from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Costa Rica
Introduction
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 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. 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.
Geography
Location: Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and
the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
Geographic 10 00 N, 84 00 W
coordinates:
Map Central America and the Caribbean
references:
Area: total: 51,100 sq km
land: 50,660 sq km
water: 440 sq km
note: includes Isla del Coco
Area - slightly smaller than West Virginia
comparative:
Land total: 639 km
boundaries: border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
Coastline: 1,290 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: 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
volcanoes
Elevation lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
extremes: highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m
Natural hydropower
resources:
Land use: arable land: 4.4%
permanent crops: 5.87%
other: 89.73% (2005)
Irrigated 1,080 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic
hazards: coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy
season and landslides; active volcanoes
Environment - deforestation and land use change, largely a result of
current the clearing of land for cattle ranching and
issues: agriculture; soil erosion; coastal marine pollution;
fisheries protection; solid waste management; air
pollution
Environment - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
international Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
agreements: Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the
note: capital of San Jose in the center of the country; one
of the volcanoes, Irazu, erupted destructively in
1963-65
People
Population: 4,075,261 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 28.3% (male 590,261/female 563,196)
15-64 years: 66% (male 1,359,750/female 1,329,346)
65 years and over: 5.7% (male 108,041/female 124,667)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 26.4 years
male: 26 years
female: 26.9 years (2006 est.)
Population 1.45% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 18.32 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 4.36 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
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 (2006 est.)
Infant total: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 10.58 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 8.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 77.02 years
expectancy at male: 74.43 years
birth: female: 79.74 years (2006 est.)
Total 2.24 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 0.6% (2003 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 12,000 (2003 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - 900 (2003 est.)
deaths:
Nationality: noun: Costa Rican(s)
adjective: Costa Rican
Ethnic groups: white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%,
Chinese 1%, other 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's
Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none
3.2%
Languages: Spanish (official), English
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96%
male: 95.9%
female: 96.1% (2003 est.)
Government
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 democratic republic
type:
Capital: name: San Jose
geographic coordinates: 9 56 N, 84 05 W
time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC
during Standard Time)
Administrative 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia);
divisions: Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon,
Puntarenas, San Jose
Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
holiday:
Constitution: 7 November 1949
Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of
legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive chief of state: President Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (since 8
branch: May 2006); First Vice President Laura CHINCHILLA (since
8 May 2006); Second Vice President Kevin CASAS Zamora
(since 8 May 2006); note - the president is both the
chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Oscar ARIAS Sanchez
(since 8 May 2006); First Vice President Laura
CHINCHILLA (since 8 May 2006); Second Vice President
Kevin CASAS Zamora (since 8 May 2006)
cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president
elections: president and vice presidents elected on the
same ticket by popular vote for a single four-year
term; election last held 5 February 2006 (next to be
held February 2010)
election results: Oscar ARIAS Sanchez elected
president; percent of vote - Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (PLN)
40.9%; Otto SOLIS (PAC) 39.8%, Otto GUEVARA Guth (PML)
8%, Ricardo TOLEDO (PUSC) 3%; note - official results
pending the resolution of election challenges
Legislative unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa
branch: (57 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote
to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 5 February 2006 (next to be held
February 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats
by party - PLN 25, PAC 18, PML 6, PUSC 4, other 4
Judicial Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected
branch: for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)
Political Authentic Member from Heredia [Jose SALAS]; Citizen
parties and Action Party or PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican
leaders: Renovation Party or PRC [Gerardo Justo OROZCO Alvarez];
Democratic Force Party or PFD [Vladimir DE LA CRUZ];
General Union Party or PUGEN [Carlos Alberto FERNANDEZ
Vega]; Homeland First or PP [Juan Jose VARGAS Fallas];
Independent Worker Party or PIO [Jose Alberto CUBERO
Carmona]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto
GUEVARA Guth]; National Christian Alliance Party or ANC
[Juan Carlos CHAVEZ Mora]; 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 Restoration Party or PRN [Carlos
AVENDANO]; Nationalist Democratic Alliance or ADN [Jose
Miguel VILLALOBOS Umana]; Patriotic Union or UP
[Humberto ARCE Salas]; Social Christian Unity Party or
PUSC [Lorena VASQUEZ Badilla]; Union for Change Party
or UPC [Antonio ALVAREZ Desanti]; United Leftist
Coalition or IU [Humberto VARGAS Carbonel]
Political Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD
pressure (Communist Party affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers;
groups and Confederated Union of Workers or CUT (Communist Party
leaders: 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]
International BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
organization ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
participation: IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, 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
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Tomas DUENAS
representation chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
in the US: telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945
FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Hammond
(temporary location in Louisiana), Houston, Los
Angeles, Miami, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa
(temporarily closed), Washington, DC
consulate(s): San Francisco
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Mark LANGDALE
representation embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose
from the US: mailing address: APO AA 34020
telephone: [506] 519-2000
FAX: [506] 519-2305
Flag five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double
description: 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
Economy - Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on
overview: 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 internal and external deficits
and sizable 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 is the only signatory to the US-Central American
Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) that has not ratified it.
CAFTA implementation would result in economic reforms
and an improved investment climate.
GDP $45.67 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $19.38 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 5.9% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $11,400 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 8.8%
composition by industry: 29.9%
sector: services: 61.4% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 1.82 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - agriculture: 20%
by occupation: industry: 22%
services: 58% (1999 est.)
Unemployment 6.6% (2005 est.)
rate:
Population 18% (2004 est.)
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: 1.1%
income or highest 10%: 36.8% (2002)
consumption by
percentage
share:
Distribution 46.5 (2000)
of family
income - Gini
index:
Inflation rate 13.8% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 19.6% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $2.722 billion
expenditures: $3.195 billion; including capital
expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
Public debt: 56.8% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans,
products: potatoes; beef; timber
Industries: microprocessors, food processing, textiles and
clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic
products
Industrial 5.7% (2005 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 7.726 billion kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 1.5%
production by hydro: 81.9%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 16.6% (2001)
Electricity - 7.12 billion kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 115 million kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 50 million kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 0 bbl/day (2003)
production:
Oil - 40,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Current $-955 million (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $7.005 billion (2005 est.)
Exports - coffee, bananas, sugar, pineapples; textiles,
commodities: electronic components, medical equipment
Exports - US 42.6%, Hong Kong 6.9%, Netherlands 6.4%, Guatemala
partners: 4.2% (2005)
Imports: $9.69 billion (2005 est.)
Imports - raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment,
commodities: petroleum
Imports - US 41.3%, Japan 5.6%, Venezuela 4.8%, Mexico 4.8%,
partners: Ireland 4.3%, Brazil 4.2%, China 4.2% (2005)
Reserves of $2.313 billion (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $5.049 billion (2005 est.)
external:
Currency Costa Rican colon (CRC)
(code):
Currency code: CRC
Exchange Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 477.79 (2005),
rates: 437.91 (2004), 398.66 (2003), 359.82 (2002), 328.87
(2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 1,388,500 (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 1.101 million (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: good domestic telephone service in
system: terms of breadth of coverage; restricted cellular
telephone service
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; connected to Central
American Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); two submarine cables (1999)
Radio AM 65, FM 51, shortwave 19 (2002)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 980,000 (1997)
Television 20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 525,000 (1997)
Internet .cr
country code:
Internet 12,751 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 3 (of which only one is legal) (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 1 million (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 157 (2006)
Airports - total: 32
with paved 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
runways: 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 19
under 914 m: 9 (2006)
Airports - total: 125
with unpaved 914 to 1,523 m: 24
runways: under 914 m: 101 (2006)
Pipelines: refined products 242 km (2006)
Railways: total: 278 km
narrow gauge: 278 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)
Roadways: total: 35,889 km
paved: 8,075 km
unpaved: 27,814 km (2003)
Waterways: 730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2005)
Merchant total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,308 GRT/743 DWT
marine: by type: passenger/cargo 2 (2006)
Ports and Caldera, Puerto Limon
terminals:
Military
Military no regular military forces; Ministry of Public
branches: Security, Government, and Police (2006)
Military 18 years of age (2004)
service age
and
obligation:
Manpower males age 18-49: 997,690
available for females age 18-49: 968,290 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 829,874
for military females age 18-49: 809,343 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 41,097
reaching females age 18-49: 39,243
military
service age
annually:
Military $83.46 million (2005 est.)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 0.4% (2005 est.)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - in September 2005, Costa Rica took its case before the
international: ICJ to advocate the navigation, security, and
commercial rights of Costa Rican vessels using the Río
San Juan over which Nicaragua retains sovereignty
Refugees and refugees (country of origin): 8,266 (Colombia) (2005)
internally
displaced
persons:
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