2003 Edition

Administrative divisions

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 30.1% (male 600,812; female 573,375) 15-64 years: 64.4% (male 1,269,667; female 1,241,097) 65 years and over: 5.4% (male 98,156; female 112,985) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

151 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

total

30 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 19

under 914 m

8 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

121 914 to 1,523 m: 28

under 914 m

93 (2002) Military Costa Rica

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

Birth rate

19.4 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$2.35 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

revenues

$1.91 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

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

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

Costa Rican colon (CRC)

Currency code

CRC

Death rate

4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$4.8 billion (2002 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador John J. DANILOVICH

embassy

Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose

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 Jaime DAREMBLUM Rosenstein

consulate(s)

Austin

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Durham (North Carolina), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Francisco, St. Paul, and Tampa

Disputes - international

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

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. At the same time, distribution of income remains severely unequal. Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and high education levels, and tourism continues to bring in foreign exchange. However, traditional export sectors have not kept pace. Low coffee prices and an overabundance of bananas have hurt the agricultural sector. The government continues to grapple with its large deficit and massive internal debt, with the need to modernize the state-owned electricity and telecommunications sector, and with the problem of bringing down inflation.

Electricity - consumption

6.109 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

379 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

128 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

6.839 billion kWh (2001)

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, 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

Ethnic groups

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

Exchange rates

Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 359.82 (2002), 328.87 (2001), 308.19 (2000), 285.69 (1999), 257.23 (1998)

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet selected by the president

chief of state

President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since NA May 2002); Second Vice President Luis FISHMAN (since NA May 2002); 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 NA February 2006)

head of government

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

Exports

$5.1 billion (2002)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

US 31.5%, Netherlands 8.9%, UK 4.5% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 265-4795

[506] 220-2305

telephone

[1] (202) 234-2945

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

purchasing power parity - $32 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

9%

industry

30%

services

61% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2.8% (2002 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

7,896 km

total

35,892 km

unpaved

27,996 km (2000)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.6% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

890 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

11,000 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

34.6% (2001)

lowest 10%

1.7%

Illicit drugs

transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America; illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered plots; domestic cocaine consumption is rising, particularly crack cocaine This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Imports

$6.4 billion (2002)

Imports - commodities

raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum

Imports - partners

US 36.7%, Japan 4.4%, Mexico 4.2% (2002)

Independence

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Industrial production growth rate

2.9% (2002 est.)

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

female

9.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

11.49 deaths/1,000 live births

total

10.56 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

9.1% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, 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), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Internet country code

.cr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

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

Internet users

384,000 (2002) Transportation Costa Rica

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

1.9 million (1999)

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

90.11% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

5.48%

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

elections

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

79.11 years (2003 est.)

male

73.87 years

total population

76.43 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

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

continental shelf

200 NM

exclusive economic zone

200 NM

territorial sea

12 NM

Median age

female

25.8 years (2002)

male

24.9 years

total

25.4 years

Merchant marine

ships by type

passenger 1 (2002 est.)

total

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

Military branches

no regular indigenous military forces; Air Section, Ministry of Public Forces (Fuerza Publica)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$69 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.6% (FY99) Transnational Issues Costa Rica

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

1,080,254 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

722,043 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

41,453 (2003 est.)

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

0.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

37,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Pipelines

refined products 421 km (2003)

Political parties and leaders

Agricultural Labor Action or PALA [Carlos Alberto SOLIS Blanco]; Citizen Action Party or PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC [Justo OROZCO]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Jose M. NUNEZ]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth]; National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Alejandro MADRIGAL]; National Independent Party or PNI [Jorge GONZALEZ Marten]; National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National Liberation Party or PLN [Sonia PICADO]; Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Luis Manuel CHACON]

note

mainly a two-party system - PUSC and PLN - until the 3 February 2002 election in which the PAC captured a significant percentage, forcing a run-off in April 2002

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

3,896,092 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

20.6% (1999 est.)

Population growth rate

1.56% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

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

Radio broadcast stations

AM 50, FM 43, shortwave 19 (1998)

Radios

980,000 (1997)

Railways

narrow gauge

950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2002)

total

950 km

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

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

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

very good domestic telephone service

international

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

Telephones - main lines in use

450,000 (1998)

note

584,000 installed in 1997, but only about 450,000 were in use in 1998

Telephones - mobile cellular

143,000 (2000)

Television broadcast stations

6 (plus 11 repeaters) (1997)

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

2.38 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

6.3% (2002 est.)

Waterways

730 km (seasonally navigable)