Statistics Costa Rica 
Costa Rica in the World
Costa Rica - Introduction 2015
top of pageBackground: 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 natives 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. In 1949 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.
Area
Total: 51,100 km²
Land: 51,060 km²
Water: 40 km²
Note: includes Isla del Coco
Rank: 130
Comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia
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
Land use
Agricultural land: 37.1%
arable land: 4.9%
permanent crops: 6.7%
permanent pasture: 25.5%
permanent crops: 6.7%
permanent pasture: 25.5%
Forest: 51.5%
Other: 11.4%
Natural hazards: occasional earthquakes hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes
Volcanism: Arenal which erupted in 2010 is the most active volcano in Costa Rica; a 1968 eruption destroyed the town of Tabacon; Irazu (elev. 3,432 m) situated just east of San Jose has the potential to spew ash over the capital city as it did between 1963 and 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Miravalles Poas Rincon de la Vieja and Turrialba
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
Costa Rica - People 2015
top of pagePopulation: 4,814,144 (July 2015 est.)
Rank: 124
Growth rate: 1.22% (2015 est.)
Growth rate rank: 97
Below poverty line: 24.8% (2011 est.)
Ethnic groups: white or mestizo 83.6% mulato 6.7% indigenous 2.4% black of African descent 1.1% other 1.1% none 2.9% unspecified 2.2% (2011 est.)
Religions: Roman Catholic 76.3% Evangelical 13.7% Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3% other Protestant 0.7% other 4.8% none 3.2%
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.
Costa Rica is a popular regional immigration destination because of its job opportunities and social programs. Almost 9% of the population is foreign-born with Nicaraguans comprising nearly three-quarters of the foreign population. Many Nicaraguans who perform unskilled seasonal labor enter Costa Rica illegally or overstay their visas which continues to be a source of tension. Less than 3% of Costa Rica's population lives abroad. The overwhelming majority of expatriates have settled in the United States after completing a university degree or in order to work in a highly skilled field.
Costa Rica is a popular regional immigration destination because of its job opportunities and social programs. Almost 9% of the population is foreign-born with Nicaraguans comprising nearly three-quarters of the foreign population. Many Nicaraguans who perform unskilled seasonal labor enter Costa Rica illegally or overstay their visas which continues to be a source of tension. Less than 3% of Costa Rica's population lives abroad. The overwhelming majority of expatriates have settled in the United States after completing a university degree or in order to work in a highly skilled field.
Age structure
0-14 years: 23.12%
15-24 years: 17.1%
25-54 years: 43.9%
55-64 years: 8.6%
65 years and over: 7.27% (2015 est.)
Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 45.4%
Youth dependency ratio: 32.4%
Elderly dependency ratio: 12.9%
Potential support ratio: 7.7%
Urbanization
Urban population: 76.8% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 2.74% annual rate of change
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 Desertification Endangered Species Environmental Modification Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Marine Dumping Ozone Layer Protection Wetlands Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male/female
25-54 years: 1.01 male/female
55-64 years: 0.96 male/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male/female
Total population: 1.01 male/female
Infant mortality rate
Total: 8.46 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 9.25 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 7.64 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 151
Drinking water source:
urban: 99.6% of population
rural: 91.9% of population
total: 97.8% of population
urban: 0.4% of population
rural: 8.1% of population
total: 2.2% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 91.9% of population
total: 97.8% of population
urban: 0.4% of population
rural: 8.1% of population
total: 2.2% of population (2015 est.)
Sanitation facility access:
urban: 95.2% of population
rural: 92.3% of population
total: 94.5% of population
urban: 4.8% of population
rural: 7.7% of population
total: 5.5% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 92.3% of population
total: 94.5% of population
urban: 4.8% of population
rural: 7.7% of population
total: 5.5% of population (2015 est.)
Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.26% (2014 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 89
People living with hivaids: 8,800 (2014 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 97
Deaths: 200 (2014 est.)
Deaths rank: 103
Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: intermediate
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
Vectorborne diseases: dengue fever
Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 97.8%
Male: 97.7%
Female: 97.8%
Costa Rica - Government 2015
top of pageCountry 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
Administrative divisions: 7 provinces (provincias singular - provincia); Alajuela Cartago Guanacaste Heredia Limon Puntarenas San Jose
Constitution: previous 1825; latest adopted 7 November 1949; amended many times last in 2005; note - amendment declaring Costa Rica a multicultural multiethnic country pending final Legislative Assembly approval (2015)
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
Executive branch
Chief of state: President Luis Guillermo SOLIS Rivera ; First Vice President Helio FALLAS Venega (since 8 May 2014); Second Vice President Ana Helena CHACON Echeverria (since 8 May 2014); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Luis Guillermo SOLIS Rivera ; First Vice President Helio FALLAS Venega (since 8 May 2014); Second Vice President Ana Helena CHACON Echeverria (since 8 May 2014)
Cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president
Electionsappointments: president and vice presidents directly elected on the same ballot by modified majority popular vote for a 4-year term (eligible for non-consecutive terms); election last held on 2 February 2014 with a runoff on 6 April 2014 (next to be held in February 2018)
Election results: Luis Guillermo SOLIS Rivera elected president; percent of vote - Luis Guillermo SOLIS Rivera 77.8%; Johnny ARAYA (PLN) 22.2%
Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa
Elections: last held on 2 February 2014
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLN 18 PAC 13 FA 9 PUSC 8 PML 4 other 5
Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court of Justice
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; first instance and justice of the peace courts; Superior Electoral Tribunal
Political parties and leaders:
Patriotic Alliance [Jorge ARAYA Westover]
Popular Vanguard [Humberto VARGAS]
Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Gerardo VARGAS]
Popular Vanguard [Humberto VARGAS]
Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Gerardo VARGAS]
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 Roman MACAYA Hayes
In the us chancery: 2,114 S Street NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] 480-2,200
In the us FAX: [1] 265-4,795
In the us consulate general: Atlanta Chicago Houston Los Angeles Miami New Orleans New York San Francisco San Juan Tampa (FL) Washington DC; note - honorary consulates: Boston Dallas Denver Tucson (AZ)
In the us consulate: San Francisco
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador ; Charge d'Affaires Gonzalo GALLEGOS (since July 2013)
From the us embassy: Calle 98 Via 104 Pavas San Jose
From the us mailing address: APO AA 34,020
From the us telephone: [506] 2,519-2000
From the us FAX: [506] 2,519-2,305
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 anthem
Name: 'Himno Nacional de Costa Rica'
Lyrics and 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 United States and United Kingdom; the lyrics were added in 1903
Costa Rica - Economy 2015
top of pageEconomy overview:
Prior to the global economic crisis Costa Rica enjoyed stable economic growth. The economy contracted 1.3% in 2009 but resumed growth at about 4% per year in 2010-14. While the traditional agricultural exports of bananas coffee sugar and beef are still the backbone of commodity export trade a variety of industrial and specialized agricultural products have broadened export trade in recent years. High value-added goods and services including medical devices have further bolstered exports. Tourism continues to bring in foreign exchange as Costa Rica's impressive biodiversity makes it a key destination for ecotourism. Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and relatively high education levels as well as the incentives offered in the free-trade zones; and Costa Rica has attracted one of the highest levels of foreign direct investment per capita in Latin America. However poor infrastructure high energy costs bureaucracy weak investor protection and legal uncertainty due to difficulty of enforcing contracts and overlapping and at times conflicting responsibilities between agencies remain impediments to greater competitiveness. Costa Rica’s economy also faces challenges due to a rising fiscal deficit rising public debt and relatively low levels of domestic revenue. Poverty has remained around 20-25% for nearly 20 years and the strong social safety net that had been put into place by the government has eroded due to increased financial constraints on government expenditures. Unlike the rest of Central America Costa Rica is not highly dependent on remittances which in 2013 represented 1.1% of GDP. Immigration from Nicaragua has increasingly become a concern for the government.
The estimated 300,000-500,000 Nicaraguans in Costa Rica legally and illegally are an important source of mostly unskilled labor but also place heavy demands on the social welfare system. The US-Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) entered into force on 1 January 2009 after significant delays within the Costa Rican legislature. CAFTA-DR has increased foreign direct investment in key sectors of the economy including the insurance and telecommunications sectors recently opened to private investors.
The estimated 300,000-500,000 Nicaraguans in Costa Rica legally and illegally are an important source of mostly unskilled labor but also place heavy demands on the social welfare system. The US-Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) entered into force on 1 January 2009 after significant delays within the Costa Rican legislature. CAFTA-DR has increased foreign direct investment in key sectors of the economy including the insurance and telecommunications sectors recently opened to private investors.
Real gdp purchasing power parity:
$70.97 billion (2014 est.)
$68.57 billion (2013 est.)
$66.29 billion (2012 est.)
$68.57 billion (2013 est.)
$66.29 billion (2012 est.)
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 93
Real gdp per capita:
$14,900 (2014 est.)
$14,400 (2013 est.)
$13,900 (2012 est.)
$14,400 (2013 est.)
$13,900 (2012 est.)
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 104
Gross national saving:
14.3% of GDP (2014 est.)
15.5% of GDP (2013 est.)
16.6% of GDP (2012 est.)
15.5% of GDP (2013 est.)
16.6% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 104
Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 64.9%
Government consumption: 18.1%
Investment in fixed capital: 22%
Investment in inventories: 0.6%
Exports of goods and services: 36.2%
Imports of goods and services: -41.8%: (2014 est.)
Agriculture products: bananas pineapples coffee melons ornamental plants sugar corn rice beans potatoes; beef poultry dairy; timber
Industries: medical equipment food processing textiles and clothing construction materials fertilizer plastic products
Labor force: 2.257 million
Note: this official estimate excludes Nicaraguans living in Costa Rica
Rank: 119
By occupation agriculture: 14%
By occupation industry: 22%
By occupation services: 64%
Budget
Revenues: $6.931 billion
Expenditures: $9.728 billion
Surplus or deficit: -5.5% of GDP (2014 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 177
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
15.4% (31 December 2014 est.)
15.19% (31 December 2013 est.)
15.19% (31 December 2013 est.)
Rank: 35
Stock of narrow money:
$4.7 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$4.599 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
$4.599 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
Rank: 103
Stock of broad money:
$17.41 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$17.15 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
$17.15 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
Rank: 90
Stock of domestic credit:
$26.95 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$24.94 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
$24.94 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
Rank: 77
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$2.015 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
$1.443 billion (31 December 2011)
$1.445 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
$1.443 billion (31 December 2011)
$1.445 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
Rank: 100
Exports:
$11.75 billion (2014 est.)
$11.53 billion (2013 est.)
$11.53 billion (2013 est.)
Rank: 91
Commodities: bananas pineapples coffee melons ornamental plants sugar; beef; seafood; electronic components medical equipment
Partners: US 38.4% Netherlands 6.2% Panama 5.3% Nicaragua 4.4% Guatemala 4.1% (2014)
Imports:
$17.91 billion (2014 est.)
$17.15 billion (2013 est.)
$17.15 billion (2013 est.)
Rank: 80
Commodities: raw materials consumer goods capital equipment petroleum construction materials
Partners: US 44.4% China 10% Mexico 6.7% (2014)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$7.067 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$7.331 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
$7.331 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
Rank: 86
Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
$24.71 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$22.25 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
$22.25 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
Rank: 72
Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:
$2.492 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$2.292 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
$2.292 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
Rank: 73
Exchange rates:
Costa Rican colones (CRC) per US dollar -
539.3 (2014 est.)
499.77 (2013 est.)
502.9 (2012 est.)
505.66 (2011 est.)
525.83 (2010 est.)
539.3 (2014 est.)
499.77 (2013 est.)
502.9 (2012 est.)
505.66 (2011 est.)
525.83 (2010 est.)
Costa Rica - Energy 2015
top of pageElectricity
Production: 9.889 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Production rank: 97
Consumption: 8.792 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Consumption rank: 93
Exports: 402 million kWh (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 70
Imports: 419 million kWh (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 81
Installed generating capacity: 2.944 million kW (2011 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 92
Generation sources fossil fuels: 29.3% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 182
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 70
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 57.1% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 36
Generation sources other renewable sources: 13.6% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 21
Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 400 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 107
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 97
Crude oil imports: 10,040 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 77
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2014 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 119
Refined petroleum
Products production: 10,630 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 105
Products consumption: 54,170 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products consumption rank: 98
Products exports: 1898 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 102
Products imports: 40,290 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 80
Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Production rank: 118
Consumption: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Consumption rank: 132
Exports: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 80
Imports: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 179
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 125
Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 7.29 million Mt (2012 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 115
Costa Rica - Communication 2015
top of pageTelephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 880,000
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 19
Fixed lines rank: 82
Mobile cellular total: 7.1 million
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 149
Mobile cellular rank: 104
Telephone system
General assessment: good domestic telephone service in terms of breadth of coverage; under the terms of CAFTA-DR the state-run telecommunications monopoly is scheduled to be opened to competition from domestic and international firms but has been slow to open to competition
Domestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave fiber-optic and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is available
International: country code - 506; landing points for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System MAYA-1 and the Pan American Crossing submarine cables that provide links to South and Central America parts of the Caribbean and the US; connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2011)
Broadcast media: multiple privately owned TV stations and 1 publicly owned TV station; cable network services are widely available; more than 100 privately owned radio stations and a public radio network (2007)
Costa Rica - Military 2015
top of pageCosta Rica - Transportation 2015
top of pageAirports: 161 (2013)
Rank: 35
With paved runways total: 47
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 27
With paved runways under 914 m: 16
With unpaved runways total: 114
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 18
With unpaved runways: 96 (2013)
Railways
Total: 278 km
Narrow gauge: 278 km 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
Rank: 123
Costa Rica - Transnational issues 2015
top of pageDisputes 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
Illicit drugs: transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America; illicit production of cannabis in remote areas; domestic cocaine consumption particularly crack cocaine is rising; significant consumption of amphetamines; seizures of smuggled cash in Costa Rica and at the main border crossing to enter Costa Rica from Nicaragua have risen in recent years (2008)
🅶🅷🅴🅾🆂.🅲🅾🅼