Costa Rica

democratic republicIndependence 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Costa Rica as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 73 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalSan Jose

Area51,100 km2

Populationas each edition published it

3.03 million July 1990 · 5.3m in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 2.38% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 25.4 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 77.49 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.3 children per woman 1990 · 1.45 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

16 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 6.3 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $2,000 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 5.4% in 1993

Geography

12 fields

Land useshare of 51,100 km2

arable land 6%permanent crops 7%meadows and pastures 45%forest and woodland 34%other 8%includes 1% irrigated

Total area

51,100km2

land area: 50,660 km2; includes Isla del CocoComparative area: slightly smaller than West Virginia

Coastline

1,290km

Territorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

639km total

Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km

Climate

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

Terrain

coastal plains separated by rugged mountains

Environment

subject to occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast;
frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season;
active volcanoes;
deforestation;
soil erosion

People

14 fields

Population

3,032,795

(July 1990), growth rate 2.6% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth

28Death

4Net migration

Ethnic divisions

white (including mestizo) 96%black 2%Indian 1%Chinese 1%

Literacy

93%

Nationality

noun--Costa Rican(s); adjective--Costa Rican

Language

Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon

Labor force

868,300; industry and commerce 35.1%, government and services 33%, agriculture 27%, other 4.9% (1985 est.)

Government

Democratic republic

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

51%

Rafael Calderon Fournier 51%Carlos Manuel Castillo 47%4 February 1990 (next to be held February 1994)

Legislative Assembly, 57 seats, elected 4 February 1990one dot, one seat

PUSC 29PLN 25PVP/PPC 1regional parties 2

Administrative divisions

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

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Corte Suprema) Chief of State and Head of Government--President Rafael Angel CALDERON Fournier (since 8 May 1990);
First Vice President German SERRANO Pinto (since 8 May 1990);
Second Vice President Arnoldo LOPEZ Echandi (since 8 May 1990)

Political parties and leaders

National Liberation Party (PLN), Carlos Manuel Castillo;
Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC), Rafael Angel Calderon Fournier;
Marxist Popular Vanguard Party (PVP), Humberto Vargas Carbonell;
New Republic Movement (MNR), Sergio Erick Ardon;
Progressive Party (PP), Javier Solis;
People's Party of Costa Rica (PPC), Lenin Chacon Vargas;
Radical Democratic Party (PRD), Juan Jose Echeverria Brealey

Suffrage

universal and compulsory at age 18 President--last held 4 February 1990 (next to be held February 1994);
results--Rafael Calderon Fournier 51%, Carlos Manuel Castillo 47%;
Legislative Assembly--last held 4 February 1990 (next to be held February 1994);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(57 total) PUSC 29, PLN 25, PVP/PPC 1, regional parties 2

Other political or pressure groups

Costa Rican Confederation of Democratic Workers (CCTD; Liberation Party affiliate), Confederated Union of Workers (CUT; Communist Party affiliate), Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers (CATD; Communist Party affiliate), Chamber of Coffee Growers, National Association for Economic Development (ANFE), Free Costa Rica Movement (MCRL; rightwing militants), National Association of Educators (ANDE)

Member of

CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IDB--Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ITU, IWC--International Wheat Council, OAS, ODECA, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPEB, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Danilo JIMENEZ;
Chancery at Suite 211, 1825 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20009;
telephone (202) 234-2945 through 2947;
there are Costa Rican Consulates General at Albuquerque, Boston, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Tampa, and Consulates in Austin, Buffalo, Honolulu, and Raleigh;
US--Ambassador (vacant);
Embassy at Pavas Road, San Jose (mailing address is APO Miami 34020);
telephone [506] 33-11-55

Flag

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

Economy

In 1988 the economy grew at a 3.8% rate, a drop from the 5.1% of the previous year.

17 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$4.7billion

per capita $1,630; real growth rate 3.8% (1988)

Inflation, consumer prices

10%

(1989)

Unemployment rate

5.5%

(March 1989)

External debt

$4.5billion

(1989)

Budget

Revenues

$719 millionExpenditures

$808 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $103 million (1988)

Overview

In 1988 the economy grew at a 3.8% rate, a drop from the 5.1% of the previous year. Gains in agricultural production (on the strength of good coffee and banana crops) and in construction, were partially offset by declines in the rates of growth for the industry and commerce sectors.

In 1988 consumer prices rose by nearly 21% followed by a 10% rise in 1989. Unemployment is officially reported at about 6%, but much underemployment remains. External debt, on a per capita basis, is among the world's highest.

Exports

$1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities--coffee, bananas, textiles, sugar;
partners--US 75%, FRG, Guatemala, Netherlands, UK, Japan

Imports

$1.4 billion (c.i.f., 1988);
commodities--petroleum, machinery, consumer durables, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs;
partners--US 35%, Japan, Guatemala, FRG

Industrial production

growth rate 2.1% (1988)

Electricity

909,000 kW capacity; 2,928 million kWh produced, 990 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer

Agriculture

accounts for 20-25% of GDP and 70% of exports;
cash commodities--coffee, beef, bananas, sugar;
other food crops include corn, rice, beans, potatotes;
normally self-sufficient in food except for grain;
depletion of forest resources resulting in lower timber output

Illicit drugs

illicit production of cannabis on small scattered plots; transshipment country for cocaine from South America

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $1.3 billion;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $706 million;
Communist countries (1971-88), $27 million