inhabitants and Costa Rican tourists could travel freely on the river; in 2011, the ICJ provisionally ruled that both countries must remove personnel from the disputed area; in 2013, the ICJ rejected Nicaragua's 2012 suit to halt Costa Rica's construction of a highway paralleling the river on the grounds of irreparable environmental damage; in 2013, the ICJ, regarding the disputed territory, ordered that Nicaragua should refrain from dredging or canal construction and refill and repair damage caused by trenches connecting the river to the Caribbean and upheld its 2010 ruling that Nicaragua must remove all personnel; in early 2014, Costa Rica brought Nicaragua to the ICJ over offshore oil concessions in the disputed region

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 29,906 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or received alternative legal stay) (2021)
Stateless persons: 192 (2022)

Illicit drugs: